| World Top 10 - Countries by Largest Deserts |
| Year | Games | Host | Dates | Nations | Athletes | Sports | Events |
| 1951 | I | New Delhi, India | March 4–11 | 11 | 489 | 6 | 57 |
| 1954 | II | Manila, Philippines | May 1–9 | 19 | 970 | 8 | 76 |
| 1958 | III | Tokyo, Japan | May 28–June 1 | 16 | 1820 | 13 | 97 |
| 1962 | IV | Jakarta, Indonesia | August 24–September 4 | 12 | 1460 | 13 | 88 |
| 1966 | V | Bangkok, Thailand | December 9–20 | 16 | 1945 | 14 | 143 |
| 1970 | VI | Bangkok, Thailand | August 24–September 4 | 16 | 2400 | 13 | 135 |
| 1974 | VII | Tehran, Iran | September 1–16 | 19 | 3010 | 16 | 202 |
| 1978 | VIII | Bangkok, Thailand | December 9–20 | 19 | 3842 | 19 | 201 |
| 1982 | IX | New Delhi, India | November 19–December 4 | 23 | 3411 | 21 | 147 |
| 1986 | X | Seoul, South Korea | September 20–October 5 | 22 | 4839 | 25 | 270 |
| 1990 | XI | Beijing, China | September 22–October 7 | 36 | 6122 | 29 | 310 |
| 1994 | XII | Hiroshima, Japan | October 2–16 | 42 | 6828 | 34 | 337 |
| 1998 | XIII | Bangkok, Thailand | December 6–20 | 41 | 6554 | 36 | 376 |
| 2002 | XIV | Busan, South Korea | September 29–October 14 | 44 | 7711 | 38 | 419 |
| 2006 | XV | Doha, Qatar | December 1–15 | 45 | 9520 | 39 | 424 |
| 2010 | XVI | Guangzhou, China | November 12–27 | 42 | 476 | ||
| 2014 | XVII | Incheon, South Korea | September 19–October 4 | Future event |
