Are all deserts near the equator?

No. Deserts come in many variants, but none are actually near the Equator. Due to the presence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the influence of several tropical monsoons, equatorial locations are generally too humid to host true deserts. read more

The highest amount of sunlight is received by about 20 degrees north and south of the equator. This is because of the low pressure system near the equator which creates substantial cloud cover which blocks sun's rays. The deserts are located in the 20 degrees north south sides of equator because of this reason. read more

Actually, not all deserts are near the equator. Those that are hot and dry are near the equator, because that is where the heat is. There are others, however, such as the Gobi Desert, which can be very cold and, from time to time, very wet, though it is usually dry. read more