Deserts of India Map, Features of Thar Desert & Cold Desert of India

Deserts of India

Deserts of India: Deserts are arid regions with little or no vegetation and exceptionally high or low temperatures. Deserts can be either hot or chilly depending on the climate. Wherever there is little water available for cultivation, people inhibit those areas and practice agriculture.  The majority of experts concur that a desert is any region of land with annual precipitation totals of less than 25 cm (10 inches). It is one of the main ecosystems on Earth and is home to a variety of unique plants and animals that have evolved to survive in harsh environments.

Since trees are typically absent in desert environments and shrubs or herbaceous plants only provide very incomplete ground cover under normal climatic circumstances, desert environments can only support relatively sparse vegetation. Some deserts are almost devoid of flora due to extreme aridity, although this aridity is thought to be partly caused by the effects of human disturbance, such as the stress that excessive cattle grazing has on an already stressed environment.

Thar Desert of India

The Great Indian Desert, also known as the Thar Desert, is a sizable and dry region in the Indian subcontinent’s northwest. It constitutes a natural border between India and Pakistan and spans an area of around 200,000 km². About 85% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 15% is in Pakistan. The Thar Desert makes up roughly 4.56% of India’s total land area. The Rann of Kutch along the western coast, the alluvial plains of the Indus River in the northwest, Punjab and Haryana to the north, and the Aravali Hills in the northeast make up the Great Indian Desert.

The Thar Desert contains a number of protected areas. Here are a few of them:

• Desert Natural Park: Desert Natural Park has an area of about 3162 km2. It has 44 towns and one of the largest Thar Desert ecosystems, as well as a variety of flora and wildlife.
• Tal Chhapar Sanctuary: The Churu district is home to the 7 km2 Tal Chhapar Sanctuary. A sizable population of foxes, blackbuck, partridge, and other animals reside in the refuge.
• Sundha Mata Conservation Reserve: The 117.49 km2 (45.36 sq mi) Sundha Mata Conservation Reserve is situated in the Jalore District.

Features of Thar Desert of India

Thar Desert Characteristics

Due to its harsh environment and sparse flora, the desert proper is known as Marusthali (dead land). In general, the Marushthali is rocky in the east while having to shift sand dunes in the west.

The semi-arid region west of the Aravallis is referred to as Bagar. Bagar has a thin sand layer. While the northern portion features a lot of salt lakes, the southern portion is drained by Luni. There are several short seasonal streams that come from the Aravallis that are found in the Rajasthan Bagar region.

In some fertile areas known as Rohi, these streams provide agricultural support. Even the “Luni,” the most significant river, is a seasonal stream. The Luni River begins in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, close to Ajmer, and flows into the Rann of Kutch in the southwest. The Thali, or sand plain, is the area to the north of Luni. There are some streams that, after flowing for a while, dry up and join a lake or playa, like the Sambhar Lake, to demonstrate a typical occurrence of inland drainage. The main source of salt can be found in the brackish water found in the lakes and playas.

Thar Desert Topography

The soil of the Great Indian Desert is subject to wind erosion and is perpetually dry. Strong winds move off of the desert at high speeds, depositing some of it near agricultural fields. In the desert, these strong winds generate shifting sand dunes. Water for the Thar Desert is provided by canals like the Indira Gandhi Canal. Additionally, these canals stop the desert from encroaching into arable land.

The Great Indian Desert’s soil erodes easily from the wind and is perpetually dry. Winds that blow at high speeds deposit some of the dust they carry onto nearby productive regions. Sand dunes in the desert are moving as a result of these strong winds. Water is delivered to the Thar Desert via canals like the Indira Gandhi Canal. Additionally, the desert cannot extend to fertile places because of these canals.

Thar Desert Flora and Fauna

Fauna: There is a diverse range of flora and fauna in the Thar Desert. Here are a few examples of fauna:

• Blackbuck
• Wolf
• Indian Wild Ass
• Red Fox
• Chinkara
• Sand Grouse
• Leopard
• Caracal
• Asiatic Wild Cat
• Packcock

Flora: Herbaceous species including cactus, neem, khejri, and acacia nilotica are among those grown in the area. All of these plants can adapt to extremes in temperature and unfavourable environmental circumstances.

Thar Desert in India Map

Here is the map of the Thar Desert of India:

Cold Desert of India

The Himalayan Region, which includes Ladakh in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Kinnaur in the state of Himachal Pradesh (H.P.), is home to India’s Cold Desert Cultural Landscape. India’s Ladakh is a frigid and cold desert. The hottest desert in India is in Rajasthan. In general, people refer to an area as a desert if it contains little or no vegetation or water.

Features of Cold Desert of India

In Ladakh, the altitude varies from about 3,000 m to more than 8,000 m. The Karakoram has an altitude range of about 8,000 metres. Around 3,000 m is the altitude range of Kargil. The temperature in Ladakh is exceptionally dry and cold because of the region’s extraordinarily high altitude. In Ladakh, the nighttime lows are considerably below -30°C. The majority of the time throughout the winter, the temperature is below -40°C. Due to its location in the Himalayan rain shadow, India’s chilly desert receives extremely little precipitation. The annual rainfall averages only 10 cm. Because the air is so thin at these heights, the sun’s heat is especially intense in these places. The chilly desert is subjected to scalding sunlight and chilly breezes.

Cold Desert in India Map

Here is the map of the Cold Desert of India:

Deserts of India UPSC Important Facts

Thar desert also called The Great Indian desert is the hottest desert in India and Ladakh is the cold desert.

Thar desert is located northwest of the Aravali hills. About 85% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 15% is in Pakistan. The semi-arid region of the Thar Desert is called “Bagar”.

The world’s coldest desert is Antarctica. The world’s largest desert is located in Antarctica. Compared to the Arctic Desert, the Antarctic Desert is colder. Antarctica, which is mainly made up of ice flats, has experienced low temperatures of -89°C.

Deserts of India FAQs

Q. What is the other name of the Thar desert?

Ans. The Great Indian Desert, also known as the Thar Desert, is a sizable and dry region in the Indian subcontinent’s northwest.

Q. Where is the Great Indian Desert located?

Ans. About 85% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 15% is in Pakistan.

Q. Which city is called a desert city in India?

Ans. Jaisalmer is called Desert city. It is in Rajasthan state.

Q. What is an example of a cold desert?

Ans. Examples of cold deserts include Antarctica, Ladakh, and the Gobi Desert. China and Mongolia both contain the Gobi Desert. In general, people refer to an area as a desert if it contains little or no vegetation or water.

Q. Where is the cold desert in India located?

Ans. Ladakh is a cold desert in India.

Q. Why Ladakh is called the cold desert?

Ans. There is hardly any rainfall in Ladakh. It only gets 10 cm of rain a year at most. It’s quite chilly here. There is little vegetation there. The population is extremely small.

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