Facts about the largest desert in India
Located in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, the Thar desert is one of the largest deserts in India. Spread over an area of more than 200000 sq.km, this desert has a unique feature of being located at the edge of a subtropical desert.
It is the world’s 20th largest desert, and the world’s 9th largest subtropical desert.
The Thar desert has some interesting rock formations caused by wind erosion over centuries. Wind erosion has created various shapes like crescent, pyramids and mushroom shapes which attract many tourists every year. I would say, the good time to travel here is during October to February.
The Thar desert is also called the Great Indian desert. This is a huge, inhospitable desert in the Indian subcontinent’s northwestern corner that serves as a natural border between India and Pakistan.
The Thar Desert covers around 85 percent of India and the remaining 15 percent of Pakistan. The 85% of the Thar Desert in India extends into Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat as well.
Life in the Thar desert / The great Indian desert
The Thar desert has a unique ecosystem although it is not very rich in biodiversity. But there are species that survive on sand dunes and saline water. The most famous animal species of this desert is blackbuck. Other animals include chinkara, desert fox, Bengal fox, caracal cat, wolf and hyena. Reptiles like geckos, Indian cobra and lizard can also be found here.
Birds like partridge, sparrows and peacocks are also found here. Many migratory birds are also seen here during winters. A few plants survived here such as acacia, palm trees and grasses that have adapted to extreme conditions in this region.
Although the Thar desert has a very harsh environment for survival, it is also known as the most densely populated desert in the world. Surprisingly, it has a population of over 16 million people. The Thar Desert has a rich cultural heritage.
Climate of the Thar Desert / The great Indian desert
The desert comprises five main regions. The desert can be divided into two sections: the very dry Marusthali area in the west and a semidesert area that has minimum sand dunes and comparatively more precipitation.
The average rainfall across most of Rajasthan varies from 6 (around 150mm) to 10 (around 250mm) inches per year but some parts can receive up to 25 inches (around 630mm). Most of the rainfall usually occur during December and January.
The desert is a plateau which rises gradually to about 300 meters in the south and to about 600 meters in the north. It lies between Aravalis on its east and Indus plains on its west. It has a subtropical climate with hot summers from April to June and cold winters from October to February.
Which is the largest desert in the India?
The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is a large area of sandy plains and salt flats that straddles the border between India and Pakistan. It is the largest desert in India and one of the largest in the world. The Thar Desert extends across most of Rajasthan state, and has a surface area of approximately 238,254 km² .
What is the 9th largest subtropical desert?
Thar desert is the 9th largest subtropical desert in the world.
Which one is known as Indian desert?
Thar desert is the name given for the great Indian desert.
Thar desert is also known as
The great Indian desert
The great Indian desert is located in which state?
The answers is Rajasthan State.
The great Indian desert is also known as
Thar desert
