Thar Desert Case Study

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is located in northwest India and stretches into ​ (a)  

• Pakistan
• Bangladesh
• Afghanistan
• Nepal

It covers 200,000 square kilometres and is the most ​ (a)   populated desert in the world

• densely
• sparsley
• sparsely
• quiet
• hottest

Development OPPORTUNITIES in the Thar desert:

• Mineral extraction

  limestone for producing steel and cement;

  marble, used in construction;

  phosphorite used in fertiliser and chemicals;

• Energy

  Renewable energy resources include wind and solar energy.

  Solar energy is being used in Bhaleri to power water treatment works

• Farming- subsistence and The Indira Gandhi canal has created commercial production of wheat, cotton and maize.

• Tourism

  Desert safaris are popular as is ecotourism including camel treks.

CHALLENGES in the Thar Desert

• Extreme Temperatures

  Temperatures can exceed 50°C

• Water supply

  Precipitation levels are very low, between 120-240mm, and evaporation rates are high

• Inaccessibility-

  Covering 200,000k㎡- it has a limited road network.

  Tarmac can melt in the hot temperatures, and sand can easily blow over roads.

• Desertification

  - climate change is causing desert regions to become warmer and drier

Rainfall in the Thar Desert is low - typically between 120 and ​ (a)   mm per year

• 240
• 500
• 200
• 150

Summer temperatures in July can reach ???

• 33°

• 43°

• 23°

• 53°

Sustainable Management. In 1977 the government-funded Desert Development Programme was started. Its main aims are

• stabilising sand dunes- including planting blocks of trees and establishing shelter belts of fences and trees alongside roads and canals. 

• restore the ecological balance

• developing forestry including a breed of plum tree called the Ber tree. It produces large fruits and can survive in low rainfall condition

• Improving the quality of the soil- encouraging people to reduce the number of grazing animals they have and grow crops instead.

Vegetation has adapted to survive in the Thar desert by:

• Xerophilious grass has a small surface area to reduce water loss

• spiky leaves to reduce rates of evapotranspiration

• Some species remain dormant during long dry spells

• Buttress roots to help them grow tall

The Thar desert is the ​ (a)   largest hot desert

• 9th
• 4th
• 3rd
• 7th

Thar Desert has a total population of about ​ (a)   million people

• 17
• 1
• 7
• 22
• 9