Balochistan Plateau Flashcards
Location
South west of Sulaiman kirthar range in balochistan and it’s altitude is 600-3010 km
Topography
Rugged, alluviam fans, coastal plains, highly mineralised, barren mountains, plain area, has hamuns/playa/salt lakes, many basins/lobes/valleys, diverse areas and lots of mineral wealth
The plateau is divided by a fault line into the west Chaman fault area and the east ornachnal fault area. Explain the west chaman fault area
East west trend of mountains made of limestone and shale
Mineralised
Barren
Highest peak is Raskoh with altitude of 3010m
The chagai hills have the reko diq and saindaq mines which have copper and gold reserves as well as sulphur deposits
The kharan desert has rolling sand plains and many types of sand dunes
The Makran coastal area has hills projecting into the sea which forms narrow plains and sand plus gravel deposits
The gonshero pass is an external pass in chagai hills from pak to afghan
East Ornachnal fault area
North south trend of mountains made of limestone and sandstone
Kojak pass on toba kakar range leading to Afghanistan
Kalat plateau and lasbela plains part of the coastal area which has gravel and sand dunes
Drainage
Seasonal streams brought by wind from west “western depression”
Inland drainage mostly (waterbodies that don’t have access to the sea)
Hamuns/playa/salt lakes make up the inland drainage
Hamuns
Basins/lobes/valleys in the region have no outlet into the sea so when it rains which is infrequent, the water collects in temporary streams/river/lakes to form hamuns/playa/salt lakes
When the water evaporates, a salt crust is left behind called a salt pan
The largest hamun in the region is the hamun e mashkel in the south of kharan desert
Alluvial fans
When it rains, the rain water travels down mountain slopes forming narrow channels. As the water travels it weathers the rocks on the slope and carries them along and deposits the boulder, clay, san, gravel and silt onto the foothills where it is crushed into fine alluviam
When the alluviam mixes with water it spread alike a network/ fan and a alluviam fan is created
These alluviam fans are very fertile and good for growing crops
Kariz system
The kariz system is a very old method of irrigation practiced in balochistan because of the scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation. It is a very efficient and traditional an indigenous method. Villagers pool in money to construct. Making it can be difficult sometimes due to hard rocks underground.
It consists of well like vertical shafts connected by sloping tunnels made underground in the foothills of mountains or their sloping sides.
It transports underground water to the Surface without any pumping through gravity.
Advantages:
Allows water to be transported long distances in hot dry climates with less water loss
Resistant to most natural disasters
Eco friendly
Less expensive than modern methods because no need for pumping
Disadvantages:
Irrigates limited area
Needs skilled labour
Tunnels need maintenance because of silting
Economic potential
Balochistan Plateau is surrounded by mountains. In the south there is a narrow coastal plain bordering the Arabian sea
It’s a low rainfall, dry climate area but summers are cool in the higher areas
Vast untapped resources and very low population density
Water resources- scarce, irrigation and drinking dependant on karez, tube wells and flood diversion channels
Transport- absence of linked roads, rail for a few areas
Economic structure
Crop farming
Livestock raising
67% agriculture
One part of the economic wealth of Balochistan are mineral resources explain
Blessed with minerals
Deposits of gold and antimony in punjgore and kharan
Deposits of crude oil and natural gas
46% gas supply comes from Sui in balochistan
Marble, gas, coal, chromite, limestone, petroleum, copper, gold
The reko diq and saindaq mines In chagai hills are large unexplored mines containing deposits of gold and copper
Explain agriculture as part of Balochistans economic wealth
Fruit
Dates, grapes, apple, almonds, apricot, plums, peaches, melons, pomegranates
Lots of orchards bc saline soil doesn’t support crop farming
Vegetable
Higher areas like Quetta and Zhob have long cold winters good for growing vegetable seeds
Livestock
Wool, goat hair, skins, leather, ghee, milk, meat
Nomadic livestock farming bc lack of irrigation
Fishing Subsistence and market farming Good active fishing ports Gwader, pasni and ormara Mainly traded with Sri Lanka
Future prospects
Explore mineral resources using experts and consultants
Improve livestock farming both quantity wise and quality wise through modern ways
The deep sea gwader port and saindaq gold copper project utilised
Developing fishing industry though new technology
