The Thar Desert Flashcards
Where is The Thar Desert situated?
Rajasthan in India
What area does The Thar Desert cover?
200, 000km2
What is the average rainfall per year?
240mm per annum
What are the temperatures like in July?
In July they can reach up to 53 degrees celsius
What is the vegetation like?
Mobile, sandy dunes with sparse, natural vegetations+ thin aridosols
Name the four headings for opportunities:
1) Agriculture
2) Mining and Industry
3) Tourism
4) Settlement
Which two types of farming occur in The Thar Desert?
1) Subsistence farming (farming for your own purposes.
2) Commercial farming (growing wheat and cotton).
Describe subsistence farming in The Thar Desert…
In particular, grazing goats and sheep across very large areas of desert due to limited vegetation.- Semi-nomadic (people who have to move around however they do have a permanent home).
Describe commercial farming in The Thar Desert..
It is successful because of high temperatures and irrigation with water from the Indira Ghandi Canal.
How long is the Indira Ghandi Canal?
650km long
What area does the Indira Ghandi Canal irrigate?
3,500km2
Name three minerals which are mined within The Thar Desert:
1) GYPSUM (used in cement and plaster)
2) FELDSPAR (used in ceramics)
3) PHOSPHERITE (used to make fertilisers)
Name another popular industry…
Also there is much industry based on leather products from animal hides.
Name a place where tourism has become popular recently:
Jaisalmer (eg. sand dunes and camel safari’s)
Name the two main cities within The Thar Desert:
Jodhpur and Jaisalmer
Where are Jodhpur and Jaisalmer situated?
They are situated along the Indira Ghandi Canal where most of the industry is found so there is many employment opportunities.
State two main problems in The Thar Desert:
1) Population pressure
2) Salinisation
What is the population density of The Thar desert?
83 people per square km (most densely populated desert in the world)
Where do most people live?
Most people live along the Indira Ghandi Canal, especially in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer
Problem: elaborate on marginal land
Marginal land (land which shouldn’t really be used) is used which leads to desertification.
Why has salinisation occurred?
Over irrigation of the land, especially around the Indira Ghandi Canal, water seepage and high temperatures have resulted in salinisation.
Extra info, salinisation.
In areas away from the canal, over use of water has resulted in an unsustainable fall in the water table.
