The Western Desert - Development Opportunities - Paper 1 Flashcards
What are the 4 main development opportunities in the Western Desert?
-Farming
-Mineral extraction
-Energy
-Tourism
Which 3 deserts make up the USA’s Western Desert?
-Mojave Desert
-Part of the Sonoran Desert
-Part of the Chihuahuan Desert
How many square kilometres does the Western Desert cover in total?
200,000 km²
What has bought different groups of people to the Western Desert?
Migration.
Arizona is home to what group of indigenous people?
The Navajo people.
By the Grand Canyon is home to what group of indigenous people?
The Havasupai people.
Where in the Western Desert is a spiritually significant place for some indigenous people?
The Grand Canyon.
Which indigenous group from the Sonoran Desert settled by the Colorado River centuries ago?
The Cocopah Tribe.
When did people of European descent begin to migrate into the Colorado River region?
1800s.
What are 5 states that the Western Desert includes parts of?
-California
-Utah
-Arizona
-New Mexico
-Nevada
What can urban residents in the Western desert usually find work in?
Retailing and service industries.
What do people living in the less populated, more inhospitable parts of the Western Desert earn a living from?
Farming, mineral extraction, energy and tourism industries.
How is agriculture supported in the Western Desert?
With high temperatures and sunlight.
What are 2 important sources of irrigation for agriculture?
-Aquifers
-Canals
What are aquifiers?
Large stores of water which lie beneath some hot desert regions
What are 5 kinds of minerals which the Western Desert is rich in?
-Copper
-Uranium
-Lead
-Zinc
-Coal
Where was there a plan for uranium mining?
Why was it halted?
Near the Grand Canyon.
It was halted due to a campaign by the havasupai people who were concerned about its risk to wildlife and contamination of water supplies.
What does the Western Desert’s most important source of income come from?
Tourism.
What are the 4 main tourist attraction themes in the Western Desert?
-Wilderness in national parks
-Culture
-Entertainment
-Water-sports
What are 2 examples of national parks which attract tourists in the Western Desert?
The Grand Canyon and California’s Joshua Tree National Park.
Where is the heritage and culture of Native Americans celebrated for tourists?
The Colorado Museum in Parker, Arizona.
What is the biggest attractor for entertainment in the Western desert and how many visitors does it attract per year?
Las Vegas - it attracts 37 million visitors per year.
What 2 major lakes have been created in the Western Desert?
Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
How many visitors do Lake Mead and Lake Powell combined attract per year?
2 million.
