Study Guides/Geography/The Great Indian Desert
Study Guide · Geography

The Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert)

In Class 9 Geography (Physical Features of India), the diverse landscapes of the country are categorized into distinct physical divisions. One of the most striking is The Great Indian Desert, universally known as the Thar Desert.

Question (Click to Flip)

Why is the Great Indian Desert located where it is?

Answer

The Aravalli Hills act as a massive wall. When the moisture-laden South-West monsoon winds blow towards Rajasthan, they drop all their rain on the eastern side of the Aravallis. The western side (the Thar) remains dry as a 'rain shadow' area.

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Key Facts

Despite its harsh conditions, the Thar Desert is the most densely populated desert in the world! Millions of people and livestock survive here, largely thanks to the Indira Gandhi Canal which brought Himalayan water to the region.

Location and Extent

The Great Indian Desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravalli Hills.

  • It covers a massive portion of western Rajasthan, and extends slightly into the states of Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. It also crosses the international border into the Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan.

Climate and Features

  • Rainfall: It has an extremely arid (dry) climate. The region receives very low rainfall, usually below 150 mm per year.
  • Vegetation: Because of the lack of water, there is very sparse vegetation. Only thorny bushes, cacti, and deep-rooted shrubs like Khejri survive here.
  • Landscape: The surface is a sandy plain covered with magnificent, undulating sand dunes. The most famous crescent-shaped sand dunes are called Barchans.

Rivers and Water

The desert has very few rivers or streams. They only appear briefly during the rare rainy season and soon disappear into the sand, never reaching the ocean (this is called inland drainage).

  • The Luni River is the only large and significant river in this entire region.

Questions and Answers

Why is the Great Indian Desert located where it is?+

The Aravalli Hills act as a massive wall. When the moisture-laden South-West monsoon winds blow towards Rajasthan, they drop all their rain on the eastern side of the Aravallis. The western side (the Thar) remains dry as a 'rain shadow' area.

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