Thar Desert

The Thar Desert (Hindi pronunciation: [t̪ʰaːɾ]), also known as the Great Indian Desert, is an arid region in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent stretching across India and Pakistan. Spread across an area of 264,091 km² (101,966 sq mi), it is one of the largest subtropical deserts in Asia by area. About two-thirds of the desert area lies in India, with the remaining in Pakistan. It forms about six percent of the geographical area of India, with majority of the desert lying in the state of Rajasthan, with portions extending into Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. Towards the west, it extends into the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in Pakistan. It is bordered by the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the north, west and northeast, Rann of Kutch to the south, and the Aravali Range to the east.

During the Last Glacial Maximum, an ice sheet covered the Tibetan Plateau, which reflected more solar radiation into space, resulting in cooling the overlying atmosphere during that period. Without the thermal low pressure caused by the heating, there was no monsoon over the Indian subcontinent, which led to the deposition of dust and the desertification of the region. The upliftment of the Aravallis brought about changes in the hydrography of the region, and the Ghaggar-Hakra River system that fed the region dried up, and the region became increasingly arid. Over the years, wind blown sediments and sand from the alluvial plains and the coast accumulated in the region.

The topography consists of sandy plains intercepted by eroded hills of low elevation. The region has a tropical desert climate with extremely hot summers and cooler winters. Majority of the rainfall is obtained from the southwest monsoon, which on average is less than 500 mm (20 in) annually. The rainfall varies over the years, often with large spells of drought. There are very few sources of water, with the inland Luni River system being the only major river system in the region. Rain water is often stored in natural and man-made reservoirs for use in the dry season.

The natural vegetation of the region is composed of trees, thorny scrubs and scattered grasslands. The desert is home to several animal and bird species. The Thar Desert is one of the most widely populated deserts in the world, with the Thar people inhabiting the area. The population is clustered into small villages, with majority of them nomadic in nature. Limited agriculture, herding of animals, and eco tourism drive the economy of the region.