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DESERTS
Monday 16 June 2014
THAL DESERT
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TAKLAMAKAN DESERT
The Taklamakan Desert, also known as Taklimakan and
Teklimakan, is a desert in southwest Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,
northwest China. It is bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the south, the Pamir
Mountains and Tian Shan ancient Mount Imeon to the west and north, and the Gobi
Desert to the east.
The name may be an Uyghur borrowing of the Arabic tark,
"to leave alone/out/behind, relinquish, abandon" + makan,
"place". Another plausible explanation suggests it is derived from
Turki taqlar makan, describing "the place of ruins".The Taklamakan
Desert has an area of 337,000 km2 130,116 sq. mi., and includes the Tarim Basin,
which is 1,000 kilometres 620 mi long and 400 kilometres 250 mi wide. It is
crossed at its northern and at its southern edge by two branches of the Silk
Road as travelers sought to avoid the arid wasteland. It is the world's second
largest shifting sand desert with about 85% made up of shifting sand dunes
ranking 18th in size in a ranking of the world's largest non-polar deserts.
Some geographers and ecologists prefer to regard the
Taklamakan Desert as separate and independent from the Gobi Desert region to
its east.citation needed
In recent years, the People's Republic of China has
constructed a cross-desert highway that links the cities of Hotan on the
southern edge and Luntai on the northern edge. In recent years, the desert has
expanded in someBecause it lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas,Taklamakan
is a paradigmatic cold desert climate. Given its relative proximity with the
cold to frigid air masses in Siberia, extreme lows are recorded in wintertime,
sometimes well below −20 °C −4 °F. During the 2008 Chinese winter storms
episode, the Taklamakan was reported to be covered for the first time in its
entirety with a thin layer of snow reaching 4 centimetres 1.6 in, with a
temperature of −26.1 °C −15 °F in some observatories.
Its extreme inland position, virtually in the very heartland
of Asia and thousands of kilometres from any open body of water, accounts for
the cold character of its nights even during summertime.There is very little
water in the desert and it is hazardous to cross. Merchant caravans on the Silk
Road would stop for relief at the thriving oasis towns. It was in close
proximity to many of the ancient civilizations—to the Northwest is the Amu
Darya basin, to the Southwest the Afghanistan mountain passes lead to Iran and
India, to the East is China, and even to the North can be found ancient towns
like Almaty.
The key oasis towns, watered by rainfall from the mountains,
were Kashgar, Marin, Niya, Yarkand, and Khotan Hetian to the south, Kuqa and
Turpan in the north, and Loulan and Dunhuang in the east.[6] Now many, such as
Marin and Gaochang, are ruined cities in sparsely inhabited areas in the
Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
DASHT-E KAVIR DESERT
Dasht-e Kavir lit. 'Desert of salt-marsh', also known as
Kavir-e Namak lit. 'salt-marsh of salt' and the Great Salt Desert is a large
desert lying in the middle of the Iranian plateau. It is about 800 km 500 mi
and 320 km 200 mi with a total surface area of about 77,600 km2 30,000 sq mi,
making it the Earth's 23rd largest desert. The area of this desert stretches
from the Alborz mountain range in the north-west to the Dasht-e Loot in the
south-east and is partitioned between the Iranian provinces of Khorasan,
Semnan, Tehran, Isfahan and Yazd.
Dasht means 'desert' in Persian. It is named after the salt
marshes "kavirs" located there. Namak means 'salt'.Central in the
desert lies the Kavir Buzurg Great Kavir, which is about 320 km long and 160 km
99 mi wide. In the west lies the Darya-ye Namak "lake of salt", of
1,800 km2 690 sq mi. It contains some large salt plates in a mosaic-like shape.
It is part of a 4,000 km2 1,500 sq mi protected ecological zone, the Kavir
National Park. One of the most desolate places of Dasht-e Kavir is the Rig-e
Jenn dunes.The Dasht-e Kavir's climate is almost rainless and the area is very
arid. Temperatures can reach 50 °C 122 °F in summer, and the average
temperature in January is 22 °C 72 °F. Day and night temperatures during a year
can differ up to 70 °C 158 °F. Rain usually falls in winter.
The desert soil is covered with sand and pebbles; there are
marshes, lakes and wadis. The hot temperatures cause extreme vaporization,
which leaves the marshes and mud grounds with large crusts of salt. Heavy
storms frequently occur and they can cause sand hills reaching up to 40 m in
height. Some parts of Dasht- e Kavir have a more steppe-like
appearance.Vegetation in the Dasht-e Kavir is adapted to the hot and arid
climate as well as to the saline soil in which it is rooted. Common plant
species like shrubs and grasses can only be found in some valleys and on
mountain tops. The most widespread plant is mugwort.
The Persian ground jay is a bird species living in some
parts of the desert plateaus, along with Houbara bustards, larks and
sandgrouses.
Persian gazelles live in parts of steppe and desert areas of
the central plateau. Wild sheep Ovis orientalis, camels, goats Capra aegagrus
and leopards are common in mountainous areas. Night life brings on wild cats,
wolves, foxes, and other carnivores. In some parts of the desert, the Persian
onager gur in Persian and sometimes even the Asiatic Cheetah can be seen.
Lizards and snakes live in different places in the central plateau.The extreme
heat and many storms in Dasht-e Kavir cause extensive erosion, which makes it
almost impossible to cultivate the lands. The desert is almost uninhabited and
knows little exploitation. Camel and sheep breeding and agriculture are the
sources of living to the few people living on its soil. Human settling is
restricted to some oases, where wind-blocking housing constructions are raised
to deal with the harsh weather conditions. For irrigation, Iranians developed a
sophisticated system of water-wells known as qanats. These are still in use,
and modern globally used water-revenue systems are based on their techniques.
CHOLISTAN DESERT
The Cholistan Desert also locally known as Rohi sprawls thirty kilometers from Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan and covers an area of 26,300 square kilometres 10,200 sq mi. It adjoins the Thar Desert, extending over to Sindh and into India.
The word Cholistan is derived from the Turkic word chol, which means "desert". Cholistan thus means Land of the Desert. The people of Cholistan lead a semi-nomadic life, moving from one place to another in search of water and fodder for their animals. The dry bed of the Hakra River runs through the area, along which many settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization have been found.
The desert also has an annual Jeep rally, known as Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally. It is the biggest motor sports event in Pakistan.The language of Cholistan also reflects a number of features for its historical and geographical background.Saraiki is the native language of Cholistan. Cholistan is a pretty diffused society as many people in search of rain travel larger distances and many travel to central parts of Punjab for work when there is shortage of water. So due to the diffused nature of these people language in Cholistan is a mixture of many Dialects of the Punjab. Many communities do speak their peculiar local dialects but general Punjabi language is easily understood and can be spoken owing to the migration trends in search for work in these regions.In a harsh and barren land where rainfall is very sparse and unreliable, Cholistanis rely mainly on their livestock of sheep, goats, and camel. However in cold nights of winter they huddle indoor and engage themselves in various arts and crafts such as textiles, weaving, leatherwork, and pottery.As mentioned above, the Indus Valley has always been occupied by the wandering nomadic tribes, who are fond of isolated areas, as such areas allow them to lead life free of foreign intrusion, enabling them to establish their own individual and unique cultures. Cholistan till the era of Mughal rule had also been isolated from outside influence. During the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar, it became a proper productive unit. The entire area was ruled by a host of kings who securely guarded their frontiers. The rulers were the great patrons of art, and the various crafts underwent a simultaneous and parallel development, influencing each other. Mesons, stone carvers, artisans, artists, and designers started rebuilding the old cities and new sites, and with that flourished new courts, paintings, weaving, and pottery. The fields of architecture, sculpture, terra cotta, and pottery developed greatly in this phase.The backbone of Cholistan economy is cattle breeding. It has the major importance for satisfying the area's major needs for cottage industry as well as milk meat and fat. Because of the nomadic way of life the main wealth of the people are their cattle that are bred for sale, milked or shorn for their wool. Moreover, isolated as they were, they had to depend upon themselves for all their needs like food, clothing, and all the items of daily use. So all their crafts initially stemmed from necessity but later on they started exporting their goods to the other places as well. The estimated number of livestock in the desert areas is 1.6 million.Cholistan produces very superior type of carpet wool as compared to that produced in other parts of Pakistan. From this wool they knit beautiful carpets, rugs and other woolen items. This includes blankets, which is also a local necessity for the desert is not just a land of dust and heat, but winter nights here are very cold, usually below freezing points. Khes and pattu are also manufactured with wool or cotton. Khes is a form of blanket with a field of black white and pattu has a white ground base. Cholistanis now sell the wool for it brings maximum profit.
KALAHARI DESERT
The Kalahari Desert in Afrikaans
Kalahari-woestyn is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in southern Africa
extending 900,000 square kilometres 350,000 sq mi, covering much of Botswana
and parts of Namibia and South Africa. A semi-desert, with huge tracts of
excellent grazing after good rains, the Kalahari supports more animals and
plants than a true desert, such as the Namib Desert to the west. There are
small amounts of rainfall and the summer temperature is very high. The driest
areas usually receive 110–200 millimetres 4.3–7.9 in of rain per year and the
wettest just a little over 500 millimetres (20 in). The surrounding Kalahari
Basin covers over 2,500,000 square kilometres (970,000 sq mi) extending farther
into Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and encroaching into parts of Angola,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Kalahari is home to many migratory birds and animals.
Previously havens for wild animals from elephants to giraffes, and for
predators such as lions and cheetahs, the riverbeds are now mostly grazing
spots, though leopards and cheetahs can still be found. The area is now heavily
grazed and cattle fences restrict the movement of wildlife. Among deserts of
the southern hemisphere the Kalahari most closely resembles some Australian
deserts in its latitude and its mode of formation.
Description;
Derived from the Tswana word Kgala,
meaning "the great thirst", or Khalagari, Kgalagadi or Kalagare,
meaning "a waterless place", the Kalahari has vast areas covered by
red sand without any permanent surface water. Drainage is by dry valleys,
seasonally inundated pans, and the large salt pans of the Makgadikgadi Pan in
Botswana and Etosha Pan in Namibia. The only permanent river, the Okavango,
flows into a delta in the northwest, forming marshes that are rich in wildlife.
Ancient dry riverbeds—called omuramba—traverse the Central Northern reaches of
the Kalahari and provide standing pools of water during the rainy season.
WAHIBA SANDS DESERT
The Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba also called Sharqiya
Sands is a region of desert in Oman. The region is named for the Wahiba tribe.
The area is defined by a boundary of 180 kilometers 110 north to south and 80
kilometers 50 mi east to west with an area of 12,500 square kilometers 4,800 sq
mi. The desert has been of scientific interest since a 1986 expedition by the
Royal Geographical Society documented the diversity of the terrain, the flora
and fauna, noting 16,000 invertebrates as well as 200 species of other wildlife,
including avifauna. The desert was formed during the Quaternary period as a
result of the forces of south-west blowing monsoon and the northern shamal
trade wind, coming in from the east.Based on the types of dunes found in the
area, it is divided into the high, or upper, Wahiba and low Wahiba. The upper
area contains mega-ridge sand systems on a north-south line that are believed
to have been formed by monsoon. The dunes of the north, formed at some point
after the last regional glaciation, measure up to 100 meters 330 ft high with
peaks accumulating in the areas just beyond the strongest wind speeds, where
declining velocity wind deposited sand. The north and west boundaries of the
desert are delineated by the fluvial systems Wadi Batha and Wadi Andam. Beneath
the surface sands are older layers of cemented carbonate sand. Alluvium
deposits believed to have originated from the Wadi Batha during the Paleolithic
era have been disclosed in the central desert 200 meters 660 ft beneath the
interdune surface. Wind erosion is believed to have contributed to the
existence of a nearly level plain in the southwest. The area is occupied by
Bedouins who congregate at Al Huyawah, an oasis near the border of the desert,
between June and September to gather dates. Tribes present in the area at the
time of the Royal Geographical Society expedition included, predominately, the
al-Wahiba or Yal Wahiba for whom the region is named, the al-Amr, the
al-Bu-Isa, the Hikman, Hishm and Janaba.They also documented 150 species of
native flora.Alsharhan, A. S.; IGCP Project 349 1998. Quaternary Deserts and
Climatic Change: Proceedings of the International Conference on Quaternary
Deserts and Climatic Change : Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, 9–11 December 1995.
Taylor & Francis. ISBN 90-5410-597-6.
Cooke, Ronald U.; Andrew Warren, Andrew Goudie 1993. Desert
Geomorphology. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 1-85728-017-2.
Darke, Diana; Sandra Shields 2006. Oman: The Bradt Travel Guide.
Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 214–217. ISBN 1-84162-168-4.
Friday 13 June 2014
GOBI DESERT
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The Gobi is made up of several distinct ecological and
geographic regions based on variations in climate and topography. One is the
Eastern Gobi desert steppe ecoregion, a Palearctic ecoregion in the deserts and
xeric shrublands biome, home to the Bactrian camel and various other animals.
It is a rain shadow desert formed by the Himalaya range blocking rain-carrying
clouds from the Indian Ocean from reaching the Gobi territory.
The Gobi measures over 1,600 km 1,000 mi from southwest to
northeast and 800 km 500 mi from north to south. The desert is widest in the
west, along the line joining the Lake Bosten and the Lop Nor 87°-89° east. It
occupies an arc of land 1,295,000 km2 500,000 sq mi in area as of 2007; it is
the fifth-largest desert in the world and Asia's largest. Much of the Gobi is
not sandy but has exposed bare rock.
The Gobi has several different Chinese names, including, a
generic term for deserts and, In its
broadest definition, the Gobi includes the long stretch of desert and
semi-desert area extending from the foot of the Pamirs, 77° east, to the
Greater Khingan Mountains, 116°-118° east, on the border of Manchuria; and from
the foothills of the Altay, Sayan, and Yablonoi mountain ranges on the north to
the Kunlun, Altyn-Tagh, and Qilian mountain ranges, which form the northern
edges of the Tibetan Plateau, on the south. citation needed
Gobi desert near Dunhuang
A relatively large area on the east side of the Greater
Khingan range, between the upper waters of the Songhua Sungari and the upper
waters of the Liao-ho, is reckoned to belong to the Gobi by conventional usage.
Some geographers and ecologists prefer to regard the western area of the Gobi
region as defined above: the basin of the Tarim in Xinjiang and the desert basin
of Lop Nor and Hami Kumul, as forming a separate and independent desert, called
the Taklamakan Desert.
Archeologists and paleontologists have done excavations in
the Nemegt Basin in the northwestern part of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, which
is noted for its fossil treasures, including early mammals, dinosaur eggs, and
prehistoric stone implements, some 100,000 years old. Citation needed.
Climate;
The Gobi is a cold desert, with frost and occasionally snow
occurring on its dunes. Besides being quite far north, it is also located on a
plateau roughly 910–1,520 metres 2,990–4,990 ft above sea level, which
contributes to its low temperatures. An average of approximately 194
millimetres 7.6 in of rain falls annually in the Gobi. Additional moisture
reaches parts of the Gobi in winter as snow is blown by the wind from the
Siberian Steppes. These winds cause the Gobi to reach extremes of temperature
ranging from –40°C –40°F in winter to
+50°C 122°F in summer
The climate of the Gobi is one of great extremes, combined
with rapid changes of temperature of as much as 35 °C 63 °F. These can occur
not only seasonally but within 24 hours.
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