Life in the Deserts

Chapter 9

Class 7 Social Science : Geography Chapter 9

Based on temperature and rainfall, deserts may be classified as cold deserts and hot deserts. Deserts receive extremely low rainfall, experience extreme temperatures and have scanty vegetation. People generally live in those parts of a desert where water is available so that cultivation could be carried out.

The Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world. It lies in the African Continent. It has an area of around 8.54 million sq. km, which is almost three times the size of India. The Sahara Desert is spread through eleven countries, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara.

The most interesting thing to note about the Sahara Desert is that it was once a lush green plain where many animals such as elephants, lions, giraffes, sheep and cattle lived. Scientists have found the skeletons of fish in the desert. The gradual change in the climate turned this region into a desert.

Also Read :- Class 6th Science Notes

Oasis

An oasis is a lush green island in a desert which is usually surrounded with date palms. An oasis is formed when winds blow away the sand creating depressions. When underground water reaches the surface of a depression, an oasis is formed. An oasis is a fertile area where people can grow date palms and some crops. Though, generally oases are small water bodies, some of them can also be very large. The Tafilalet Oasis in Morocco is once such large oasis with an area of 13,000 sq. km.

Climate

The climate of the Sahara Desert is extremely hot and dry.
As the temperatures are high, the rate of evaporation is also high.
Days are hot with temperatures reaching around 50°C at times. The highest temperature in the Sahara desert has been recorded to be 57.7°C in 1922 at Al Aziza, Libya.
During the nights, the temperatures usually drop down to zero degrees.

Flora and Fauna

Palms, dates, acacia and cactus are generally found growing in the hot deserts.
Around an oasis, animals such as camels, scorpions, jackals, foxes and varieties of snakes can be found.

People

The Sahara Desert is sparsely populated due to its extreme climate.
Two main groups of people living here are the Bedouins and Tuaregs.
These are nomadic tribes who move from place to place. People of these tribes rear animals such as goats, camels, sheep and horses. These animals provide them with milk and leather.
The people living here wear heavy robes which protects them against the dust storms and hot winds.
Settled inhabitants in the Sahara desert live mostly in the oasis of the Nile Valley in Egypt. The availability of water allows them to grow date palms and crops such as rice, barley, wheat and beans. Cotton is also grown in Egypt.
Vast deposits of minerals in this region have transformed the life of the people. Oil is the major source of revenue for the people. Apart from oil, iron, manganese, uranium and phosphorus are also found here.
The settled region of the Sahara Desert has been going undergoing a steady change. Many glass buildings have been constructed and trucks are used for the purpose of salt trade.
Many nomadic tribes are taking up work in the cities especially in organisations dealing with oil and gas operations.

Ladakh - A Cold DesertBedouins

Ladakh is a cold desert lying in the Great Himalayas, located in the eastern region of Jammu and Kashmir. Leh is the capital of Ladakh. The region is bounded by the Karakoram Range in the north and the Zanskar Mountains in the south. The River Indus flows through this region. Ladakh is home to several glaciers such as the Gangri Glacier.

Climate

As Ladakh is located at a great altitude, the climate here is extremely cold and dry.
Since the air at such a high altitude is thin, the heat of the Sun can be felt intensely.
While during the day, the temperatures may just rise above zero degrees, in the nights, the temperature may fall as low as -30°C.
During winters the temperature generally remains below -40°C.
Ladakh lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayans. This means that the region is sheltered from the rain bearing winds by the mountains. Rainfall is very scarce and it hardly rains above 10 cm every year.
The region experiences cold winds with intense sunlight during the day time.

Flora and Fauna

Due to the extreme climate and low rainfall the vegetation is scanty, though plenty of grass can be found at lower altitudes for the animals to graze.
Willows and poplars are the two species of trees which are generally found in the region.
During the summer, people grow fruits such as apples, apricots and walnuts.
Redstarts, robin, Tibetian snowcock and raven are some species of birds which can be found here.
Animals such as wild sheep, wild goats and yak are some commonly found animals. These animals are reared for their milk and milk products. Sheep are reared for wool.

The Tibetan antelope or the Chiru has been listed as endangered species. It is famous for producing wool known as shahtoosh which is known for its light weight.

People

Majority of the people in Ladakh are either Muslims or Buddhists. Several Buddhist monasteries can be found in this region. Some famous monasteries here are Hemis, Shey and Lamayuru.
People cultivate potatoes, barley, peas, beans and turnip.
During the winter, people stay indoors celebrating various festivities and ceremonies.
Women in Ladakh are very hard working as they work in house, fields, manage small businesses and look after the shops.
Tourism is a major activity in this region as many people visit the snow capped mountains, grompas, and glaciers.
Since very few resources are available to the people, they do not waste any resources. People in the region live in harmony with nature.
Leh is connected to the Kashmir Valley through the National Highway 1A.