Case Study: Thar Desert
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 2.3.9
Case Study of a Hot Desert – Thar Desert
The Thar Desert is in Asia and runs from north-west India into Pakistan.
Opportunities for development
- Opportunities for development in the Thar Desert include:
- Extracting minerals such as gypsum.
- Desert safaris for tourists.
- Production of energy.
- Farming.
Energy production
- India’s largest wind farm is the Jaisalmer Wind Park.
- The Jaisalmer Wind Park is in the Thar Desert.
Farming
- Water from canals means that crops can be grown in the Thar Desert.
- The Indira Gandhi Canal is an example of a canal that carries water into the Thar Desert.
Challenges Developing the Thar Desert
There are a number of challenges of developing the Thar Desert environment. The challenges include:
Extreme temperatures
- The average temperature is very high in the Thar desert.
- Water rapidly evaporates at high temperatures.
- The temperatures are hard for workers to work in.
Water supply
- The Thar Desert has low rainfall and high evaporation.
- Low rainfall and high evaporation lead to poor water security.
Inaccessibility
- The roads in the Thar Desert become covered with sand and crack due to the heat.
Test yourself on Case Study: Thar Desert
What opportunities are there for development in the Thar Desert?
What are the challenges of developing the Thar Desert?
What do low rainfall and high evaporation lead to?