Thar Desert - The Living World

Question 1

Where is it located (tahr)

Answer 1

NW of India / eastern pakistan
27°N of the equator
Its the hottest place in India - reaching 50°C in summer

Question 2

Population of the thar desert

Answer 2

16,000,000

83 people per km^2

Question 3

Opportunities in the Thar desert - mineral extraction

Answer 3

175 billion tonnes of coal in the sindh province

China invested $1.2 billion into surface mining, 8 power plants and 3,000km of road to transport coal

This doesnt benefit those in the Thar desert
Some of the desert is inaccessible

Question 4

Opportunities in the Thar desert - Tourism

Answer 4

Tens of thousands visit each year
Often for camel safaris

New jobs are being created for locals
More money is placed into the economy

Tourists Often have negative environmental impacts
Tourism is limited to the cooler months

Question 5

Opportunities in the Thar desert - energy

Answer 5

Indias largest wind farm - Jiasalmer wind park
Always clear the sky so good for solar energy

Most energy here used to fuel facilities in the area.
Generates enough electeicity for homes

Thermal energy form coal is unstaianble and releases carbon emissions

Question 6

Opportunities in the Thar desert - farming

Answer 6

Subsistence farming - animals graze on grassy areas + fruit collected from trees

Commercial farming - maize mustard wheat and cotton farms

Indria Ghandí Canal allows development in parts of the desert where farms may not been before (enables commercial farming)

Subsitence farming is too small to feed everyone

Comercial farming introduces animals which may harm pre-existing ecosystmes

Question 7

What does the Indria Ghandi canal supply water

Answer 7

For 650km in Rajasthan (Rajasthan makes up 85% of the thar desert)