Thar Desert

Thar Desert or Great Indian Desert, extensive region of sandy desert in northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. The desert is bounded on the northwest by the Sutlej River, on the east by the Arāvalli Range, on the south by the salt marsh known as the Rann of Kutch, and on the west by the Indus Valley. The largest part of the desert is located in Rājasthān State, India. This desolate area was the site where India detonated its first nuclear device, at Pokaran in 1974.

The Thar Desert is about 800 km (about 500 mi) long and about 490 km (about 300 mi) wide. The terrain consists mainly of rolling sandhills with rock outcroppings and scattered growths of shrub. The elevation ranges from 457 m (1,500 ft) in the lower reaches of the Arāvallis to 61 m (200 ft) near the Rann of Kutch. Rainfall is sparse, averaging from 127 to 254 mm (5 to 10 in) annually, and temperatures rise as high as 53° C (127° F) in July.

A large irrigation and power project has reclaimed areas of the northern and western desert for agriculture. The small population is mostly pastoral, and hide and wool industries are prominent. There are several cities located in the desert. Jodhpur serves as a trade center for nearby irrigated areas that produce cotton and wheat. The city was founded in the late 15th century, and several of the city’s old palaces and a fort still stand. From the city of Jaisalmer, camel safaris offer a means to explore the desert. The Thar Desert National Park was created to protect some 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq mi) of this arid land and the endangered and rare wildlife that has adapted to its inhospitable conditions.