The Thar Desert

The Thar Desert

The Thar Desert covers 74,000 square miles (192,000 square kilometers) in India and Pakistan. Sometimes it is called the Indian Desert.

There is very little underground water in the Thar Desert. Because of this, the people there have had to build irrigation systems so that they have water for crops and livestock.

The Thar is a sandy, hot desert and sandstorms are common. It is a monsoon desert. This desert area was created because heavy seasonal rains (monsoons) can't get to the area. They are blocked by a mountain range.

There are many minerals and precious stones to be mined in this desert. In addition, India uses the Thar Desert as a nuclear testing site.