The Thar Desert is the world's seventh largest desert.
The desert straddles the border between India and Pakistan and covers over 200,000km squared.
The Thar Desert is the most populated desert in the world with nearly 30 million people. This is because it has several opportunities for development. It is however an extreme arid environment, so therefore poses many challenges for development there.
Development opportunities in the Thar Desert
Mineral extraction: the Thar desert has valuable reserves of minerals which are used all over India and are exported across the world. This includes gypsum (which is used in making cement), phospherite (used in making plant fertilizer) and feldspar (used to make ceramics). There is also reserves of limestone (which is used in India’s steel industry) and marble.
Tourism: Recently, the Thar desert has become a popular tourist destination. Tens of thousands visit each year (mainly from Pakistan). Attractions include camel safaris, based at Jaisalmer and an annual desert festival which is held each winter. Local people benefit by providing food and accommodation and acting as guides, or looking after the animals.
Energy: The Thar desert is a rich energy source. There are extensive coal deposits, and a thermal energy plant had been constructed at Giral. A large oil field has been discovered which could transform the local economy. There has also been a recent focus on wind power – India’s largest wind farm ‘Jaisalmer Wind Park’ was constructed in 2001. Finally, with its sunny, cloudless skies, the Thar desert offers ideal conditions for solar power. At Bhaleri, solar power is used in water treatment.
Farming: most of the people in the Thar desert survive through subsistence farming. They graze animals on the grassy areas and cultivate vegetables and fruit trees. The construction of the Indira Ghandi Canal has also allowed larger scale commercial farming to take place. Farmers can use water from the canal to grow crops such as wheat, cotton and maize.
Challenges of developing the Thar Desert
Extreme Temperatures: Temperatures in the Thar Desert are extremely high, sometimes exceeding 50oc in the summer! This presents challenges for people, plants and animals:
Farmers find it difficult to work outside in the heat of the day.
High rates of evaporation lead to water shortages, which affect people, plants and animals.
Plants and animals have to adapt to survive.
Water Supply: As the population of the Thar Desert has grown, demand for water has increased. Water is a scarce resource as the desert has a low annual rainfall and high rates of evaporation. People, animals and plants face a challenge to find enough water to meet their needs:
Most settlements in the desert are located near the River Luni, though the river is intermittent and flows only after rainfall.
People gain some water from underground aquifers using wells, but this water is salty and not very good quality.
Poor Accessibility: The road network in the Thar Desert is limited. Where there are roads, the high temperatures often melt the tarmac and strong winds blow sands over the roads. Many places are accessible only by camel. Public buses, where available, are very overcrowded.