What is a Desert?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
A desert is a large, extremely dry land with sparse vegetation. It supports a variety of unusual plant and animal communities, making it one of the planet’s main ecosystem types. They receive almost no rainfall, making them the driest places on Earth. Less than 2.5 cm of precipitation must fall annually to qualify as a desert. Deserts can be either hot or cold depending on the temperature.
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Desert Features
People inhabit these lands wherever there is little water available for farming. The Thar Desert, called the Great Indian Desert, is an arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent that covers an area of 200,000 km2 and forms the natural border between India and Pakistan. It is the 20th largest desert in the world and the 9th largest hot subtropical desert.
Oases are also found in deserts where an underground river comes close enough for a plant to grow. The days are the warmest while the nights are the coldest.
- When the sun sets, the desert changes, and all of the animals return to their natural habitats to diligently search for food. Deserts serve a variety of purposes for people.
- Tourism and recreation are both very popular in the desert.
- There are kangaroos, camels, vultures, and other animals there. Deserts are also home to prickly vegetation like cacti.
- The stunning rock formations and sand colors draw lots of tourists. Because it is a tranquil location to get away from the bustle of cities and spend time in the open countryside, many people enjoy traveling to desert areas.
Summary:
What is a Desert?
The desert is extremely dry and a large area of land with rare vegetation. It is the major ecosystem of the earth types, which supports communities of different animals and plants. The Sahara is the hottest in the world, and the Gobi Desert in Asia is the coldest.
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