Gess 210
Gess 210
Gess 210
Glossary
Desert: It is an arid
region characteriesed
by extremely high or
low temperatures and
has scarce vegetation.
Do you know?
You will be surprised
to know that present
day Sahara once used
to be a lush green
plain. Cave paintings
in Sahara desert show
that there used to be
rivers with crocodiles.
Elephants, lions,
giraffes, ostriches,
sheep, cattle and
goats were common
animals. But the
change in climate has
changed it to a very
hot and dry region.
Mo
roc
co
Do you know?
Climate
The climate of the Sahara desert is scorching hot and
parch dry. It has a short rainy season. The sky is
cloudless and clear. Here, the moisture evaporates
faster than it accumulates. Days are unbelievably hot.
The temperatures during the day may soar as high as
50C, heating up the sand and the bare rocks, which
in turn radiates heat making everything around hot.
The nights may be freezing cold with temperatures
nearing zero degrees.
Flora and Fauna
Vegetation in the Sahara desert includes cactus, date
palms and acacia. In some places there are oasis green
islands with date palms surrounding them. Camels,
hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions, many varieties of
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OUR ENVIRONMENT
Do you know?
Scientists have
actually found
skeletons of fish in
this desert. What
could have happened?
Fig. 10.3: Oasis in the Sahara Desert
People
The Sahara desert despite its harsh climate has been
inhabited by various groups of people, who pursue
different activities. Among them are the Bedouins and
Tuaregs. These groups are nomadic tribes rearing
livestock such as goats, sheep, camels and horses.
These animals provide them with milk, hides from
which they make leather for belts, slippers, water
bottles; hair is used for mats, carpets, clothes and
blankets. They wear heavy robes as protection against
dust storms and hot winds.
The oasis in the Sahara and the Nile Valley in Egypt
supports settled population. Since water is available, the
people grow date palms. Crops such as rice, wheat, barley
and beans are also grown. Egyptian cotton, famous
worldwide is grown in Egypt.
The discovery of oil a product in great demand
throughout the world, in Algeria, Libya and Egypt is
constantly transforming the Sahara desert. Other
minerals of importance that are found in the area include
iron, phosphorus, manganese and uranium.
The cultural landscape of the Sahara is undergoing
change. Gleaming glass cased office buildings tower over
mosques and superhighways crisscross the ancient camel
paths. Trucks are replacing camels in the salt trade.
Tuaregs are seen acting as guides to foreign tourists.
More and more nomadic herdsmen are taking to city life
finding jobs in oil and gas operations.
Do you know?
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Word Origin
Ladakh is made up of
two words La
meaning mountain
pass and Dak
meaning country
Do you know?
OUR ENVIRONMENT
Do you know?
Do you know?
People
Do you know?
Do you find any resemblance between the people of
Ladakh and the inhabitants of Tibet and Central Asia?
The finest cricket bats
The people here are either Muslims or Buddhists. In
are made from the
fact several Buddhists monasteries dot the Ladakhi
wood of the willow
landscape with their traditional gompas. Some
trees.
famous monasteries are Hemis, Thiksey, Shey and
Lamayuru (Fig. 10.5).
In the summer season the people are busy cultivating
barley, potatoes, peas, beans and turnip. The climate in
winter months is so harsh that
people keep themselves engaged in
festivities and ceremonies. The
women are very hard working. They
work not only in the house and
fields, but also manage small
business and shops. Leh, the capital
of Ladakh is well connected both by
road and air. The National Highway
1A connects Leh to Kashmir
Valley through the Zoji la Pass. Can
you name some more passes in
the Himalayas?
Fig. 10.5 Thiksey Monastery
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Do you know?
Manali - Leh highway
crosses four passes,
Rohtang la,
Baralacha la
Lungalacha la and
Tanglang la. The
highway opens only
between July and
September when snow
is cleared from the road.
Tourism is a major
activity with several
tourists streaming in from
within India and abroad.
Visits to the gompas,
treks to see the meadows
and glaciers, witnessing
ceremonies and festivities
are important activities.
Life of people is
undergoing change due
Fig. 10.6. Ladakhi Women in
Traditional Dr ess
to modernisation. But
the people of Ladakh
have over the centuries learned to live in balance and
harmony with nature. Due to scarcity of resources like
water and fuel, they are used with reverence and care.
Nothing is discarded or wasted.
Baralacha la
Exercises
1. Answer the following questions.
(a) What are the two types of deserts found in the world?
(b) In which continent is the Sahara desert located?
(c) What are the climatic conditions of the Ladakh desert?
(d) What mainly attracts tourists to Ladakh?
(e) What type of clothes the people of the Sahara desert wear?
(f) Name the trees that grow in Ladakh.
2. Tick the correct answer.
(i) Sahara is located in which part of Africa
(a) eastern
(b) northern
(c) western
(ii) Sahara is what type of desert
(a) cold
(b) hot
(c) mild
(iii) The Ladakh desert is mainly inhabited by
(a) Christians and Muslims
(b) Buddhists and Muslims
(c) Christians and Buddhists
(iv) Deserts are characterised by
(a) scanty vegetation
(b) heavy precipitation
(c) low evaporation
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OUR ENVIRONMENT
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(c) monastery
(c) cotton
Libya
monastery
glacier
depressions with water
cold desert
Sahara
4. Give reasons.
(i) There is scanty vegetation in the deserts.
(ii) People of the Sahara desert wear heavy robes.
5. Map skills.
(i) On the outline map of Africa, mark the Sahara desert and any four countries
around it.
(ii) On the outline map of India, mark the Karakoram Range, Zanskar Range,
Ladakh and Zoji La pass.
6. For fun.
Desert Game
This is a class room activity involving all the students. The teacher will create a
list of desert creatures. The number of the creatures should be same as the number
of students in the class. The creatures can be picked up from the categories of
mammals, birds and reptiles. Mammals can include camel, yak, fox, sheep, goat,
antelope
Birds raven, eagle, vulture, turkey
Reptiles snakes
Assign one desert creature to each student. Ask the student to write three
characteristics of the creature on plain sheet of paper. (students can use index
cards of size 10 cm 15 cm). Questions such as - in what type of deserts it is
found? Major adaptation? Use to man?
These characteristics will be used as clues in the guessing game. On the board
make three columns mammals, birs and reptiles. Paste a sheet of paper in the
column under the particular category. The class can be divided in three to four
groups. They will compete against each other in the desert game. Each group now
takes turn in guessing the correct answer. Explain to the class that they have to
guess what animal matches the characteristics listed on the paper.
For example:
Animal of hot desert
Has double set of eyelashes to keep away the sand
The hide is used for making water bottles
The correct answer is camel. Within the group there will be a student who has
prepared the card. That student should not answer. Ten points are awarded for
the correct answer.
This game will enable students to understand the desert. You can play the
same game by taking different types of fruits, flora and the clothes the people wear.
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APPENDIX