Development of Hot Deserts (AQA GCSE Geography)

Hot deserts provide a range of opportunities for development including:

• Energy 

  • Solar energy in areas such as the Mojave, Desert

  • Wind including the Tarfaya complex in the Sahara Desert

  • Coal mining such as the Thar coalfield

• Mineral extraction

  • Reserves of a range of minerals include copper, uranium, and coal in the USA Western Desert, phosphorus and gypsum in the Thar Desert

• Tourism 

  • Desert safaris in the Kalahari Desert

  • Horseback riding in the Namib Desert

  • Staying in a traditional Ger (Mongolian Yurt) in the Gobi Desert

  • Balloon flights such as those over the Namib Desert

• Agriculture

  • Irrigation enables large scale agriculture in areas such as the Arabian Desert and Gobi Desert

  • Subsistence farming occurs in many desert environments

The harsh desert environments pose a range of challenges for any development

Extreme temperatures: which can reach 50^°C 

• This leads to high levels of evaporation and water shortages

• Make working difficult 

Accessibility

• There is a lack of roads due to low population

• Pipelines, roads and railways need to be built to withstand the high temperatures

• Sand often covers the roads

• Most of the desert areas are inaccessible

Water supply

• Water is often scarce due to low precipitation

• River flow is often unreliable

• Demand for water has increased as the population increases and there are more activities in the desert

Subsistence farming

• In depressions between the sand dunes any precipitation collects - grasses grow and animals can graze

• Goats provide milk and meat for the communities

Commercial farming

• The construction of the Indira Gandhi canal allows irrigation

• This enables crops such as wheat and cotton to be grown for sale on a commercial scale

Tourism 

• Tourists are attracted to see the different species found in the deserts on desert safaris 

• The desert is a hub for migrating birds which many tourists visit to see

• There has been an increase in ecotourism 

Mineral Extraction

• The extraction of gypsum, limestone, feldspar, kaolin and phosphorous all take place within the Thar Desert

Energy 

• The Jaisalmer Wind Park is the world's fourth largest wind farm

• Coal extraction: It is estimated there are reserves of 175 billion tonnes of coal

• Oil and gas: Large reserves of oil and gas have been found under the Thar Desert

• The Bhadia Solar Park covers more than 22 square miles and is one of the world's largest

Extreme temperatures

• In the hottest months of May and June temperatures often reach 50^oC

• Working in the high temperatures for miners, farmers etc... is extremely challenging

Water supply

• Precipitation in the Thar desert is very low 120-240 mm

• Evaporation rates are high

• Natural ponds - tobas: Provide people with water in remote areas

• In some areas over-irrigation has led to salinisation when the water evaporates leaving the salt behind

• The 650 km Indira Gandhi Canal provides water for drinking and irrigation

Inaccessibility

• The Thar Desert is over 230,000 km²

• The road network across the vast area is limited

• On the roads that do exist tarmac may melt due to the high temperatures

• Roads quickly become covered in sand

• City of Jaisalmer has become a honeypot tourist site because access to other areas is so expensive and difficult