🌵 Chapter 7 – Life in the Deserts (Summary with NCERT Solution)

Deserts are very dry places. They can be hot or cold, but both types have very little rain, few plants, and extreme temperatures. People still live in deserts by learning how to survive in such tough conditions.

🔥 Hot Desert – The Sahara

– Location: The Sahara Desert is in North Africa. It is the largest desert in the world, covering about 8.54 million sq. km. It spreads across 11 countries including Egypt, Libya, and Algeria.

– Land: It’s not just sand. There are also rocky plateaus, gravel plains, and some high areas reaching up to 2500 meters.

– Climate:

– Very hot during the day (up to 50°C).

– Very cold at night (can go near 0°C).

– The air is dry, and the sky is clear most of the time.

– Rainfall is very low and short.

– Plants and Animals:

– Cactus, date palms, and acacia grow here.

– Some areas have oasis—places with water and green plants.

– Animals include camels, hyenas, jackals, scorpions, lizards, and snakes.

– People:

– Bedouins and Tuaregs are nomadic tribes.

– They raise animals like goats, sheep, camels, and horses.

– These animals give them milk, wool, leather, and meat.

– People wear heavy robes to protect from hot winds and dust.

– Settled Life:

– Near oasis and the Nile Valley, people grow crops like date palms, rice, wheat, barley, and beans.

– Egyptian cotton is also grown here.

– Modern Changes:

– Oil found in countries like Algeria, Libya, and Egypt has brought development.

– Other minerals found include iron, manganese, phosphorus, and uranium.

– Old camel routes are now superhighways, and camels are being replaced by trucks.

– Some Tuaregs work as tourist guides, and many people are moving to cities for jobs.

❄️ Cold Desert – Ladakh

– Location: Ladakh is in the eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir in India. It lies in the Great Himalayas, between the Karakoram Range (north) and the Zanskar Range (south).

– Rivers and Glaciers:

– The Indus River and its valleys are important.

– Glaciers like the Gangri Glacier are found here.

– Climate:

– Ladakh is at a high altitude (3000m–8000m).

– It is very cold and dry.

– Little rainfall (about 10 cm per year).

– Burning sun and freezing winds can happen at the same time.

– In winter, temperatures can go below –40°C!

– Plants and Animals:

– Grasses, shrubs, willows, and poplars grow.

– In summer, trees like apples, apricots, and walnuts bloom.

– Birds like robins, redstarts, Tibetan snowcock, ravens, and hoopoes are seen.

– Animals include wild goats, wild sheep, yak, and special dogs.

– People use yak’s milk to make cheese and butter. Wool is made from sheep and goat hair.

– People:

– Most people are Muslims or Buddhists.

– There are many Buddhist monasteries like Hemis, Thiksey, Shey, and Lamayuru.

– In summer, people grow barley, potatoes, peas, beans, and turnips.

– In winter, they enjoy festivals and ceremonies.

– Women work hard in homes, fields, and also run shops and small businesses.

– Travel:

– The capital city Leh is connected by road and air.

– Zoji La Pass connects it to Kashmir.

– Other important passes are Rohtang La, Baralacha La, Lungalacha La, and Tanglang La.

– Tourism:

– Tourists come to see monasteries, glaciers, and enjoy treks and festivals.

– Life is changing with modernisation, but people still live in harmony with nature and use resources carefully.

~~The END~~