Previous Year Question
The Thar Desert of India is the most densely populated desert in the world. What is its population density?
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
The population density of the Thar Desert is reported to be about 83 persons per square kilometre. An official account of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) records a population density of 83 persons per sq. km. for the Indian Thar Desert. The Thar lies mainly in Rajasthan and also extends into Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and westward into Pakistan.
A notable feature of the Thar is that despite its harsh arid conditions, it is among the most densely populated desert regions of the world. A publication of the Government of India's Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) also describes the desert areas of Rajasthan as having exceptionally high population density among the world's tropical deserts.