Previous Year Question

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, extends mainly across western Rajasthan and partly into Pakistan. Despite its highly arid conditions, it supports an exceptionally large population compared with most other major desert regions of the world.

Government of India environmental documents describe the Thar as one of the most densely populated deserts in the world. The Desert National Park management plan of the Government of Rajasthan gives an average population density of about 83 persons per square kilometre, compared with around 7 persons per square kilometre in many other desert regions.

The relatively high population of the Thar is associated with long-established settlements, livestock rearing, traditional rainwater-harvesting systems and agriculture in several areas. Later, irrigation projects such as the Indira Gandhi Canal also helped the expansion of agriculture and settlements in parts of north-western Rajasthan.

It is important to distinguish “most populated desert” from the largest desert by area. The Sahara is much larger in area, whereas this question refers to population.