Previous Year Question
Kara Kum desert is situated in which of the following countries?
Kazakhstan
Tajikistan
Kirgistan
Turkmenistan
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
The Kara Kum or Karakum Desert is situated in Central Asia and almost its entire extent lies within Turkmenistan. It occupies about three-fourths of the country's territory and covers an area of more than 350,000 sq km.
The name Karakum approximately means “Black Sand.” It is one of the largest desert regions of Central Asia.
The Amu Darya River valley lies to its east, while the Kopet Dag Mountains and the Badkhyz-Karabil uplands lie to the south, with the Khorezm region towards the north. Its landscape consists mainly of sand dunes, sandy plains, clayey depressions and some salt-rich areas.
The Karakum is important not only as an arid desert region but also because of its significant oil and natural-gas resources. Hydrocarbon deposits within the desert have considerable importance for the economy of Turkmenistan.
It should not be confused with the Kyzylkum Desert, which is a separate desert extending mainly across Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.