Arrange the following deserts of world from smallest to largest in terms of Area:
- Gobi
- Thar
- Kalahari
- Taklimakan
Show Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: (C)
Explanation:
The approximate areas of these deserts are:
- (2) Thar Desert: ~200,000 sq km (Smallest)
- (4) Taklimakan Desert: ~337,000 sq km
- (3) Kalahari Desert: ~900,000 sq km
- (1) Gobi Desert: ~1,295,000 sq km (Largest among options)
Therefore, the correct ascending order (smallest to largest) is (2), (4), (3), (1).
📚 Additional Info: World Deserts Geography
1. Gobi Desert (Largest in List)
- Location: China and Mongolia.
- Type: Cold Winter Desert.
- Key Fact: Known for its dunes, mountains, and rare animals like snow leopards and Bactrian camels. It is a rain shadow desert formed by the Himalayas blocking rain-carrying clouds.
2. Kalahari Desert
- Location: Southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa).
- Type: Subtropical Desert.
- Key Fact: It is not a “true” desert in all parts as it receives more rainfall than typical deserts, supporting more plant life. Home to the San people (Bushmen).
3. Taklimakan Desert
- Location: Xinjiang region, Northwest China.
- Type: Cold Desert.
- Key Fact: Bounded by the Kunlun Mountains to the south and the Pamir Mountains to the west. It is China’s largest desert and is composed primarily of shifting sand dunes.
4. Thar Desert (Smallest in List)
- Location: India (Rajasthan) and Pakistan.
- Type: Subtropical Desert.
- Key Fact: Also known as the Great Indian Desert. It is the most densely populated desert in the world.