Which is the largest desert in India?
a) Sahara Desert
b) Thar Desert
c) Gobi Desert
d) Atacama Desert
Answer: b) Thar Desert
Explanation
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Thar Desert: Also known as the Great Indian Desert, it covers over 200,000 square kilometers and is the largest desert in India.
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Location: Around 85% of the Thar Desert lies within India (primarily in Rajasthan, extending into parts of Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana), while the remaining 15% lies in Pakistan.
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Key Features: It is the 18th-largest subtropical desert in the world and is uniquely recognized as the most densely populated desert in the world, supporting rich biodiversity, xerophytic vegetation, and pastoral livelihoods.
Overview of Other Options
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a) Sahara Desert: Located in Northern Africa; it is the largest hot desert in the world (covering around 9.2 million sq km).
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c) Gobi Desert: A large cold desert in East Asia spanning parts of northern China and southern Mongolia.
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d) Atacama Desert: Located along the Pacific coast of South America (mainly in Chile); it is considered the driest non-polar desert on Earth.
