Page 164 - SST Class 07

were full of animal life. Traces of elephants, lions, LIFE IN THE COLD DESERT : LADAKH
crocodiles, sheep, goats etc. have been found in
the region, but now all these are non-existent Area and Physical Features
here. Ladakh is a cold desert, covering an area of about
98,000 sq km. The Karakoram range of mountains
Just Think! lies to its north and the Zanskar lies to its south. Its
average altitude is 6,000 metres above the mean
The Sahara was green once, can it become green sea level, and it varies greatly from area to area. It
again? has two districts of Leh and Kargil. The average
height in Kargil is about 3,000 metres while it is
People
about 8,000 metres in Ladakh.
The harsh climate of the Sahara Desert is very Several rivers flow through Ladakh, the Indus
inhospitable for the inhabitants. The people are
being the most important of them. There are many
engaged in different activities. The two chief glaciers in the region. There are many high peaks
nomadic tribes of this region are Tuaregs and in the region. Mt. Godwin Austen (K2), the
Bedouins. They rear livestock such as goats, sheep,
world’s second highest peak, lies in Ladakh. It is
camels and horses for milk and meat. Animal parts connected with Srinagar by road and air. The road
are used for making different things, as hides for remains cut off during the winter months due to
making belts and purses, hair for mats and carpets
heavy snowfall and extreme cold on the way.
etc. The people wear several layers of loose clothes
in order to protect themselves from dust storms and
hot winds. The people living near the oases lead a Batura Glacier
G I L G I T
settled life. The houses have thick walls and small H s S kamr
i par G
l
i
lacier i G ac er
windows. Some people live in caves. L Gla Biafo K2
a
Ind cier Qa a Q sh
us
Baltoton r Yangpa
Glacier
Skardu
A
Kande G Daulat Beg Oldi
acier l
Siachen
Gompa
D Shayo
Kargil k
Tsangta
A Mondari
Skirbuchan
Chhumed
Toba Maru
K
Jammu Shayok Nyingri
H Leh Indu Pangong
& Singi La s Tso
Debring
Kashmir Z skar an Ninda
Pang Hot Spring
Loma
Muldem Gyambarma Gilumgle
The Bedouin people The Tuaregs people Tso Moriri Photile
Uti
Zarsar
The discovery of minerals including oil has
transformed the life of people in this region.
Ladakh
Important minerals found here include iron,
Climate
phosphorus, manganese and uranium.
Ladakh lies in the rain shadow region of the
At present, the Sahara is no more a region Himalayas, due to which it does not get rain from
inhabited by nomadic tribes only. Now people
the south-west monsoons. By the time the winds
can be seen living and working in multistorey reach here, they have already exhausted
buildings. Modern means of transport are themselves of all their moisture. There is a little
common. Many places are spots of tourist
snowfall in winter, but the average precipitation is
attraction, which earn a lot of foreign exchange.
less than 25 cm per annum.
Activity F ind Outind Out
Find out about the tribals of the Sahara and make a
collage with the help of pictures to depict their Ladakh does not get rain from the south-west
culture. monsoons. Why?
Contemporary Social Science-7
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