Class 7 Geography Chapter 7 Question Answers - Life in the Deserts

Short Question Answers :

Q1: Define desert.
Ans: It is an arid region characterized by extremely high or low temperatures and has less vegetation.

Q2: Where is the hot desert found?
Ans: The hot desert is primarily located on the western edges of continents, specifically between 15 to 30 degrees latitude, both north and south of the equator.

Q3: Name the countries that touch the Sahara desert.
Ans: Countries are- Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara.

Q4: Describe the type of animals and plants found in the hot Sahara desert region.
Ans: Vegetation in the Sahara desert includes cactus, dates, palms, and acacia. In some places, there are oasis and green islands with date palms surrounding them. Camels, hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions, Snakes, and lizards are the prominent species.

Q5: What type of vegetation in the cold desert was Ladakh found?
Ans: In Ladakh, due to high aridity, the vegetation is sparse. There are scanty patches of grasses and shrubs for animals to graze. Groves of willows and poplars are seen in the valleys.

Q6: What is the location of the Ladakh desert?
Ans: Ladakh is a cold desert lying in the great Himalayas on the eastern side of Jammu and Kashmir. The Karakoram Range in the north and the Zaskar Mountain in the south enclose it.

Q7: Where is Al Azizia located?
Ans: Al Azizia is located in the Sahara Desert, south of Tripoli, the capital city of Libya. It is known for recording one of the highest temperatures ever observed on Earth.

Q8: Name the famous monasteries of Ladakh.
Ans: The famous monasteries of Ladakh are Hemis, Thiksey, Shey, and Lamayuru.

Q9: Why are nights freezing cold in the Sahara?
Ans: The nights in the Sahara Desert become freezing cold because there is no cloud cover or moisture to trap the heat. As a result, the heat escapes rapidly, causing temperatures to drop drastically after sunset.

Q10: What mainly attracts tourists to Ladakh?
Ans: Meadows and glaciers mainly attract tourists to Ladakh.

Long Question Answers:

Q1. Describe the climatic condition of the Ladakh desert.
Ans: The climate of Ladakh is characterised by:

• High altitude: This results in an extremely cold and dry environment.
• Summer temperatures: Daytime temperatures are just above zero degrees Celsius.
• Night temperatures: Nights can drop to well below -30 degrees Celsius.
• Winter conditions: Winters are harsh, with temperatures often falling below -40 degrees Celsius.
• Low rainfall: The region receives as little as 10 cm of rain annually.

Q2. How have human activities and natural resources shaped life in the Sahara Desert?
Ans: The Sahara Desert has long been home to nomadic tribes like the Bedouins and Tuaregs, who rear goats, sheep, camels, and horses for milk, leather, and wool. They use animal products to make clothes, carpets, mats, and water bottles, and wear heavy robes for protection against heat and dust storms.

Some settled populations live around oases and the Nile Valley, where they grow date palms, rice, wheat, barley, beans, and Egyptian cotton. The discovery of oil in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt has led to modernization, with glass buildings, highways, and urban growth replacing old trade routes. Valuable minerals like iron, phosphorus, manganese, and uranium are also mined.

Modernization is changing traditional lifestyles—trucks now replace camels in the salt trade, and many nomads are moving to cities for jobs in the oil and gas industry. The desert is home to snakes and lizards, and scientists have found fish skeletons, suggesting the region was once covered in water.

Q3: What flora and fauna are found in Ladakh?
Ans: Flora and Fauna found in Ladakh:

Due to dryness, vegetation is sparse.

• There are very sparse patches of grasses and shrubs for animals to graze.
• Groves of willows and poplars are found in the valleys.
• During summers, fruit trees like apples, apricots and walnuts bloom.

Fauna of Ladakh includes birds and animals.

• Several species of birds are sighted in Ladakh.
• Robins, Redstarts, Tibetan Snowcock, Raven and Hoopoe are common.
• Some of these are migratory birds.
• The animals of Ladakh are the wild goats, wild sheep, yak and special kinds of dogs.
• The animals provide milk, meat and hides.
• The yak’s milk is used to make cheese and butter.