NCERT CLASS 7 CHAPTER 12 youtube link: https://youtu.be/0XMlheETZxQ

1. LIFE IN DESERTS
(The Sahara Desert and Ladakh)
Class 7
NCERT
Chapter- 12

2. DESERTS
• Barren lands characterized by extreme
temperatures, less than 25cm rainfall annually
and scanty vegetation
• There are two types of deserts-
1. Hot deserts(20-30⁰ latitudes)
2. Cold deserts

3. A HOT DESERT- SAHARA
• Largest desert of the world
• Extends from Atlantic ocean in the west up to
the Red sea in the east
• Covers an area of about 8.5 million sq. km
• Spread across 11 countries- Morocco, Algeria,
Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Chad, Mali,
Mauritania, Niger, and West Sahara
• Also called as ‘El Khela’

4. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• Al-Azizia, in Libya recorded the highest
temperature of 57.7⁰C in 1922
• Extremely hot and dry climate
• Temperature rises and humidity decreases
from north to south

5. PEOPLE AND THEIR ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES
• The Bedouins and Tuaregs are important
nomadic tribes
• Near the oases, people are cultivators and
herdsmen
• Agriculture, local trading and herding have
become the basis of the economy
• Camel is the most important animal
• Recently, mineral oil has been discovered in
Algeria, Libya and Egypt

6. A COLD DESERT- LADAKH
• Also known as ‘Khapa Chan’
• Total area is about 45,110 sq km
• On 31 October 2019 it became a state, with
Leh and Kargil as capitals
• River Indus flows through this region

7. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• Cold and dry climate with little or no
atmospheric moisture
• Day temperature during summers is just above
0⁰C while night temperature is about -25⁰C
• Winters are extremely cold and the temperature
is about -40⁰C
• Rainfall is as low as 10cm per year

8. PEOPLE AND THEIR ECONOMIC
ACTIVITIES
• Crops are sown in May and harvested in
September
• Grain farming is supplemented with
horticulture and livestock rearing
• The National highway 1A, connects Leh to
Kashmir valley through the Zoji La pass
• Tibetan Buddhism continues to be practiced
as a living religion here