2. LOCATION
• It is located on the western side of the country, where it comprises
most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the
"Rajasthan Desert" and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border
with Pakistan along the Sutlej -Indus river valley. Elsewhere it is
bordered by other Indian states: Gujaratj to the Southwest; Madhya
Pradesh to the southeast; Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the
northeast; and Punjab to the north. Its features include the ruins of
the Indus Valley Civilization at Kalibanga ; the Dilwara Temple, a Jain
pilgrimage site at Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu, in Aravalli
the ancient Aravalli mountain range; and in eastern Rajasthan, the
Keoladeo Natioanl Park near Bharatpur , a World Heritage site
known for its bird life. Rajasthan is also home to two national tiger
reserves, the Sariska Tiger Reserve inAlwar and Ranthambore
National Park
3. RELIEF
• Rajasthan has varying topographic features and cannot
be solely identified as a desert. The wide-ranging
topography includes rocky terrain, rolling sand dunes,
wetlands, barren tracts or land filled with thorny
scrubs, river-drained plains, plateaus, ravines and
wooded regions.
• In a more comprehensive way the topography of
Rajasthan can be divided in the following ways- ·
Aravali or the Hilly regions · The Thar and the other
arid regions · The Plateaus including Vindhaya and the
Malwa · The Fertile plains including the Mewar · The
Forest Regions · The Waterbodies including Rivers and
Salt Lakes
4. CLIMATE
• Summers which are hot and dry is considered to be the hottest period
in Rajasthan with the temperature rising to almost as high as 45
degrees Celsius at its highest. The hill station of Mount Abu, the only
hill station of Rajasthan, however, remains a blessed exception in this
mercurial madness with temperatures
• The period between the months of July to September sees the
mercury dropping to a more moderate temperature, with a
comparatively higher level of humidity which is to set the stage for the
next season or the monsoons
• The monsoons make this already beautiful province prettier than ever
by adding their cool moisture to the hot, golden sands of the Thar
Desert
• The winters in Rajasthan stretch between the months of December to
March. January is seen to be the coolest month of the year, which
often sees a temperature drop that is as drastic as 0 degrees Celsius.
5. NATURAL VEGETATION• Wheat and barley are cultivated over large areas, as are pulses,
sugarcane, and oilseeds. Cotton and tobacco are the state's cash crops.
Rajasthan is among the largest producers of edible oils in India and the
second largest producer of oilseeds. Rajasthan is also the biggest wool-
producing state in India and the main opium producer and consumer.
There are mainly two crop seasons. The water for irrigation comes from
wells and tanks. The Indira Gandhi Canal irrigates northwestern
Rajasthan.
The main industries are mineral based, agriculture based, and textiles.
Rajasthan is the second largest producer of polyester fibre in India. The
Bhilwara District produces more cloth than Bhiwandi, Maharashtra and
the Bhilwara is the largest city in suiting production and export. Several
prominent chemical and engineering companies are located in the
town of Kota, in southern Rajasthan.
• The state is the second largest source of cement in India. It has rich salt
deposits at Sambhar, copper mines at Khetri, Jhunjhunu and zinc mines
at Dariba, Zawar mines at Zawarmala for zinc
6. WILDLIFE
• Even though Rajasthan has hostile terrain and conditions but
has abode of a number of mammals and birds. Due to vast
size and latitudinal variations above the sea level of 1,700m
there is a varied vegetation. It provides semi green forests
(Mount Abu) to dry grasslands of the desert. It also provides
dry deciduous thorn forest (Aravali) to wetlands (Bharatpur).
The Sanctuaries attracts herds of species from all over to their
temporary habitat that provides comfortable subsistence.
Rajasthan is also the habitat of tigers and many endangered
species.
The leopard is also found here in forests and in open
degraded forest areas adjoining towns and villages
of Godwar. Some of the common species of animals found
here are village dogs, asses, calves and goats.