The Tropical Deserts

The tropical deserts of the world are located between 200-30° N and S latitudes on the western sides of the continents. There is a great contrast in the climate of the equatorial dense forests and the tropical deserts. While it rains all year round and there is dense growth of natural vegetation in the equatorial region, in the tropical deserts there is hardly any rain and natural vegetation is scanty.

A desert is an area covered with sand. These are the areas where the winds do not blow from the sea but from the interior of a continent. There is little water and vegetation due to the absence of rainfall. It is a dry and barren land.

Do you know how a fertile land turns into a desert? There are many reasons for the formation of a desert. The first and foremost reason is the lack of rainfall. Secondly, if this land lies in excessively cold or hot climate, it loses its fertility. These are natural causes. But one major man-made cause is the exploitation of soil. When we keep on taking from the fertile soil excessively without compensating it or when we cut down the trees in large numbers, good fertile lands turn into deserts. 

The tropical deserts include: 

• Sahara Desert in North Africa 
• Kalahari and Namib deserts in South Africa 
• Arabia and Thar in Asia 
• The desert of California in North America 
• The desert of Atacama in South America 
• The desert of Western Australia in Australia

To study about the people living in the tropical deserts, we will take up the case of Saudi Arabia, the main country situated in the Arabian Desert.

Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia is a hot desert area. It is covered with sand hills called sand dunes. It receives an average of less than 25 cm of rain annually. Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. 

Location - Saudi Arabia is a country in the Middle East. It is located in the Arabian Desert. It lies between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia occupies three-fourth of the Arabian Peninsula, which is the world's largest peninsula. Saudi Arabia is surrounded by other countries like Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Israel, Iraq, United Arab  Emirates and the Democratic Republic of Yemen. 

Land Surface - Saudi Arabia can be divided into five regions— Coastal Plains, Western Highlands, Central Plateau, Persian Gulf Region and Deserts. Saudi Arabia is a land of high mountains with narrow coastal strips. Most of the country is covered with a thick layer of loose sand.

Water Surface - There is always shortage of water here as no rivers flow through the desert. Some parts have underground water, which surfaces to form pools of water called oasis. These areas are the only fertile areas in the deserts. During occasional heavy rains, dry valleys called wadis temporarily get filled with water. However, the high temperature leads to quick evaporation or the water is soon absorbed by the ground. 

Climate - Since it is a desert, the climate in Saudi Arabia is hot and arid. There is hardly any rainfall. The only part that receives much rainfall here is Asir. It receives an annual average rainfall of 30 to 51cm. Since the Tropic of Cancer passes through this country, it gets direct sun rays almost throughout the year. Sometimes, the strong dusty winds blow with great speed.

The nights here are cool in summer and very cold in winter. In deserts, there is a great difference between the highest temperature during the day and the lowest temperature during the night. It happens because the sand becomes very hot in the day and at night it loses heat very quickly. Sand dunes are the hills of sand made by the deposits of sand carried by the wind. They keep moving by the action of strong winds. 

Sandstorms are very common in the tropical deserts. The fast blowing wind carries a lot of sand with it. Since there are no big trees to check the speed of the wind, it blows very fast. These sandstorms cause a great deal of damage to life and property of those living in the deserts.

Vegetation - Dry climate and poor soil in Saudi Arabia leads to little or no vegetation. Mostly cacti, grasses and thorny bushes are found here. Shrubs and cacti survive because they require very little water. Most of these plants have long roots which go deep down inside the ground to absorb water. They have very small leaves which help in cutting down the loss of moisture through transpiration.

Saudi Arabia has many big and small oases, and wells are dug to utilize this water. People grow food crops like wheat, barley, fruits and vegetables around the oasis. Date and palm trees grow easily in this region. In some areas, farms have been made by mixing soil with sand. Sea water from which salt has been removed is used for irrigation. Melons and tomatoes are grown in these farms. 

Wildlife - Desert animals can live with very little water. Snakes, lizards and insects are quite common in the desert. During rainy season, one can also see animals like wolves, foxes, deer and hyenas. Camel is the most useful animal in the desert. Camels are well adapted to the desert climate. They can store fat in their humps and therefore, go for many days without food or water. Their padded feet are suited for running in desert. They have two sets of eyelids and thus sandstorms and scorching sun do not cause much problem to them while travelling long distances in the deserts. They are used for transportation. 

Lifestyle of People - The people of Saudi Arabia can be categorised into three groups depending upon their lifestyles: 1. Farmers - Most of the people live in the villages located near the oases. They are mostly farmers. They make houses from sun-dried bricks. These houses have flat roofs. Such houses remain cool from inside. 2. Nomads - These people move from one place to another in search of food and fresh pastures for their cattle. They rear goats, camels and sheep. They also keep a few horses sometimes. They are called nomads. These nomads are called Bedouins in Saudi Arabia. The Bedouins live in tents in the desert. They wear loose clothes. They move in groups forming long rows of camels. These rows of camels are called caravans. The Bedouins sell and buy their goods at the village marketplace. They make tents from the hides of animal, Their clothes, shoes, water bags, etc are also made from animal hides. Woollen garments and carpets are also made by them from the wool obtained from the sheep. 3. City Dwellers - City dwellers enjoy all the modern facilities of life. The discovery of oil has changed the lives of the people of Saudi Arabia. All modern facilities like air-conditioned houses, buildings, schools, parks, hospitals and business centres are found in cities. Electronic items like TV, VCR, computers, radios and automobiles are easily available in supermarkets and shops. All these facilities are possible because of the money earned from the export of petroleum. 

Important Cities - Due to the large oil reserves, Saudi Arabia is now considered an economically developed country. Many big cities with all the modern facilities have come up in Saudi Arabia. Wide metalled roads with imported cars moving on them, multistorey buildings, big hospitals, schools, colleges and multiplexes can be seen in these cities. The markets are full of imported goods. There are a number of modern cities in Saudi Arabia like Riyadh, Mecca, Jeddah, Hofuf, Burada and Medina. Dammam and Yanbu are the main industrial cities of Saudi Arabia. The busiest seaport of Saudi Arabia is in Jeddah. King Abdulaziz International Airport is also in Jeddah. 

Dresses - People of Saudi Arabia generally wear traditional Arab clothes. Men wear a long, cotton gown called Thawb. A head covering called gutra is used by men to protect their head from the sun. Women wear a long robe called aba and cover their head with a scarf called hijab. 

Religion - Saudi Arabia is an Islamic state largely occupied by Arab Muslims. Mecca and Medina are the two most important pilgrimages of the Muslim. Every year, millions of Muslims from all over the world visit these two places for Hajj.

Agriculture - By using scientific methods and developing irrigation facilities, the desert lands are being converted into agricultural lands. There are lovely parks wherein green grass is grown artificially. With the help of scientific techniques, the sea water is being changed into usable water. 

Trade and Industry - Saudi Arabia is rich in mineral oil. Mineral oil is a source of energy. It is also called the 'Liquid Gold'. There are many oil refineries in Saudi Arabia. The crude oil is taken through pipelines to the seaports and then exported from there. People of Saudi Arabia earn a lot of foreign currency by exporting mineral oil and in return they import most of their food requirements and other goods.

The main industries of Saudi Arabia are petrochemicals, petroleum refineries, iron and steel, fertilizers and cement. There are some small-scale industries like processed food, leather, textile, soap and handicrafts. Small quantities of cement, bricks, tiles, furniture and pottery are also produced in the country. Many qualified professionals like engineers, doctors, teachers and accountants work in Saudi Arabia. They contribute a lot to the development of Saudi Arabia. 

Transport - Saudi Arabia has a good network of roadways, railways and airways. Towns and cities are well connected by good roads. A railway system operates between Riyadh and Ad Dammam, a port of the Persian Gulf. Airways connect Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran with other parts of the world.

The Tropical Deserts

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