Desert
Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert)
थार मरुस्थल (ग्रेट इंडियन डेजर्ट)
Vast arid desert covering over 200,000 sq km of northwestern India (predominantly western Rajasthan, extending into Gujarat and southern Haryana/Punjab). Bounded by the Aravalli Range to the east and the Rann of Kutch to the south.
Total Area2,00,000 sq km
Territorial Jurisdiction2 States / UTs
Riparian States, Districts & Connected Cities
States, revenue districts, and municipal cities traversed by or situated in the immediate watershed/basin of Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert):
Ecological Status & National Significance
Strategic Importance
The most densely populated desert in the world, characterized by stabilized and shifting barchan sand dunes, thorny scrub vegetation, and traditional rainwater harvesting (kunds/tankas).