Page 1 - LN cl 7 geo ch 9 su.to 3
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SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
                  STD-VII                                                           SUBJECT-GEOGRAPHY
               TOPIC-CH 9-LIFE IN THE DESERTS

               SUB –TOPIC- THE COLD DESERT - LADAKH
               NOTES-

               Ladakh is a cold desert in India. It lies in the Great Himalayas, on the eastern side of
               Jammu and Kashmir. It has the mighty Karakoram Range in the North and in the south, it
               is bound by the  Zaskar mountains. Several rivers flow through Ladakh.



               The altitude in Ladakh varies from about 3000m in Kargil to more than 8000 m in the
               Karakoram.


               Climate of Ladakh


               Due to its high altitude, Ladakh is always freezing cold and dry for most of the year. The
               air is so thin that you can feel the sun’s heat intensely. In summers, the temperature during
               the day is just above zero degrees and the night temperature is much below -30°C. In
               winters the temperature remains as low as -40°C most of the time.


               The rainfall in this region is as low as 10 cm annually. This is because it lies in the rain
               shadow of the Himalayas. The area experiences freezing winds and burning sunlight.



               Flora
               Because of the extreme dryness,  sparse vegetation in the area. There are scanty patches
               of grasses and shrubs for animals to graze. During the summers, trees of fruits such as
               apples, apricots, and walnuts bloom.


               Fauna

               Several species of birds such as robins, red stars, Tibetan snowcock, raven, and hoopoe
               are common. Some of these are migratory birds. The animals include wild goats, wild
               sheep, yak and special kinds of dogs. The animals are reared to provide:



                  Milk: Yak’s milk is used to make cheese and butter.

                  Meat

                  Hide

                  Hair: The hair on the sheep and goats is used to make woollens.
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