Question.
Why are most of the world’s deserts are located in the western margins of continents in the subtropics?
( Chapter - 4 Climate, Cass 9 NCERT Contemporary India -I )
Answer.
Geographically Subtropics zones lie in both hemispheres that cover 23.5 degrees to 35 degrees latitude. Subtropical zones lie in the convergence zone of the tropical and temperate zone in both hemispheres.
The following are some hot deserts that lie in the subtropics-
- Mojave and Sonoran deserts are located in the South-Western margin of North America.
- The Atacama desert of Chile is located on the Western margin of South America
- Namib and Kalahari deserts are located on South Western margin of Africa.
- The Sahara Desert is located on North Western margin of Africa.
- The Arabian Desert is located in the Western margin of Asia
- Australian desert located in the western margin of Australia
Most of the world’s deserts are located in the western margins of continents in the subtropics because of the following two reasons:
As we know trade winds are the permanent wind that flows from 30 to 35 degrees latitude toward the equator all over the year. These trade winds become dry when they reach the western margin of the continent and hence they do not make rainfall on the western margin of the continent. That is why most of the hot deserts located in the western margins of continents in the subtropics
The western margin of continents are affected by cold ocean current that flows nearby, so it prevents the generation of sufficient moisture for rain.
For example,
- Canaries' cold ocean currents flow on the west of the Sahara desert.
- Benguela's cold ocean current flows on the west of Nambib and Kalahar deserts.
- California's cold ocean current flows on the western side of the Mohave desert.
- Peruvian cold current flows on the western side of the Atacama desert.
- West Australian cold current flows on the western side of the Australian desert.
For the above two reasons, most of the world’s deserts are located in the western margins of continents in the subtropics.
You may like also:
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon