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Pakistan hosts four hotdeserts[1] which were historically forests. In addition to these, there is also a cold desert in the country. The hot deserts are theTharparker and Nara Deserts inSindh, theCholistan andThal deserts inPunjab, and theKharan Desert inBalochistan,[2] and the cold desert isKatpana Desert inGilgit-Baltistan, province of Pakistan.
TheThar Desert spans an area of 175,000 square kilometers and covers large areas ofPakistan andIndia. It is the largest desert of Pakistan and the onlysubtropical desert of Asia. It is the 16th largest desert on the planet and the third largest in Asia. It has also spread into India. The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is a large, arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent that forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan. It is the world's16th largest desert, and the world's 9th largest subtropical desert. 85% of the Thar Desert is in India, and the remaining 15% is in Pakistan. In India, it covers 320,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi), of which 90% is in Rajasthan and extends into Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. In Pakistan, it spreads over Punjab and Sindh starting fromTharparkar District in the east. This desert consists of a very dry part, the Marusthali region, in the west, and a semi-desert region in the east with fewer sand dunes and slightly more precipitation.
The Cholistan Desert is locally known as "Rohi 'and covers the area ofBahawalpur,Punjab. It adjoins the Thar Desert, extending over toSindh and into India. Cholistan desert hosts an annual Jeep rally, known asCholistan Desert Jeep Rally which is the biggest
TheThal Desert is located inBhakkar District of Pakistan between theIndus andJhelum rivers. A large canal-building project is currently underway to irrigate the land. Irrigation will make most of the desert suitable for farming. In the north of the Thal Desert there are theSalt Ranges, in the east theJhelum andChenab rivers and to the west theIndus River.
TheKharan Desert (Urdu:صحرائے خاران) is asandy and mountainousdesert situated inBalochistan Province in south-westernPakistan.
This desert was the site of Pakistan's second nuclear test,Chagai-II, which was carried out on 28 May 1998.
TheKatpana Desert is a high-altitude desert located nearSkardu, inPakistan's northernGilgit-Baltistan region. The desert contains expanses of large sand dunes that are sometimes covered in snow during winter. Situated at an elevation of 2,226 metres (7,303 ft) above sea level, the Katpana Desert is one of the highest deserts in the world.
The desert technically stretches from theKhaplu Valley toNubra inLadakh, but the largest desert area is found inSkardu andShigar Valley. The portion most visited is located nearSkardu Airport.
