Arid Region / Desert Archives

Which one of the following deserts is not located around 20°-30° latitude North or South of the Equator?

Atacama

Kalahari

Great Victoria

Gobi

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2022

Most of the world’s major deserts are located in the subtropical high-pressure belts, which are found approximately between 20° and 30° latitude North and South of the equator. These areas experience sinking air, leading to dry conditions.
– Atacama Desert (South America): Located around 24° S. (Fits the pattern)
– Kalahari Desert (Southern Africa): Located around 20-30° S. (Fits the pattern)
– Great Victoria Desert (Australia): Located around 28° S. (Fits the pattern)
– Gobi Desert (Central Asia): Located primarily between 40° and 50° N latitude. It is a cold winter desert, formed due to rain shadow effect (blocked by the Himalayas) and continentality (far from oceans). This location is outside the 20°-30° range.

– Subtropical deserts are commonly found in the 20°-30° latitude bands due to atmospheric circulation patterns (Hadley Cell).
– Other desert types exist due to rain shadow effect, continentality, or polar conditions.

The Atacama is one of the driest non-polar deserts in the world. The Gobi Desert experiences large seasonal temperature swings due to its continental location. Deserts cover about one-third of the Earth’s land surface.

A peripediment in a desert or semi-desert region is also known as :

Inselberg

Zeugen

Bajada

Playa

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2022

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A peripediment in a desert or semi-desert region is also known as Bajada.

A peripediment is generally considered to be the gentle slope area at the base of a mountain or escarpment in arid and semi-arid regions. This area often comprises an erosional pediment closer to the mountain and a depositional bajada further out. While technically distinct (pediment is erosional, bajada is depositional), the term ‘peripediment’ is sometimes used more broadly to refer to this entire piedmont zone or specifically the region around the pediment, which is dominated by the bajada (coalesced alluvial fans). Among the given options, Bajada is the feature most closely associated geographically and morphologically with the peripediment region, forming the depositional part of the piedmont slope.

Inselbergs are isolated residual hills. Zeugen are features formed by differential wind erosion. Playas are dry lake beds. The piedmont slope in arid regions consists of the pediment (erosional bedrock surface) and the bajada (depositional apron of alluvial fans). While ‘peripediment’ might refer strictly to the marginal part of the pediment, its usage in some contexts refers to the broader area including the bajada. Given the options, Bajada is the most appropriate answer.

11. Which one of the following deserts is not located around 20°-30° latit

12. A peripediment in a desert or semi-desert region is also known as :