The Cold Desert,Ladakh

By Rupayan Majumder of Grade 7-B

9/1/2021
Geography Project Work
 About Ladakh-

• 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 Zanskar mountains.
Several rivers flow through Ladakh. The most
important one is the Indus.
• These rivers form deep valleys and gorges.
They add to the scenic beauty of the place.
Several glaciers are found in Ladakh. The
Gangotri glacier is an example. 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. Therefore, if you sit in the sun with your hand in the shade; you
will experience sunstroke as well as frostbite at the same time.
 • Flora:-
Flora and Fauna of • Because of the extreme dryness, you would find
sparse vegetation in the area. There are scanty

Ladakh 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, redstars,
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.
 People of Ladakh
• You would mostly find either Muslims or
Buddhists here. Ladakh is blessed with many
Buddhist monasteries. Some of the famous
monasteries are Hemis, Thiksey, Shey, and
Lamayuru. The people of this region resemble
the people of Tibet and Central Asia.
Thank you!!!