Thal

Thal Desert is located in Punjab ( Pakistan ). It is a vast region, mainly between the Jelam and Indus rivers in the vicinity of the Pothohar Plateau . Its total length from north to south is 305 km, and its maximum width is 112 km, while the minimum width is 32 km. This area is divided into the districts of Bhakkar , Khushab , Mianvali , Jhang , Laya , and Muzafargar . Geographically, it resembles the deserts of Cholistan and Thar .

Thal Desert
Location
A country	Pakistan
Thal Desert

In the Thal desert, sandy soils and sand dunes are widespread. In the bands between the ridges there are soils of medium mechanical composition. In many ways, they are similar to the sandy gray soils of Central Asia. A characteristic phenomenon for the Thal desert is dust storms , which sharply reduce the temperature, passing during the hottest period, in May – June, and bringing rainfall ^[1] .

The Thal Desert is devoid of surface water. Groundwater lies at a depth of up to 100 m. Along the riverbed of the Indus , Jhelam and Trimab rivers, they are fed by channel infiltration, and their depth reaches 10-20 m ^[2] .

The Thal Desert is climatically located in the transition zone from the subtropics to the tropics . Heat resources are significant. The total annual solar radiation ranges from 200 to 220 kcal / sq. see. In summer, the average daily maximum temperature, as a rule, is 40 ° C, in winter + 22 ... 28 ° C. The average minimum temperature varies from 24 ° C in the summer to 4 ° C in the winter ^[2] .