Thar Desert

desert · asia · india · pakistan

Huge sandy region. The Thar Desert covers about 264,091 square kilometers (almost 102,000 square miles), making it one of Asia's biggest subtropical deserts. About two-thirds of it sits in India, mostly in a state called Rajasthan.

Borders and boundaries. The desert is surrounded by the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the north and west, the Rann of Kutch to the south, and the Aravalli Range of mountains to the east. These natural features help define where the desert begins and ends.

Spans two countries. While most of the Thar Desert is in India, it also stretches into Pakistan's provinces of Sindh and Punjab. The desert covers about six percent of India's total land area.

Part of India's geography. Within India, the Thar Desert spreads across the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. Rajasthan has the largest portion of this vast, arid landscape.