Tropical deserts: a general characteristic; The most prominent representatives

The very name "tropical deserts" tells us that this natural zone lies in the same climatic zone. On our planet, almost all desert areas are located in the tropics, but, unlike paradise on the coast of the sea, weather conditions here are much more severe and completely unsuitable for life. Well, let's see what characterizes such tropical deserts, where they can be found and which ones are the most famous.

What characterizes the desert zones of the tropics?

The relief and origin of each of the known deserts is very different. Somewhere such natural zones are based on plateaus, in other places they are surrounded by rocks and elevated plateaus, sometimes deserts meet on the shores of the oceans, that is, in the lowlands. But it is the climate that unites all tropical deserts. The first characteristic is the sharp daily fluctuations in air temperature. During the day, in most of these natural areas, the thermometer can exceed 50, and at night the air cools down to 10. The second characteristic is the difference between winter and summer. In such zones it is insignificant, but the more distant the desert lies from the equator, the more the range of annual temperature fluctuations widens. Well, the third common sign is the wind. Some regions of our planet have become completely devastated not because there are infertile lands. Just atmospheric streams settled so that over the deserts there is no cloud - they are always dispersed by the wind. Due to this, the percentage of solar radiation increases and, accordingly, all living things die out.

Sands of the Middle East

The largest desert in the world is the Sahara. It occupies the entire northern part of Africa and, through a small isthmus, smoothly passes into the Arabian desert. Both natural zones are very similar in nature, in origin, and in climate. They also form a pronounced climatic belt on the surface of the Earth. Numerous tropical deserts, whose names are given only by local residents, are part of this natural zone. Here the yellow sands predominate, which are collected either in solitary dunes or in huge ridges of barkhans stretching for kilometers. It is in this Afro-Asian geographic region that very high temperature jumps are observed. In the daytime, the thermometer does not drop below 45, and the maximum reaches 58. Therefore, in the sands of the Sahara and Arabia, only insects and reptiles live, which creep out onto the surface only at night.

The smallest continent

Deserts of the tropical belt are also concentrated on the Australian lands. Local residents also divide them into numerous "sovereign" territories, but their landscapes are very similar. The climatic conditions here are not so severe as in Asia. The temperature during the day is within 30 degrees, and at night does not fall below 15. The amount of precipitation that fall in a year is up to 300 mm (which is a lot for the desert). Australian sandy plains are characterized by their red soils. The local sands have a crimson hue, the glow of which intensifies at sunset.

Mysterious valleys of Chile

In the west of South America, perhaps, there are the most unusual tropical deserts. Photos of these masterpieces of nature are presented in the article, and they do not look like pictures of the Sahara or any other natural zone. Here the main role is played not by the sands, but by the valleys, which are surrounded by rocks. In the Atacama Desert (as it is called) precipitation did not fall out for 400 years. All the moisture that the local land is satisfied with is the fog that occurs only in the summer.

Other sandy areas

In the South of Africa, you can also find desert territories. They are Kalahara and Namibia. The landscape and origin of this natural zone can be compared with the Sahara. In North America, as well as in Mexico, there are narrow deserts that stretch from North to South. Their landscapes can be compared with Atakama. There are few sands, but there are so many different kinds of rocks that create incredible beauty.