As you all know that most of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans that make up 71% of the surface of the Earth, and the remaining 29% is for land. But do you know what percentage of the land surface is covered by deserts? It is about 1 / 3rd or 33%. You must have read somewhere about large deserts like Sahara or Rub' al Khali, but today we will talk about the world's smallest desert, Carcross desert. The Carcross Desert is located in Yukon Territory, Canada, and has an area of just one square mile that can even be measured by steps. The village of Carcross which is known especially for its world-class mountain biking, situated near this desert and which was inhabited some 4500 years ago and is home to a total of 301 people. The Carcross Desert is on a very high altitude and for centuries the area remained out of the knowledge of the people. About 4500 years ago, Bennett Lake and Nares Lake used to merge here and at a crossing point where these two lakes meet a natural land bridge was formed. Then people started migrating and settled here in Carcross village with the help of this bridge.
See Also:-Huacachina, Peru - A Lovely Village Built Around A Small Oasis Surrounded By Sand Dunes
Jakub Fryš / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Carcross Desert is specifically called the Desert but it’s actually not a desert at all but a series of sand dunes. The sand is believed to have formed during the glacial period about 11,000 to 24,000 years ago when large glacial lakes formed and silt had accumulated. But when the lakes dried up, the dunes were left behind. Today, the source of sand mainly belongs to the nearby Bennett Lake, which is carried by air. The Carcross Desert receives less than 50 cm of precipitation per year, resulting in the area remains drier than the surrounding region. The dunes are home to a rare variety of plants. The plant life includes Baikal sedge and Yukon lupine, which are exceptionally rare varieties. In 1992, several attempts were made by the Yukon Territorial government to protect the desert but were unsuccessful due to the interference of the local people, as the locals use the dunes for entertainment purposes.
See Also:-Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon), Jordan - A Beautiful Desert Valley
Image Source - Flickr
The desert has now become a popular destination for the people around there. As the desert is being used for recreational purposes by locals, the region has many activities to perform, including sandboarding, beach volleyball, hiking, skydiving, cross-country skiing, all-terrain vehicles, and snowboarding. A popular tourist attraction of nearby White Pass and Yukon Route helps to bring many people to the Carcross area every year. The Carcross Desert is not only a favorite destination for tourists but also a research center for Canadian geologists and scientists who are trying to figure out how this small desert was able to be formed in the entire icy area. According to some geological reports, the birth of the Carcross desert is the result of the hard work of about ten thousand years of nature. Some people say that the area has become desert because the lakes had dried up, whereas this is not the case. Even today, strong sandy winds blow near Bennett Lake, causing small sand dunes to form here. The birth of this fascinating desert at this height can be attributed to the ice age, water and wind, which have altogether helped in accomplishing this amazing feat.
See Also:-Morocco Desert - A Ghost Music Mystery
Image Source - Flickr
See Also:-Huacachina, Peru - A Lovely Village Built Around A Small Oasis Surrounded By Sand Dunes
The Carcross Desert is specifically called the Desert but it’s actually not a desert at all but a series of sand dunes. The sand is believed to have formed during the glacial period about 11,000 to 24,000 years ago when large glacial lakes formed and silt had accumulated. But when the lakes dried up, the dunes were left behind. Today, the source of sand mainly belongs to the nearby Bennett Lake, which is carried by air. The Carcross Desert receives less than 50 cm of precipitation per year, resulting in the area remains drier than the surrounding region. The dunes are home to a rare variety of plants. The plant life includes Baikal sedge and Yukon lupine, which are exceptionally rare varieties. In 1992, several attempts were made by the Yukon Territorial government to protect the desert but were unsuccessful due to the interference of the local people, as the locals use the dunes for entertainment purposes.
See Also:-Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon), Jordan - A Beautiful Desert Valley
The desert has now become a popular destination for the people around there. As the desert is being used for recreational purposes by locals, the region has many activities to perform, including sandboarding, beach volleyball, hiking, skydiving, cross-country skiing, all-terrain vehicles, and snowboarding. A popular tourist attraction of nearby White Pass and Yukon Route helps to bring many people to the Carcross area every year. The Carcross Desert is not only a favorite destination for tourists but also a research center for Canadian geologists and scientists who are trying to figure out how this small desert was able to be formed in the entire icy area. According to some geological reports, the birth of the Carcross desert is the result of the hard work of about ten thousand years of nature. Some people say that the area has become desert because the lakes had dried up, whereas this is not the case. Even today, strong sandy winds blow near Bennett Lake, causing small sand dunes to form here. The birth of this fascinating desert at this height can be attributed to the ice age, water and wind, which have altogether helped in accomplishing this amazing feat.
See Also:-Morocco Desert - A Ghost Music Mystery
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