Editing Cholistan Desert (section)

== Geography ==
Cholistan covers an area of {{convert|25800|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Mares|first1=Michael A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g3CbqZtaF4oC&q=cholistan+square+kilometers&pg=PA291|title=Encyclopedia of Deserts|last2=Okla.)|first2=Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (Norman)|date=1999|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|isbn=978-0-8061-3146-7|language=en}}</ref> in the [[Bahawalpur District|Bahawalpur]], [[Bahawalnagar District|Bahawalnagar]], and [[Rahim Yar Khan District|Rahim Yar Khan]] districts of southern Punjab. The nearest major city is [[Bahawalpur|Bahawalpur city]], {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the edge of the desert. The desert stretches about 480 kilometres in length, with a width varying between 32 and 192 kilometres.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last1=Akram|first1=Muhammad|last2=Kahlown|first2=Muhammad Akram|last3=Soomro|first3=Zamir Ahmed|chapter=Desertification Control for Sustainable Land Use in the Cholistan Desert, Pakistan |date=2008|editor-last=Lee|editor-first=Cathy|editor2-last=Schaaf|editor2-first=Thomas|title=The Future of Drylands|language=en|location=Dordrecht|publisher=Springer Netherlands|pages=483–492|doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-6970-3_44|isbn=978-1-4020-6970-3}}</ref> It is located between 27°42΄00΄΄ to 29° 45΄00΄΄ north, and 69°57' 30'′ to 72° 52' 30'′ east.<ref name=":5">Malik, Sher Muhammad; Fazlur-Rahman; Ali, Amjad (2017) : [https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/188331/1/pjcss409.pdf Sustainability of subsistence livelihoods of agro-pastoralists in changing socioeconomic environment of Cholistan desert-Pakistan], Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences (PJCSS), ISSN 2309-8619, Johar Education Society, Pakistan (JESPK), Lahore, Vol. 11, Iss. 3, pp. 1100-1133.</ref> 81% of the desert is sandy, while 19% is characterized by alluvial flats and small sandy dunes.<ref name=":4" /> The entire region is subject to [[desertification]] due to poor vegetation cover resulting in wind erosion.<ref name=":4" />

=== Climate ===
Cholistan's climate is characterized as an arid and semi-arid [[Tropical desert]],<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282321405|title=Camel rearing in Cholistan desert of Pakistan|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2020-04-21}}</ref> with very low annual humidity.<ref name=":8">Wariss, Hafiz Muhammad, Muhammad Mahmood Mukhtar, Shazia Anjum, Ghulam Raza Bhatti, Saeed Ahmad Pirzada and Khurshid Alam. [https://web.archive.org/web/20210429040204/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d257/490c3ad0a2ab1e4427b531026fb3c68f5d57.pdf “Floristic Composition of the Plants of the Cholistan Desert, Pakistan.”] (2013).</ref> The mean temperature in Cholistan is {{Convert|28.33|C|F|abbr=}}, with the hottest month being July with a mean temperature of {{Convert|38.5|C|F|abbr=}}.<ref name=":6" /> Summer temperatures can surpass {{Convert|46|C|F|abbr=}}, and sometimes rise over {{Convert|50|C|F|abbr=}} during periods of drought.<ref name=":6" /> Winter temperatures occasionally dip to {{Convert|0|C|F|abbr=}}.<ref name=":6" /> Average rainfall in Cholistan is up to 180mm, with July and August being the wettest months,<ref name=":6" /> although droughts are common. Water is collected seasonally in a system of natural pools called ''Toba,''<ref name=":6" /> or manmade pools called ''Kund''.<ref name=":4" /> Subsoil water is found at a depth of 30–40 meters,<ref name=":6" /> but is typically brackish, and unsuitable for most plant growth.<ref name=":1" />

====2022 Cholistan water crisis====
{{see also|2022 heat wave in India and Pakistan}}
In May 2022, in the desert areas of [[Cholistan]] in [[Pakistan]] many cattle died due to extreme heat and [[water scarcity|water shortage]]. Shepherds, including cattle, have started migrating from water-scarce areas. Toba Salem Sar and Toba Nawa Kahu were the worst affected areas where 50 [[sheep]] died due to lack of water while more data is being collected from the affected areas.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nation.com.pk/2022/05/13/cholistan-desert-experiencing-worst-condition-of-drought-and-water-scarcity/ | title=Cholistan desert experiencing worst condition of drought and water scarcity | date=13 May 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/957636-parched-cholistan|title=Parched Cholistan|website=www.thenews.com.pk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2356370/extreme-heat-leaves-50-livestock-animals-dead|title=Extreme heat leaves 50 livestock animals dead|date=May 12, 2022|website=The Express Tribune}}</ref>