Thal Desert

The northern Thal stretches towards the Salt Range between the Indus and Jhelum rivers. Much of its surface consists of wind-shaped sand dunes lying over alluvial soils. Rainfall is scant, and the heat of the day gives way to much cooler nights. Grasses grow among the dunes, providing grazing in a country where settlements are scattered. To the west the land drops towards the Indus floodplain; to the east the Jhelum and Chenab mark the other side of the broad interfluve.