Shortlisted
The Gobi Desert
Kingston International School, Kinsey Fong, 9
T
he Gobi means “waterless place” in the Mongolian language. It has several alternative
Chinese names, including sha-mo (sand desert) and han-hal (dry sea). The 500,000 square
miles (1,294,994 sq km) Gobi Desert is the fifth largest desert in the world. It is a huge desert
in Asia. It covers part of northern and northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia.
Eco-regions of the Gobi
Broadly speaking, the scientists divide Gobi into five distinct dry ecological regions: The
Eastern Gobi desert steppe which covers more than 100,000 square miles at an elevation of 3,300
to 5,000 feet. The Alashan Plateau semi-desert which covers about 260,000 square miles. The
Gobi Lakes Valley which covers about 53,800 square miles. The Junggar Basin (Dzungarian Basin)
which has 117,500-square-mile expanse of the Alashan Plateau. The Tian Shan Range which
covers about 49,800 square miles.
Climate
The climate of Gobi desert is one of the great extremes, combined with the rapid changes
of temperature of as much as 35 Degree Celsius (63 Degree Fahrenheit). This situation occurs
within 24 hours. The Gobi Desert is extremely dry and cold, with frost and occasionally snow
on its dunes, especially during the winter when the Siberian anticyclone is at its strongest. Total
precipitation per year varies from less than 2 inches (5 cm) in the west and more than 8 inches (20
cm) in the northeast. Spring is dry and cold and summer is generally warm. In July the average
high is 50 Degree Celsius (122 Degree Fahrenheit) in some areas.
Wildlife
The Gobi is famous for its conspicuous wildlife, with some species now extremely rare. Some
areas of the Gobi desert contain large numbers of dinosaur bones. Fossils of dinosaurs, such as
the four-legged beaked Protoceratops, have been found eroding out of the desert hillsides for
thousands of years. The snow leopards were found on the Tibetan Plateau but there are only about
4,000-6,000 snow leopards left on earth. Other mammals, including Bactrian Camels, jerboas,
gophers, and black-tailed gazelles, brown bears, wolves, as well as birds, amphibians and various
reptiles also survive in the Gobi desert. Because of its dry climate, grass, thorn-bushes and other
shrubs grow there. Plants like yellow wood, bean caper, saxaul, winter-fat, and nitre bush can
be found. These plants and animals have adapted to the harsh desert conditions and are able to
survive with a little or even no water.
People and Cultures
The Gobi had a long history of human habitat. Early people in the Gobi Desert were mainly
nomads. Later, some of them changed into semi-nomadic way of life. Although the Gobi desert
appears empty and barren, it has still served as a stage for ancient and legendary chapters in
human history. For example, its soils hold fragments of stone weapons and tools of hunting and
gathering nomads of 100,000 years ago. Ancient Mongolians were nomadic traders and herdsmen
