The Gobi Desert

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer examines the Gobi Desert, which is one of the most striking natural phenomena in the world. The writer explains that it is the world's northernmost desert and home to the world's southernmost glacier in the Gobi's Yol Valley. The writer points out that the Gobi Desert is situated across the border between Mongolia and China. The writer notes that despite the general conception of a desert as full of sand, much of the Gobi desert is only barren rock. The writer concludes that as students we can look to the Gobi Desert as a unique source of knowledge about geography in one of the most extreme environments in the world. The writer notes that the Gobi Desert can provide the thoughtful researcher with a wealth of information about how landscapes are shaped and manipulated by almost purely natural forces.

From the Paper:

"Many of the geographical features of the Gobi Desert were formed because of the effects of plate tectonics over millions of years. At one time, the Gobi Desert region was at the convergence of two tectonic plates, a fact that helped shape the unique geographic features of the region. More recently in geological terms, the Gobi Desert region has felt the effect of the Indian subcontinent tectonic plate moving northward into Asia. While this movement has had the immediate effect of driving the Himalayas upward, the pressure of this convergence has consistently spilled to the east and west. It has fractured the Gobi landscape and helped drive much of the region up into higher elevations. When we consider the major geologic and geographic features of the region, plate tectonics must be seen as a primary cause in their formation."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Gobi." Answers.com. 28 Mar. 2007 <http://www.answers.com/topic/gobi>.
• Middleton, Nick. "The Dunes of the Badain Jaran." Geographical (Oct. 2006): 56-62.
• Sadler, Christa J. "Gobi Desert." Earth 5.4 (Aug. 1996): 76-79.
• Spritzer, Dinah A. "Mongolia's Pristine Ecology, Nomadic Culture Lure Visitors." Travel Weekly 53.83 (20 Oct. 1994): 20.
• Wirtanen, Wayne and Wirtanen, Saima. "The Gobi Desert, Mongolia." International Travel News 18.12 (Feb. 1994): 98-100.

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