The Taklamakan Desert is located on the continent of Asia in the southwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, northwest China. It is the biggest desert in China and the sixteenth biggest desert in the world. The Taklamakan Desert experiences a severe climate with extreme temperatures which have been the cause of  numerous deaths throughout history, hence the famous name is has achieved, 'The Sea of Death'.

Our printable Taklamakan Desert fact sheets are ideal for school students, kids and teachers, and offer homework assistance and a factual guide to one of China's major deserts. With key information and interesting facts about the biome's history, Silk Road, structure, formation, sand dunes, animals, birds, plants, weather, temperature, rainfall, snowfall, climate conditions, vegetation, size and location.

Interesting Taklamakan Desert Facts for Kids:- Factsmania's interesting facts sheet are printable for free, and provide important facts and information about the Taklamakan Desert for kids. Discover useful info and facts about China's biggest desert biome with our information guide. Did you know that the Taklamakan Desert experiences extremely cold winters and snowfall? Did you know that vegetation in the Taklamakan Desert is sparse? Did you know that the term 'desertification' can be described as the process by which fertile land becomes desert? Did you know that the Taklamakan Desert formed part of the ancient Silk Road and that mummies have been discovered amongst its ancient ruins?

Interesting Taklamakan Desert Facts for Kids:- Our free list of Interesting Taklamakan Desert Biome Facts for Kids is easy to print and includes fun facts about the Taklamakan Desert including why it experiences severe temperatues, why it is important, why it is classed as a cold desert biome, how big the biome is, where it is located in China, what the weather conditions are like, when it snows, what the precipitation levels area, which plant and animal species are found in the Taklamakan Desert and what survival techniques they adopt in order to survive the cold climate conditions in the Taklamakan biome.

Interesting Taklamakan Desert Facts for Kids

Taklamakan Desert Fact File for Kids:- Name Facts: The Taklamakan is also known as the Takla Makan, Teklimakan and the Taklimakan Desert ***Average Temperature in the Taklamakan: Varies between -4 degrees Celsius during cold months and 40 degrees Celsius during summer *** Location of the Taklamakan : Northwest China *** Type of Desert Facts: Cold, Rain Shadow Desert

Interesting Facts for Kids 1:- Where is the Taklamakan Desert located?
The Taklamakan Desert is located in the southwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, northwest China. The borders of the Taklamakan Desert are indicated by the Tian Shan Mountains in the north, the Kunlun Mountains in the south, the Gobi Desert in the east and the Pamir Mountains in the west.

Interesting Facts for Kids 2:- How big is the Taklamakan Desert?
The Taklamakan Desert is the biggest desert in China. The region includes the Tarim Basin making it approximately 337,000 square kilometres in total. It stretches across 960km of China from west to east and has a width of 460km. With these dimensions, the Taklamakan Desert is the 16th biggest desert in the world. It has an elevation of 1200-1500m above sea level. The Taklamakan region is delimited by mountains including the Kunlum, Pamir and Tian Shan, and by the countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tibet.

Interesting Facts for Kids 3:- What is the temperature in the Taklamakan Desert?
The temperature of the Taklamakan Desert varies from daytime to night time. During summertime, the hottest days can reach temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius while during night time temperatures can drop to freezing point. The lowest temperature was recorded in February 2008, when it dropped to -32 degrees Celsius. That winter the entire desert was covered with a 3.8 cm layer of snow.

Interesting Facts for Kids 4:- What is the climate of the Taklamakan Desert?
The climate of the Taklamakan Desert can vary significantly. The biome is classified as a cold desert due to its proximity to the Himalayas and Siberia. The Taklamakan Desert is situated in the rain shadow of the Himalaya mountain range, and freezing wind streams can prevail, consequently causing a drastic drop in temperature. The climate of the Taklamakan Desert can vary from hot during the days of summer to freezing cold during the winter days and nights.

Interesting Facts for Kids 5:- Taklamakan Desert Rainfall
The amount of precipitation received by the Taklamakan Desert varies throughout the region. The quantity decreases from the centre to extremities. In the centre of the Taklamakan Desert can experience an average annual rainfall of 10mm while the extremities typically receive more and can reach around 100mm. Rainfall is the main source of precipitation throughout the Taklamakan Desert, turning to snowfall during the winter months.

Interesting Facts for Kids 6:- What animals live in the Taklamakan Desert?
Because of the harsh conditions and extreme climate of the Taklamakan Desert, the biome is characterised by a scarce fauna. In the peripheral regions where the landscape is typically flatter and vegetation is present, animals such as gazelles, wolves, wild boars, foxes, wild camel, Siberian deer, rabbits, gerbils, field mice, and jerboas can be found. Among insectivores are long-eared hedgehog and bats. The Taklamakan Desert biome is also home to bird species including tufted larks and the Tarim jay.

Interesting Facts for Kids 7:-  How do Taklamakan Desert animals survive?
Although much of the region remains uninhabited, some species of animals have developed survival skills and techniques which allow them to live in parts of the Taklamakan Desert. The physical evolving and adaptations of desert wildlife is incredible. Some of the animal species can survive for days, even a lifetime without drinking water directly as they are able to remain hydrated through the consumption of water droplets in the air or though the plants and vegetation they eat.

Interesting Facts for Kids 8:- Taklamakan Desert food web facts
The Taklamakan Desert food web is similar to other desert food chains. The first stage consists of the Producers. The producers are eaten by the First Consumers which consist of herbivores, insectivores, and insects. The First Consumers are eaten by the Second Consumers which consist of carnivores, insectivores, and reptiles such as lizards. At the top of the food web are the Third Consumers which are formed by the Predators. The Predators are powerful and efficient hunters of the Taklamakan.

Interesting Facts for Kids 9:- What plants grow in the Taklamakan Desert?
Plants find it hard to grow and survive among the sand dunes of the Taklamakan Desert where their water supply is limited. Most of the vegetation is at the periphery of the biome, or near sources of water such as the desert oases. Despite the harsh climate conditions and nutritionally poor soils of the Taklamakan Desert, an array of plant life can be found growing in certain regions including Tamarisk flowering plant, Nitre bushes and reeds, Oleaster, Camel Thorn Tree, and Saltwort flowering plants.

Interesting Facts for Kids 10:-  Taklamakan Desert plant adaptations
In order to adapt to the hostile environment and climate of the Taklamakan Desert, plants have developed their own survival skills. There are some plants that can survive in the sand as long as the underground water can be sourced at approximately 3-5 meters. Other Taklamakan Desert plants have hairy leaves which help to protect them from strong winds.

Interesting Facts for Kids 11:- Taklamakan Desert landscape and vegetation
The Taklamakan surface is mainly composed of friable alluvial deposits. Some of the main characterises of the biome's landscape include its vast array of sand dunes and eolian topographic features. The formation of the sand dunes can be quite large with some of sand dunes measuring up to 30-150m high and 240-500m wide. The structure of the Taklamakan Desert landscape also consists of pyramidal dunes which can form up to 200-300 meters tall.

Interesting Facts for Kids 12:- Why is the Taklamakan Desert called the Sea of Death?
The Taklamakan Desert has adopted the nickname of 'The Sea of Death'. The sinister name derives from the extreme, harsh conditions that exist in this biome which has sadly been the cause of many deaths and still continues to be. The desert's name 'Taklamakan' is also referred to as the Takla Makan and the Taklimakan. The word can be loosely translated as 'unreturnable', hence, the biome's severe nickname of the 'Sea of Death'. There are two possible linguistic roots, the first being the Arabic tark which means to leave behind or abandon, and makan, which translates to 'place', and the Turki taglar makan meaning the place of ruins.

Interesting Facts for Kids 13:- Taklamakan Desert Mummies
The Taklamakan Desert has played an important part in the history oc China. The region formed part of the Silk Road which was an ancient trade route connecting the east and west from China to the Mediterranean Sea. Merchants would take this road to Oriental markets but many lost their way or were killed by the harsh conditions of the Taklamakan Desert. Along the Silk Road, cities such as Kashgar, Niya, Marin, Yarkand, Khotan, Loulan, Dunhuang, Kuqa and Turpan were built. Most of them are now ruins. In the 1980's, archaeologists made an important discovery when they recovered historical treasures amongst these ruins. Aurel Stein, Sven Hedin, Albert von Le Coq and Paul Pelliot were the ones who recovered mummies which were approximately 4000 years old. The oldest mummy was named 'Beauty of Loulan' and is estimated to be 4000 years in age. One of the most interesting facts is that the mummy, Beauty of Loulan, had more European characteristics than Asian. And for this reason, the scholars concluded that the mummy of the Taklamakan may have been a citizen of an ancient European civilization.

Interesting Facts for Kids 14:- Why is the Taklamakan Desert important?
The Taklamakan Desert is important as it spans a long history shrouded in mystery. The region was part of great ancient empires which offer evidence of ancient ruins and civilizations, the famous Silk Road, and the commercial bonds between Europe and Asia. It has a highly strategic importance due to its ancient trade route across China. The Taklamakan Desert is situated near the Amu Darya Basin, China and Afghanistan Mountain passes to Iran and India.

Interesting Facts for Kids 15:- Taklamakan Desert - Unusual Facts
The Taklamakan Desert has some unique characteristics. One of the features that can be discovered here is the singing of the desert. The mystical sounds are formed when the wind blows and grains of sand from the high sand dunes fall on the slopes of other dunes. A deep sound is created that can be heard for miles across the Taklamakan. Marco Polo is said to have heard the singing of the desert when he was exploring his way to China, hearing the sounds he suspected the presence of evil spirits. It is said that the famous explorer had serious doubts about whether it was safe to continue his journey through the Taklamakan Desert or if to abandon it.

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