With reference to India's Desert National Park, which of the following statements are correct?
- 1.It is spread over two districts.
- 2.There is no human habitation inside the Park.
- 3.It is one of the natural habitats of Great Indian Bustard.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
Desert National Park in Rajasthan lies in two districts, Jaisalmer and Barmer, and shelters the Great Indian Bustard, but it is not free of people. Dozens of villages and hamlets exist inside its boundary, so statement 2 fails.
- ✓ 1. The Park covers 3,162 sq km, of which 1,900 sq km is in Jaisalmer district and 1,262 sq km in Barmer district of Rajasthan.
- ✗ 2. People live inside the Park. The official nomination lists 73 villages and other settlements (dhanis) within it, though the population density is low, about 4-5 persons per sq km.
- ✓ 3. The Park has a good population of the Great Indian Bustard, called Godawan locally, and it is one of the bird's natural habitats.
Remember · Desert National Park (Rajasthan, gazetted 1980): Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, villages inside it, and a stronghold of the Great Indian Bustard.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Tentative List: Desert National Park, India (submitted by Rajasthan Forest Department), area and districts ↗ “The Desert National Park (DNP) covers an area of 3162 km² of which 1900 km² is in Jaisalmer district and remaining 1262 km² is in Barmer district of Rajasthan State. … the human population within the DNP is low (4-5 persons per km²). There are 73 villages and also settlements or Dhanis existing within the Park. … More than 100 bird species have been listed from DNP including a good population of the Great Indian Bustard (locally called Godawan )”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·