“Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.” The above statement best describes which of the following regions?

The description provided corresponds to the Central Asian Steppe, a temperate grassland region characterized by a continental climate with extreme temperature variations and scanty rainfall, typically between 250 mm and 500 mm annually [3]. Unlike the African Savannah, which has distinct wet and dry tropical seasons [3], the Steppe experiences prolonged droughts and cold winters where vegetation remains dormant until temperatures rise [2]. Historically, these regions were inhabited by nomadic herders, such as the Mongols and Kirghiz, who practiced pastoralism to adapt to the sparse and variable forage [1]. While North American Prairies are also temperate grasslands, they generally receive higher rainfall (above 500 mm) and support taller grasses [2]. The Siberian Tundra is ruled by polar conditions and permafrost rather than the semi-arid grassland characteristics described. Therefore, the combination of extreme continentality, low precipitation, and nomadic pastoralism identifies the Steppe [2].

Sources

1. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification > p. 422
2. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > 30.3. B – Dry Climate > p. 440
3. [1] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 20: The Temperate Continental (Steppe) Climate > Natural Vegetation > p. 191