Mojave

Mojave (mōhä`vē), river, c.100 mi (160 km) long, rising in the San Bernardino Mts., S Calif., and flowing generally north to disappear in the Mojave Desert. Due to the porous soil and rapid evaporation, much of its course is underground except during the short wet season.

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Mojave

 or Mohave

North American Indian farmers living mostly in Arizona, U.S. The Mojave language is a member of the Yuman language family. The traditional territory of the people was the Mojave Desert along the lower Colorado River. This valley was a patch of green surrounded by barren desert. In addition to farming, the Mojave fished, hunted, and gathered wild plants. The essential social unit was the patrilineal family. There were no settled villages; instead the Mojave built small hamlets wherever there was land suitable for farming. They believed in a supreme creator and attached great significance to dreams, considered the source of all special powers. Population estimates indicated approximately 2,000 Mojave descendants in the early 21st century.

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Mojave 

a desert in the southwestern United States, in southern California. The desert, which includes Death Valley, has an area of about 30, 000 sq km. The topography alternates between ranges (up to 3, 366 m high) and basins with continental deposits. The climate is sharply continental, with hot summers. The annual precipitation is 45–150 mm. Surface drainage is irregular, and there are a number of small salt lakes. The vegetation consists of succulents (primarily yucca and cacti) and brush. The land is virtually unused. The Joshua Tree National Monument, a preserve of desert vegetation and fauna, is in the southern part of the desert.