South

Asia

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Chapter 24: Physical Geography of South Asia: The Land Where Continents Collided

• South Asia’s major landforms, including the massive Himalayan Mountains, were created when the subcontinent broke off from Africa and drifted into Asia.– Section 1: Landforms and Resources– Section 2: Climate and Vegetation– Section 3: Human-Environment Interaction

• Section 1: Landforms and Resources• South Asia is a subcontinent of peninsulas bordered by

mountains and oceans.• A wide variety of natural resources helps sustain life in the

region.

3

Mountains and PlateausThe Indian Subcontinent• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,

Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives

• Subcontinent—large landmass that’s smaller than a continent– called Indian Subcontinent because

India dominates the region• Though half the size of U.S., area

has 1/5 of world’s people• Natural barriers separate

subcontinent from rest of Asia– mountains form northern border,

Indian Ocean surrounds rest– Arabian Sea to west, Bay of Bengal

to east

World Population

Indian Sub-ContinentRest of the World

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Northern Mountains• South Asia was once part of East Africa

– split off 50 million years ago and collided with Central Asia

– collision of tectonic plates pushed land into huge mountain ranges

• Himalaya Mountains—1,500 mile-long system of parallel ranges– include world’s tallest mountain—Mt.

Everest– form barrier between Indian subcontinent

and China

kingdoms of Nepal, Bhutan are also in these mountainsNorthern

Mountains• At west end, Hindu Kush mountains

separate Pakistan, Afghanistan– historically blocked invasions from Central

Asian tribes– Khyber Pass is one of the major land routes

through the mountains• Karakoram Mountains are in northeastern

part of Himalayas– include world’s second highest peak, K2

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Southern Plateaus

• Tectonic plate collision also created smaller mountain ranges– Vindhya Rang in central India

• Deccan Plateau covers much of southern India• Western, Eastern Ghats: mountain ranges

flank Deccan Plateau– block moist winds and rain, making Deccan mostly

arid

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Rivers, Deltas, and PlainsGreat Rivers• Northern Indian, or Indo-Gangetic, Plain:

– lies between Deccan Plateau, northern mountain ranges

– is formed by three river systems that originate in Himalayas

• Indus River flows west, then south through Pakistan to Arabian Sea

• Ganges River flows east across northern India

• Brahmaputra winds east, then west, south through Bangladesh

• Ganges and Bramaputra meet, form delta, flow into Bay of Bengal

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Fertile Plains• Rivers irrigate farmlands, carry rich

alluvial soil– overflow deposits this soil on alluvial

plains—rich farmlands• Indo-Gangetic Plain has some of the

world’s most fertile farms• Heavily populated area has 3/5 of

India’s people– area’s big cities: New Delhi, Kolkata in

India; Dakha in Bangladesh• Plain is drier to west between

Indus, Ganges• The Thar, or Great Indian Desert,

lies to the south

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Offshore IslandsSri Lanka: The Subcontinent’s “Tear Drop”• Island in Indian Ocean, off India’s southeastern tip• Large, tear-shaped country with lush tropical land• Range of high, rugged, 8,000-foot mountains dominate center• Many small rivers flow from mountains down to lowlands• Northern side has low hills, rolling farmland• Island is circled by coastal plain, long palm-fringed beaches

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The Maldives Archipelago• Maldives is archipelago—

island group—of 1,200 small islands– stretch north to south for 500

miles off Indian coast, near equator

• Islands are atolls—low-lying tops of submerged volcanoes– surrounded by coral reefs,

shallow lagoons• Total land area of Maldives is

115 square miles– only 200 islands are inhabited

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Natural Resources

Water and Soil• Water and soil resources provide food through

farming, fishing• River systems help enrich land with alluvial soil, water– large- and small-scale irrigation projects divert water to

farmlands• Types of fish include mackerel, sardines, carp, catfish• Waters provide transportation, power– India, Pakistan work to harness hydroelectric power

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Forests• Indian rain forests produce

hardwoods like sal and teak– also bamboo and fragrant

sandalwood• Bhutan’s and Nepal’s highland

forests have pine, fir, softwoods• Deforestation is a severe

problem– causes soil erosion, flooding,

landslides, loss of wildlife habitats– overcutting has devastated forests

in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

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Minerals• India is fourth in world in coal production, has

petroleum, uranium• Pakistan, Bangladesh have natural gas resources• Iron ore from India’s Deccan Plateau used in steel

industry, exported• Other minerals: manganese, gypsum, chromium,

bauxite, copper• India has mica for electrical equipment and growing

computer industry• India is known for diamonds; Sri Lanka for sapphires,

rubies

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Section 2: Climate and Vegetation

Climate Zones• Cold highland zone in Himalayas, other northern mountains• Humid subtropical in foothills (Nepal, Bhutan), Indo-Gangetic Plain• Semiarid zone of west Plain, Deccan Plateau is warm with light rain• Desert zone covers lower Indus Valley, west India, south Pakistan

– Thar Desert is driest area, with 10 inches of rain annually• Tropical wet zone in Sri Lanka and coasts of India, Bangladesh

– Cherrapunji, India, holds rainfall record—366 inches in one month

Climate—Wet and Dry, Hot and Cold

•Climate conditions in South Asia range from frigid cold in the high mountains to intense heat in the deserts.

•Seasonal winds affect both the climate and vegetation of South Asia.

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Monsoons and Cyclones• Monsoons—seasonal winds that affect

entire region– dry winds blow from northeast October–

February– moist ocean winds blow from southwest

June–September– moist winds bring heavy rainfall,

especially in southwest, Ganges Delta– unpredictable; cause hardship in

lowlands of India, Bangladesh• Cyclone—violent storm with fierce

winds, heavy rain– in Bangladesh low coastal region

swamped by high waves

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Vegetation: Desert to Rain ForestVegetation Zones• Forested tropical wet zone in

India’s west coast, south Bangladesh– lush rain forests of teak, ebony,

bamboo• Highland forests of pine, fir in

north India, Nepal, Bhutan• Humid subtropical river valleys;

foothills have sal, oak, chestnut• Less vegetation in semiarid areas;

desert shrubs, grasses– Deccan Plateau, Thar Desert

• Sri Lanka’s tropical wet and dry climate produces grasses, trees

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Section 3: Human-Environment Interaction

Rivers play a central role in the lives of South Asians, but water pollution and flooding pose great challenges to South Asian countries.

Mother Ganges• Ganges is the best-known South Asian river

– it’s shorter than the Indus, Brahmaputra– flows 1,500 miles from Himalayan glacier to Bay of Bengal– drains area three times France; home to 350 million people

• Provides drinking and farming water, transportation• Known as Gangamai—“Mother Ganges”

– becomes the Padma where it meets the Brahmaputra

Living Along the Ganges

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A Sacred River• Hinduism is the religion of most Indians• To Hindus, the Ganges River is the sacred

home of the goddess Ganga• Hindus believe waters have healing powers;

temples line its banks– pilgrims come to bathe, scatter ashes of dead– at sacred site of Varanasi they gather daily for

prayer, purification– float baskets of flowers, burning candles on water

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A Polluted River• Centuries of use have made

Ganges most polluted river in world– sewage, industrial waste, human

bodies poison the water– users get stomach and intestinal

diseases, hepatitis, typhoid, cholera

• In 1986, government plans sewage treatment plants, regulations– today few plants are operational,

factories still dump waste• Clean up will take time, money, a

change in how people see riverhttp://in.reuters.com/article/2007/09/16/idINIndia-29492620070916

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Controlling the Feni River

A River Overflows• Feni River flows from Chittagong Hills to Bay of Bengal• Wide, slow-moving river flows through low-lying coastal

plain– flat, marshy area floods during wet season due to monsoon

rains• Cyclones bring storm surges—high waters that swamp low

areas– sea water surges up river into flatlands, flooding villages

• In 1980s, Bangladesh builds earthen dam over river’s mile-wide mouth

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Using People Power• Bangladesh uses large population’s unskilled workers to

build dam• Use cheap materials, low-tech process– lay bamboo mats, weight with boulders, cover with bags of

clay• Build partial closure, then close Feni completely

February 28, 1985– when tide goes out 15,000 workers fill gaps with 600,000

bags– seven hours later the dam is closed

21

Completing the Dam• Dump trucks, earthmovers raise clay dam to

height of 30 feet– put concrete, brick over sides, build road on top

• South Asia’s largest estuary—arm of sea at river’s lower end—dam

• Dam holds against cyclones and storm surges– villages and lands are protected

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Chapter 25: Human Geography of South Asia: A Region of Contrasts• Both South Asia’s rich and ancient history, and

its religious and ethnic diversity, have strongly shaped and defined its people’s lives.– Section 1: India– Section 2: Pakistan and Bangladesh– Section 3: Nepal and Bhutan– Section 4: Sri Lanka and the Maldives

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Section 1: India• India is the largest country in South Asia and

has the most developed economy.• Indian culture is deeply influenced by religion.

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Invasions, Empires, and Independence

Early History• Indian civilization begins in Indus Valley in 2500 B.C.• Aryans from north of Iran invade in 1500 B.C.

– establish kingdoms on Ganges Plain, push Dravidians south– Persians, Greeks later invade Indus Valley

• Mauryan Empire unites India in 321 B.C.; Asoka spreads Buddhism

• Gupta Empire later rules northern India• Muslim Mughal Empire rules much of India by early

1500s

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Europeans Arrive• In 1500s, French, Dutch, Portuguese

build cloth, spice trades• British East India Company controls

Indian trade by 1757– British establish direct rule in 1857

• Raj—90-year period of direct British control, opposed by most Indians– Mohandas Gandhi’s nonviolent

resistance achieves goals peacefully• India gains its independence from

Britain in 1947• Muslim Pakistan splits from Hindu

India; violence, migrations result

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Governing the World’s Largest Democracy

India After Independence• Constitution is created under first prime minister, Jawaharlal

Nehru– a democratic republic since 1950

• System has federation of states, strong central government, like U.S.– Parliamentary system, like U.K.

• India is mostly Hindu, but with large Muslim, Sikh, Tamil minorities– Sikhs kill Gandhi’s daughter, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, 1984– Tamils assassinate her son, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, 1991

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Economic ChallengesDependence on Farming• India has large economy, but half its people

live in poverty• Two-thirds of people farm; most farms are

small with low crop yields• Land reform—more balanced distribution of

land among farmers– 5 percent of farm families own 25 percent of

farmland– land-reform proposals make little progress

• After famines of 1960s, scientists improve farm techniques, crops– Green Revolution increases crop yields for wheat,

rice

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Growing Industry• Cotton textiles have long been a major product

– iron, steel, chemical, food industries develop after 1940s• Main industrial regions include:

– Kolkata (Calcutta), Ahmadabad, Chennai (Madras), Delhi• Mumbai (Bombay) is India’s most prosperous city

– a commercial center which produces metals, chemicals, electronics

• Bangalore is the high-tech center, home to software companies

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Life in Modern IndiaEducation• Indian economy is changing; more

people work in factories, offices• Education is key to change, most

middle-class kids go to school• Literacy has risen steadily since the

1950s• In slums and rural areas, school

attendance, literacy still low

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Indian Culture

Many Languages• Constitution recognizes 18 major languages– India has over 1,000 languages and dialects– Hindi is the official language, but English is widely

used by government, business workers

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Hinduism• 80% of Indians are Hindu; complex

Aryan religion includes many gods– reincarnation—rebirth of the soul after

death• Original Aryan caste system of social

classes:– Brahmans—priests, scholars; Kshatriyas

—rulers, warriors– Vaisyas—farmers, merchants; Sudras—

artisans, laborers• Dalits (untouchables) are outside caste

system—lowest status• Dharma is a caste’s moral duty; only

reincarnation changes caste

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Other Religions• India’s other faiths include Jainism,

Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism• Buddhism originated in northern India, but

Islam is still strong in certain parts of India• Millions of Muslims left after 1947

independence

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Section 2: Pakistan and Bangladesh• Pakistan and Bangladesh are Muslim countries

formed as a result of the partition of British India.

• Both Pakistan and Bangladesh have large populations and face great economic challenges.

34

New Countries, Ancient Lands

Early History• Indus Valley civilization—largest of early

civilizations– arises around 2500 B.C. in what is now Pakistan

• Civilization falls around 1500 B.C.; Aryans invade soon after

• Mauryan, Gupta, Mughal empires all rule entire region

• Area is then ruled by British Empire until 1947

35

Partition and War• 1947 partition creates Hindu India, Muslim

Pakistan• Hindu-Muslim violence killed one million people– 10 million crossed borders: Hindus to India, Muslims to

Pakistan• Ethnic differences led to civil war between West

and East Pakistan– East Pakistan won independence in 1971, became

Bangladesh

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Struggling Economies

Subsistence Farming• Rapidly growing populations, low per capita income in

both countries• Small plots farmed with old methods struggle to feed

families• Climate hurts yields: arid Pakistan, Bangladesh, stormy• Pakistan’s irrigated Indus Valley grows wheat, cotton, rice• Bangladesh’s deltas produce rice, jute (used for rope,

carpets)– freshwater fishing is also vital to economy

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Small Industry• Neither country is highly

industrialized– small factories lack capital,

resources, markets to expand• Both export cotton clothes;

Pakistan exports wool, leather goods

• Microcredit policy allows small loans to poor entrepreneurs– entrepreneurs—people who start

and build businesses– small businesses join together to get

microloans

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One Religion, Many Peoples

Islamic Culture• Customs include daily prayer– Ramadan—month of fasting from sunrise to

sunset• Pakistan’s stricter Islamic law includes purdah

—women’s seclusion– women have no contact with men they are not

related to, must wear veils in public• Bangladesh’s religious practices are less strict

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Ethnic Diversity• Pakistan is more diverse: five main groups, each

with own language– Punjabis, Sindhis, Pathans, Muhajirs, Balochs– Punjabis are half the population, Muhajirs left India

in 1947– national language is Muhajirs’ Urdu

• Majority of people in Bangladesh are Bengali– Bengali language based on Sanskit, ancient Indo-

Aryan language

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Section 3: Nepal and Bhutan• Nepal and Bhutan are landlocked Himalayan

kingdoms.• Rugged terrain and an isolated location have

had a great impact on life in Nepal and Bhutan.

41

Mountain Kingdoms

Geographic Isolation• Both countries are located in Himalayas; each has:– central upland of ridges, valleys leading to high

mountains– small lowland area along Indian border

• Mountain landscape isolates Nepal, Bhutan: hard to reach, conquer

• China controlled Bhutan briefly in 18th century• Both remained mostly independent, rarely visited

by foreigners

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Evolving Monarchies• In past, both countries split into religious

kingdoms, ruling states• Unified kingdoms emerge, led by hereditary

monarchs• Today both are constitutional monarchies– kingdoms where ruler’s power is limited by

constitution– Bhutan’s king is supreme ruler, Nepal’s shares

power with parliament

43

Developing Economies

Limited Resources• Both countries are poor: agricultural

economies, but little farmland– mountainous terrain, poor soil, erosion– terraced farms grow rice, corn, potatoes, wheat– livestock include cattle, sheep, yaks

• Timber industry is important, but has led to deforestation

44

Developing EconomiesIncreasing Tourism• Tourism is fastest-growing industry in Nepal– people visit capital at Kathmandu, climb Himalayas– hotels, restaurants, services grow but tourism also

hurts Nepal’s environment; trash left on mountains• • Bhutan regulates, limits tourism, keeps some

areas off-limits

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Rich Cultural Traditions

A Mix of People• Nepal’s Indo-Nepalese, Hindu majority

came from India centuries ago– speak Nepali, variation of Sanskrit

• Nepal also has groups of Tibetan ancestry, including Sherpas– high-Himalayan people; traditional mountain

guides of Everest area• Bhutan’s main ethnic group is the Bhote,

who trace origins to Tibet

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Religious Customs• Siddhartha Gutama, the

Buddha, born in 500s B.C.• Nepalese were Buddhist;

today most are Hindu• Tibetan-style Buddhism is

official religion of Bhutan– uses mandalas—symbolic

geometric designs for meditation

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Section 4: Sri Lanka and the Maldives• Sri Lanka and the Maldives are island

countries with strong connections to the South Asian subcontinent.

• Sri Lanka and the Maldives face difficult challenges that affect their political and economic development.

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History of the Islands

Settlement of Sri Lanka• In 500s B.C. Indians cross strait to Sri Lanka,

become Sinhalese• In A.D. 300s, Tamils—Indian Dravidian Hindus

—settle in north end• Portuguese, Dutch come in 1500s; British rule

in 1796, call it Ceylon– island gains independence in 1948, becomes Sri

Lanka in 1972

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A Muslim State in the Maldives• Buddhists, Hindus from India, Sri Lanka settle islands in

500s B.C.– Arab traders visit often, population converts to Islam by 1100s

• Governed by six dynasties of Muslim sultans—rulers• Declares itself a republic in 1968, headed by elected

president• 1,200 islands; a land area of 115 square miles;

population 300,000– one of the world’s smallest independent country

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Life in the Islands

Cultural Life in Sri Lanka• Buddhist, Hindu temples, Muslim mosques

dot landscape– art, literature strongly influenced by religions

Cultural Life in the Maldives• Culture is strongly influenced by Muslim

customs– Islam is state religion—no others allowed

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Economic Activity in the Islands

Economic Strengths• Sri Lanka has South Asia’s highest per capita income– agricultural economy: rice farms; tea, rubber, coconut

exports– manufacturing is increasing– famous for gemstones like sapphires, rubies, topaz

• Maldives has limited farming, food is imported– fishing for tuna, marlin, shark still provides 1/4 of jobs– main economy is now tourism centered on beaches, reefs

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Tough Challenges• Tourism in Sri Lanka grew until civil war began

in early 1980s– war has also damaged infrastructure, disrupted

economic activities• Maldives must deal with global warming– if polar icecaps melt at all, islands could flood

completely

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Chapter 26: Today’s Issues: South Asia• South Asia faces the challenges of rapid

population growth, destructive weather, and territorial disputes caused by religious and ethnic differences.– Section 1: Population Explosion– Section 2: Living with Extreme Weather– Case Study: Territorial Dispute

54

Section 1: Population Explosion• Explosive population growth in South Asia has

contributed to social and economic ills in the region.

• Education is key to controlling population growth and improving the quality of life in South Asia.

55

Growing PainsRapid growth• In 2000, India’s population reached 1 billion• Rapid growth means many citizens lack life’s basic necessities

Population Grows• India’s population was 300 million in 1947; has since tripled• So large that even 2% growth rate produces population

explosion• Unless rate slows, India will have 1.5 billion by 2045• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh among top 10 most populous

countries– region has 22% of world’s population, lives on 3% of

world’s land

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Inadequate Resources• Region has widespread

poverty, illiteracy—inability to read or write– poor sanitation, health

education lead to disease outbreaks

• Every year, to keep pace, India would have to:– build 127,000 new schools

and 2.5 million new homes– create 4 million new jobs

and produce 6 million more tons of food

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Managing Population Growth

Smaller Families• India spends nearly $1 billion a year

encouraging smaller families• Programs have only limited success– Indian women marry before age 18, start having

babies early– to poor, children are source of money (begging,

working fields), and can later take care of elderly parents

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Education is a Key• Growth factors can be

changed with education, but funds are limited– India spends under $6 per pupil

a year on education while the U.S. spends $6,320 per pupil a year

• Education could break cycle of poverty, raise living standards– improves females’ status with

job opportunities– better health care education

could lower infant mortality rates

59

Section 2: Living with Extreme Weather• South Asia experiences a yearly cycle of

floods, often followed by drought.• The extreme weather in South Asia leads to

serious physical, economic, and political consequences.

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The Monsoon Seasons

Summer and Winter Wind Systems• Annual cycle of extreme weather makes life difficult• Monsoon is wind system, not a rainstorm; two

monsoon seasons• Summer monsoon—blows moist from southwest,

across Indian Ocean– blows June through September, causes rainstorms, flooding

• Winter monsoon—blows cool from northeast, across Himalayas, to sea– blows October through February, can cause drought

61

Impact of the Monsoons

Physical Impact• Summer monsoons nourish rainforests,

irrigate crops– floodwaters bring rich sediment to soil, but can

also damage crops• Cyclones are common with summer

monsoons• Winter monsoon droughts turn lush lands into

arid wastelands

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Economic Impact• Floods, droughts make agriculture difficult– countries buy what they can’t grow; famine looms

• Weather catastrophes also destroy homes, families– people often too poor to rebuild, governments

lack funds to help• People build: houses on stilts, concrete

cyclone shelters, dams

63

Case Study

Territorial Dispute: How Can India and Pakistan Resolve Their Dispute Over Kashmir?• Kashmir territory is a

territory of 12 million people surrounded by Pakistan, China, India

• India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir since 1947

• Danger increases now that both countries have nuclear weapons

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/kashmir.htm

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A Controversy Over Territory

Partitioning• British left India in 1947 and partitioned—divided

—the subcontinent– created two independent countries– India is predominantly Hindu, Pakistan is mostly Muslim

• Britain lets each Indian state choose which country to join

• Muslim states join Pakistan, Hindu states remain in India

65

Politics and Religion• Kashmir’s problem: population is Muslim, but its leader

was Hindu• Maharajah of Kashmir wants an independent nation

– but is forced to cede territory to India in 1947• Pakistan invades; a year later India still controls much of

Kashmir• India, Pakistan fight two more wars over Kashmir in 1965,

1971– dispute remains unresolved; each country still controls part– China has had a small portion since 1962

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A Question of Economics• Indus River flows through Kashmir– many of its tributaries originate in the territory

• Indus is critical source of drinking, irrigation water in Pakistan– Pakistan doesn’t want India to control that

resource• Kashmir is a strategic prize neither side will

give up

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Bibliography

• Mcdougal Littell, World Geography. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2012