Ms. Susan M. Pojer edited by Mrs. Browne

Horace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

South Asia

Satellite View of South Asia

TheSize ofSouthAsia

Countries

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Nepal Bhutan

Sri Lanka

Afghanistan China

Myanmar

Iran

cities

New Delhi

Kabul

Kathmandu

Karachi

Islamabad

SouthAsia:

Physical

Map

Bodies of Water

Indus R.

Ganges R.

Brahmaputra R.

Arabian Sea

Indian Ocean

Bay ofBengal

River Systems

• Three Major River Systems of South Asia– Ganges River ( in present day India)– Brahmaputra River (in present day

Bangladesh) – Indus River (in present day Pakistan)

The Ganges River System

1,560 miles long

“Mata Ganga” (Mother Ganges)

The Brahmaputra River System

1,800 miles long

Floods on the Brahmaputra: 2003

Flooding on the Brahmaputra

The Indus River System

1,975 miles long

Valleys / Plains

Indo-GangeticPlain

Elevation Levels

Mountains & Peaks

HimalayasMt. Everest

▲

Hindu Kush

Western G

hats

Khybe

rPas

sI I

The Ghats• The Western Ghats are a UNESCO

World Heritage Site as of 2006– one of the world's ten "Hottest

biodiversity hotspots" (Nature magazine)• over 5000 species of flowering plants • over 139 mammal species • over 508 bird species • over 179 amphibian species• & at least 325 globally threatened species

live in the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats

Hindu Kush

The Khyber Pass

The Khyber Pass

• An important route that connects Pakistan and Afghanistan through the mountainous region– Concerns today re: use of the Khyber

Pass by terrorist groups

The Himalayas

“him” [snow] “aalaya”

[home] Mt. Everest is

29,035 feet. It is the highest

mt. peak in the world.

“Fire Rim of the Pacific”

Earthquake Zones in India

2004 Earthquake In Indonesia:

Tsunami Devastates Indian Ocean Coastlines!

the Tsunami’s Devestation

100,000s dead!

Deserts / Plateaus

Thar

Desert

DeccanPlateau

TibetanPlateau

The Deccan Plateau

31,800 square miles in size. Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high. From the Sanskrit word, “dakshina” [“the

south”].

The tibetan Plateau

The “Roof of the World.” average elevation is 16,400 feet.

The Thar Desert

The Great Indian Desert 200 - 1500 feet in

elevation. up to 127ºF in July.

OtherKashmir

Completed Map

Indus R.

Ganges R.

Brahmaputra R.

Arabian Sea

Indian Ocean

Bay ofBengal

Himalayas

Mt. Everest

▲

Hindu Kush

Western G

hats

Khybe

rPas

sI I

Thar

Desert

DeccanPlateau

TibetanPlateau

Indo-GangeticPlain

Kashmir

Climate Regions of South Asia

Climate• Climate is varied and affected by

mountain ranges in the region– India

• Tropical wet and dry• Humid Sub-tropical

– Pakistan & Afghanistan• Arid & Semi-arid

– Bangladesh• Tropical wet

Winter Monsoons: Nov.-April

Summer Monsoons: May-Oct.

Monsoons

• Summer Monsoons bring rain• Winter Monsoons bring dry air

Temperature

Global Areas of Malaria

Major Farming Systems

of South Asia

Economic Activities& Resources

Silk Cultivation

Tiger regions

Indian States & Union Territories

Population Density

Language Families in South Asia

Per Capita Income in India

Language in India alone

Literacy Rate in India

Other Issues

• Religious conflict between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims

• Green Revolution technology has not reached all farmers

• Growing populationovercrowding in cities, infrastructure problems

• Large gap between rich and poor– Most poor are subsistence farmers