Topic: The Topic: The Geography of Geography of the Indian the Indian subcontinentsubcontinent

What do you know?What do you know?

South Asia

South Asia

Indian ocean

TheSize ofSouthAsia

Geographic PerspectiveGeographic Perspective

• Combined area of eight nations of Combined area of eight nations of South Asia.South Asia.

• 1.7 million sq. mi.1.7 million sq. mi.• 1.3 billion people (and growing).1.3 billion people (and growing).• Population of South Asia is Population of South Asia is

approximately 5x that of the U.S. in approximately 5x that of the U.S. in an area half the size.an area half the size.

Countries

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Nepal Bhutan

Sri Lanka

Afghanistan

cities

New Delhi

Madras

Benares

Calcutta

Kabul

Bombay(Mumbai)

Dacca

Lahore

Colombo

Kathmandu

ThimbuKarachi

Islamabad

Bodies of Water

Indus R.

Ganges R.

Brahmaputra R.

Arabian Sea

Indian Ocean

Bay ofBengal

The Indus River System

1,975 miles long

• Indus River Indus River – Originates in the Tibetan Plateau of Originates in the Tibetan Plateau of

western Chinawestern China– forms Punjab forms Punjab – five tributaries of the Indus River meetfive tributaries of the Indus River meet–   region straddling the border between region straddling the border between

Pakistan and India ( includes the Pakistan and India ( includes the province of Punjab/Pakistan and province of Punjab/Pakistan and northern parts of the National Capital northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.Territory of Delhi in India.

Punjab – “Land of Five Waters”Punjab – “Land of Five Waters”

The Ganges River System

1,560 miles long

• Ganges begins in the Himalayan Ganges begins in the Himalayan Mts. – significant to the economy of Mts. – significant to the economy of India (agriculture)India (agriculture)

Mountains & Peaks

HimalayasMt. Everest

▲

Hindu Kush

Vindhya Hills

Easte

rn Ghats

Western Ghats

Khyb

erPa

ssI I

Hindu Kush

Hindu KushHindu Kush

• Mountain range that stretches from Mountain range that stretches from central Afghanistan to central central Afghanistan to central PakistanPakistan

• Sub-range of the HimalayasSub-range of the Himalayas

The Khyber Pass

• Has been an important trade Has been an important trade route between Central route between Central Asia and South AsiaAsia and South Asia

The Himalayas

“him” [snow] “aalaya” [home] Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet. It is the highest mt. peak in the world.

Deserts / Plateaus

TharDesert

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”].

Deccan PlateauDeccan Plateau

• Flat-topped hills and high rolling Flat-topped hills and high rolling plainsplains

• On each side of the plateau are On each side of the plateau are the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Western and Eastern Ghats, isolating the plateau from the rest isolating the plateau from the rest of India.of India.

• Increased transportation Increased transportation connected the plateau to other connected the plateau to other parts of India.parts of India.

Why is India considered a Why is India considered a subcontinent?subcontinent?

• Due to the vast area that India and Due to the vast area that India and its neighboring countries cover, its neighboring countries cover, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are often referred to as a are often referred to as a subcontinent.subcontinent.

• These countries are separated These countries are separated from the rest of Asia by from the rest of Asia by mountains.mountains.

Climate Regions of South Asia

Summer Monsoons: May-September

Winter Monsoons: November-January

Monsoons• Are seasonal winds

• Summer monsoon brings rainfall• Winter monsoon brings dry air• Although the monsoon seasons are

predictable, the amount of rainfall or lack there of us unpredictable!

Wet monsoon Dry monsoon

Brings rain/flooding

Can result in drought

Temperature

warmer

cooler

Global Areas of Malaria

Population Density

More than 1 billion people live in South Asia

Language in India aloneAND DIALECTHindi is the

official language of 8 states and spoken by 43% of the people