World Geography TodayChapter 26 The Indian Perimeter Preview Section 1: Natural EnvironmentsNatural Environments Section 2: History and CultureHistory

World Geography Today Chapter 26

The Indian PerimeterPreview

Section 1: Natural Environments

Section 2: History and Culture

Section 3: The Region Today

Chapter Wrap-Up


Read to Discover

• What are the main physical features of the Indian Perimeter?

• What types of climates, plants, and animals are found there?

• What natural resources do countries in the region have?



• Pakistan—Northern mountains (Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush), hills and plateaus, Indus Valley, Thar Desert

• Nepal and Bhutan—Himalayas, Tarai (Gangetic Plain in Nepal)

• Bangladesh—Alluvial plain and delta

• Sri Lanka—Coastal plain and mountainous center

• Maldives—Low coral islands


Physical Features


Question

What climates, plants, and animals exist around the Indian Perimeter?



Lowlands

Bengal tiger, elephant; mango, bamboo, coconut,

date palm, rain forests

Highlands

Bears, deer, wild goats, Indian

rhinoceros, snow leopards; forests,

cleared areas

Plants and Animals of the Indian Perimeter



• From arid and semiarid to tropical humid and highland

• Monsoon—Wet season affects all countries; promotes lush forests and varied wildlife (tigers, elephants) in Bangladesh and lowland Bhutan and Nepal

• Tropical cyclones in Bay of Bengal

• Pakistan—Mainly arid and semiarid, with humid subtropical in mountain foothills

• Highland areas of Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan—Highland climates, with some forests and wildlife (bears, deer, snow leopards, wild goats)


Climates


• Generally not rich in resources; Pakistan and Sri Lanka have the most minerals

• Pakistan—Iron, copper, limestone, natural gas

• Sri Lanka—Gemstones, iron, salt

• Bangladesh—Some oil, coal, natural gas; rivers and soil

• Nepal and Bhutan—Forests, hydroelectric potential


Natural Resources


Read to Discover

• What is the history of the countries of the Indian Perimeter?

• What are some characteristics of the region’s cultures?



• Harappan civilization emerged in Indus Valley.

• By 1500 B.C. Aryans had arrived.

• Persians, Greeks, and Indians (Maurya, Gupta) occupied parts of the region.

• Turkic Muslims brought Islam around A.D. 1000.

• Mughals ruled from 1500s to 1700s.

• Europeans colonized the region after 1500.


History


• Partition at independence (1947) divided India from East and West Pakistan; East Pakistan became Bangladesh (1971).

• Other independence dates: Sri Lanka (1948), Maldives (1965), Bhutan (1949)

• Nepal set up constitutional monarchy in 1950s.


History (continued)


Question

What ethnic groups, languages, and religions are prevalent in the countries of the Indian Perimeter?



• Pakistan—Regions are culturally distinct, but all are Muslim; Urdu the official language

• Nepal—Indian ancestry and cultural ties in the south; Tibetan in the north

• Bhutan—Three groups (Bhote, Nepalese, tribal peoples); English widely used in schools

• Bangladesh—Mainly Bengalis, some southwest Asians


Cultures


• Sri Lanka—Majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils in conflict

• Three major religions—Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka; Islam in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives

• Religious practice very important—Muslim prayers in Pakistan, Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka


Cultures (continued)


Read to Discover

• What is the basis of the economies of the Indian Perimeter?

• What are settlement patterns like in the region?

• What challenges will these countries face in the future?



Question

What products do the countries of the Indian Perimeter produce?



Agricultural

Jute, rice, tea, rubber, coconut

Minerals

Graphite, gems

Manufacturing

Textiles, electricity, processed food

Services

Tourism

Products of the Indian Perimeter



• Heavy reliance on agriculture; industrialization limited by scarce resources

• Pakistan—Some manufacturing; nearly half of labor force works in agriculture

• Bangladesh—Farming, textiles and clothing, fishing, logging, construction

• Sri Lanka—Export crops (tea, rubber, coconut), mining (gemstones, graphite), manufacturing (food products, textiles)

• Nepal and Bhutan—Farming, timber, tourism, some hydroelectric generation

Economic Foundations



• Mainly rural, though some growing cities

• Pakistan—One-third urban, concentrated in Indus Valley

• Nepal and Bhutan—Low population density, but higher in lowlands and valleys

• Bangladesh and Sri Lanka—Mostly rural and densely populated

• Villages in fertile farming areas close together

Settlement Patterns



• Typical developing country issues—Poverty, health conditions, population growth

• Environment—Deforestation, effects of tourism, flooding, and concerns about global warming

• Political problems—Kashmir issue, military coups in Pakistan, Sri Lanka conflict

• Establishing democratic government and sharing wealth more equally in society

Challenges



Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding the Main Ideas

1. Which countries of the Indian Perimeter include parts of the Himalayas? Which include parts of the plain of the Ganges River?

2. Where did Bhutan’s largest ethnic group, the Bhote, come from?

3. On what basis did the British divide their colony of India upon independence in 1947?

4. What are the major industries of Bangladesh?

5. What is the greatest potential energy resource of Nepal and Bhutan?

Documents

World Geography TodayChapter 26 The Indian Perimeter Preview Section 1: Natural EnvironmentsNatural Environments Section 2: History and CultureHistory