SOUTH, SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL ASIA:

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Chapter 2 Sections 2.1; 2.2; 2.3

Book Name: Prentice Hall World Studies Asia & the PacificISBN: 0-13-204154-5

Vocabulary 2.1 South Asia Physical Geography

Subcontinent Large land mass that is part of a continent

Alluvial Made of soil deposits by rivers

Cash Crop Crop that is raised to be sold at markets

Vocabulary 2.2 Southwest Asia Physical Geography

Oasis Area in desert region where fresh water is available from underground spring

Petroleum Oily liquid formed from the remains of ancient plants

Non Renewable Resource

Natural resource that cannot be replaced (Oil)

Standard of Living Measurement of persons education, housing, health & nutrition

Vocabulary 2.3 Central Asia: Physical Geography

Steppe Vast, treeless plains covered in grass

I. South Asia

A. Major Landforms of South Asia1. A Natural Barrier: Himalayas

form a natural barrier between South Asia and the rest of Asia. Himalayas stretch for 1,550 miles. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world 29,035 ft.

2. Rivers of Life: Two rivers in South Asia are the Ganges and the Indus. They both begin in the mountains of the Himalayas.

3. Plains and Plateaus: Huge plains cover the north of the Indian subcontinent. The plains are alluvial meaning the soil is rich and fertile from the river deposits. In the south of the subcontinent lies the Deccan plain.

B. The Climates of South Asia1. The Summer Monsoons: from

June to October the wind blows from the southwest . It carries moisture from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The air is very humid.

2. The Winter Monsoons: from November to April the wind blows from the Northeast bringing cooler drier air.

C. Land Use in South Asia1. Cash Crops: Crops that are sold for

money include, tea, cotton, coffee, and sugar cane.

2. Mineral Resources: Although there is rich supplies of iron ore and coal, there is not much oil. Hydroelectricity and nuclear power supply energy needs.

3. Population and Land Use: Most people live in coastal areas that have lots of rain.

2.2 Southwest Asia

A. Dry Region Bordered by Water 1. Two Historic Rivers: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

provide some of the most fertile land in the world. 2. Mountains and Plateaus: The Zargos Mountains

extend along the western part of Iran. The Elburz Mountains extend along the northern coast of Iran.

Seas and Gulfs: This area is surrounded by water. Red Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf separate this area into regions.

Hot, Dry, Climate: 2/3 of area is desert. This area has very little rainfall. Areas around the Mediterranean Sea are more mild.

B. Southwest Asia’s Major Natural ResourcesPetroleum: Southwest Asia has more

than half the world’s oil. Water: Irrigation must be used

because there is so little water in this area. Water is also found by digging deep wells.

1. What is the topic of the map?2. What symbol represents

petroleum? What symbol represents coal?

3. How do the natural resources found in the western part of this region differ from those found in the eastern part? Which natural resource is most common overall?

B. Southwest Asia’s Major Natural ResourcesPetroleum: Southwest Asia has more

than half the world’s oil. Water: Irrigation must be used

because there is so little water in this area. Water is also found by digging deep wells.

C. Using the Land in Southwest Asia: People use the land for three different reasons. 1. Agriculture: Mostly grown in the northern part of

the region, the Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing/

2. Nomadic Herding: Bedouins who live in the desert herd animals, moving over large areas of land.

3. Producing Oil: Lots of oil found here.

Online Activity

http://phschool.com Web Code: lcd-6202

Examine this chart from the CIA World Factbook which shows how much oil different countries have.

Look through the top 25 countries. How many of them are in Southwest Asia?

Find the countries Jordan and Armenia on the list. Do these countries have a large amount of oil compared to other countries? What do you think this might mean for their standard of living?

III. Central Asia

A. Central Asia’s Main Physical Features 1. Highlands: Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains

2. Deserts: Kara Kum Desert

3. Steppes: Kirghiz Steppe

4. Climate: Most of Central Asia has a dry climate

5. Sea: Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea (dried up)

B. Natural Resources in Central AsiaKazakhstan has large oil and gas

reserves.This areas has rich deposits of coal,

gold, copper, iron, ore, lead and uranium.