SOUTH ASIA GEOGRAPHY

By Jack Garrity

Book pages 578-586

What makes this a region?

What makes this a region?

South Asia is a subcontinent.

Subcontinent: a large landmass smaller than a continent; a major part of a continent

Un subcontinente es un área extensa de un continente

In the south, the subcontinent is bordered by the Indian Ocean, called the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

In the north, the subcontinent is bordered by the tallest mountain ranges in the world.

What makes this a region? While much of the region has mountains and

plateaus, the river valleys have good soil that supports food for 1.2 billion people.

What makes this a region? It is the birthplace of two of the world’s major

religions Hinduism and Buddhism.

What makes this a region? The monsoon winds make the regions

climate.

Which season would have more rain?

Book pages 590-593

The Land South Asia’s southern lands include two

chains of low mountain ranges-the Eastern Ghants and the Western Ghants. In ancient Sanskrit, the name for the Hindi word ghant means “benevolent mountain”. For thousands of years, the Western Ghants have absorbed the monsoon rains and slowly released them, providing water that is essential for life.

Landforms The 7 countries of South Asia are

separated from the rest of Asia by mountains, so it’s a subcontinent.

Northern Landforms The Himalaya

Mountains go 1500 miles and are hundreds of miles wide.

They would almost go from Las Vegas to Tennessee

Northern Landforms Mount Everest is

the highest point on Earth.

Northern Landforms Called  Sagarmāthā(सगरमाथा) in Nepal,

and Chomolungma in Tibet, it is 29,029 ft tall.

Mount Charleston 7,510 ft

Mount Everest 29,029

Northern Landforms The Karakoram

Mountains meet the Himalya.

Northern Landforms The Hindu Kush

Mountains completes the chain.

Northern Landforms You can only go threw these mountains in a few

areas.

The Khyber Pass between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Northern Landforms Rivers flow from

the mountains and water the Gangetic Plain.

Northern Landforms This farmland is so good, 10 percent of

Earth’s population lives here.

Northern Landforms The Chota Nagpur

Plateau has forests.

Central and Southern Landforms The clash created

two smaller mountain ranges in Central India.

Central and Southern Landforms The Vindhya and

Satpura Ranges.

Central and Southern Landforms The Narmada

River flows east to west in between the two.

Central and Southern Landforms The Narmada

River divides India into North and South.

Central and Southern Landforms Two old eroded

mountain chains run north south.

Eroded (of wind, water, or other natural forces) gradually wear away (soil, rock, or land).

Erosionar Desgastar la superficie de la Tierra los fenómenos naturales o la acción del ser humano y de los seres vivos.

Central and Southern Landforms Two Eastern and

Western Ghats.

Central and Southern Landforms Between them is

the Deccan Plateau.

Central and Southern Landforms xx

Central and Southern Landforms Millions of years ago, the Deccan Plateau was

covered with lava.

Central and Southern Landforms Today, it has rich soil, in the parts with

water.

Central and Southern Landforms Sri Lanka broke

off from India millions of years ago.

Central and Southern Landforms The Maldives are

an island chain covering 35,200 square miles, but only have 115 square miles of land.

1-7 Handout 23.1 with shoulder partner.

Water Systems From sources high in the Himalaya, three

major river systems-the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Indus- fan out across the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers The Ganges river flows east from the

Himalaya.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers The Ganges is the most important river basin

in the region, covering 400,000 square miles.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers It’s delta is the largest in the world,

approximately 220 mi across at the Bay of Bengal.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers Almost all of the Gangetic Plain is used for

farming.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers It’s the most fertile area in the world, between 125

and 143 million people live on the delta, nicknamed The Green Delta.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers During the summer monsoon, heavy rains

cause floods.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers It is named after the Hindu goddess

Ganga.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers The Brahmaputra River flows east through the

Himalaya, west in India, then south joining with the Ganges and into Bay of Bengal.

The Brahmaputra river is named after Brahma the creator of this universe in Hinduism.

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers xx

Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers The Brahmaputra I a source of hydroelectric

power.

Indus River The Indus River flows

through Pakistan ending in the Arabian Sea.

Indus River The

Indus is the King of the Hindu lesser gods.

Indus River Early civilization began in the Indus Valley around the

same time as Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Indus River The

Natural Resources South Asia has a variety of natural resources

upon which large populations are dependent for their jobs.

Natural Resources People use the rivers for hydroelectric

power, drinking, transportation, and fishing.

Natural Resources Precious stones are found throughout the

region.

Natural Resources India is a leading exporter of iron and mica (a

layered rock used in electric equipment).

Natural Resources It has valuable manganese, chromites, and

gypsum.

Natural Resources India has some oil and uranium.

Natural Resources Nepal has mica and copper.

Natural Resources Sri Lanka has graphite used in pencils.

Natural Resources India has sandalwood and teak wood.

Natural Resources Nepal and Bhutan have lots of trees.

Natural Resources Nepal and Bhutan over cut their forests,

leading to soil erosion.

Natural Resources Nepal and Bhutan over cut their forests,

leading to soil erosion.

Natural Resources Sri Lanka has banned wood exports since

1977.

Write 5 facts about the Ganges River at Edmodo.

Ganges River end