Countries of South Asia Afghanistan Pakistan India Nepal Bangladesh Bhutan Sri Lanka Maldives

Identify The Countries 2 1 3 5 6 4 7 8 Identify The Countries That These Flags Represent.

Classroom Activity w/ Latitude and Longitude Afghanistan – 34 Degrees N 65 Degrees E Pakistan- 30 Degrees N 66 Degrees E India- 20 Degrees N 74 Degrees E Nepal- 28 Degrees N 83 Degrees E Bangladesh- 23 Degrees N 89 Degrees E Bhutan- 27 Degrees N 90 Degrees E Sri Lanka- 7 Degrees N 80 Degrees E Maldives- 3 Degrees N 72 Degrees E Using the maps around the room locate the South Asian countries by their Lat/Long

Early Development of South Asia Millions of years ago a huge landmass called Gondwanaland broke up and drifted apart One part collided with the mainland of Asia The force was enormous and caused the creation of the Himalayas and Hindu Kush Mountains

Movement of the Continents 130 Million Years Ago

Subcontinent of India Large triangular peninsula extending from the continent of Asia Question from the map: What bodies of water surround India? What are the benefits and drawbacks of being surrounded by water? Look on page 161 (Ch. 4 Section 1)

Subcontinent of India Subcontinent- large landmass that is smaller than a continent Basic Facts: At its widest point it is 2,500 miles across Contains many different landforms India is.......the Largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest country in the world AND one of the most ancient and living civilizations (at least 10, 000 years old). 

Landforms of India Himalaya Mountains Create a wall that separates India from Asia At least 50 of these mountains are 5 miles high Mount Everest 29,035 feet high Separates Nepal and Tibet 27 N and 86 E

Landforms of India Hindu Kush Mountains Located in the Northwest of India Smaller in area than the Himalayas just as high Kush- means “Death Mountain Passes allow people to travel through the mountain ranges Khyber Pass goes through the Hindu Kush What do you see in the pictures?

Mountain Valleys Are the sources for the rivers that flow in the lower areas Valleys are where farmers grow a lot of rice and wheat Farmers raise goat herds Kashmir Valley- raise goats that produce cashmere wool

Northern Plains Located South of the Himalayas Called the Northern Plain or Indo-Gangetic Plain Stretches from Pakistan to India and into Bangladesh Major site for many rivers Carry the silt (rich soil) for great farmland Home to hundreds of millions in the cities and farms Raise rice, wheat and jute (used to make twine and burlap)

Rivers Ganges River Indus River- empties into Arabian Sea and gave India it’s name. - Indus means “river” Ganges River- flows across India and starts in an ice cave in the Himalayas. - Most Holy River in India Brahmaputra River- meets the Ganges and forms the Delta on the Bay of Bengal. Indus River Brahmaputra River

Satellite Image of the Ganges Delta and the Bay of Bengal

Thar Desert

Thar Desert Facts & Info At the Western End of the Northern Plains Covers 100,000 Square Miles in India and Pakistan An area the size of Colorado Barren landscape of sand dunes, sandy plains and low hills Sheep and goats are grazed here BAA!

Deccan Plateau Located South of the Great Plains Takes up ½ of South Asia Home to many farms and families They raise/grow: Wheat, Rice, Millet and Cotton Where is the plateau located?

Mountain Ranges in India Vindhya Mountains Located to the North of the Indo-Gangetic Plain Rugged but low mountains Highest point is 3,600 feet Indian Myth about Vindhyas Vindhya- spirit of the mountains Very prideful and made himself taller than the sun Blocked the sun from shining on the Himalayas (Home of the Gods) Agastya (wise man) told Vindhya to bow down and stay that way till he returned (he never did)

Mountain Ranges in India The Ghats Mountain Ranges Located in the East and West Named after “Ghats”- meaning pass, passage through the mountains Helped to stop the spread of Europeans in the 1500’s