Geography of South Asia

South Asia Home to more than 1.6 billion people One of the most densely populated regions on Earth Includes the nations of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Nepal India makes up a majority of the land in South Asia Subcontinent: Large landmass that is smaller than a continent

Mountain Ranges Himalaya Mountains: 1,500-mile-long range of mountains in Asia; Highest on earth Create a massive wall that separates the Indian subcontinent from the interior of Asia Hindu Kush Mountains: Located in Afghanistan and Pakistan Khyber Pass runs through the Hindu Kush (33 miles long; used by traders and invaders) Eastern and Western Ghats: Low-lying mountain ranges around the Deccan Plateau in India A view of the Himalayas from Kathmandu, India. Himalaya is a Sanskrit word that literally means "abode of snow."

Now, find the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas!

Other Landforms Indo-Gangetic Plain: Massive plains that extend across the north and west from Pakistan to eastern India and Bangladesh Great rivers flow through these and create flat river basins Thar Desert is located in it (Northwest India)

Topography of India

Deccan Plateau Deccan Plateau: Located south of the great plains Region of high, flat land crossed by many rivers and broken by low, rolling hills Occupies nearly half of South Asia Millions of farms are located here Bordered by the Vindhya Mountains and the Eastern and Western Ghats

Rivers Major rivers are located on the Indo-Gangetic Plain Indus River: Principal river of Pakistan; empties into the Arabian Sea Brahmaputra River: Begins in the Himalayas in Tibet and travels across some 1,800 miles before joining the Ganges River at the massive Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta Ganges River: Begins in Himalayas; joins the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh; empties into Bay of Bengal Most holy river for Hindus

Climate of India Tropical in the south and temperate in the north Rainfall varies by region (some areas have tropical rainforests) Often inconsistent and violent 4 seasons Cool, dry (Dec.-Feb.) Hot, dry (March-May) Wet (June-Sept.—monsoon) Drier monsoon (Oct.-Nov.)

Monsoons Monsoon: Seasonal wind that dominates the climate of South Asia Key to life for farmers: need the rain that the monsoon winds bring Issues: Sometimes there is too much rain and sometimes there is too little Wet monsoon: Late May or early June Dry monsoon: October Flooding in Bangladesh from the monsoons

Monsoon Winds