India

Landforms Isolated by mountains, deserts, and water Himalayas Ghats and Deccan Plateau Indus, Ganges, Brahmanputra Rivers 60% of the land is arable Indogangetic Plain

Climate and Vegetation Impacted most by Monsoons and mountains Arid climates support desert scrub in the northwest. North / Central India humid subtropical Tropical wet areas on western coast of India and Sri Lanka and in Bangladesh Tropical wet and dry– vegetation varies according to how long the dry season is.

Human Geography India – 2 nd most populated country Calcutta and Mumbai are two of the largest cities on earth Rural – 75%, Urban – 25% Most people are poor subsistence farmers Religions: Hindu in India and Nepal Muslim in Pakistan and Bangladesh Buddhist in Bhutan

India World’s largest democracy with over 20 political parties More than a dozen different languages with over a thousand dialects 5 th largest economy in the world A well education and affluent middle class almost as large as the US population

A land of contrasts 60% illiterate 40% villages have no power Cow dung for power 350 million people live in poverty Nuclear power plants 8 th largest number of scientific and technical workers in the world India produces rockets to launch satellites, cars, aircrafts, nuclear weapons

Challenges in India 18 million more people each year Overcrowding High unemployment Illiteracy Cultural diversity Threats of war with Pakistan Quarreling political parties