S OUTH A SIA : P HYSICAL G EOGRAPHY

A S EPARATE L AND The seven countries that make up South Asia are separated from the rest of Asia by mountains, making South Asia a Subcontinent Subcontinent – a large, distinct landmass that is joined to a continent Most of the region forms a peninsula of about 1.7 million square miles, being touched by three bodies of water: The Indian Ocean The Arabian Sea The Bay of Bengal

A L AND OF G REAT V ARIETY : M OUNTAINS The Himalaya Formed after the subcontinent broke away from the same large landmass that contained Africa and smashed into the southern edge of Asia. Extends more than 1,000 miles across the northern edge of the peninsula, and hundreds of mile wide. Contains Mt. Everest The world highest peak – rises 29,035 feet above sea level. The Himalaya meet the Karakoram Mountains in the northernmost part of the region The Hindu Kush range completes the chain Over the centuries, the mountains have served as protection from foreign invaders, forcing them through a small number of narrow crossing places (Khyber Pass)

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A L AND OF G REAT V ARIETY Central Landforms The same collision that created the Himalaya also created the Vindhya ( ˈ vin-dy ə, -dē- ə ) Range in India This range divides India into its northern and southern regions These Regions each have their own distinct cuisine, architecture, and religious practices Southern Land Forms Eastern & Western Ghats (gawts, gots) Eroded mountains in southern India Between them lies the Deccan Plateau The Western Ghats prevents yearly rainy winds from reaching the plateau Instead the Karnataka Plateau receives the rain.

M AJOR R IVER S YSTEMS Indus River Flows mainly through Pakistan, and empties in the Arabian Sea Serves as an important transportation route Known as the “cradle” of ancient India Brahmaputra (brah-muh-poo-truh) River Flows east through the Himalaya, then west into India and Bangladesh There it joins the Ganges – to form a delta before emptying into the Bay of Bengal Serves as an important inland transportation route Provides Bangladesh with 50% of its power through hydroelectricity

M AJOR R IVER S YSTEMS Ganges River Flows east from the Himalaya Most important river in South Asia The land area through which the river flows is called the Ganges Plain Almost all of this land is used for crops (rice, sesame, sugarcane, jute, and beans) World longest alluvial plain – an area of fertile soil deposited by river flood waters Also is India’s most densely populated area

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N ATURAL R ESOURCES Energy Resources Petroleum Reserves near Ganges Delta, and northern Pakistan Overall South Asia is dependent on imported oil Natural Gas Fields Southern Pakistan Ganges Delta Region Bangladesh Uranium India – north of the Eastern Ghats Hydroelectricity

M INERALS India Leading exporter of iron ore Supplies 90% of world’s mica – a layered rock used in making electrical equipment Nepal Mica Small amounts of copper Sri Lanka One of world’s largest graphite producers Sapphires, Rubies, and other precious stones

T IMBER Timber is an important part of South Asia’s economy Forests of Nepal and Bhutan (bü- ˈ tän, - ˈ tan) Silver fir, oak, magnolia, beech, and birch India Sandalwood, sal, and teaks woods