1. South Asia
Unit Introduction

2. Defining South Asia

3. South Asia

4. The Size of South Asia

5. Subcontinent
Subcontinent- large landmass that juts out from a continent
3 of world’s 10 most populous countries- India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

6. History and Religions

7. Introduction: Good Chance A Midterm Question On This!
Although virtually surrounded by mountains, South Asia is home to ancient cultures influenced by other parts of Asia
Harappan
Aryans
Moguls (Mongols)

9. South Asian Religions
South Asia is the origin of three different religions
Hinduism
Buddhism
Sikhism
The region is also home to 3 of the 4 largest Muslim populations

10. Hinduism
An uniquely South Asian religion, Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world.
Hinduism contains many different Gods, all representing facets of the unity of the universe, or one God, Brahman

11. Buddhism
Buddhism formed in northeastern India in the 6th century B.C. based on the teachings of its founder Siddhartha Gautama – The Buddha
Over the following centuries, it diffused throughout much of Asia.

12. Sikhism
The Sikh religion originated in the Indian region of Punjab during the late 1400s.
About 23 million people now practice Sikhism worldwide.

13. Geography and Key Geographic Features

14. The Hindu Kush Mountains and the Himalayan Mountains have acted as a barrier to isolated the region! Good chance this is a test question on the Midterm!
Key Physical Features
Mountains
Hindu Kush mountains divide the subcontinent from Central Asia.
The Eastern and Western Ghats separate India’s east and west coasts from the country’s interior.
The Himalayas run along the northern border and are home to the world’s highest mountains.
Rivers and Plains
The rivers flood each year, leaving fertile plains.
India’s most important river is the Ganges.
A delta is a landform at the mouth of a river.
The Ganges Plain is India’s farming heartland.
The Indus River creates a fertile plain known as the Indus River Valley.
Other Features
The Deccan is a large, hilly plateau located to the south of the Ganges Plain.
The Thar, or Great Indian Desert, is made up of rolling sand dunes.
The Tarai in southern Nepal has fertile farmland and tropical jungles.

15. Go to Page 597
In the three inset boxes, write the additional information on the lines next to the previous slide.

16. Mountains – Himalaya
As the Indian subcontinent moves slowly and steadily into Asia, it pushes up the highest mountains in the world
The 1,500-mile (2,414-km) long Himalaya, which have individual peaks that reach more than 5 miles (8 km) high.
Contains the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest

17. Mountains – Karakoram Range
The Karakoram Mountain Range extends over some 80,000 square miles (207,000 sq. km)
It contains Earth's second- highest peak, K2.

18. Major Rivers
Major rivers drain the region from their source high in the Himalaya in the north to the floodplains in the south.
These rivers carry fertile soil used to grow food for the region’s large population.

19. Go to page 598
Write down the names of all the different mountain ranges and ghats (ghats are ranges of hills) found in South Asia on the lines next to the previous slides.
Write down the name of the main plateau found in South Asia on the lines next to the previous slides.

20. Ganges River The Ganges River is one of Hinduism's most sacred sites.
Hindus believe that scattering the ashes of the deceased on the Ganges aids the soul in the next life.

21. Ganges River
South Asia's powerful Brahmaputra River carries rich soil throughout the region.
However, the river can also cause destructive flooding.
In 2012, some 1.7 million people were forced from their homes because of flooding along the Brahmaputra.

22. Go to pages
Write down the names and location of each of the major rivers in South Asia on the lines next to the previous slides.

23. Indo- Gangetic plain
Area that surrounds the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers
Best farmland in India
No coincidence that this is one of the two most densely populated areas in India
They farm rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, and tea

24. Indo-Gangetic Plain Densely populated region
Centers of Maurya(300BC), Gupta (4 th Century Ad) Mughal ( ) and the British Empire ( )
Major Urban Centers in South Asia
Lahore, Delhi, Banaras, Calcutta and Dacca
Agricultural Heartland of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

25. Go to the Economic Activity Map on page 601 and the Population Density Map on page 602
Write down on the lines next to the previous slides:
Where are the main areas of commercial and subsistence farming?
How does this relate to the rivers, plains, and population density?

26. Climate Regions Highland climate Himalayas
Brings cool temperatures to much of Nepal and Bhutan
Humid subtropical climate
Plains south of the Himalayas
Hot, humid summers with plenty of rainfall
Tropical climate
Covers much of the subcontinent
Tropical savanna in central India and Sri Lanka
Humid tropical climate in southwest India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bangladesh
Desert and steppe climate
Throughout southern and western India and most of Pakistan
Dry

27. Go to the Climate and Vegetation Map on page 600 and the Economic Activity Map on page 601
Write down on the lines next to the previous slide the types of vegetation found in each climate zone.
Write down on the lines next to the previous slide the main economic activities found in each climate zone.

28. Identify which cities have over 5 million people.
Go to the Population Density Map on page 602 and the Climate and Vegetation Map on page 600.
Identify which cities have over 5 million people.
What areas have high population density and how does this relates to the major geographic features and climate and vegetation zones?

29. Monsoon – Seasonal Winds
Strong winds traveling across warm seas bring the wet season to South Asia, providing rain vitally needed by the region’s farms but also causing flooding in low-lying areas.
These same winds blow out to sea during the winter months, leading to a prolonged dry season.
Good chance this is a test question on the Midterm!

30. Seasonal winds known as monsoons bring rain every summer
Seasonal winds known as monsoons bring rain every summer. India is dependent upon monsoons to grow their crops. Not enough rain brings drought. When there is too much rain, rivers rise and cause deadly floods and destruction of crops.

31. Climate
Monsoons - seasonal winds that blow from the NE Nov. to Mar. and from the SW June to Oct.

32. Climate
If the wet monsoon arrives late or brings little rain, crops fail; too much rain, flooding destroys the countryside

33. Go to the Colored Monsoon Map you were given
Label the areas that DO NOT RECEIVE ANY RAIN FROM THE SUMMER MONSOONS.
Then go back to the Population Density Map on page 602, and make notes on the Monsoon Map of the major cities like Mumbai, Hyderbad (India’s and Pakistan’s), etc…
At the bottom of the Monsoon Map, explain the relationship between the monsoons and the population density in BULLET FORMAT.