1. South Asia Geography Unit 2
Global Studies 9

2. South Asia

3. Countries Afghanistan Nepal Pakistan Bhutan India Bangladesh Sri Lanka
Maldives

4. Bodies of Water Indus R. Brahmaputra R. Ganges R. Bay of Bengal
Arabian Sea
Indian Ocean

5. Subcontinent South Asia is considered a subcontinent Why?
Cut off in north by mountains; Remaining land surrounded by water.

6. The Size of South Asia

7. Population Over 1.2 Billion people
900 million people in India (1/2 size of U.S.: 3x population)
Pakistan 130 million people
Bangladesh 125 million people in an area the size of Wisconsin.

8. Demographic Map

9. Language India has 15 official languages. 35 major regional languages
More than 700 different dialects (regional).

10. Diversity

11. Major Regions
Northern Mountains
Indo-Gangetic Plain
Deccan Plateau

12. Mountains & Peaks Karakoran Mts. Khyber Pass I I Hindu Kush
Mt. Everest ▲
Himalayas
Vindhya Hills
Eastern Ghats
Western Ghats

13. Northern Mountains Himalayas “House of Snow”
Highest mountain range in the world
Few usable passes
Mt. Everest
Himalayas stretch for 1500 miles
What were 2 effects of the Himalayas on the region of South Asia? (Homework)
Mt. Everest

14. Northern Mountains Hindu Kush
Smaller in area, but nearly as high and rugged.
“Kush” means “death”
Khyber Pass was main invasion and migration route into India.
Both mountain ranges form the “Roof of India”

15. Hindu Kush

16. The Khyber Pass

17. The Himalayas

18. Indo-Gangetic Plain One Broad Plain stretching for 1500 miles
Drained and watered by the Indus and Ganges River
Very fertile
Hot and heavily populated
“Breadbasket of South Asia”
Grow Rice and Wheat

19. Elevation Levels

20. Deserts / Plateaus
Tibetan Plateau
Thar Desert
Deccan Plateau

21. Deccan Plateau Interior plateau of India Varied region
Agriculture, mining, grazing, and forest lands.
Sparsely populated.

22. Climate of South Asia

23. Monsoons
Means “season” in Arabic: Seasonal winds; dominates climate of south Asia.

24. Winter Monsoons (Dry)
Wind that blows from northeast: Late September – March
Loses moisture over Himalayas.
Hot, dry air.
No rain for nearly 8 months

25. Winter Monsoons

26. Summer Monsoon Wind that comes from southwest
Late May or early June to mid September
Moisture from Indian Ocean: Spreads unevenly
Most rainfall comes from these months
Critical time

27. Summer Monsoons

28. Rivers of South Asia
Indus River
Ganges River
Brahmaputra River

29. Indus River 1st civilization located here
Located almost entirely in Pakistan

30. Ganges River Most important river to India Very fertile soil
Considered sacred by Hindus (80% of pop.)
Shrines and temples line its banks.
Malta Ganga

31. The Ganges River System
1,560 miles long

32. Brahmaputra River Joins Ganges in Bangladesh Forms enormous delta
Heavy flooding

33. The Brahmaputra River System
1,800 miles long

34. Flooding on the Brahmaputra

35. “Fire Rim of the Pacific”

36. 2004 Earthquake In Indonesia: Tsunami Devastates Indian Ocean Coastlines!

37. 2004 Indian Tsunami