1. India at a glance India is known as a sub- continent
Sub-continent: A large, self- contained landmass that is part of a continent.
Northern Indian border is made of the Himalayan mountains and Thar desert
Southern India is bordered by the Indian Ocean

2. India’s rivers The Indian subcontinent has 12 major rivers
Civilization began along the Indus river (1,980 miles)– now in neighboring Pakistan
Home to one of the earliest civilizations
The Ganges is the longest river in India (1,569 miles)
Many see the river itself as a goddess – center to the Hindu faith
The fifth-most polluted river in the world

3. India’s Northern border
The Thar desert forms the northwestern border of India
World’s seventh-largest desert
The Hindu Kush and Himalaya mountains form the northern and northeastern borders
Highest and youngest mountains in the world
Contains world’s highest mountain – Mt. Everest (29,029)
These features effectively sealed off India from the rest of Asia for centuries

4. India’s Great Plain
Extremely fertile area in northern and eastern India
Fed by the Indus and Ganges rivers
The plain is one of the most densely populated areas on earth
Nearly one billion people live in the region
Densely populated: people living in a crowded area

5. India’s plateau’s
The east and west coasts of India are bordered by low mountains, called the Ghats
These mountains prevent rain from reaching central India
Much of central India is located on the Deccan Plateau
Has a hot & dry climate, but not a desert
Has a monsoon climate – only the monsoon rains are strong enough to reach over the Ghats.

6. India’s people Second most populous country in the world
1.25 billion people in
50% of India’s population is under 25
India for centuries lived under the Caste system
Everyone was born into a group or “caste,” with no room for change.
Castes determined peoples roles in life – who was a preacher, solider, merchant, etc.
Today the caste system not official, but still traditional