1. India Geography’s affect on the Indian people The Indian subcontinent
The physical regions of India
The Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers
The Indian Monsoon

2. The Indian Subcontinent
India is apart of a larger piece of land called the Indian “Subcontinent”
A landmass that is part of a continent but is geographically an independent entity
India is separated from Asia by the Himalaya and Hindu Kush Mountains
The Indian subcontinent is divided into three major physical regions
The Northern Mountains
The Indo- Gangetic Plain
The Deccan Plateau

3. The Northern Mountains
Himalayan Mountains
Tallest mountain range in the world
20 mountains that are over 24,000 ft. high
Mount Everest
Tallest peak at 29,035 ft
First climbed by Edmond Hilary & Tenzing Norgay in 1953
Many have tried to climb it since and hundreds have died
Creates the majority of the northern border of India
Source of important rivers to India
Ganges, Feni, Indus, and Brahmaputra rivers

4. The Northern Mountains
Hindu Kush
Named for their danger
Kush= Death
Extremely rugged
Like the Himalayas are a source of water for much needed rivers

5. 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

6. Ganges River
Begins in the Himalayas and flows 1500 miles directly through the Indo- Gangetic plain
Also known as “Gangamai” or Mother Ganges
Important for farming, trade, and transportation
Holiest river of Hinduism
Home to the Goddess Ganga
Hindus believe they must purify themselves in it
Travel down the sacred “Ghats” or steps
Bathe and drink water to wash away their sins
Ashes of the dead are scattered in the water

7. Ganges River One of the most polluted rivers on earth
Raw sewage, industrial waste, dead animals and humans have poisoned the water
Toxic chemicals and bacteria
Dangerous to Hindus who bath in and drink it
Hepatitis, typhoid, and cholera are common
Many Hindus travel as far upstream as they can before purifying themselves
Cities like Varanasi get many bathers because of the relatively clean water
Less pollution

8. Indus River
Begins in the Himalayas and flows 1975 miles through the country of Pakistan
Formerly apart of India
Important to the development of the first cities and civilizations in India
Mohenjo- Daro and Harrapan civilizations
Important for farming, trade, and transportation
Today it the at the front lines of conflict between India and Pakistan
Fighting over the fertile cotton fields of Kashmir

9. Brahmaputra River
Begins in the Himalayas and flows 1100 miles through northern Indian the country of Bangladesh
Important for farming, trade, and transportation
Important to Hinduism like the Ganges
Represents one of the main gods of Hinduism called Vishnu
The river is credited with preserving all life along its banks

10. The Monsoon India has two major seasons
Summer is hot and very wet
Winter is cool and very dry (still hot)
The climate is caused by the “Monsoon”
Seasonal winds
During summer the winds come from the Indian Ocean & bring large amounts of rain
During winter the winds come from the land and are dry

11. The Monsoon Summer monsoon is essential for survival
Brings needed water for farming
But the heavy rains also cause great devastation
Flooding and “cyclones” are common
Violent storms like hurricanes
Eastern India and Bangladesh suffers great damage almost every year
Villages and farms are flooded and destroyed
Overflowing of rivers
Ganges and Brahmaputra