1. The Land Where Continents Collided
South Asia
The Land Where Continents Collided

2. Mountains and Plateaus
Subcontinent – large landmass that is smaller than a continent
Northern Mountains
Himalaya Mountains
Hindu Kush
Karakoram Mountains
Southern Plateaus
Vindhya Range
Deccan Plateau

4. Rivers, Deltas, and Plains
Great Rivers
Indus River flows west and then south through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea
Ganges River drops down from the central Himalayas and flows eastward across northern India.
Brahmaputra River winds its way east, then west and south through Bangladesh
The Ganges and Brahmaputra meet and form a delta before entering the Bay of Bengal.

6. Fertile Plains
Indo-Gangetic Plain – most heavily populated part of South Asia.
Contains 3/5 of India’s population
New Delhi and Kolkata in India
Dakha in Bangladesh

8. Offshore Islands Sri Lanka The Maldives Lush tropical land
Rugged mountains dominate the center – 8,000 feet in elevation
The Maldives
Comprise an archipelago – island group of more than 1,200 small islands (200 are inhabited)
Atoll – an island formed from a peak of a submerged volcano.

9. Natural Resources
Great River systems bring alluvial soil (rich soil) down from the mountains. When rivers overflow their banks, they deposit this soil on alluvial plains – lands that are rich farmland.
Result: Indo-Gangetic Plain is one of the most fertile farming regions in the world

10. Natural Resources Water and Soil Forests Minerals Great river systems
Fish: Mackerel, sardines, carp, and catfish
Forests
Timber
Rain forests produce hardwoods
Deforestation - problem
Minerals
India – 4th in coal production
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh – natural gas resources
India – iron ore (leading exporter) used in steel industry
India – mica, key component in electrical equipment – India has growing computer industry
Sri Lanka – sapphires and rubies

11. Climate – Wet and Dry, Hot and Cold
Half of the climate zones that exist on Earth can be found in South Asia!!!
6 main climate zones (Tropical Wet, Tropical Wet and Dry, Desert, Semiarid, Humid subtropical, Highland)

13. Climate Monsoons and Cyclones
Monsoons – seasonal winds – Oct. through Feb. dry winds blow across South Asia from the northeast
June through September – winds blow in from the southwest, bringing moist ocean air and heavy rains

15. Climate Cyclone Extreme weather pattern
Violent storm with fierce winds and heavy rain
Most destructive in Bangladesh
A severe cyclone can cause widespread damage and kill thousands of people

17. Vegetation: Desert to Rain Forest
Plat life in South Asia varies
Vegetation Zones
Forested areas – tropical wet zones (western coast of Indian and southern Bangladesh), rain forests
Highland Zone – northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan – forests of pine, fir, and other evergreens
Humid Subtropical – river valleys and foothills
Deforestation is a problem everyone
Less than 1/5 of India’s original forests remain

18. Human-Environmental Interaction
Ganges River – not only an important water resource, but also a sacred river to the Hindus (the religion of most Indians)
Most well-known river and extremely important to human life in this region (Lifeblood of India)
Flows 1,500 miles from its source in a Himalayan glacier to the Bay of Bengal
Important for Indians
Drinking water, farming, and transportation

19. A Sacred River
According to Hindus, the Ganges is a sacred river that brings life to its people. The Hindus worship the river as a goddess, and they believe its water has healing powers.
Sacred sites and temples line the banks of the Ganges
Pilgrims come from all over the world to drink and bathe in its waters
Scatter ashes

22. Varanasi One of the most sacred sites on the Ganges
As sun rises, Hindu pilgrims enter the water for purification and prayer
They float baskets of flowers and burning candles on the water
Daily celebration of their faith in the Ganges and its sacred water.

23. A Polluted River One of the most polluted rivers in the world
Millions of gallons of raw sewage and industrial waste flow into the river everyday
Huge problem
According to Hindus, Ganges is too holy to be harmed by pollution