1. A mountain range in South Asia that includes Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain peak. Himalaya Mountains

2. A landmass that is like a continent, only smaller, such as the one found in South Asia. Subcontinent

3. Land that is rich farmland, composed of clay, silt, sand,, or gravel deposited by running water. Alluvial Plain

4. A set of closely grouped islands. Archipelago

5. A ringlike coral island or string of small islands surrounding a lagoon. Atoll

6. A seasonal wind, especially in South Asia. Monsoon

7. A violent storm with fierce winds and heavy rain; the most extreme weather pattern of South Asia. Cyclone

8. The dominant religion of India. Hinduism

9. River in South Asia; an important water resource flowing more than 1,500 miles from its source in a Himalayan glacier to the Bay of Bengal. Ganges River

10. High water level brought by a cyclone that swamps low-lying areas. Strom Surge

11. A broadened seaward end of a river, where the river’s currents meet the ocean’s tides. Estuary

12. The Muslim empire established by the early 1500s over much of India, which brought with it new customs that sometimes conflicted with those of native Hindus. Mughal Empire

13. The period of British rule in India, which lasted for nearly 200 years, from 1857 to 1947. Raj

14. A movement that uses all means of protest except violence. Nonviolent Resistance

15. The process of breaking up large landholdings to attain a more balanced land distribution among farmers. Land Reform

16. An agricultural program launched by scientists in the 1960s to develop higher-yielding grain varieties and improve food production by incorporating new farming techniques. Green Revolution

17. The Aryan system of social classes in India and one of the cornerstones of Hinduism in which each person is born into a class and can only move into a different caste through reincarnation. Caste System

18. The largest of the world’s first civilizations in what is now Pakistan; this was a highly developed urban civilization, lasting from 2500 B.C. to about 1500 B.C. Indus Valley Civilization

19. Separation; division into two or more territorial units having separate political status. Partition

20. A region of northern India and Pakistan over which several destructive wars have been fought. Kashmir

21. A small loan available to poor entrepreneurs, to help small businesses grow and raise living standards. Microcredit

22. A person who starts and builds a business. Entrepreneur

23. An Islamic practice of month-long fasting from sunup to sundown. Ramadan

24. A government in which the ruler’s powers are limited by a constitution and the laws of a nation. Constitutional Monarchy

25. A person of Tibetan ancestry in Nepal, who serves as the traditional mountain guide of the Mount Everest region. Sherpa

26. The founder of Buddhism and known as the Buddha, born in southern Nepal in the sixth century B.C. Siddhartha Gautama

27. In Tibetan Buddhism, a geometric design that symbolizes the universe and aids in meditation. Mandala

28. An Indo-Aryan people who crossed the strait separating India and Sri Lanka in the sixth century B.C. and who created an advanced civilization there, adopting Buddhism. Sinhalese

29. A Dravidian Hindu, who arrived in Sri Lanka in the fourth century, settling in the north while the Sinhalese moved further south. Tamils

30. A ruler of a Muslim country. Sultan

31. Food, clothing, and shelter. Basic Necessities

32. The inability to read or write. Illiteracy

33. The season when winds blow from the southwest across the Indian Ocean toward South Asia, from June through September, with winds stirring up powerful storms and causing severe flooding. Summer Monsoon

34. The season when dry winds blow from the northeast across the Himalaya Mountains toward the sea from October through February,sometimes causing drought. Winter Monsoon