Mr. Marston

South AsiaDominion Christian High School

Marietta, GA

South Asia is a subcontinent

• Large, Distinct landmass that is joined to another continent. In this case, Asia.

• Forms a peninsula

• Arabian Sea (West)• Indian Ocean (South)• Bay of Bengal (East)• Includes Sri Lanka

Indian subcontinent

Landforms

• Mountains: Himalaya: formed by collision of tectonic plates.

• Mt. Everest: 29,035 feet• Karakoram Mountains:• Hindu Kush Mountains• Khyber Pass: narrow pass between

Afghanistan and Pakistan

Indian Topography

• Indian Topography

Himalayas

• Himalayan Video

• Himalayas

• Internet Activity

Khyber Pass

• Khyber Pass

Khyber Pass

• Khyber Pass

Ganges Plain

• Wide, fertile plain at the base of Himalayan Mountains

• Indus River• Ganges River• Brahmaputra• 1/10 of the world lives here.

Ganges Plain

Chota Nagbur Plateau

Chota Nagbur Plateau

Central Landforms

• Vindhya Range: mountain range in Central India. Divides the northern and southern regions.

• Cuisine, architecture, and religious practices differ in north and south

Southern Landforms

• Eastern Ghats: rugged hills.• Western Ghats• Deccan Plateau: contains rich soil, but

relatively dry because rainy winds are blocked by Western Ghats.

• Karnataka Plateau: south of the Deccan Plateau receives more moisture. Hills are lush.

Deccan Plateau

Karnataka Plateau

Other

• Sri Lanka: island southeast of India• Maldives: Island chain south of India

Major River Systems

• Rivers are the key to live in South Asia• Indus• Brahmaputra• Ganges• All carry fertile soil from mountain slopes onto

floodplains as the rivers swell from seasonal rains

Rivers continued

• Indus: cradle of ancient India• Brahmaputra: major inland waterway.• Ganges: Most important river in South Asia.

Revered by Hindus who consider the river sacred.

• Most productive agricultural area and world’s longest alluvial plain: an area of fertile soil deposited by river flood waters. The Ganges Plain is India’s most densely populated area.

Natural Resources

• Rivers of South Asia provide Alluvial soilDrinking WaterTransportationHydroelectric PowerFish

Energy Resources

• Petroleum Reserves• Natural Gas: Southern Pakistan• Uranium

Minerals

• Leading exporter of iron ore• Mica: makes electrical equipment• Graphite: lead in pencils

Timber

• Conifers, silver fir, and hardwoods (oak, magnolia, beech, and birch)

• Severe overcutting threatens Nepal’s timber• Massive soil erosion

Climate and Vegetation

• Tropical climates in the south• Highlands• Deserts

Climate Regions of South Asia

Tropical and Subtropical Climates

• Tropical rain forests: western coast of India, near the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh, southern Sri Lanka.

• Absorb great quantities of moistureEbony trees, lush vines, and orchidsBamboo, mango and palm trees

Sundarbans (beautiful jungle)

• Swampy area in SW Bangladesh• World’s largest mangrove forest

Sundarbans

• Sundarbans

Tropical Savanna

• Central Indian steppe• Eastern Sri Lanka

Humid Subtropical Climate

• Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the NE part of India

Highland Climate

• Himalayan Highlands• Karakoram Mountain ranges• Snow all the time• Little vegetation survivesConiferous and hardwood trees Grasslands and bamboo divide the lower

Himalayan foothills from higher elevations

Dry Climates

• Great Indian Desert: (Thar Desert)• Desert scrub, low, thorny trees, and grasses• A Steppe surrounds the desert.

Thar Desert

Location of Thar Desert

Three distinct seasons

• Hot (Late February to June)• Wet: (June to September)• Cool: (October to late February)

• Period distinction depend on seasonal winds (monsoons)

• Cool season: dry winds• Hot: wet winds from Indian Ocean bring monsoon

rains

Monsoon Rains

• Monsoon rains are heaviest in South Asia• Some areas receive adequate rainfall for

agriculture while others (Deccan Plateau and western Pakistan) do not

• Other issues:• Flooding• Cyclones: storm with high winds and rain

Winter Monsoons: Nov.-April

Summer Monsoons: May-Oct.

• Indian Monsoons

• Youtube Monsoon