The Physical Geography of
South Asia
Coach Waldrip
World Geography
South Garland High School
Part I: Landforms and Resources
Mountains and Plateaus
• The Himalayas are part of South Asia, a
region that includes seven countries: India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri
Lanka, and the Maldives.
• South Asia is sometimes called a
subcontinent, a large landmass that is
smaller than a continent.
• In fact, it is often referred to as the Indian
subcontinent because India dominates the
region.
The Himalayas
South Asia’s Size and Population
• South Asia is about half the size of the
continental United States, it has more than
one billion inhabitants – one fifth of the
world’s population.
Northern Mountains
• Himalayas – mountian
range that contain the
world’s highest
mountains.
• They stretch for 1500
miles and form a barrier
between the Indian
subcontinent and China.
• Mt. Everest, the world’s
tallest peak, sits at the
heart of the Himalayas.
• Hindu Kush –
mountains that lie at
the west end of the
Himalayas.
• They form a rugged
barrier separating
Pakistan from
Afghanistan to the
north.
• Karakoram Mountains –
rise in the northeastern
portion of the chain.
• They are home of the
world’s second highest
peak – K2.
Mount Everest
K2
Southern Plateaus
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Vindhya Range
Deccan Plateau
Western Ghats
Eastern Ghats
The Great Rivers
• Indus River
• Ganges River
• Brahmaputra River
Fertile Plains
• The rivers play a key role in supporting life in South
Asia.
• The Indo-Gangetic Plain is one of the most fertile
farming regions in the world and also the most
heavily populated part of South Asia.
• The area contains about three-fifths of India’s
population.
Offshore Islands
• Two island groups are also countries of South
Asia – Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Sri Lanka: The Subcontinent’s “Tear Drop”
• Sri Lanka is a large, tear-shaped island country.
• It has lush tropical land of great natural
beauty.
• Dominating the center of the island is a range
of high, rugged mountains.
Video: Sri Lanka
The Maldives Archipelago
• The Maldives comprise an archipelago, or
island group, of more than 1,200 small islands.
• The islands are the low-lying tops of
submerged volcanoes, surrounded by coral
reefs and shallow lagoons.
• This type of island is called an atoll.
• The total land area of the Maldives is 115
square miles.
• Only about 200 of the islands are inhabited.
The Maldives Archipelago
• The Maldives comprise an archipelago, or
island group, of more than 1,200 small islands.
• The islands are the low-lying tops of
submerged volcanoes, surrounded by coral
reefs and shallow lagoons.
• This type of island is called an atoll.
• The total land area of the Maldives is 115
square miles.
• Only about 200 of the islands are inhabited.
Video: The Maldives
Natural Resources
• South Asia relies heavily on its soil and water for
farming, fishing, transportation, and power.
• Timber
• Coal
• Petroleum
• Uranium
• Iron-ore
• Diamonds
• Sapphires
• Rubies
Part II: Climate and Vegetation
Climate Zones
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Tropical Wet
Tropical Wet and Dry
Desert
Semiarid
Humid Subtropical
Highland
Monsoons and Cyclones
• Although climate varies in South Asia, the
region as a whole is greatly affected by
monsoons, or seasonal winds.
• The most extreme weather pattern of South
Asia is the cyclone – a violent storm with
fierce winds and heavy rain.
Vegetation Zones
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Tropical Rain Forest
Tropical Grassland
Desert and Dry Shrub
Temperate Grassland
Deciduous and Mixed Forest
Highland
Part III: Human-Environment
Interaction
The Ganges River
• The Ganges River is the most well-known of all
the South Asian rivers.
• It flows for more than 1500 miles from its
source in a Himalayan glacier to the Bay of
Bengal.
• To Hindus, the river is not only an important
waterway, but it is also a sacred river. It is the
earthly home of the Hindu goddess Ganga.
A Sacred River
• The Ganges provides water for drinking, farming, and
transportation.
• The Ganges is known as “Gangamai,” which means
“Mother Ganges”.
• It is a sacred river that brings life to people. Many
Hindus believe the water has healing powers.
• People come from all parts of the world to drink and
bathe in its waters.
• They also scatter the ashes of deceased family
members on the river.
A Polluted River
• Unfortunately, the Ganges is one of the most
polluted rivers in the world.
• Millions of gallons of raw sewage and
industrial waste flow into the river.
• The bodies of dead animals and even human
corpses float on the water.
• As a result, the water is poisoned with toxic
chemicals and deadly bacteria.
The Polluted Ganges River
Controlling the Feni River
• The Feni River in Bangladesh has caused
tremendous hardships with its flooding.
• In the 1980s, engineers proposed building an
earthen dam for the Feni.
• Bangladesh is a very poor country with limited
technology and the cost of building would be
enormous.
Completing the Dam
• The project emphasized the use of cheap
materials and low-tech procedures.
• The test to see fi the dam would work came
three months after completion when a
cyclone (storm surges) hit the dam and the
dam held.