South Asia
Physical Geography
A Separate Land
• Seven countries make up a subcontinent
– Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan,
Bangladesh, Maldives
• Subcontinent
– A large, distinct landmass that is joined to a
continent
• Touches 3 bodies of water
– Arabian Sea to the west, Indian Ocean to the
south, and Bay of Bengal to the east
A Land of Great Variety
• The Himalaya Mountains
• 1000+ mile long range,
hundreds of miles across
• Mount Everest: World’s
highest peak
– 29,035 ft (8,850 m)
• Karakoram Mountains:
Northern most in South
Asia
• Hindu Kush just west of the
Karakoram Mountains
A Land of Great Variety
• Khyber Pass
– One of a few narrow crossing places between
Pakistan and Afghanistan
• Ganges Plain- 1/10th of the worlds
population lives here
• Plains watered by great rivers that come
from the Himalaya Mountains
– Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra
A Land of Great Variety
• Central Landforms
– Vindhya Range (continental drift also created)
• Not as tall as the Himalayas
• Divides north and south India (separates two
distinct cultures)
• Southern Landforms
– Eastern and Western Ghats (old, eroded
mountains)
• Form a triangle of rugged hills
Western Ghats
A Land of Great Variety
• Southern Landforms
– Deccan Plateau
• Once covered with lava, today has rich, black soil
• Western Ghats prevents yearly rainy winds leaving
it very arid
– Karnataka Plateau
• South of the Deccan Plateau
• Receives the rains that the Deccan Plateau
doesn’t (lush and green)
• Spice plantations
• Wild elephants in dense rain forests
A Land of Great Variety
• Deccan Plateau
• Karnataka Plateau
A Land of Great Variety
• Sri Lanka
– Teardrop shaped island that broke away from
Indian landmass
• Maldives
– Tiny coral atolls and volcanic outcroppings
– An atoll is an island of coral that encircles a
lagoon partially or completely.
Chapter 23, Section 2 Quiz
Assignment- Read through the section
identifying all important information.
Quiz- You will have a reading quiz at the end
of the hour.
Chapter 23, Section 2 Quiz
1. How would you describe the great
majority of South Asia’s natural
vegetation?
2. In what part of this area do you find the
coolest temperatures?
3. Analyzed the reaction of South Asia’s
environment to the monsoons.
4. Describe at least one natural disaster
that can be found in South Asia.
Chapter 24 Assessment (Extra Credit)
• Complete this activity for Wednesday
• Pg: 608 (all)
Cultural Journal pg: 586-605
• Today you will be taking a cultural trek
through S. Asia. As you explore this
area, take notes over the various
characteristics of each country and each
areas history. Keep in mind that the
ultimate goal is to create a
comprehensive journal of you trek. The
journal entry needs to be about two (2)
pages long and is due by 4/21/08 or
Monday.
Class Assignment
• In groups, you will create a:
– Presentation
– Visual Aide
•
•
•
•
Political Cartoon
Chart
Map
Etc.
– Student Worksheet
• Fill-in-the-blank
• Matching
• Essay
South Asia Today
1. Living from the Land, South Asian Crop,
Mining and Fishing PG: 611-614
2. South Asian Industries, Tourism PG:
614-617
3. Managing Natural Resources, Seeking
Solutions PG: 618-621
4. South Asian Challenges, Promise and
Possibility, India’s Green Revolution:
Success or Failure? PG: 622-625