Geography of South Asia Mr. Kevin Nolen Penncrest High School Media, PA Plate Tectonics Theory Gondwanaland • Southern supercontinent. • Started to break up 175 million years ago. The Indian Subcontinent The Indian Subcontinent • A part of Gondwanaland broke off and collided with Eurasia. • The Himalayas and Hindu Kush were formed. The Indian Subcontinent A subcontinent is a large landmass that is smaller than a continent. Isolating Factors • Northern Mountains – Hindu Kush – Himalayas • Water – Arabian Sea – Indian Ocean – Bay of Bengal Regions of Asia Note: Definitions of regions tend to vary a bit. Regions of Asia • North Asia is Russia’s Siberia. • East Asia includes China and Japan. • Southeast Asia includes Vietnam and Indonesia. • South Asia includes India and Pakistan. • Central Asia includes Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. • Southwest Asia, better known as the Middle East, includes Saudi Arabia and Iraq. South Northern Asia Central Asia East Asia Southwest Asia South Asia Southeast Asia South Asia http://www.powtoon.com/show/eBdJCNKSB4I/geography-of-south-asia/ Countries of South Asia • • • • • • • • Afghanistan Pakistan India Nepal Bhutan Bangladesh Sri Lanka Maldives Major Geographic Regions Major Geographic Regions • Northern Mountains • Northern Plains • Deccan Plateau Northern Mountains Northern Plains Deccan Plateau Northern Mountains • Himalayas • Hindu Kush Himalayas https://tellagami.com/gami/SIE56D/ • 1,500 mile long chain of mountains. • Include tallest mountains in the world. • Create a massive wall separating South Asia from East Asia. Mount Everest • Tallest mountain in the world at 29,000 feet. • First climbed by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal. Hindu Kush • Smaller in area than the Himalayas, but almost as high and just as rugged. • Located mostly in Afghanistan. • The word “kush” means “death.” https://tellagami.com/gami/HVY6BA/ Khyber Pass • Best known pass through the Hindu Kush. • For centuries, traders and invaders traveled through this pass. Kashmir • Isolated valley in northern India. • Famous for the production of a fine wool. • Split between India, Pakistan and China. http://www.powtoon.com/show/bOKPdHWkIU5/kashmir/#/ Indo-Gangetic Plain • Large plain formed by the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers. • Most fertile and densely populated part of South Asia. Indus River • Largest river of Pakistan. • The word “indus” means “river.” • India’s name comes from this river. https://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/rivers-of-southasia/24674572/?s=x2R2G4&ref=appemail Ganges River • Largest river in India. • Most holy river of Hinduism. • Joins with Brahmaputra to create an enormous delta in Bangladesh. Brahmaputra River • Large river that starts in Tibet (China). • Runs through India and Bangladesh. • Name means “Son of Brahma.” Thar Desert Large desert in India and Pakistan. Deccan Plateau • Large plateau (an elevated flat or hilly landmass) • Bordered by mountains: – Vindhyas – Western Ghats – Eastern Ghats Western Ghats Windward Side The Western Ghats create a “rain shadow.” Leeward Side Monsoons • Monsoons are seasonal winds. • The word monsoon comes from the Arabic word for season. • There are wet and dry monsoons. The Wet Monsoon • The wet monsoon arrives in late May or early June. • South Asia relies on the wet monsoon for most of its annual rainfall. • Flooding often occurs in September at the end of the monsoon season. The Dry Monsoon • The dry monsoon arrives in October and lasts though November. Review Q: What large landmass split up millions of years ago, resulting in India’s collision with the rest of Asia? A: Gondwanaland Q: What two terms are used to describe this region of the world? A: South Asia & the Indian Subcontinent Q: What five physical features isolate South Asia? Hint: two landforms and three bodies of water. A: Hindu Kush, Himalayas, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean & Bay of Bengal. Q: What is the name of the territory in northern India that is claimed by both India and Pakistan? A: Kashmir Q: What is the name of the famous mountain pass through the Hindu Kush mountains? A: Khyber Pass Q: What geographic term is used to describe a landform that is low in elevation and relatively flat? A: Plain Q: What is the large plain in the northern part of South Asia? A: Indo-Gangetic Plain Q: What three rivers form the Indo-Gangetic Plain? A: Indus, Ganges & Brahmaputra Q: What geographical term is used to describe the landform formed at the mouth of a river? A: delta Q: Which country is largely composed of the huge delta formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra? A: Bangladesh Q: Which two rivers combine to form the largest delta in South Asia? A: Ganges & Brahmaputra Q: What two names are used to describe the large desert located in South Asia? A: Thar & Great Indian Desert Q: In which two countries is the Thar Desert located? A: India & Pakistan Q: What geographic term is used to describe an elevated area that is relatively flat? A: plateau Q: What is the name of the large plateau in central India? A: Deccan Plateau Q: What mountain chain has the biggest influence on the amount of precipitation the Deccan Plateau receives? A: Western Ghats Q: What geographic term is used to describe when one side of a mountain receives a lot of moisture and the other side almost none? A: rain shadow Q: What are monsoons? A: seasonal winds Q: What is the origin of the term monsoon? A: It comes from the Arabic word for season. Q: When does the wet monsoon arrive? A: late May/ early June Q: When do the dry monsoons arrive? A: October Review: Countries • • • • • • • • Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Afghanistan ? Pakistan ? Nepal ? India ? Sri Lanka ? Maldives ? Bhutan ? Bangladesh ? Review: Bodies of Water • Arabian Sea • Bay of Bengal • Indian Ocean Bay of Bengal ? Arabian ? Sea Indian?Ocean Review: Rivers • Brahmaputra • Indus • Ganges ?Indus Ganges ? Brahmaputra ? Review: Physical Features • Deccan Plateau • Himalayas • Hindu Kush • Indo-Gangetic Plain • Thar Desert • Western Ghats Hindu?Kush Thar Desert ? Himalayas ? Indo-Gangetic ? Deccan ? Western Plateau ? Ghats