Name:
Date:
Class:
Introductory Notes: South Asia, Physical Geography
Quick write:
What, if anything, is wrong with this map?
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 South Asia is often referred to as a subcontinent________________________________
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 The subcontinent, South Asia is comprised of six countries.
Country
 _____________
 _____________
 _____________
 _____________
 _____________
 _____________
 _____________
Land Area (in square miles)
 297,637
 52,818
 18,147
 24,996
 51,703
 1,147,949
 268,601
Predict and place: use the symbol for mountains to denote where you think the Himalayas may
be. Place the country names on the map according to land size.
X
X
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Big shift: Terra Petitus Caelum
 The region was formed when the ___________________________________.
 This collision formed the Himalaya__________________________________________
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According to the map, which is the most common use for the land in the region?
Write a complete sentence: ____________________________________________________
Seeing a BIG picture
What could be the result of the Ghats
Mountain ranges on the climate of the
Deccan Plateau?
SOUTHERN PLATEAUS:
The collision of tectonic plates that pushed
up the Himalayas also created several
smaller mountain ranges in central India,
including the Vindhya
(VIHN•dyuh) Range. To the south lies the
Deccan Plateau. This large tableland tilts
east, toward the Bay of Bengal, and
covers much of southern India. Two
mountain ranges, the Western Ghats and
the Eastern Ghats, flank the plateau,
separating it from the coast. These
mountains also block most moist winds and
keep rain from reaching the interior. Rivers,
Deltas, and Plains The Northern Indian
Plain lies between the Deccan Plateau and
the northern mountain ranges. This large
lowland region stretches across northern
India and into Bangladesh. It is formed by
three great river systems: the Indus, the
Ganges, and the Brahmaputra.
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Rivers, Deltas, and Plains
The Northern Indian Plain, or Indo-Gangetic
Plain, lies between the Deccan Plateau and the
northern mountain ranges. This large lowland
region stretches across northern India and into
Bangladesh. It is formed by three great river
systems: the Indus, the Ganges, and the
Brahmaputra.
GREAT RIVERS The three great rivers of
South Asia have their origins among the
snowcapped peaks of the high Himalayas. The
Indus flows west and then south through
Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. The Ganges
drops down from the central Himalayas and
flows eastward across northern India. The
Brahmaputra winds its way east, then west and
south through Bangladesh. The Ganges and
Brahmaputra eventually meet to form one huge
river delta before entering the Bay of Bengal.
FERTILE PLAINS These rivers play a key role
in supporting life in South Asia. Their waters
provide crucial irrigation for agricultural lands.
They also carry rich soil, called alluvial soil, on
their journey down from the mountains. When
the rivers overflow their banks, they deposit this
soil on alluvial plains, lands that are rich
farmlands. As a result, the Indo-Gangetic Plain
is one of the most fertile farming regions in the
world.
* What region of the subcontinent would the IndoGangetic plain be located? Explain your answer
with evidence from the text.
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(Map is skewed to show rivers)
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The Indo-Gangetic Plain is also the
most heavily populated part of South
Asia. In fact, the area contains about
three-fifths of India’s population. Many
of the subcontinent’s largest cities are
located there.
To the west, in the area between the
Indus and Ganges rivers, the plain
becomes drier and requires more
irrigation. To the south lies one of the
world’s most arid regions—the Thar, or
Great Indian Desert.
What city is, perhaps, the
most heavily populated?
*Where might the Thar desert be located
and why? Also, what population trends do
you notice? Use an excerpt from the text to
support your reasoning.
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Considering the maps you have analyzed and the text you have read, what conclusions can be
drawn from the information provided? Explain the most salient points in your synthesis of the
introduction.
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