The Land Where Continents Collided Physical Geography and Climate of South Asia
South Asia Countries include: 1. Pakistan 2. India 3. Nepal 4. Bhutan 1 2 3 5 4 5. Bangladesh 6. Sri Lanka 7. Maldives 7 6
Indian Subcontinent Subcontinent- a large landmass that is smaller than a continent. The Himalaya form a natural boundary between India and other countries. India is 1/3 the size of the U.S. Natural barriers separate India from China and other countries. Himalayan Mountains Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean One GIANT peninsula
Himalaya Mountains 50 million years ago, the Indian subcontinent was an island east of Africa. TQ physical process Tectonic forces caused the subcontinent to drift northward from Africa to Asia. The collision between the Indian subcontinent and Asia created the Himalayan mountain range. Himalayahouse of snow TQ In which sphere do earthquakes occur?
Himalayas TQ Form a natural boundary between India and other countries. TQ Northeast border of India Make Nepal and Bhutan landlocked Nepal Airport
Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay May 29, 1953 Mt. Everest 29,029 ft. Grows about 4 mm each year Nepal, Tibet-China border
Hindu Kush lie west of India- separate Pakistan from Afghanistan Khyber Pass
Southern Plateaus Deccan Plateau- tilts east, toward the Bay of Bengal. Lower population density due to semi-arid climate. Western and Eastern Ghats- rugged mountain landforms that make access to the Deccan plateau difficult.
Pop Quiz 1. True or False. The Place where a river begins is the origin. 2. The place where a river opens up into the sea is an estuary or mouth. Trick Question! It s both. An estuary is the broadened seaward end of a river, where the river s currents meet the ocean s tides.
Great Rivers of the Indian Subcontinent Origins in the Himalayas Indus River flows southwest through Pakistan, into the Arabian Sea. Ganges River flows eastward across India to the Bay of Bengal. Brahmaputra River winds through Bangladesh.
Ganges River
Indo-Gangetic Plain Rivers provide water for irrigation and carry alluvial soils. TQ Silting has created low lying areas that flood easily during spring snowmelts and monsoon rains. one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. Indo- Gangetic Plain This region is heavily populated- home to 3/5 of India s population. 1,139,964,932 Silt (alluvial soil): Soil that runs into streams and rivers due to precipitation. Gives water its brown/muddy color.
Islands Sri Lanka- large tear shaped island southwest of India. Maldives archipelagogroup of 1,200 islands. Low lying tops of submerged volcanoes (atoll) Only 200 islands are inhabited
II. Natural Resources Approximately of 50% of India s population relies on primary industries for survival. Where in India would you find most of the arable land? Which South Asian country has the least amount of arable land? 56% of India has arable land Sugarcane Rice Tobacco Tea Arable: land suitable for plowing or tilling (farming) TQ
III. South Asia s Climate South Asia has 5 climate zones. Highland- Himalayas and other mountains Arid- Thar Desert, less than 10 inches of rain a year Semi-arid- Central India, fringes of the Thar Desert. Tropical wet southwestern India Humid subtropical Bangladesh and northeastern India. Cherrapunji, India holds the world record for most rainfall- 366 inches a year.
TQ Monsoons Seasonal winds that bring rain. Winter monsoon (October-February), dry winds blow from the northeast (Himalaya), push precipitation away from South Asia, causing dry weather. Summer monsoon (June-September), winds from the southwest (Arabian Sea) bring heavy rainfall. TQ Bangladeshi houses on stilts: adaptation or modification?
Cyclone Violent storm with fierce winds and heavy rains. Cyclones are the most destructive in Bangladesh Bangladesh has a lowlying coast. In 1970, Cyclone Bhola killed ~300,000 people. What do we call these storms when they occur in the Atlantic Ocean?
Forests Less than 1/5 of India s original forest remain. Deforestation is a severe problem- Soil erosion Write down three Flooding examples. Landslides Loss of wildlife habitats Climate change
Warm-UP 1. True or False. Mt. Everest is the highest peak in the world. 2. Which is the largest country in South Asia? 3. True or False. Monsoons are strong winds that bring heavy rains.