SOUTH

ASIA
Mr. Juarez World Geo
South Asia Elevation
SOUTH ASIA
Subcontinent- a large landmass that is smaller than a
continent
• South Asia is sometimes called a subcontinent or the Indian
subcontinent
South Asia includes the following countries:
• India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
the Maldives
The region has more than one billion inhabitants- 1/5 of the
world’s population
SOUTH ASIA
Millions of years ago, the land of South Asia was part of East
Africa.
It split off and drifted northward and collided with Central
Asia
• The collision created the Himalayan Mountains
• The Himalayan Mountains contain the world’s highest
mountains
• Mt. Everest- the world’s tallest peak
The Hindu Kush mountains are at the west end of the
Himalayas
This Class Don’t Know
About Pangea
SOUTH ASIA
Southern Plateaus
• The Deccan Plateau
• Formed from 29 lava
flows now in Ind. Ocean
• Covers a lot of India
• 700,000sq km
• Arid region
Deccan Plateau
SOUTH ASIA
Rivers, Deltas, and Plains
• Three great river systems
• Indus
• Ganges
• Brahmaputra
• Have their origins in the Himalayas
• Fertile plains
• These rivers provide crucial irrigation for agricultural lands
• Alluvial Plains- lands that are rich farmlands
• Indo-Gangetic Plain- one of the worlds most fertile farming
regions and one of the most heavily populated in India
• 630Million Acres across N. & N.E India, Pakistan and
Bangladesh
SOUTH ASIA
Off shore islands-
• Sri Lanka
• Tear shaped island off the coast of India
• The Maldives
• Archipelago- group of islands
• https://youtu.be/b-Sj5UzvwRg
•
SOUTH ASIA
Natural Resources
• South Asia is home to a wide variety of natural resources
• Rich soil for agriculture
• Waterways provide transportation
• Forests provide timber
• Minerals
SOUTH ASIA
Climate and vegetation
• Climate regions: tropical wet, tropical wet and dry, desert,
semiarid, humid subtropical, highland

• Vegetation: Tropical rain forest, tropical grassland, desert and

dry shrub, temperate grassland, deciduous and mixed forest,
highland
SOUTH ASIA
Monsoons and Cyclones
• Monsoons- seasonal winds
• October-February, dry winds blow across South Asia from the
northeast
• June-September, the winds blow in from the southwest,
bringing moist ocean air
• Heavy rains fall, especially in southwestern and Ganges Delta
portions of South Asia
• The rainfall is crucial to life on the subcontinent, but the
monsoons can cause severe hardship for millions
SOUTH ASIA
Monsoons and Cyclones
• Cyclones- a violent storm with fierce winds and heavy rain
• Most destructive in Bangladesh
• A severe cyclone can cause widespread damage and kill
thousands
WHERE Are We?
Magic Carpets are
outlawed now
Monument Crush
Monday
1. What landmark is it?
1. Taj Mahal
2. Where is it located?
1. India
3. Which culture created it?
1.Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah
Jahan to house the remains of his cherished wife
4. Why was it created?
1. It was built to house the remains of his cherished wife
5. What defining characteristics standout to you?
NOTABLE PHYSICAL
FEATURES
• Ganges River
• Himalayas
• Indus River Valley
GANGES RIVER
• Location
• Located in northern India, the river flows form the
Himalayas eastward to the Bay of Bengal
• Calcutta is a major population center
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• High population density along the river and its delta region
due to water accessibility and fertile lands
• Water provides irrigation for agriculture
HIMALAYAS
• Location
• Located along the countries of Pakistan, India, Nepal, and
Bhutan
• Southern boundary of the Plateau of Tibet
• Tallest mountains in the world
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• Remote landlocked villages
• Lack of mobility and trade routes decrease the amount of
settlement
INDUS RIVER VALLEY
• Location
• Located in Pakistan, the Indus River flows from the
Himalayas to the Arabian Sea through the valley
• Karachi is a major port city
• How does the physical environment affect settlement
patterns in this area?
• Large population centers
• Fertile soils and rich alluvial plains
INDIA
• Ganges River and Deccan Plateau promote settlement
• Great Indian Desert does not promote settlement
• Monsoons create a wet and dry season
• Fertile soils (forests and plains)
• Coal, iron ore, natural gas, arable land
• Most people are in agriculture
• Major population areas- Delhi- Ganges Plain, Calcutta-
near the mouth of the Ganges, Chennai and Mumbai-
coastal cities
• Issues- soil erosion, air pollution, water pollution, growing
population overstraining natural resources
NEPAL
• Himalayas do not promote settlement
• Highlands and humid subtropical
• Affected by monsoons
• Resources- Quartz and water
• Most people are involved in agriculture
• Population areas- Kathmandu-capital
• Issues- deforestation, polluted water, agricultural runoff,
landlocked
THE MALDIVES
• Coral islands- not heavily populated area
• Tropical affected by monsoons
• Resources- fish
• Most people involved in agriculture, tourism is also a large
economic activity
• Population area- Male- capital city
• Issues- tsunami devastation, climate change
SRI LANKA
• Island nation
• Tropical, affected by monsoons
• Resources- limestone, granite, uranium
• Most people involved in agriculture
• Population center- Colombo the capital
• Issues- Deforestation, climate change, pollution
PAKISTAN
• Indus River Valley promotes settlement
• Mountains in north limit settlement
• Mostly hot, dry climate and arctic in the north limits
settlement away form the Indus River Valley
• Resources- land and natural gas
• Most people are involved in agriculture
• Population centers- Karachi (coastal, Arabian Sea), Lahore
(northeast near Indian border)
• Issues- water pollution and limited freshwater
BANGLADESH
• Brahmaputra River delta promotes settlement
• Tropical climate, mild winters, hot summers, affected by
monsoons
• Resources- natural gas, arable land
• Most people work in agriculture
• Population centers- Dhaka (capital)- along the river near
the bay
• Issues- flood prone lands have heavy populations, water
pollution, soil degradation, severe overpopulation
WHAT MAJOR RELIGIONS ARE
PRACTICED IN SOUTH ASIA?
 CULTURAL HEARTH
Early cultures developed along Indus River
Major religions emerged
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Islam
 HINDUISM
a religion- also determines
nd economic elements
eligion
or faith of India and Nepal
ms of worship differ by
on
Over 33,333 gods due to
he different denominations
mplicated faith without a
ormly accepted belief
em
BASIC HINDU BELIEFS
Reincarnation (Samsara)
•Living things have souls, upon death
souls transfer into new living creature
Karma
•Every action brings certain results
•No escaping consequences of one’s
actions
Dharma
•Set of rules that need to be followed to be
reincarnated up a caste
Buddhism Afterlife

Nirvana
OR
Reincarnation
Not To Be Confused...
 ISLAM
•Arrival of Islam
• Around 700 A.D. Arab
armies conquered
lower Indus Valley
• Mughal Empire, a
powerful Muslim state,
dominated
• Akbar 1556-1605
• Conversion in
northwest (Pakistan)
and Northeast
(Bangladesh) and
island nations
(Maldives/Sri Lanka)
 OTHER RELIGIONS
• Jainism
• Religion that emerged around 500 B.C. as protest
to orthodox Hinduism
• Stressed extreme non-violence
• Sikhism
• Faith incorporating elements of Hinduism and
Islam
• Monotheistic and believes in reincarnation
• Originated in Punjab in 1400s
• Sikh men noted for work as soldiers and
bodyguards
 OTHER RELIGIONS
• Zoroastrian
• Ancient religion focusing on struggle between good
and evil
• Found in Mumbai area
• 2000b.c
• Christians
• British missionaries converted animists to
Protestantism
When was 2000b.c?
Comparison of Hinduism and Islam
•Hindus tend to be •Muslims see Hindus as
vegetarians (ahimsa and polytheistic infidels not to be
reincarnation beliefs foster tolerated
this) •Muslims eat meat (cows) –
•Cows are sacred animals not pork
•Believe in reincarnation
•Muslims are strict
•Brahman, if it is God, is an monotheists
impersonal one
•Muslims believe in a personal
•Follow caste system – no
social or religious mobility God
within one lifetime •Muslims reject the concept of
•Formerly practiced sati castes – equality of believers
(widow would throw herself on •Reject reincarnation
husband’s funeral pyre)
Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis,
Caste System
A caste system is the way the people in the Indus River Valley
civilization were divided up into social classes.

• https://youtu.be/HyCQDIwHlXY
•
 CONTRIBUTIONS
○ Science:
○ Knew Earth was a sphere and rotated on axis
○ Knew it revolved around the sun
○ Algebra:
○ Aryabhata discovered it
○ Concept of “zero”
Sanskrit: writing system
began by Aryan scribes.
Vedas: Hindu hymns and
religious ceremonies
 SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Family is very important
• Grandparents, parents and children all lived together
• Oldest male had say in the household
Women’s dominance by man
• Only males could inherit property, unless special
situations
• Divorce not allowed
• Suttee
Sutte? commit Sati
 CASTE SYSTEM
○ Social hierarchy
began in Ancient
India
○ Based on Hindu
faith
○ Classes were
determined based
off of birth
○ You were born into
your caste and
couldn’t move up
○ Belief in
reincarnation- able
to move up if live
life well
 CASTE SYSTEM
Different castes had
different jobs and roles in
Brahman
society
Priests and
Teachers

Kshatriya
Rulers and warriors

Vaishya
Working class- trade, business, officials

Sudra
Peasants, artisans, and manual workers

Untouchables
Dirty jobs- Outcasts- Dalits
 CASTE SYSTEM
○ Caste system ruled Indian society for thousands of
years
○ During colonization by Europeans the caste system
was used to help governments control people
○ In 1947 the Indian government got rid of the
mandatory separation of classes
○ Today, the idea of caste system is banned, but is still
evident in the way that society interacts
HISTORY-
COLONIZATION
The British colonized the region in the late 1800’s to exploit
the abundant natural resources
Indians tried to fight against British rule, but were
unsuccessful and they were placed under a system called the
British Raj- as a result many Indians were discriminated
against and lived in poverty
• Mohandas K. Gandhi led revolution against British control in
the 1930’s and 40’s.
• India achieved independence in 1947
• Gandhi used nonviolent resistance- a protest movement that
does not use violence to achieve its goals.
HISTORY-
COLONIZATION/PARTITI
ON
The end of British rule in 1947 brought partition- or division
of British India
• After the British left India, Pakistan split from India and a few
years later Pakistan itself divided to create Bangladesh
• Partition led to a lot of violence between Muslims and Hindus
• About 1 million people died in the conflict
Partition 0f 1947
MODERN DAY
Modern day challenges include poverty, overcrowding,
ethnic/religious conflicts, and economic development.
India is the second most populated nation in the world with
over 1.2 billion
India spends a lot of its annual health-care budget
encouraging Indians to have smaller families
Education- essential to break the cycle of poverty and
provide South Asians with the means to raise their standard
of living
INDIA
India became a democratic republic in 1950
Population of more than 1 billion- the world’s largest
democracy
Like the U.S.- India has a federation of states held together
by a strong central government
Like Britain- they have a parliamentary democracy
• The leader of the majority party in parliament becomes prime
minister and head of the government
INDIA
Many different ethnic, cultural, and religious factors influence
politics
• Hindus and Muslims-
India is mainly
Hindu, but do have
a large number of
Muslims therefore
they must take their
interests into account
INDIA
Economics
• Another challenge of India is to promote economic growth and
raise standards of living
• India has one of the world’s largest income, but per capita
income is low
• About half of India’s people live in poverty
• About two-thirds rely on farming- majority of farms are very
small
• The Green Revolution- scientists introduced new farming
techniques and higher-yielding grain varieties to improve
production
INDIA
Modern life
• Marriage and family are at the center of Indian life
• Families are large
• Some still have arranged marriages
• Marriage is male-dominated
• Divorce is rare
• Most Indians eat a vegetarian diet based on rice, legumes,
and flatbreads
• Some Indians eat meat, fish, and chicken, often in spicy
dishes called curry
INDIA
Modern life
• Popular sports- soccer, field hockey, and cricket
• As the economy changes, more people are finding work in
factories and offices
• Education is important for change in India
• Literacy rate has risen steadily since the 1950’s
• In slum areas- literacy rates are low and school attendance is
irregular
• Government has placed a high priority on improving public
education
INDIA
Culture
• Many languages- more than 1,000 languages and dialects are
spoken in India
• Hindi is the official language and English is widely spoken too
• Hinduism- the most influential factor in India
• Make up 80% of population
• They believe in many gods and reincarnation- rebirth of souls
and death
• Karma
• Caste system- system of social classes- the Brahmans
(priests and scholars), the Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors),
the Vaisyas (farmers and merchants, and the Sudras (artisans
and laborers)
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Economy
• Large, rapidly growing populations
• Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world
• Subsistence farming- many families rely on what they grow
themselves
• Indus Valley- farmers here grow enough cotton and rice to
allow for export
• Fishing is also important for their economy
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Neither are highly industrialized, but both countries are
trying to increase their industrial base
Exports- cotton garments, wool carpets, and leather goods
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Most of the people here are Muslims
The countries differ somewhat in their Islamic practices
• Pakistan is stricter in imposing Islamic law on citizens
• Women are not allowed to have contact with men who are not
relatives, when women appear in public they must have wear
veils
• In Bangladesh it is not as common
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Pakistan is more diverse
They have five major ethnic groups and each has their own
language and regional areas in the country
In Bangladesh most people are Bengalis
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Life revolves around the family
Arrange marriages are common and families tend to be large
Most people live in small villages, in simple homes made of
materials like sub-baked mud, bamboo, or wood
The large cities are busy places, with crowded traffic and
people
PAKISTAN AND
BANGLADESH
Poetry is important and traditions of oral literature is strong
Music and dance is also important
Tradition of folk dances with elaborately costumed dancers
act out Bengali myths, legends, and stories
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Both are located in the Himalayas
The mountains have helped to keep these countries isolated
Both countries have constitutional monarchies- kingdoms in
which ruler's powers are limited by a constitution
Governments challenges- balance interest of two powerful
neighbors, China and India
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Economy-
• Decades of isolation and difficult topography have limited
economic growth
• They have limited natural resources
• They rely heavily on agriculture- most farm plots are small
because of the rough terrain
• Timber industry is important
• Most trade is with India
• Increasing tourism- Himalayas are poplar for tourists
NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Rich cultural traditions-
• Various ethnic groups life here
• Religious customs- religion is important
• Hinduism and Buddhism are the most common religions
• Folk art and festivals are popular
• Artisans make metal bells, swords, and jewelry
• They also weave colorful textiles from silk, cotton, and wool
• People celebrate and perform dances based on religious
stories
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Religion and ethnicity are key factors
Buddhists- 75% of population
Hindus- 18% of population
Muslims- 7%
Also a small community of Christians
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Economy
• Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia
• Economies are mainly based on agriculture
• Sri Lanka is one of the world’s leading tea-producing
countries
• Sri Lanka is also famous for gemstones- including sapphires,
rubies, and topaz
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Economy of the Maldives is a little bit different
• Farming is limited by lack of land
• Most food is imported
• Fishing is one of the main economic activities
• Tourism is the main economic activity
SRI LANKA AND THE
MALDIVES
Challenges
• 1980’s- civil war in Sri Lanka and the tourist industry
collapsed
• War damaged the country’s infrastructure
Latrine/Sitar!

https://youtu.be/dKkryfdtMNQ

https://youtu.be/8CnhcGpmH9Y