Chapter 23 The Physical Geography of South Asia

Chapter 23 The Physical Geography of South Asia

The Land • South Asia is a subcontinent-a large, distinct landmass that is joined to a continent • separated by mountains from the rest of Asia

• Surrounded by three bodies of water: Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal Indian Ocean

The Himalaya • According to theory of continental drift, Himalayan Mts were created when subcontinent broke away from Africa and collided with the southern edge of Asia. • 60 million years ago • Forced mountains upward • Over 1000 miles long and hundreds of miles wide

Mount Everest • World’s highest peak • Rises 29, 035 feet above sea level

Northern Landforms • Three mountain ranges form a chain that separates subcontinent: Karakoram Mountains, Hindu Kush, Himalaya • Khyber Pass- narrow crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan • Mountains protect Nepal and Bhutan from outsiders until 1900 s

Ganges River

Vindhya Range The Vindhya Range is at an elevation from 1, 500 to 3, 500 feet. Because of their horizontal sandstone structure, the mountains tend to be flat-topped and plateau-like. The range is regarded as marking the border between northern and peninsular India.

Southern Landforms • In the south the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats form a triangle • The Deccan Plateau is in the middle of the older, rugged hills • Deccan Plateau – rich, black soil from area once covered in lava • Western Ghats prevent rainy winds and create semi-arid to dry conditions on the Deccan Plateau • Karnataka Plateau receives much of the rain and has rain forest conditions K a r n a t a k a

Sri Lanka and the Maldives • Sri Lanka broke away from the subcontinent • Maldives-chain of tiny coral atolls and volcanic islands; covers 35, 000 miles of ocean, but only 300 square miles in area

Major River Systems • Indus The Indus River flows through Pakistan and into the Arabian Sea; known as one of the cradles of ancient civilization together with Egypt and Mesopotamia

Brahmaputra River • flows east through the Himalaya and into western India and Bangladesh, then joins with the Ganges, and empties into the Bay of Bengal • provides Bangladesh with 50% of in power through hydroelectricity • Is navigable for 800 miles and is major source of transportaion

Ganges River • • • Flows east from the Himalaya Most important river of South Asia Named after Hindu goddess, Ganga Maintains levels during entire year Flooding serious problem during summer monsoon season – April to June

Ganges Plain • World’s longest alluvial plain • Area of fertile soil deposited by flooding river • Most densely populated area

Natural Resources: water, energy resources, minerals, timber • Water: drinking water, transportation, alluvial soil, hydroelectricity • Rivers cross national borders

Energy resources • Petroleum reserves along India’s NW coast, near Ganges Delta and in N Pakistan • Arabian Sea oil explorations; but South Asia still depends on oil imports • Natural gas fields in southern Pakistan, Ganges Delta, Bangladesh • Uranium in Eastern Ghats • Most energy comes from hydroelectricity, fuel wood, coal

Minerals • India-leading exporter of iron ore, 90% of world’s mica (used in making electrical equipment) • Manganese, chromite, and gypsum await development • Nepal- mica and copper • Sri Lanka- graphite, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones