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South Asia

South Asia. The Land. South Asia consists of a large peninsula with Sri Lanka a large island near its southern tip. The peninsula that India is located on is also known as a subcontinent – a large landmass smaller than a continent which is bordered on three sides by oceans.

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South Asia

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  1. South Asia

  2. The Land • South Asia consists of a large peninsula with Sri Lanka a large island near its southern tip. • The peninsula that India is located on is also known as a subcontinent – a large landmass smaller than a continent which is bordered on three sides by oceans.

  3. South Asia is bordered by the Himalayas to the north, the Arabian sea to the west, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Bay ofBengal to the east.

  4. Six countries make up South Asia. • India • Pakistan • Nepal • Bhutan • Bangladesh • Sri Lanka

  5. India is the largest country in South Asia by landmass and population. India has the second largest population in the world with a little under a billion people, but by 2025 will be the largest. • India is the largest democracy in the world. • The Deccan Plateau in the south of India covers 2/3 of the country. • Most of the population lives in the northern plains, which are rich agriculturally.

  6. Three Great River Systems and the world’s largest alluvial plain are located in South Asia. • Ganges • Indus • Brahmaputra • South Asia has little oil reserves, natural gas, uranium, or coal. They do have mineral deposits, including iron ore and mica.Mineral wealth is greater than oil reserves or natural gas.

  7. Brahmaputra Ganges at Varanasi

  8. Climate and Vegetation • Climate of South Asia Although much of the subcontinent lies south ofthe Tropic of Cancer and has a tropical climate, the climates of the northern and western parts of the region vary widely from highlands to deserts. Tropical and Subtropical Climates –The west coast of India, the GangesDelta, and southern Sri Lanka have tropical rainforest climates.

  9. The rain forests absorb much of the heavy annual rainfall. • The central Indian steppe and eastern SriLanka have a tropical savanna climate, with wet and dry seasons, grasslands, and deciduous forests. • A humid subtropical climateextendsacross Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. • Highland Climates • Snow never melts in the Himalayanhighlands

  10. On the lower slopes, the climate is temperate and enough to support deciduous and coniferous forests. • The foothills support grasslands andstands of bamboo. • Dry Climates • Dry climates, which occur along the lowerIndus River, produce the Great IndianDesert and the surrounding steppes. • Dry deciduous forests cover vast stretches of India’s interior.

  11. From June to September the wind direction brings heavy rains in South Asia. This is the wet monsoon. The other times of the year it will be a dry monsoon. Monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds.

  12. Wet and Dry Monsoon

  13. Deforestation is a major problem in South Asia. There used to be major forests but now only a small portion is left. “Tree Huggers” are replanting the trees in areas.

  14. Natural Hazards • Both the high temperatures of the hot season and the heavy rains of the wet season have positive and negative effects. • Extremely high temperatures and lack ofrain can dry out the soil, causing drought. • Too much rain caused by monsoons brings floods and results in great damage to land and property, as well as loss of human life.

  15. Cyclones, another kind of catastrophic weather event, are equally destructive. • Earthquakes – throughout the 1990s, India was shaken by frequent major earthquakes. In 1993, an earthquake in Maharashtra in southern India had a death toll estimated at 30,000. In 2001, nearly 20,000 Indians were killed in another devastating earthquake. • Tsunamis – also a direct result of earthquakes on ocean floors causes the destruction of coastline cities and towns.

  16. Natural Hazards

  17. Population Patterns • South Asia is ethnically diverse. • Population density is the greatest on the Indo-Gangetic Plain. • South Asia with six countries has a larger population than all of Africa and Southwest Asia combined. (74 countries) • Much of the population is migrating from rural to urban areas to find work.

  18. Urban and Rural Life • Most of South Asia’s population is rural. Even in Pakistan, South Asia’s most urbanized country, two-thirds of the population lives in rural areas. • Rural life –Rural life in South Asia has changedlittle over hundreds of years. – People farm, live in villages, and struggle to grow enough crops to feed their families. (subsistence agriculture)

  19. South Asia is also home to nomadic groups that herd camels, goats, or yaks for a living. • Growing Urbanization – In recent years, many South Asians have moved to cities, drawn by the hope of better jobs. • The resulting overpopulation causes shortages in housing, health care, andeducational facilities, as well as serious pollution. • South Asia’s cities are among the world’s mostdensely populated urban areas. • Important cities in the region include Mumbai,Kolkata, Delhi, Dhaka, and Karachi.

  20. Mumbai, India’s main port on the Arabian Sea as well as its largest city, has a population of more than 15 million.

  21. New Delhi

  22. History and Government • The __________ Valley was home to one of the world’s first great civilizations. • Many people have conquered South Asia, from the Aryans to the British. • Two of the world’s great religions – ___________________ and Buddhism – originated in South Asia. • The ____________arrived around 1500s –came for the resources/riches – ruled for4c. Built the RR system and major cities grew – Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

  23. Modern South Asia • Independence • Mohandas K. ________________ inspired Indians to protest British rule by nonviolent means. • He worked to end the rigid socialsystem. • He became known as Mahatma, or“Great Soul.” • British India gained its independence in ___________________, but was divided along religious lines.

  24. Areas with a Hindu majority became ____________. • Those with a Muslim majority became _______________, which was separated into two sections – East Pakistan and WestPakistan, by about 1,000 miles of land belonging to India.

  25. In _____________, Ceylon gained its independence from Britain and in 1972 it began using its ancient name – Sri Lanka. • In 1971, East Pakistan revolted against West Pakistan and became the new country of __________________. • The western part retained the name Pakistan.

  26. Regional Conflicts Since independence, India and Pakistan have fought over the disputed province of Kashmir. • Today, both countries have ____________ weapons. • Since the 1980s, Sri Lanka has been torn apart by fighting between the Sinhalese-led government and Tamil rebel forces. • Sri Lanka has been on the brink of outright civil war since the 1980s.

  27. The Fight Over Kashmir

  28. Today’s Governments • India, often called the world’s largestdemocracy is a federal parliamentary republic. • For 40 years after independence, members of the Nehru family headed India’s government. • After political assassinations in 1984 and 1991, the country settled into relative stability.

  29. Pakistan is a parliamentary republic that has endured many years of military rule. • Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are parliamentary republics, where intense political or ethnic rivalries have made stable government difficult. • Nepal and Bhutan are ruled by monarchies that are trying to modernize and still keep some power.

  30. Culture and Lifestyles • South Asians speak many different languages. India alone has 17 majorlanguagesand hundreds of dialects. (Sanskirt was first) • Main religions are Hinduism, Islam, andBuddhism. India – major religion Hinduism. • Also have Christianity, Jainism, and Sikhism.

  31. Important part of Hinduism is the caste system, which divides society into four categories. • It is a social stratification – multilayered culture controlled by the powerful priests. British tried to eliminate it. It is technically against the law, but still practiced in the rural areas and some large cities. • Caste System • Perform only certain jobs • Wear only certain clothes • Worship at certain places. • Not able to go up or down a level in the system

  32. Southern Peninsula isolated – distinct sub-region.Dravidiansare here – speak adifferent languagefrom the rest of India. • Most of South Asia haslow SOLand life expectancy is short. • Therehave been improvementsinhealthcareandeducation in recent years.

  33. Two Great Religions • Hinduism and Buddhism have had a profound influence on South Asia.

  34. Hinduism • Hinduism, which grew out of Aryancultureand religion, expects everyone to recognize and carry out his or her dharma,or moral duty. • Hindus believe in reincarnation until the soul achieves perfection. • Good deeds help a person achieve perfection; evil deeds tie one to the endless wheel of rebirth.

  35. Hindus worshipmany gods and goddesses, which are often seen asdifferent forms of one eternal being. Festival of goddess Durga

  36. Buddhism • Buddhismis based on the teaching ofSiddhartha Gautama, who during the 500s BCE left his family and riches to seek thetrue nature of human existence. • Known as the Buddha, or Awakened One, Siddhartha urged people to achieve contentment by working diligently, thinking clearly, showing compassion, and avoiding attachment to material things.

  37. A Marriage of Influences Buddhismeventually spread from India to othercountries. • In some places, new forms of Buddhism blended with local practices. Death of the Buddha

  38. Living in South Asia • There have been agricultural advances. • Some South Asians still use oxen, water buffalo, yaks, and elephants to pull plows and to haul water and other loads. • Agricultural Improvements South Asian farmers are beginning to apply new technology to farming. • Modern irrigation, pest control,and fertilization are helping to increase output.

  39. Agricultural Conditions In the Himalayan highlands, farmers practice terrace farming on the steep slopes. • Crops include fruit in Pakistan’s valleys and rice in Bangladesh and along most of South Asia’s rivers. • Sri Lanka’s Plantations Most of India’s farms are small, but huge tea, rubber, andcoconut plantations established by Europeans are located in Sri Lanka. • These plantations take up so much land that Sri Lankans must import much of their food.

  40. South Asian Crops Jute, cotton, tea, rubber, coconuts, bananas, and rice grown for export, are the major cash crops. Other crops include wheat, millet, spices, peanuts, cashews, and sugarcane. • The Green Revolution During the 1960s, mechanized farming using new crop varieties sought to increase and diversify crop yields in developing countries

  41. As a result, India’s wheat and rice production has increased. • Mining and Fishing • Mineral wealth Iron ore, low-grade coal, bauxite, and copper are mined in India. India’s Brass

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