Chapter 5-Lesson 1

Geography of South Asia

South Asia extends far into the Indian Ocean

as a diamond-shaped land. It is considered a subcontinent. Subcontinent- a large area of land that is

separated from other countries by water and land.

Geography

Eight countries are part of South Asia: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan,

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives Islands or Maldives.

Surrounding this subcontinent is the Indian Ocean.

Geography

Map of South Asia

Earth’s surface is made of several moving

plates. The movement of plates may cause changes

such as the development of mountain ranges, basins, and bodies of water.

South Asia is a location that is likely to have earthquakes.

Plate Tectonics

It is the highest peak in the Himalayas. The Himalayas are still rising today. Tibetans call Mount Everest “Goddess Mother

of the World.”

Mount Everest

There are three seasons in South Asia. Temperatures are mild to cool from October

through February. They shift to very hot from March through May. Then comes the monsoon season which lasts

from June to September.

Seasons

Also called the rainy season. Nearly all of the yearly precipitation, or rain

and snowfall, falls during the monsoon season. It is very important to farmers, who depend on

the rains for crops.

Monsoon Season

Three rivers flow through the subcontinent:

the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra. From sources in the Himalayas, they fan out to

the east and west through the wide, flat plain called the Indo-Ganges Plain.

Great Rivers, Great Plain

Remember that the rivers carry silt and water

to the crops which enrich the fields. Many people ONLY grow food for themselves

here. Some trade with small groups of people in

their village. The main crops grown here are: barley, peas,

wheat, rice, beans and other vegetables. They do NOT sell much of their crops.

Indo-Ganges Plain

Many families grow food just for themselves. Subsistence farming- people trade food with

small groups of people in their village. It is called subsistence farming because

people subsist, or live on, the food they grow.

Farming

There are three main industries in South Asia: 1. Most people work as farmers in India 2. Fishermen fish off of the coast of India. 3. Many people also work in the clothing and textile

industries.

Industry

It lies between the Arabian Sea and Bay of

Bengal. The climate is dry in this area, and more

irrigation for farming is needed. The plateau is rich in volcanic soil.

Deccan Plateau

Western Ghats- to the west of the Deccan

Plateau They are rugged mountains. Eastern Ghats- to the east of the Deccan

Plateau They are rolling mountains. Forests in the hills and mountain areas are

home to wildlife.

Mountains

Most people work as farmers in India. Manufacturing is an important industry in the

coastal areas and Indian Ocean islands. Many people work in the clothing and textile

industries.

Occupations