Physical Geography of

South Asia

TULOSO-MIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL

Landform Regions of South Asia

Himalayas

The Ganges River Basin

The Indus River Basin

The Deccan Plateau

HIMALAYAS• Separate India

from other countries in the region

• Contains the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest (~29,000 ft above sea level)

HIMALAYAS• Formed by tectonic

forces - convergence

• Earthquakes are common in region

• Among the youngest mountain ranges on the planet (70 million years old)

Hindu Kush• Smaller in area than

the Himalayas, but almost as high and just as rugged.

• Located mostly in Afghanistan.

• The word “kush” means “death.”

Khyber Pass• Best known pass

through the Hindu Kush.

• For centuries, traders and invaders traveled through this pass.

Kashmir• Isolated valley in

northern India.• Famous for the

production of a fine wool.

• Split between India, Pakistan and China.

Indo-Gangetic Plain• Large plain formed

by the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers.

• Most fertile and densely populated part of South Asia.

Indus River• Largest river of

Pakistan.

• The word “indus” means “river.”

• India’s name comes from this river.

DECCAN PLATEAU• Makes up most of

central and southern India

• Rugged area

• Access difficult

• Low population density

Deccan Plateau• Large plateau (an

elevated flat or hilly landmass)

• Bordered by mountains:– Vindhyas– Western Ghats– Eastern Ghats

DECCAN PLATEAU

RIVER SYSTEMS• Indus River and

Ganges River are the two most important in the region

• Provide for farming (irrigation) and energy production (hydroelectric power)

GANGES RIVER• Religious rituals of

the Hindu include:

– Bathing for purification and

– Disposal of their deceased

• RESULT:

• One of the most polluted rivers in the world

Ganges River• Largest river in

India.• Most holy river of

Hinduism.• Joins with

Brahmaputra to create an enormous delta in Bangladesh.

GANGES RIVER

• POLLUTED RIVER

GANGES RIVER• National Geographic article on the

polluted state of the Ganges River– http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

news/2011/11/111123-india-ganges-river-pollution/

Brahmaputra River

• Large river that starts in Tibet (China).

• Runs through India and Bangladesh.

• Name means “Son of Brahma.”

Thar Desert

Large desert in India and Pakistan.

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats create a “rain shadow.”

Windward Side Leeward

Side

Review: Physical Features• Deccan

Plateau• Himalayas• Hindu Kush• Indo-Gangetic

Plain• Thar Desert• Western

Ghats

Hindu Kush

HimalayasThar Desert

Indo-Gangetic

Western Ghats

Deccan Plateau

Climates• With monsoons to the

South and East, there is heavy seasonal rainfall (India).

• Dry climates to the west (in Pakistan).

• Highland climates in the north (Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan).

MONSOONS• To the people of India,

the monsoons are a source of life.

• Seasonal reversal of winds bring heavy rainfall or no rain at all.

• General onshore movement in summer, bringing rainfall (lots of it).

• General offshore flow in winter, resulting in little rain.

• Very distinctive seasonal precipitation

POTENTIALLY NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MONSOONS

• Widespread flooding• Property damage• Destruction to agricultural lands• Damage to transportation infrastructure• Homelessness• Disease• Malnutrition• Serious injury• Death

Natural Hazards in South Asia

• Earthquakes

• Monsoons and Flooding

• Drought and Fires

• Tsunamis

• Cyclones

TSUNAMIS• A series of ocean waves generated usually by

an earthquake in the sea floor. • In the deep ocean, the tsunami wave may only

be a few inches high.

• The tsunami wave may come gently ashore or may increase in height to become a fast moving wall of turbulent water several meters high.

TSUNAMIS• Video of March 11, 2011 tsunami in Japan

• http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/environment-news/japan-tsunami-2011-vin/

• Video of tsunami in Sri Lanka

• http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/environment-natural-disasters/tsunamis/tsunami-sri-lanka/

CYCLONES• A cyclone is a hurricane that occurs in

the South Pacific or Indian Oceans

CYCLONES• More on cyclones from the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

• http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/cyclone.html