Instructor

South Asia

Ten Geographic Qualities

Physical Geography

Cultural Geography

Regions & States

Ten Geographic Qualities

1. Sub-region of Asia - Indian Subcontinent

2. Mostly Dry Flat Plateau Area

Ten Geographic Qualities

3. Soon to be the largest population concentration in the world 1.3

Billion 4. Center of Hindu Religious Concentration 5. Hundreds of

languages & ethnic groups

Ten Geographic Qualities 6. Colonial Exploitation of this resource rich area 7. Highest Mountains in the world 8. Historically an Asian crossroads for trade

Ten Geographic Qualities 9. Region is dominated by monsoon rains 10. Culturally vibrant

Hindus, Moslems, Jaines, Seiks

Relative Location of South Asia

Centrally located between Southwest Asia and Southeast Asia

South of China North of the Indian

Ocean Along a water trade

routes

South Asia

Ten Geographic Qualities

Physical Geography

Cultural Geography

Regions & States

Physical Geography of South Asia

Plate Tectonics Plateaus Deserts Mountains Rivers Lakes Climates

Physical Geography Plate Tectonics

– Clashing or colliding plates of Eurasian and Indian plates

– This collision created the Himalayan Mts.

Physical Geography

Indian Sub Continent Plateau - Deccan Plateau

DesertsThar DesertPakistan Desert

Physical Geography of South Asia

Mountains– Himalayan– Pamir Mts.– Karakorum Mts.

Physical Geography of South Asia

Rivers – Indus River– Ganges River– Brahmaputra River

Gulfs - – Arabian Gulf– Bay of Bengal

Physical Geography of South Asia

Climates– Desert Climates dominate

Pakistan and Afghanistan– Deccan Plateau of India is also

very arid– Northern Himalayan regions and

coastal areas are very wet in the summers

tropical monsoon climate

South Asia Ten Geographic Qualities Physical Geography Cultural Geography Regions & States

Cultural Geography of South Asia

INTERESTING FACTS– India is the 1/3 the size of the United States with 5

times the population

– Bangladesh has about half the population of the United States alone

– South Asia is the fast growing of the large population concentrations and will soon surpass China as the largest

Cultural Geography of South Asia

– Population– Languages– Religion– Agriculture– Economics– Historical Geography

Cultural Geography of South Asia

Population– 1.4 billion– concentrations on

coasts & rivers – high overall population

due to large base numbers & high growth rates

– Large numbers in Pakistan & Bangladesh

South Asia Population Characteristics

– Birth rates 28/1000– Death rates 9/1000– Natural Increase 1.9%– Infant Mortality 74/1000– Doubling Time 36yrs– Pop <15 37%– Pop > 65 4 %

Cultural Geography of South Asia

Languages– Indo-European

Language Family Indic Branch

– Dravidian Language Family

Hindi

– English is the lingua Franca or the language of commerce

Cultural Geography of South Asia Religion

– Islam in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh

– Hindu in India & Nepal

– Religious landscapes

Cultural Geography of South Asia Religion

– Religious landscapes

Cultural Geography of South Asia

Agriculture– subsistence farming

intensive rice farming

– nomadic herding in dry areas

Amu Darya River & Irrigated Lands -

Cultural Geography of South Asia

Economy– primary industry– resource rich– trade– large labor

population

Historical Geography

Pre European Kingdoms Colonial Transformation Emergence of

a World Power

South Asia

Ten Geographic Qualities

Physical Geography

Cultural Geography

Regions & States

South Asia

Ten Geographic Qualities

Physical Geography

Cultural Geography

Regions & States

C.J. CoxInstructor