South Asia Physical Geography

South Asia Landforms Mountains separate South Asia from the rest of Asia forming a subcontinent The Vindhya and Satpura Ranges divide India’s Northern and Southern regions

South Asia Landforms Mountain Ranges Himalaya- 1,500 miles long. Includes the world highest mountains (Mount Everest (Nepal) & Kanchenjunga). Bhutan and Nepal are found in this range Karakoram- connects with the Himalaya in NW South Asia, which in turn connects to the Hindu Kush Hindu Kush- runs through Pakistan into Afghanistan. includes several, wide, very high mountain passes

South Asia Landforms Indo-Gangetic Plain Lies at the foot of the Himalaya World longest alluvial plain (area of fertile soil deposited by river floodwaters)

South Asia Landforms The Himalaya, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush form a mountainous barrier between the subcontinent and the rest of Asia. Invaders, however, used crossing places, such as the Khyber Pass, to enter the region.

South Asia Water Systems Ganges- 4,000 sq. miles Tributary for Nepal’s rivers Indus- flow through Pakistan and empties into the Arabian Sea Brahmaputra- forms a broad delta and empties into the Bay of Bengal

South Asia Climate Highlands Climate is found in the mountainous northern region The western parts of South Asia, like Pakistan, experience Dry desert and steppe climates The mountainous Northern region has a highland climate. The Eastern Part of the Region experiences a tropical savanna climate, with wet and dry seasons and a humid subtropical climate

South Asia Water Systems Indian Ocean majorly impacts climate in Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka Submerged volcanic cones form many islands in the region including Maldives

South Asia Natural Disasters Cyclones- a storm with heavy rain and high winds that blows in a circular pattern around a low pressure area Tsunamis- huge seas wave caused by an underground earthquake Monsoon (seasonal wind that brings warm, moist air from the oceans in the summer and cool air from inland in the winter)

South Asia Natural Resources India- iron, copper, gold, timber. Petroleum is the most valuable Pakistan & Bangladesh- rice, copper, sugar cane, fish Maldives & Sri Lanka- eco tourism Nepal & Bhutan- coal, iron, timber, hydroelectric power

South Asia HEI High population is a threat to eco systems. Air and water pollution are a major issue No access to sanitation facilities make clean water hard to come by Natural disasters plague the area