South Asia

Northern Mountains Himalaya Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world. (Everest is 29,035 feet currently) Other mountain ranges in the north are the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush For centuries trading caravans have used the Khyber Pass to reach India Scientist believe that the northern mountains were formed by tectonic plate movement

Northern Plains The three rivers Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra water the fertile plains of the north. Ganges and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal Indus flows into the Arabian Sea 40% of India’s population lives on the Ganges Plain Delta have formed where the river meets the bay or sea

Southern Landforms The Ghats are both eroded coastal mountains Western Ghats block rains from reaching the Deccan Plateau Karnataka Plain receives the rain from Arabian Sea before it reaches the Deccan Plateau You can smell spices and see elephants on the green Karnataka Plain.

Natural Resources Most South Asians grow crops or raise livestock on small plots India has more natural resources than its neighbors (iron, ore, manganese and chromite and coal) Pakistan has limestone and natural gas The regions fast moving rivers are used to create hydroelectricity

Environmental Concerns Water is often polluted in large cities and near factories. Farming fertilizers also pollute the rivers Forests are cut down for firewood and building purposes. Most heat and cook on wood in rural areas A brown cloud has formed over the Indian Ocean from factories and cooking and heating fires Villagers heat and cook with kerosene, wood, charcoal and dung

Monsoons Three distinct season: hot wet and cool depend on monsoon winds The monsoon rains are heaviest in Eastern South Asia Some areas suffer droughts while other areas experience heavy flooding from monsoons and cyclones. Bangladesh has severe flooding in the delta area A 1999 storm killed 10,000 people

Climate Areas Bangladesh can receive 100 inches of rain per year The city of Cherrapunji averages 450 inches per year Near the Indus River farmers must use irrigation because the land is so dry Thar Desert extremely dry gravel plains near Pakistan Little grows in the Highland climate above 16,000 feet Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley has a mild climate July averages 78 degrees and January 50 degrees