south asia notes
TRANSCRIPT
Peninsula
Himalaya Mountains• Created by South Asia colliding into East
Asia
• ~1000 miles long
• Contains Mount Everest- the world’s highest peak 29,035 feet asl
• Located on the border of China and Nepal
Himalaya Mountains• Khyber Pass
– Located between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the Himalayas
– Narrow crossing in the range– Connects South Asia to East Asia
Vindhya Mountain Range
• Created by tectonic plates
• Divides India into North and South regions
Deccan Plateau• Lies between the
Eastern and Western Ghats (mountain ranges) and South of the Vindhya Range
• Once covered by lava; therefore rich, black soil make it perfect for growing crops
Maldives• Archipelago, made up of chain of coral
atolls and volcanic outcroppings
• Currently threatened by rising world sea levels
Ganges Plain• Worlds largest
alluvial plain- fertile soil deposited by flooded river water
• 1/10 of the worlds people live here
• India’s most densely populated region
Climates of South Asia
Found in southern India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
Ebony Tree Orchid Tree
Bamboo Tree
Mango Tree
Palm TreeMangrove Tree
Found in Central India & Eastern Sri Lanka
Grasses and scattered trees
Little to no vegetation due to cold temperatures
Desert Scrub, low trees, random grasses
Surrounds desert/arid climates
Monsoon- Seasonal wind which brings rain
• Three Seasons – Hot Season (Feb-
June) SE Winds– Wet Season (July-
Sept) S Winds– Cool Season (Oct-
Jan) N-NE Winds
Indus River
• Flows through Pakistan
• Mouth- Arabian Sea
• Important transportation route
• One of the earliest civilizations in the world
Brahmaputra River• Flows through India
and Bangladesh• Mouth- Ganges
River at the Ganges Delta
• Provides 50% of Bangladesh’s hydroelectricity
• Provides an inland transportation route
Ganges River• Water is considered
sacred to Hindus• Headway- Himalayas• Mouth- Bay of Bengal
• One of the most polluted rivers in the as a result of a building boom, tourist influx, corpse disposals, dumping of chemical wastes, & human wastes.
Ganges River Delta
India exports Iron Ore which is used to make iron
90% of worlds Mica is found in South Asia
Mica is used in electrical equipment because it is resistant to heat.
Bombay• Largest city in India (2nd in world)
• 19 million people
• Leading center for finance, industry, and film making (Bollywood)
Calcutta
Calcutta
• Located on the Ganges River
• Center of India’s Iron and Steel industries
• 15 million people
New Delhi• Capital of India
• 21 million people
• Megalopolis- chain of closely linked metropolitan areas
People who live in temporary street settlements
Dhaka• Capital of Bangladesh• World’s 2nd most densely populated urban area• Over 14 million people (Mega city)• The center of political, cultural, and economy of
Bangladesh• Dhaka suffers from urban problems such as
pollution, congestion, and lack of adequate services due to the rising population.
Karachi, Pakistan• Largest city, main seaport, major financial
center (located on the Arabian Sea)
• 13 million people (mega city)
Countries of South Asia
• South Asia population is 1.3 billion people
• 1/5 of worlds population live in South Asia
• Population is expected to double by 2050
India• In population- worlds largest democracy• Identify themselves by religion- Hindu,
Buddhist, Sikhs, Jains, Christians• Jati- “Birth” in Hindu a person Jati
associated with their occupation and community
• Ex) Surname Gandhi- “Greengrocer”• Population 1.1 billion (2nd largest in world)• Population Density- 814 per square mile
India Continued• 30% Urban• Birth Rate- 21 births/1000• Death Rate- 7 deaths/1000• Republic- head of state is voted by the citizens• Former British Colony (independence 1947)
• Religion- 81% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 2% Christian, 2% Sikh
• Language- 41% Hindi
Pakistan• Population- 187 million
• Population Density- 472 people/square mile
• Birth Rate- 25 births/1000
• Death Rate- 7 deaths/1000
• 36% Urban
• Life Expectancy- 66 years old
Pakistan Continued• Government- Federal Islamic Republic
• Religion- 95% Muslim
• Language- 48% Punjabi
• Former British Colony – (1947)
Bangladesh• 158 million people• Population Density- 2,706 people/square
mile *** highest in the world• Birth Rate 23 births/1000• Death Rate 6 deaths/1000• 28% Urban• Language- Bangla• Religion- 90% Muslim, 10% Hindu• Government- Parliamentary Democracy
Sri Lanka• 21 million people• Population Density- 818 people/square mile• Birth Rate 17 births/1000• Death Rate 6 deaths/1000• 14% Urban
• Religion- 69% Buddhist, 7% Muslim and Hindu, 6% Christian
• Language- Sinhala- 74%, Tamil- 18%
Bhutan (landlocked)• 708,000 people
• Density- 37 people/square mile
• Birth Rate- 19 births/1000
• Death Rate- 7 deaths/1000
• Religion- 75% Buddhist
• Language- Dzongkha
• Government- Constitutional Monarchy
Nepal• 29 million people• Density- 477 people/square mile• Birth Rate- 22 births/1000• Death Rate- 7 deaths/1000• 19% Urban• Government- Federal Democratic Republic• Religion- 81% Hindu, 11% Buddhist, 4% Muslim• Language- Nepali• ***Contains 8 of the 10 highest peaks in the
world including Everest
Hinduism• “The Eternal Law”
• Belief requires every person to carry out their Dharma (moral duty). Death undergoes Reincarnation (rebirth). At a certain point, people leave rebirth and reunite with the eternal being (Dharma).
• Law of Karma- Good deeds which help a person reach Dharma
Buddhism
• Siddharta Gautama-
• “Buddha” or “Awakened One”– Prince who gave up all power and wealth after
becoming aware of human suffering. Taught that material things cause human suffering and people should think clearly, work hard and show compassion for all living things in order to be liberated from endless rebirth (Nirvana)
Buddhist Stupas
Located in Agra, India
Built in 1600 as a tomb for the emperors wife
Disease• Malaria (fever, vomiting, anemia)
• HIV (2nd highest rates in world)
• Cholera (acute diarrhea
• Dysentery (bloody diarrhea)
History of South Asia• Indus River Valley
– Began ~2000 BC– Developed 1st writing system, strong central
government, and overseas trade– Built first cities Harappa and Mohenjo Daro
• Aryans– Began ~1700-1500 BC– Sacred Writings- Vedas- created the social
Caste System
Mohandas Gandhi• Pre-eminent political
and ideological leader of India during the independence movement from Britain.
• Gain independence through nonviolence
• Referred to as “Bapu” or Father of the Nation
Priests
Warriors and Nobles
Artisans and Farmers
Slaves and Poor
Hierarchy of social structure