Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
South Asia CHAPTER 22 Physical Geography of South Asia CHAPTER 23 History and Cultures of South Asia CHAPTER 24 South Asia Today Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan, India NGS ONLINE For more information about the region, see www.nationalgeographic.com/education. Keren Su/CORBIS Unit 8 • 597 Keren Su/CORBIS South Asia 60°N UNITED STATES New York City Islamabad 30°N Kolkata (Calcutta) EQUATOR A It is about 6,891 miles (11,089 km) from New York City to Islamabad. B It is about 7,928 miles (12,757 km) from New York City to Kolkata (Calcutta). 0 0 SOUTH ASIA AT L A N T I C OCEAN PACI F I C O CEAN PAC I FI C OCEAN 0° INDIAN OCEAN N 30°S 2,000 kilometers W E 2,000 miles S Robinson projection 60°S 120°W The region of South Asia is more than half the size of the continental United States. Its land area is about 1.7 million square miles (4.5 million sq. km). Though smaller than the United States, South Asia has nearly five times the number of people as the United States and more than one-fifth of the people in the world. 0° 60°W 60°E 120°E Comparing Population United States and Selected Countries of South Asia United States India Pakistan Nepal = 30,000,000 Sri Lanka Source: World Population Data Sheet, 2005. 598 • Unit 8 Longest Rivers Brahmaputra River (shown) and Indus River (tied) 1,800 mi. (2,896 km) long Highest Point Lowest Point Mount Everest (Nepal) 29,028 ft. (8,848 m) high Largest Island Sri Lanka 25,332 sq. mi. (65,610 sq. km) Coast of Indian Ocean (Bangladesh) 0 ft. (0 m) high Unit 8 • 599 (t) Nature Picture Library/Alamy Images, (cl) DPA/AJI/The Image Works, (bl) Hemis/Alamy Images, (br) David H. Wells/CORBIS South Asia 40° N PHYSICAL 60°E 80°E K2 100°E 28,250 ft. . sR RT u Ind M Gan g A GA es Kanchenjunga 28,169 ft. (8,586 m) L A Y A N R. TROPIC R A TH SE DE I Mt. Dhaulagiri 26,810 ft. Mt. Everest (8,172 m) 29,028 ft. (8,848 m) ra R. H EAST ASIA GES PLAI ut CENTRAL ASIA S H KA RA (8,611 m) DU KU KO RA M Khyber Pass RA NG E HIN h Bra N Meghna R. KATHMANDU VALLEY OF CAN CER . da R Narma 20°N Goda vari R. A GH STE Arabian Sea R. ER TS Bay of Bengal N Andaman Islands RN N GH AT S Lakshadweep ns arba EA WE na ST DE CCAN Kris PL AT E AU h Sund ahanadi M R. GE A RAN SATPUR E W S 0 0° EQUATO R 0 Nicobar Islands 400 kilometers 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection Elevations 13,100 ft. (4,000 m) 6,500 ft. (2,000 m) 1,600 ft. (500 m) 650 ft. (200 m) 0 ft. (0 m) Below sea level Pass Mountain peak 20°S p ma INDIAN OCEAN 1 Location Which country is located nearest the Equator? 2 Regions How does the far north of the region differ from the rest of the region? South Asia 40° N POLITICAL 80°E 60°E 100°E CENTRAL ASIA EAST ASIA Islamabad us Ind R. Gan NEPAL g es New Delhi Thimphu h Bra Kathmandu ut PAKISTAN ra R. BHUTAN p ma R. TROPIC INDIA OF CAN CER a R. Narmad 20°N Goda vari Kris hna Dhaka ahanadi M R. BANGLADESH R. Bay of Bengal R. Arabian Sea Andaman Islands N Lakshadweep SRI LANKA (India) Meghna R. (India) E W S Nicobar Islands (India) Colombo MALDIVES Male 0° EQUATO R National capital 0 0 400 kilometers 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection INDIAN OCEAN 1 Place What country extends farthest east? 2 Location Where is Pakistan’s capital? 20°S Unit 8 • 601 South Asia 40° N P O P U L AT I O N D E N S I T Y 80°E 60°E CENTRAL ASIA Peshawar Rawalpindi Faisalabad Multan TROPIC Karachi OF CAN CER 20°N 100°E EAST ASIA Srinagar Lahore Ludhiana Meerut Delhi Faridabad Jaipur Lucknow Agra Patna Kanpur Hyderabad Varanasi Dhaka Asansol Bhopal Ahmadabad Jamshedpur Indore Khulna Chittagong Jabalpur Kolkata Rajkot Vadodara (Calcutta) Surat Nagpur Durg-Bhilai Nasik Bay of Mumbai Pune Bengal (Bombay) Hyderabad Sholapur Vishakhapatnam Vijayawada Arabian Sea Bengaluru (Bangalore) Chennai (Madras) N Coimbatore 0 400 kilometers 0 Cochin 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection Madurai E W S POPULATION Per sq. mi. 1,250 and over 250–1,250 62.5–250 25–62.5 2.5–25 Less than 2.5 Uninhabited Per sq. km 500 and over 100–500 25–100 10–25 1–10 Less than 1 Uninhabited Cities (Statistics reflect metropolitan areas.) Over 5,000,000 2,000,000–5,000,000 1,000,000–2,000,000 20°S 0° EQUATOR INDIAN OCEAN 1 Place Which country has the highest average population density? 2 Human-Environment Interaction What geographic feature is associated with the band of high population density in northern India? South Asia 40° N ECONOMIC RESOURCES 80°E 60°E CENTRAL ASIA 100°E Khyber Pass EAST ASIA BHUTAN PAKISTAN TROPIC 20°N OF CAN CER NEPAL INDIA Resources Bauxite BANGLADESH Chromite Bay of Bengal Coal Copper Gold Arabian Sea Andaman Islands Iron ore N Lead Limestone SRI LANKA Manganese E W S Nicobar Islands Natural Gas Petroleum Zinc MALDIVES 0 0° EQUATO 0 R Land Use Commercial farming Subsistence farming Nomadic herding Manufacturing and trade Commercial fishing Little or no activity 20°S 400 kilometers 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection INDIAN OCEAN 1 Place What mineral resources can be found in western India? 2 Place What economic activities take place in and around Sri Lanka? Unit 8 • 603 South Asia Country and Capital Literacy Rate Population and Density Land Area Life GDP* Expectancy Per Capita (Years) BANGLADESH Dhaka Thimphu BHUTAN 43.1% 42.2% New Delhi INDIA Male MALDIVES NEPAL Kathmandu Islamabad PAKISTAN SRI LANKA Colombo 59.5% 97.2% 45.2% 45.7% 92.3% 144,200,000 2,594 per sq. mi. 1,001 per sq. km 55,598 sq. mi. 143,998 sq. km 61 1,000,000 55 per sq. mi. 21 per sq. km 18,147 sq. mi. 47,001 sq. km 63 1,103,600,000 869 per sq. mi. 336 per sq. km 1,269,340 sq. mi. 3,287,575 sq. km 62 300,000 2,586 per sq. mi. 1,000 per sq. km 116 sq. mi. 300 sq. km 72 25,400,000 447 per sq. mi. 173 per sq. km 56,826 sq. mi. 147,179 sq. km 62 162,400,000 528 per sq. mi. 204 per sq. km 307,375 sq. mi. 796,098 sq. km 62 19,700,000 778 per sq. mi. 300 per sq. km 25,332 sq. mi. 65,610 sq. km 73 296,500,000 80 per sq. mi. 31 per sq. km 3,717,796 sq. mi. 9,629,047 sq. km 78 Television Sets Flag and Language (U.S. dollars) (per 1,000 people) $2,000 7 Bengali $1,400 6 Dzongkha $3,100 75 Hindi, English $3,900 38 Maldivian Dhivehi, English $1,500 516 Nepali $2,200 105 Punjabi, Urdu, English $4,000 102 Sinhala, Tamil, English UNITED STATES Washington, D.C. 97% *Gross Domestic Product $40,100 844 English Countries and flags not drawn to scale Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2005; Population Reference Bureau, World Population Data Sheet, 2005. For more country facts, go to the Nations of the World Databank at glencoe.com. 604 • Unit 8 Braga, Nepal Unit 8 • 605 Eye Ubiquitous/CORBIS Distinguishing Fact From Opinion Learn It! A fact is something that can be proved by evidence such as records, documents, or historical sources. An opinion is based on a person’s values or beliefs. Distinguishing fact from opinion can help you make reasonable judgments about what others say and write. Follow these steps to identify facts and opinions. • Read or listen to the information carefully. Which statements can be proved from a reliable source? These are facts. • Identify opinions by looking for statements of feelings or beliefs. Do statements include words like should or always? Read the following statements. The chart below can help you distinguish fact from opinion and explain why. 1. Call center jobs include answering customer questions or entering data online. 2. [Some] call centre employees answer telephones but some also do highly skilled back office jobs on-line. 3. Indeed, so glamoured are many of them [Indians] by the prospect of working for a multinational [worldwide corporation] . . . that they feel that they are already half-way to America. —from pages 658–659 cts to ple use fa o e p s e m emSometi ions. Rem in p o ir e se support th ces for the r u o s e th ck able. ber to che ey are reli th e r u s e facts to b Facts Opinions 1. This fact could be proven by checking employment advertisements or call center job descriptions. 3. The author describes many Indians as having the same feelings about work, which is not a proven fact. 2. This fact could be proven by checking employment advertisements or call center job descriptions. Read to Write Activity Practice It! Read the following paragraph from this unit. • Draw a chart like the one shown below. • Write facts from the paragraph in the column on the left. • Rewrite the paragraph so that it reflects your opinion about arranged marriages in South Asia. Marriage in South Asian countries is commonly viewed as the joining of two families. As a result, parents often arrange marriages for their children by choosing partners they consider suitable. After a woman marries, she becomes part of her husband’s family. In India and Pakistan, several generations often live together in the same house. Identify a problem that challenges South Asia today. In an editorial, discuss this challenge and how you think it could be resolved. Cite facts to support your opinion. Then, exchange your editorial with a partner. Above each sentence that is a fact, write “F.” Above each sentence that is an opinion, write “O.” Discuss the editorials as a class. —from page 643 Facts Opinions Bride and groom in Pakistan Apply It! As you read the chapters in this unit, identify topics that you have an opinion about. Share your opinions with the class, using facts from your reading. Identify where you might be able to find additional information to support your opinion. Unit 8 • 607 WOLFGANG LANGENSTRASSEN/dpa/Landov Physical Geography of South Asia Place South Asia has a varied landscape that includes the highest mountains in the world as well as lowlands that rise just a few feet above sea level. The region also has a variety of climate zones. How do seasonal weather patterns affect a region? 608 • Chapter 22 Robb Kendrick/Aurora Photos Section 1: Physical Features BIG IDEA Geographic factors influence where people settle. Some parts of South Asia have mountains and deserts and are not heavily settled. Other areas of the region have fertile farmlands that support large populations. Sherpa agricultural workers, Nepal Section 2: Climate Regions BIG IDEA The physical environment affects people. The climate in much of South Asia is marked by contrasts—heavy rainfall during part of the year, and extreme dryness in other periods. If there is too little or too much rainfall, millions of lives are threatened. Organizing Information Make this Foldable to help you organize information about South Asia’s landforms and climates. Step 2 Then fold the paper to form 5 equal sections. Step 3 Cut along the folds on the top flap to create tabs. Step 4 Label the tabs as shown. Landforms Natural Resources En v Co ironm nc en ern ta s l Step 1 Fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise. Monsoons Climate Zones Reading and Writing As you read the chapter, write notes under the correct tab on the Foldable. Use your notes to write a short essay describing South Asia’s various landforms, climates, and seasonal climate patterns. Social Studies ONLINE To preview Chapter 22, go to glencoe.com. Chapter 22 • 609 Robb Kendrick/Aurora Photos Geographic factors influence where people settle. Content Vocabulary • subcontinent (p. 611) • delta (p. 612) • atoll (p. 613) • lagoon (p. 613) Academic Vocabulary • eventual (p. 613) • concentration (p. 614) Reading Strategy Organizing Information Use a diagram like the one below to list key facts about the physical environment of South Asia. South Asia 610 • Chapter 22 Torleif Svensson/CORBIS Physical Features Perched on thin poles driven into the seabed, fishermen in South Asia use baitless hooks without barbs to snare mackerel and herring. On a good day, a fisherman can catch up to 1,000 fish. Each village claims its own section of reef for fishing, and local law prohibits fishing from boats or using nets to catch fish. The stilt fishermen’s poles are passed down from father to son. Read this section to find out how the geography of this region has shaped people’s lives and the area’s economy. Stilt fishing, Sri Lanka Landforms and Resources Main Idea The geography of South Asia varies from towering mountains to lowland river plains. Geography and You How would you like to feel truly “on top of the world”? You could if you climbed Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth. Read to learn about this mountain in South Asia and the region’s other physical features. South Asia is made up of seven countries. India is the largest among them, covering three-fourths of the region. South Asia also includes Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka (SREE LAHNG∙kuh), and Maldives (MAWL∙DEEVZ). Most of these countries are located on the Indian subcontinent. A subcontinent is a large landmass that is a part of a continent. Northern Mountains Three huge walls of mountains form South Asia’s northern boundary and separate the subcontinent from the rest of Asia. These mountain systems are the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram (KAH∙rah∙KOHR∙ahm), and the Himalaya (HIH∙muh∙LAY∙uh). The Himalaya range is the highest mountain system in the world. Among the snowcapped peaks of Nepal is Mount Everest, which, at 29,028 feet (8,848 m) is the tallest mountain in the world. The Himalaya attract adventurous climbers and hikers, but their rugged terrain and harsh climate once kept travelers away. The mountains protected Nepal and Bhutan from outside influence until the 1900s. However, people from the north entered other parts of South Asia through narrow mountain passes in the Hindu • Mount Everest, Nepal Most people use portable oxygen tanks when they climb Mount Everest. They need extra oxygen to maintain their ability to breathe comfortably. Place Which three mountain systems make up South Asia’s northern edge? Kush. The most famous of these is the Khyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan. For centuries, trading caravans and conquering armies marched through the Khyber Pass and on to India. Scientists believe that South Asia’s northern mountain ranges were formed by tectonic plate movements. About 60 million years ago, the South Asian subcontinent was part of the same landmass as Africa. Then the subcontinent broke away, drifted across the Indian Ocean, and collided with the southern edge of Asia. The force of this collision thrust up the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram, and the Himalaya. Plate movements are still going on. As a result, South Asia’s northern mountains grow a tiny bit taller every year. Plate movements also cause destructive earthquakes throughout the region. Social Studies ONLINE Student Web Activity Visit glencoe.com and complete the Chapter 22 Web Activity about the Khyber Pass. Chapter 22 • 611 Jake Norton/Aurora Outdoor Collection/Getty Images Northern Plains South of South Asia’s massive mountains are wide, fertile plains. These areas are watered by the region’s three great rivers—the Indus, the Ganges (GAN∙JEEZ), and the Brahmaputra (BRAHM∙uh∙POO∙ truh). The people of the region have long depended on these rivers for farming, transportation, and trade. The Indus River begins north of the Himalaya in Tibet, China, and flows southwest through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea. The Ganges flows from the Himalaya in a different direction—southeast through India’s Ganges Plain. This vast lowland area boasts some of the country’s richest soil and is home to about 40 percent of India’s population. In eastern India, the Ganges River turns south through Bangladesh. There it combines with the Brahmaputra River to form the world’s largest delta. A delta is a soil deposit at the mouth of a river. Southern Landforms The landscape in the south is quite different from that in the north. At the base of the subcontinent are two chains of eroded coastal mountains—the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. Between them lies a highland area known as the Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats block seasonal rains from reaching this plateau, leaving it extremely dry. The Karnataka Plateau south of the Deccan Plateau receives these rains instead, so the hills there are lush GLOBAL CITIZENS NAME: ZAEEMA ISMAIL HOME COUNTRY: Maldives PRASHANT PANJIAR (2) ACHIEVEMENT: Zaeema Ismail, 14, lives on an island the size of a soccer field in the middle of the Indian Ocean. In 2004 a tsunami devastated her island and killed her grandmother. Ismail’s mother was so grief stricken that she could not speak or eat, and her brother Mohammed, 2, had nightmares about the event. To find help, Ismail traveled to a nearby island to attend a UNICEF trauma workshop. She learned that her family’s behavior was normal in tragedy. She encouraged her family to do chores together to keep them busy and distracted. The plan worked. Today, Ismail’s mother eats normally, her brother sleeps soundly, and their tin hut is alive with laughter. PRAISE FROM OTHERS: Mohamed Naeem, a UNICEF officer who met Ismail at the trauma workshop, says, Zaeema was a simple girl who did some simple things and achieved something extraordinary. She Ismail walks through her village with her held her family together. mom and her brother and sisters. “ ” CITIZENS Ismail found inner strength to help her family. Have there been IN ACTION situations in which you have found inner strength to help others? 612 • Chapter 22 Prashant Panjiar and green. You can smell spices growing on plantations in this area. You can also see wild elephants moving through the plateau’s dense rain forests. Islands of South Asia South Asia includes two island nations: Sri Lanka and Maldives. Sri Lanka, the larger of the two nations, lies off the southeast coast of India. Shaped like a teardrop, the country has a small pocket of highlands in the interior. This area is made up of ridges, valleys, and steep cliffs that offer spectacular scenery. Coastal lowlands encircle these highlands and cover more than 80 percent of the island. Maldives, which lies off India’s western coast, is one of the smallest countries in the world. Maldives includes more than 1,300 islands, though people live on only about 200 of them. Many of the islands are atolls, circular-shaped islands made of coral. Coral is a rocklike material formed from the skeletons of tiny sea creatures. As coral deposits build up, many of them eventually become covered by soil and sand to make islands. Atolls have a shallow body of water in the center called a lagoon. The outer ring of the island protects the lagoon from the sea. Natural Resources South Asia is not a land of plenty. Even good farmland is scarce outside of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Although most South Asians grow crops or tend livestock, plots of land are small, and many farmers barely earn a living. India is luckier than its neighbors. As South Asia’s largest country, it not only has productive land, but it also has most of the region’s mineral resources. These include iron ore, manganese, and chromite, which are all used in making steel. Pakistan, too, Indian Wind Farm • India is a world leader in generating power from wind energy. Leaders plan to use the technology to bring electricity to 25,000 rural villages. HumanEnvironment Interaction What other energy resources are found in South Asia? has some valuable minerals, especially limestone, which is an ingredient for making cement. To meet their energy needs, the countries of South Asia rely heavily on imported oil. Pakistan and Bangladesh also have reserves of natural gas, while India is rich in coal. Bangladesh has coal deposits too, but they lie so deep in the ground that mining them is difficult. Another source of energy for South Asia is water. The mountainous landscape creates swift-flowing rivers that can be used to generate electricity. Bangladesh already has one hydroelectric plant, and India has several. Nepal and Bhutan, too, are pursuing hydroelectric projects. These plants provide power and also control flooding, which is a serious problem for South Asians. Explaining Why is the Ganges Plain important in India? Chapter 22 • 613 Michael S. Yamashita/CORBIS Environmental Concerns Main Idea South Asia’s growing population is creating more demand for food and fuel and threatening the region’s environment. Geography and You Have you ever been on a street or in a stadium crowded with people? What kind of an experience was that? Read to find out how the masses of people in South Asia affect the environment. Few places on the planet are more densely settled than South Asia. The region is home to more than 20 percent of the world’s people, but they live on only 3 percent of the world’s land. To add to the pressure, South Asia’s population is increasing. This growth seriously affects the environment. For one thing, greater numbers of people mean greater demand for animal products. Farmers then raise more livestock. This leads to overgrazing, which causes grasslands to dry up. It is not just land that is at risk, though. South Asia’s growing population also threatens the water, the forests, and the air. water is being pumped out, saltwater enters the aquifers. The higher salt content makes the water less useful. This problem is particularly troublesome in the cities of Dhaka in Bangladesh and Karachi in Pakistan. Water pollution is increasing, too. The Ganges River is among the most polluted waterways in the world. The water it brings to urban areas is dirtied by sewage, runoff from factories, and waste products. Rural water supplies are often no cleaner. Even rural Nepal has seriously polluted rivers. Many farmers apply fertilizers to fields to increase crop yields. Runoff from fertilizers then makes the drinking water unsafe. Deforestation Only a small part of South Asia is forested. Most of the land was cleared centuries ago. However, many of the forests that Urban Scene Water Because South Asia has such a huge concentration of people, supplies of freshwater are low. The climate, which brings long dry seasons to much of the region, contributes to water shortages. In addition, farmers, the largest consumers of water, often use wasteful irrigation methods. Much water is also wasted in cities because of old, leaky distribution pipes. To meet the demand for water, South Asian countries are tapping underground aquifers. In urban areas, however, as fresh 614 • Chapter 22 Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP/Getty Images The city of Kolkata (Calcutta) suffers from some of the worst air pollution in India. Human-Environment Interaction What other environmental problems threaten South Asia? • remain are now being cut down to provide building materials as well as wood for fuel. Rural people throughout South Asia rely on wood for heating their homes and for cooking. For example, almost 70 percent of the energy used in Nepal comes from burning wood. When trees are cut down, new seeds are rarely planted. People need the land for crops instead. However, the clearing of trees has led to erosion and flooding. Nepal and India have now introduced programs at the local level to limit forest loss. Villages are given control of managing nearby woodlands. As encouragement to restore cut areas, they also are allowed to receive all the income from the sale of wood products. Air Pollution Air pollution is another challenge that affects parts of South Asia. The number of cars in the region’s cities has risen rapidly in recent decades. More automobiles Section Review Vocabulary 1. Describe the physical geography of South Asia in a paragraph in which you use each of the following terms: subcontinent, delta, atoll, and lagoon. mean the release of more exhaust fumes that make the air in urban areas dangerous to breathe. Air pollution is affecting rural areas as well. Many villagers cook and heat their homes by burning wood, kerosene, charcoal, or animal dung. These substances release smoke and chemicals that are harmful in closed spaces. As a result, many people develop breathing problems, and some die of lung diseases. Air pollution from South Asia (and from Southeast Asia as well) is so severe that a brown cloud of chemicals, ash, and dust has formed over the Indian Ocean. The cloud decreases the sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface there by 10 percent. Scientists worry that this clouding may be changing the region’s climate and disrupting rain patterns. That, in turn, may cut crop yields and threaten people’s livelihoods. Analyzing Why are South Asia’s freshwater supplies low? Social Studies ONLINE Study Central™ To review this section, go to glencoe.com. Critical Thinking 4. Identifying Central Issues What effect does South Asia’s growing population have on the environment? 5. Compare South Asia’s Deccan Plateau and Karnataka Plateau. 6. Challenge Do you believe South Asian countries are dealing effectively with deforestation? Explain. Main Ideas 2. Illustrating Use a diagram like the one below to explain how the northern mountains of South Asia were formed. Writing About Geography 7. 3. Explaining Why is air pollution also affecting rural areas of South Asia? Using Your Use your Foldable to create a map of South Asia that describes the region’s physical geography for tourists. Chapter 22 • 615 Sacred Waters What happens when a place people see as holy is being spoiled by pollution? The Sacred River Millions of India’s Hindus hold the Ganges River as the most sacred, or holy, of all waters. Called “Mother Ganges,” the river is believed to have the power to wash away sins. Thousands of people bathe in the river each morning. Hindus also place the remains of deceased family members in the Ganges. The remains are either ashes after the body has been burned or the body itself. It is believed that the waters of the holy Ganges will ease the person’s path into the next life. The Polluted Ganges Unfortunately, the Ganges has become one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Besides human remains, the remains of dead cattle— animals that Hindus hold as sacred—are placed in the river. Waste from factories and fertilizer runoff from farms also pollute the Ganges. Washing clothes in the Ganges River The Ganges River at Rishikesh, India The biggest source of pollution, though, is the waste, garbage, and trash from the millions of people who live along the Ganges. The germs in the Ganges pose a serious infection risk to people using the water for drinking and cooking. Cleaning Up the River In the 1980s, India built new sewage treatment plants to clean up the river. These did not work well, partly due to India’s wet monsoon season. In addition, government officials have found it difficult to enforce laws against industrial waste pollution. This is because of the small industrial workshops in the Ganges area. Today groups are trying to make cleanup efforts more citizen-based, encouraging Indians to protect the waters of “Mother Ganges.” Think About It 1. Place Why is the Ganges River important to India’s Hindus? 2. Human-Environment Interaction Why is the Ganges so polluted? 616 • Chapter 22 Michelle Burgess/Visuals Unlimited, f1 online/Alamy Images The physical environment affects people. Content Vocabulary • monsoon (p. 618) • cyclone (p. 619) Academic Vocabulary • distinct (p. 618) • vary (p. 619) • contrast (p. 619) • survive (p. 620) Reading Strategy Outlining Use an outline like the one below to summarize the monsoon cycle. I. First Main Heading A. Key Fact 1 B. Key Fact 2 II. Second Main Heading A. Key Fact 1 B. Key Fact 2 Climate Regions This long-haired, shortlegged, oxlike mammal of the Himalaya is a yak. The Sherpas of Nepal call the male of the species “yak” and the females “nak.” The yak is a valued animal in this part of the world. In a region where climate limits plant growth, the yaks can eat the low-quality scrub found in the area. The yak produces high-fat milk and is a source of lean meat. Its wool is used to make clothing and tents. Yaks are also a reliable source of transportation in this rocky, mountainous region. They are as stable on their feet as mountain goats. Read this section to learn more about the climates in South Asia and the effects they have on the animals and people who live there. Traveling through a mountain pass in the Himalaya Chapter 22 • 617 Andrew Errington/Getty Images Monsoons Main Idea Seasonal dry and wet winds are the major factor shaping South Asia’s climate. Geography and You How does the environment where you live change from season to season? The pattern in your area is probably quite different from that in South Asia, as you will read in this section. Much of South Asia experiences three distinct, or unique, seasons—hot, wet, and cool. These three seasons depend on seasonal winds called monsoons. Figure 1 shows the yearly pattern of the monsoons. During the cool season, from October to late February, dry monsoon winds blow from the north and northeast. The hot season follows from late February to June. During this period, warm temperatures heat the air, which rises and causes a change in wind direction. Moist ocean air then moves in from the south and southeast, bringing monsoon rains. The wet season lasts from June or July through September. The monsoon rains are heaviest in eastern South Asia. When the rains sweep over the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, the Himalaya block them from moving north. Instead, the rains move west to the Ganges Plain, bringing water needed for farming. See StudentWorks™ Plus or glencoe.com. Figure 1 0 0 South Asia: Winter and Summer Monsoons 400 kilometers 70°E N 90°E 0 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection 0 E W NEP AL TROPIC O CANCER F Arabian Sea IN D IA N S NEP AL PAKISTAN TROPIC O CANCER F Arabian Sea IN D IA 10°N SRI LANKA MALDIVES INDIAN OCEAN 1 Regions Which areas receive the heaviest rain during the summer monsoon? 618 • Chapter 22 30°N BHUTAN BANGLADESH Bay of Bengal Bay of Bengal Rainfall, May to September More than 60 in. (150 cm) 20 to 60 in. (50 to 150 cm) Less than 20 in. (50 cm) Winds E W 30°N BHUTAN BANGLADESH 90°E 400 miles Albers Equal-Area projection S PAKISTAN 400 kilometers 70°E Rainfall, November to March More than 60 in. (150 cm) 20 to 60 in. (50 to 150 cm) Less than 20 in. (50 cm) Winds SRI LANKA 10°N MALDIVES INDIAN OCEAN 2 Regions How do the wind and rainfall patterns change from summer to winter? Natural Disasters The high temperatures of the hot season and the rains of the wet season have good and bad effects on South Asians. As long as water is plentiful, high temperatures allow farmers to grow crops, especially the rice that is a huge part of the people’s diet. The extreme heat, however, causes water to evaporate quickly and dries out the soil. The monsoon winds likewise have mixed effects. The rains they shower on Bangladesh and the Ganges Plain help crops there grow well. However, areas outside the monsoon’s path—such as the Deccan Plateau and western Pakistan— may receive little or no yearly rainfall. If there is no rain, or not enough, some areas become scorched, or burnt, by drought. Too much rain can also bring trouble. In the low-lying delta of Bangladesh, monsoons often cause devastating floods that drown the flat land. Water also runs down from deforested slopes upriver in northern India. Together, these violent flows of water kill thousands of people as well as livestock. They also ruin crops, destroy homes, and wipe out roads. Another kind of weather disaster often strikes South Asia. A cyclone is an intense tropical storm with high winds and heavy rains. Cyclones are similar to hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and typhoons in the north Pacific Ocean. In South Asia, cyclones can be followed by deadly tidal waves that surge from the Bay of Bengal. In 1999 a cyclone struck India’s northeast coast with winds of more than 160 miles (257 km) per hour. Waves reached over 20 feet (6 m) high. The storm killed nearly 10,000 people and left about 15 million people homeless. Summarizing Information When do the wet and dry monsoons occur? Climate Zones Main Idea South Asia’s climate zones are affected by location, landforms, and monsoon winds. Geography and You Do you think it ever warms up at the top of the world’s highest mountain? Read to find out about the climate on Mount Everest and in the rest of South Asia. In many parts of South Asia, the climate is tropical and the plant life abundant. In some areas, however, climates vary. They range from cold in the Himalaya to hot in the deserts around the Indus River. Tropical Areas Much of south central India has a tropical dry climate. The region’s grasslands and deciduous forests grow green in the short wet season and turn brown in the long dry season. Bangladesh and southern Sri Lanka, by contrast, have a tropical wet climate with warm temperatures year-round. Monsoon Season, India • Heavy monsoon rains can cause flooding and landslides and leave thousands of people homeless. Regions How does the monsoon climate help farmers in the region? Chapter 22 • 619 Reuters/CORBIS South Asia’s tropical regions receive the heaviest rainfalls from the wet monsoons. Most of Bangladesh gets 100 inches (254 cm) of rain per year. The city of Cherrapunji in northeastern India receives an annual rainfall averaging up to 450 inches (1,143 cm), making it one of the wettest spots on Earth. Dry and Temperate Climates The wet monsoons, of course, do not reach all of South Asia. As a result, some areas have dry climates. Along the lower Indus River, the land is dry and windswept. Farmers must use irrigation to grow wheat and other crops. To the east of the Indus River lie the sand dunes and gravel plains of the Thar Desert. Surrounding this desert, except on the coast, is a steppe. Few trees grow on this partly dry grassland. Another steppe area crosses the Deccan Plateau, which sits between the Eastern and Western Ghats. Section Review Vocabulary 1. Explain the roles of monsoons and cyclones in The Western Ghats block rainfall in the area, making the central Deccan dry. The climate becomes humid and subtropical as you travel north to the Ganges Plain. This area has high temperatures, with muggy summers but fairly dry winters. Highlands Highland climates are found along South Asia’s northern edge, where towering mountains rise. Above 16,000 feet (4,877 m), temperatures are always below freezing. As a result, snow never disappears, and little vegetation can survive. Farther down the mountain slopes, the climate turns more temperate. In Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, January temperatures average a mild 50°F (10°C). The average July temperature is a pleasant 78°F (26°C). Identifying What areas of South Asia receive the most rainfall? Social Studies ONLINE Study Central™ To review this section, go to glencoe.com. Critical Thinking 4. South Asia’s climate. Main Ideas 2. Explaining How do the high temperatures of the hot season both benefit and harm the people of South Asia? 3. Categorizing Use a main idea chart like the one below to identify four major climate zones of South Asia and some characteristics of each. South Asian Climate Zones 620 • Chapter 22 Determining Cause and Effect Why is the central area of the Deccan Plateau dry? 5. How do monsoons affect the lives of South Asians? 6. Challenge Is drought more likely to occur in Pakistan or Bangladesh? Why? Writing About Geography 7. Expository Writing Write a paragraph identifying the natural disasters that can affect South Asia, the areas where they strike, and their characteristics. Visual Summary Natural Resources ● India has most of South Asia’s natural resources. ● South Asian countries need to import energy resources, such as oil and natural gas. ● Hydroelectric power is a promising energy source for South Asia. Tea plantation, Sri Lanka Khyber Pass, Pakistan Mountains and Plains ● ● ● Climate Patterns Three of the world’s largest mountain chains stretch across northern South Asia. The Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra Rivers bring water to South Asia’s heavily populated plains. ● Monsoons, or seasonal winds, dominate South Asia’s climate. ● Farmers depend on the monsoons to grow crops. ● Cyclones, or powerful storms, can cause destruction to coastal lowlands. Bengal tiger, Indian rain forest Highlands and lowlands dominate southern India. Environment ● Islands ● Sri Lanka has a highland interior and surrounding coastal lowlands. ● ● Maldives includes islands that are coral atolls. ● South Asia’s large population has put pressure on limited water resources. South Asian countries are trying to protect their few remaining forests. Exhaust from more vehicles and burning wood for fuel have increased air pollution. Climate Zones ● Much of South Asia is tropical, although the region also has temperate, desert, and highland climates. ● South Asia’s tropical areas receive heavy rainfall. Maldives atoll Study anywhere, anytime! Download quizzes and flash cards to your PDA from glencoe.com. Chapter 22 • 621 (tl) Reuters/CORBIS, (tr) Picture Finders Ltd./eStock Photo, (c) Thomas Mangelsen/Minden Pictures, (b) Eugen/zefa/CORBIS CHAPTER 22 STANDARDIZED TEST PRACTICE TESTTAKING TIP After you have finished, review your test to make sure that you have answered all questions, followed directions carefully for each set of questions, and avoided simple mistakes. Reviewing Vocabulary Reviewing Main Ideas Directions: Choose the word(s) that best completes the sentence. Directions: Choose the best answer for each question. Section 1 (pp. 610–615) 1. Soil and sediment deposited at the mouth of a river forms a . 5. The Himalaya are growing slightly taller each year because are still occurring. A lagoon A earthquakes B delta B sedimentations C peninsula C tectonic plate movements D silt D climate changes 2. Circular-shaped islands made of coral are called . A deltas B lagoons 6. Greater numbers of people in South Asia mean greater demand for animal products, which leads farmers to raise more livestock. This can sometimes lead to overgrazing, which results in . C atolls A higher average cholesterol D peninsulas B more overweight people C more large, corporate-owned farms 3. Much of South Asia experiences three distinct, or unique, seasons (hot, wet, and cool) that are caused by seasonal winds called . A monsoons B cyclones D dried up grasslands Section 2 (pp. 617–620) 7. The heaviest monsoon rains in the region fall . C lagoons A over the ocean D deltas B in eastern South Asia C north of the Himalaya 4. South Asia occasionally suffers from , or damaging storms with high winds and heavy rains. A monsoons D during the cool season 8. Highland climates are found in South Asia’s , where towering mountains rise. B deltas A southern region C lagoons B northern region D cyclones C central region D eastern region GO ON 622 • Chapter 22 ASSESSMENT Critical Thinking Document-Based Questions Directions: Base your answers to questions 9 and 10 on the graph below. Choose the best answer for each question. Directions: Analyze the document and answer the short-answer questions that follow. In 1999 the television program NOVA sent a team of experts to Mount Everest to solve a mystery. Liesl Clark, filmmaker and correspondent, posted online dispatches from base camp. Population in Millions Comparing Populations 1,200 1,100 1,000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Pakistan United States In the upcoming weeks, . . . we will attempt . . . to piece together . . . Mallory and Irvine’s last day on Mount Everest. By determining, for example, the flow rate of Mallory’s oxygen bottle, we can figure out when he may have run out of his last oxygen and discarded his second empty bottle. . . . By analyzing the photographs taken of Mallory’s remains [we] may be able to reconstruct Mallory’s final moments and the exact cause of his death. Did the altimeter give accurate readings and is there a way to determine its highest rendering? Is there a small particle of rope left on the blade of the pocket knife to indicate that Mallory cut himself free from Irvine? After 75 years, . . . it is possible that a clue . . . may reveal what our heroes could never tell us—whether they were the first to reach the highest point on Earth. India Source: CIA World Factbook, 2006. 9. About how many more people live in India than in the United States? — Liesl Clark, “Unanswered Questions,” Nova Online Adventures A nearly 2 times as many B nearly 4 times as many 11. Based on the document, what are the writer and her team investigating? C nearly 8 times as many D nearly 10 times as many 12. What sort of clues will the team be looking at to help them solve the mystery? 10. Which of the following statements is true based on the bar graph information? Extended Response A The United States has a larger population than Pakistan. 13. Write a letter to a United Nations official discussing and offering possible solutions to the problem of malnutrition in India. B The United States and Pakistan have similar population sizes. C India’s population is about half the amount of the United States. STOP D India has the largest population in the world. Social Studies ONLINE For additional test practice, use Self-Check Quizzes— Chapter 22 at glencoe.com. Need Extra Help? If you missed question. . . Go to page. . . 1 612 2 613 3 618 4 619 5 611 6 614 7 618 8 620 9 614 10 614 11 611 12 611 13 614 Chapter 22 • 623