GeoJournalAs you read this chapter, use your journal torecord information about economic activitiesand environmental issues in South Asia. Besure to include details that illustrate eachactivity or issue.

Chapter Overview Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Chapter Overviews—Chapter 25 topreview information about South Asia today.

Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowSouth Asia is world-renowned for itsmany fine fabrics—soft pashminasand cashmeres, bright cottons, andfinely spun silks. What other itemsfrom South Asia might you find instores in your community?

Read to Find Out• How does agriculture provide a

living for most of South Asia’speople?

• What role do fisheries and mineshave in South Asian economies?

• Where in South Asia is rapidindustrial development takingplace?

• What issues are raised by tourismin South Asia?

Terms to Know• cash crop

• jute

• green revolution

• biomass

• cottage industry

• ecotourism

Places to Locate• Bangalore

• Chittagong

• Hyderabad

C h a p t e r 2 5 611

Hindu temple, Delhi, India

Living in South Asia

A Geographic ViewAncient RhythmsDespite . . . signs of change, much of Bhutan remains as it has alwaysbeen, an unspoiled land of farmersand herders of yaks and cattle.Some 90 percent of Bhutanese live . . . as their [ancestors] did,following livestock through thehigh summer meadows, plant-ing plots of rice and chiles in the valleys. People like . . . awoman I met in the northernvillage of Soe . . . still followthe ancient rhythms. . . .Together we watched pine smoke curl fromher kitchen fire, sipped warm bowls of yak-butter tea, andtalked about the sorts of things that concern farmers everywhere—the price of meat, the cost of clothing, [and] the health of the herd.

—Bruce W. Bunting, “Bhutan: Kingdom in the Clouds,” National Geographic, May 1991

Throughout South Asia, agriculture is the most com-mon occupation. More than 60 percent of the labor force in India andBangladesh are employed in agriculture. In this section you will learnhow South Asians today are using new agricultural methods toincrease food production. You will also learn about other ways inwhich the peoples of South Asia earn a living.

Living From the LandMost people in South Asia practice subsistence farming. Subsistence

farmers often rely on labor-intensive farming methods. They may usedigging sticks or hand plows to break up the soil, and they often sow

Bhutanese farmer drying chiles

612 U n i t 8

seed by hand. To water their crops, farmers mayhand-carry water for miles from a well or river,although some areas have irrigation systems.

Subsistence farmers also use animal power. Oxenand water buffalo pull wooden plows, carry heavyloads, and turn simple waterwheels for irrigationand mills for grinding grain. South Asians also useyaks, the long-haired cattle that flourish at high ele-vations; camels in desert areas; and elephants,which can do the heavy work of a tractor.

Farming depends on many changeable factors,such as rainfall, that are beyond the farmers’ con-trol. A family can lose its entire food supply in oneseason of drought, or crops might be eaten by wildanimals. Even with the risks, however, subsistencefarming allows many South Asians to be econom-ically independent.

Agricultural ConditionsFarms in South Asia vary widely in size and

appearance, based on geographic, historic, and cul-tural factors. In the Himalayan highlands of Nepaland Bhutan, farmers practice terracing, making use ofevery available inch of arable land on the steepslopes. Fruit orchards line the fertile highland valleysof Pakistan. In most of Bangladesh’s delta regionand along many of South Asia’s great rivers, farmerswork in water above their knees to grow rice. Farmsin India are generally very small, with over one-third of them covering less than an acre.

History

Sri Lanka’s PlantationsIndia’s tiny farm plots stand in sharp contrast

to the huge tea, rubber, and coconut plantationswhere many Sri Lankans work. British and Dutchcolonizers established these large, technicallysophisticated agricultural operations. The Britishmoved their tea plantations from India to SriLanka (then called Ceylon) when Indian workersdemanded better working conditions.

Although the European planters left Sri Lankawhen the country gained its independence fromthe United Kingdom in 1948, plantations continueto employ about three-fourths of Sri Lanka’s work-ers. The profitable plantations leave little land forgrowing crops to feed the country’s own people,however, so Sri Lanka must import large quanti-ties of basic foods, such as rice.

South Asian CropsCash crops bring much-needed income to South

Asia. The tea, rubber, and coconuts of Sri Lankaare cash crops, farm products grown for sale orexport. India also grows large quantities of cashews,coffee, and tea for export. Tea plants grow well innortheastern India’s temperate highlands. How-ever, balancing the physical needs of hungry peo-ple with the economic needs of growing countriesis a challenge to the region.

Cotton is a key cash crop in SouthAsia. India and Pakistan are among theworld leaders in cotton production.Jute, a fiber used to make string, rope,and cloth, is the major cash crop ofBangladesh and is grown mainly in the

western lowlands bordering India. Sales of thisfiber, called the “golden crop” for its color andvalue, account for a large part of Bangladesh’sexport income, although demand for jute isdecreasing.

Cotton Production Workers pile cotton by hand to bestored in outdoor warehouses in India.

Human-Environment Interaction Why is it important forcountries to raise other crops in addition to cash crops?

C h a p t e r 2 5 613

India is one of the world’s largest producers ofbananas. Citrus fruits, chiles, and spices are grownfor export in the steppe areas of India, Pakistan,and Bangladesh.

Grains provide South Asia with important foodsources as well as profitable exports. Rice, themajor food crop of South Asia, grows in the tropi-cal rain forest climate of the Ganges Delta andalong the peninsula’s western Malabar Coast.India is second only to China in rice production,and Bangladesh ranks fourth in the world. Wheatis the main crop in the western Ganges Plain(Indo-Gangetic Plain) and in Pakistan’s IndusRiver valley, but millet, corn, and sorghum alsogrow there. Peanuts grow along the Malabar Coastand the southern Deccan Plateau, and farmersgrow sugarcane in most of India’s lowlands.

Agricultural ImprovementsEven with some success in slowing the popula-

tion growth, feeding South Asia’s people is anenormous challenge. Farmers are being trained touse modern technology and methods for irrigation,pest control, and fertilization to increase productiv-ity. More planting cycles, for example, have beensuccessful in Bangladesh, where farmers usuallycan harvest three rice crops per year. In Nepal’sKathmandu Valley, farmers are planting and har-vesting winter wheat following the rice harvest.

Educational and governmental efforts haveincreased agricultural productivity. Research sta-tions in Bhutan, for example, have helped farmersestablish fruit orchards, and government-fundedirrigation systems and higher rice prices encourageSri Lankan farmers to grow more food crops.

The Green RevolutionSince the 1960s, an effort known as the green

revolution has sought to increase and diversifycrop yields in the world’s developing countries. InIndia, as elsewhere, the green revolution hasinvolved using carefully managed irrigation, fer-tilizers, and high-yielding varieties of crops. As aresult, India’s wheat and rice production hasgreatly increased. India is now able to store—andeven export—grain. Not all the new methodswork everywhere in South Asia, however. In partsof the region, monsoon rains allow only one plant-ing cycle per year. Modernization also has costs.

Irrigation and mechanization require expensivefuel, and in a region where not enough petroleumis available and many people burn biomass—plant materials and animal dung—as their onlyenergy source, the costs are often too high.

Mining and FishingIn addition to farming the soil, South Asians reap

benefits from other natural resources in the region.Mining and fishing are profitable industries with thepotential for growth in years to come.

Mineral WealthThe Ganges Plain and parts of eastern India yield

some of South Asia’s richest mineral deposits. Ironore, low-grade coal, bauxite, and copper are all

1970

1980

1990

2000

150

120

90

60

30

Perc

en

t o

f 1989–91 P

rod

ucti

on

Source: United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization

Per Capita Food Production

Total Agricultural ProductionYear

National Geographic Society:WG

GRAPHSTUDY

India’s Agriculture

and Food Supply

1. Interpreting Graphs By about how manypercentage points did India’s total agriculturalproduction increase between 1980 and 2000?

2. Applying Geography Skills What humanfactors or processes have had an impact onIndia’s agriculture and food supply?

614 U n i t 8

foods of SOUTH ASIA

Foods in South Asia usually consist of a staple grain:rice in the south and east, wheat in thenorth and west. Seasonal vegeta-bles are often part of mealsthroughout the region, whilefruits are considered a dessert.Meat and fish are common butnot usually eaten daily.

One of the most important ingredients in SouthAsian cooking is curry, a blend of spices added tofish, meat, vegetables, and grain dishes. Curry ismade by mixing from 2 to 20 different spices, andcan be sweet and mild or hot and tangy.

South Asian IndustriesIndustrialization has proceeded along very dif-

ferent time lines in various South Asian countries.In India, industrialization began under Britishrule and was funded by European companies. Incontrast, Bhutan, closed off from the outsideworld until 1975, still remains relatively isolated.Bhutan’s government is moving ahead withindustrial development slowly in order to pre-serve the country’s natural and cultural resources.

Economics

India’s Evolving EconomyAfter gaining independence in 1947, India intro-

duced socialism, an economic policy that empha-sized central planning. The government set goalsfor and closely regulated private industry. Manylarge industries were placed under direct govern-ment control, while others were partnershipsbetween private owners and the government.

Wary of outside influences, India turned its backon foreign investment. It expanded home indus-tries and reduced dependence on foreign trade topromote self-sufficiency. At first growth wassteady, but by the 1960s the economy slowed, andIndia began to see the limitations of its policies inan increasingly global economy. Still, change cameslowly. In the late 1980s, India’s government stillregulated or operated mining, banking and insur-ance, transportation, manufacturing, and construc-tion industries. Then, in 1991, a financial crisis

mined in mountainous areas of eastern India.Bhutan is rich in coal, lead, marble, zinc, and cop-per, although its mountainous terrain makesextracting and processing these minerals difficult.The island of Sri Lanka supports a large graphitemining and exporting industry. Sri Lanka alsomines precious and semiprecious stones.

Petroleum and natural gas reserves are found inseveral South Asian countries. India’s oil fields areconcentrated in the northeastern and northwest-ern areas of the country. Oil fields located innortheastern and southern Pakistan supply muchof the country’s energy needs. Pakistan also hassignificant natural gas reserves, especially in thewestern state of Baluchistan. Bangladesh, too, isrich in natural gas, a resource that offers an as-yet-untapped potential for export income to supple-ment the declining market for jute.

FishingBordered partly by oceans and watered by great

rivers, South Asia has rich fishing resources thatprovide needed income. Pakistan and Sri Lankaexport shrimp, lobsters, and fresh and dried fish.Many people in India and Bangladesh fish for food.Bangladesh also has growing commercial fisheries,producing shrimp and frogs’ legs for export.

In recent years the Indian government hasencouraged deep-sea fishing by building process-ing plants and giving aid to oceangoing ships andfleets. More traditional local fishers see thesedevelopments as a threat to their livelihood.

C h a p t e r 2 5 615

pushed India toward major economic reforms. Itbegan moving toward a market economy.

“ In 1991 India began opening its economyto wider trade, and the United Statesquickly became its primary trading and investment partner. . . . Foreigncompanies were thrilled by sheer numbers—an estimated 150 millionpotential middle-income consumers. . . .[F]oreign companies have also broughtbetter job opportunities. . . .”Erla Zwingle, “A World

Together,” National Geographic,August 1999

The government also deregulated many indus-tries and turned over government-run companiesto private ownership. These changes sparked eco-nomic growth that helped expand the middle class,which was believed to make up 20 to 25 percent ofIndia’s population by the late 1990s. As a result, thedemand for consumer goods from shoes to luxurycars has expanded rapidly. Today India, along withthe rest of South Asia, struggles to balance nationalinterest and global interdependence.

Light IndustryMany South Asians work in light industry, pro-

ducing consumer goods. Textiles are a major partof South Asia’s manufacturing base, as they havebeen in India for hundreds of years. India’s 25 mil-lion textile workers manufacture cotton, silk, andwool fabrics in a dazzling variety of patterns, col-ors, and styles. India’s textile industry, centered inMumbai, Nagpur, and Sholapur, also producesgarments for export. Bangladesh entered the tex-tile industry in 1979, and sales of finished gar-ments provide the country with export income.

Some of the world’s most prized wools—cash-mere and pashmina—come from a rare breed ofgoat found only in the Jammu and Kashmir region.Used in high-quality, high-fashion garments, thesewools are in great demand.

Other light industries throughout South Asiamanufacture shoes, carpets, bicycles, and bicycleparts. These small industries are generally housedin factories employing fewer than 100 people, andthey use traditional production techniques.

South Asia’s broad involvement in light indus-try grows out of its history of cottage industries,businesses that employ workers in their homes.Indian villagers weave textiles and make shoes,

jewelry, woodcarvings, furniture,and bowls. Cottage industries inIndia, Nepal, and Bhutan providejobs, encourage traditional crafts,and supply needed export income.

Mohandas Gandhi, the leader ofIndia’s independence movement,chose the spinning wheel as a symbolof the strength India could drawfrom its cottage industries. In hislater years, Gandhi dressed only insimple robes of khadi (KAW•dee),traditional homespun cotton fabric,

Selling Shawls These women selling shawlsin Bangladesh are a few of the millions of textile workers and merchants in South Asia.

Place How do cottage industries contribute tothe export income of countries in the region?

616 U n i t 8

and was often pictured sitting at the spinningwheel where he spun khadi thread. Gandhi urgedthe Indian people to maintain their traditional,family-centered industries even as the countrydeveloped.

Heavy IndustrySouth Asia’s industrial base includes heavy indus-

tries geared toward mass production. India manu-factures iron, steel, cement, and heavy machinery inBhadravati and Bangalore. Bangladesh also pro-duces iron, steel, and cement.

India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh also recycleiron and steel in a unique industry called “shipbreaking.” In Bangladesh’s port of Chittagong,thousands of workers use sledgehammers andblowtorches to dismantle aging or damaged shipsfrom around the world. Melted-down parts are

reforged into new iron and steel. In Bangladeshalone, ship breaking and related industries employmore than 1.3 million people.

Service IndustriesSince the late 1990s, service industries—trans-

port, real estate, banking and insurance, and publicadministration—have become increasingly impor-tant in South Asia. India and, to a lesser extent,Pakistan have benefited the most. In India whole-sale and retail trade and government services rankas the leading contributors to the country’s serviceeconomy. The Indian government provides a vari-ety of social services to its people, especially inhealth, education, and public administration.

The High-Technology SectorHigh technology—including the manufacture of

equipment for the computer, communications,and aerospace industries and the creation of com-puter software—is a growing industry in SouthAsia. Millions of Indians use the Internet, andIndian computer professionals are in high demandaround the world. The southern Indian cities ofBangalore and Hyderabad (HY•duh•ruh•BAD)are called “India’s Silicon Valley,” a reference tothe part of California where many computerindustries flourish. Software manufacturing inthese cities has helped make India the world’s sec-ond-largest exporter of software. In 2000 the soft-ware trade between India and the United Statesalone yielded $5 billion in income for India, with aprojected growth rate of about 60 percent per year.

India also has strong potential to be a developerof computer hardware. The increasing use of copper rather than aluminum in microchip manu-facturing benefits India because of its abundantcopper deposits. India already has a strong andgrowing industry in the manufacture of televi-sions and other communications equipment.

TourismTourism income is important in several South

Asian countries. Nepal draws tourists to hike andclimb the Himalayan slopes and to hunt or photo-graph wild animals. India’s temples and festivalsattract more than 2 million visitors each year.

Technology Factories in India today produce avariety of electronic products such as televisions.

Place By how much is India’s software trade with theUnited States expected to grow each year?

Checking for Understanding1. Define cash crop, jute, green

revolution, biomass, cottageindustry, ecotourism.

2. Main Ideas Create a table like theone below, and fill in economic activities in South Asia and thechallenges each represents.

Critical Thinking3. Comparing and Contrasting Com-

pare and contrast cottage indus-tries and commercial industries inthe ways of operation, especiallyin regard to India’s economy.

4. Categorizing Information Whichof the region’s industries focus ondomestic needs, and which focuson exporting?

5. Predicting Consequences Howmight increased tourism affect lifein the region?

Analyzing Maps6. Movement Using the economic

activity map on page 563, identifyareas where nomadic herding iscommon. Explain why herding isthe dominant economic activity ineach of these areas.

7. Effects of Physical Geogra-phy Think about farmingmethods in South Asia.Explain how farming meth-ods are influenced by theregion’s physical geography.

Applying Geography

C h a p t e r 2 5 617

South Asian Economic Activity

Activity Challenges

Student Web Activity Visit the Glencoe World Geography Website at tx.geography.glencoe.com and click on Student Web Activities—Chapter 25 for an activity about business and tourism in India.

Beachside Paradise Among the most beau-tiful islands in the world, the Maldives also supportsa diverse marine life.

Place Why does the Maldives restrict touristaccess to some islands?

Continuing conflicts may discourage tourists,however. Sri Lanka’s lush rain forests and tropicalbeaches once drew many tourists, but since the 1980s, violence between Hindu Tamils andBuddhist Sinhalese has emptied luxury hotels.Ongoing border disputes between India and Pak-istan have all but eliminated tourism in Kashmir.Sporadic violence among religious groups in Indiaalso has discouraged foreign visitors.

In some South Asian countries, governments reg-ulate tourism to protect threatened natural andcultural resources. For example, to preserve theHimalayan environment and its traditional cul-ture, Bhutan issues fewer than 5,000 tourist visaseach year. The Maldives restricts tourists to cer-tain islands so that tourists do not interact withMaldivians who follow strict Islamic customs.Ecotourism, a form of tourism that encouragesresponsible interaction with the environmentand endangered species, can support preserva-tion efforts while contributing to South Asianeconomies.

Guide to ReadingConsider What You KnowTourism’s growth rate in India ishigher than the world average, andthe Indian government considerstourism a high-priority industry. Whateffects do you think increased tourismmight have on India’s environment?

Read to Find Out• How is South Asia handling the

complex task of managing its richnatural resources?

• What environmental challengesdoes South Asia face in the yearsahead?

• How do geographic factors impactthe political and economic chal-lenges of South Asia’s future?

Terms to Know• sustainable development

• poaching

• Chipko

• nuclear proliferation

• Dalits

Places to Locate• Narmada River

• Bay of Bengal

People and TheirEnvironment

A Geographic ViewA Threatened TreasureI have been climbing since well beforedawn, and now I am alone at 17,000 feet. . . . Around me in a vast arc stand the snowy crests of the majesticAnnapurna Range. The day is cloud-less, not a breath of wind. The solitarysplendor is dazzling—until I glancedown at my feet. There, frozen into theice cap of Tharpu Chuli, lies a minia-ture garbage dump: discarded candywrappers, film cartons, plastic bags,wads of tissue, and half-empty foodcans, all of it left by foreign climbing groups. It is afamiliar and sickening sight to old Himalaya hands—the growing pollution of a priceless heritage.

—Galen Rowell, “Annapurna: Sanctuary for the Himalayas,” National Geographic, September 1989

The tourism generated by trekking the Himalayantrails brings needed income to the kingdom of Nepal, but it alsoendangers the Himalayan ecosystem on which the entire Indian sub-continent depends. In this section you will learn about environmentaland other challenges faced today by the countries of South Asia.

Managing Natural ResourcesAs you have learned, people and the environment interact and

affect each other throughout the world. This interaction is especiallysignificant in South Asia, where high population densities meet frag-ile ecosystems. As a result, South Asian countries seek to manage theirresources wisely rather than just using them. A key to successful

618 U n i t 8

Annapurna Range, Nepal

C h a p t e r 2 5 619

resource management is sustainable development,or using resources at a rate that does not depletethem for future generations.

WildlifeSouth Asia is home to an astonishing variety

of wildlife. Elephants, water buffalo, and mon-keys flourish in the rain forests of India and SriLanka. Crocodiles and Bengal tigers roam inBangladesh. In the high mountain passes of theHimalaya, the elusive snow leopard hunts aloneabove fields crowded with blue sheep, exoticbirds, and rare butterflies.

The Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions of SouthAsia promote respect for all living things. However,many of South Asia’s animals have become endan-gered through contact with the region’s growinghuman population. Deforestation and irrigationhave reduced animals’ natural habitats, drivingthem into areas where people live. Some animalshave been overhunted by tourists or by farmers andherders seeking to protect their crops and flocks.

Governments in the region, assisted by interna-tional conservation organizations,are working to reverse some ofSouth Asia’s wildlife losses. Thecreation of wildlife reserves—protected habitats—and the pas-sage of laws controlling huntingand logging have begun to make adifference. Providing South Asianswith economic incentives to cooper-ate in conservation efforts may alsobe effective. However, challengesstill remain. Farmers’ crops often arethreatened by foraging elephants,and poachers can realize huge prof-its by selling the hides of Bengaltigers. To eliminate poaching, or theillegal killing of protected animals,governments in the region need tofind ways to encourage people torespect wildlife.

WaterWater is one of the most precious

resources on the planet. Lack ofaccess to clean water is a persistentproblem in South Asia. Even in

India, the most developed country in the region,80 percent of the population has no access to sani-tation facilities and must rely on water that is pol-luted by human waste and chemical runoff. Thesituation is worse in parts of Pakistan and inBangladesh.

Because South Asia’s climate varies greatly, thevillagers of Rajasthan in northwestern India maybe watching their crops and livestock perishfrom drought at the same time that farmers inBangladesh are losing their homes to flooding.Building dams is one way to balance theseextremes. Dams can change the course of rivers,reroute water for irrigation, and control floodingby holding water in reserve for times of drought.

Like many uses of technology, however, the build-ing of dams has drawbacks as well as benefits. Damstrap silt that would otherwise flow downriver toenrich the soil. Reservoirs can trap bacteria, too, andbecome a source of disease. Also, building a damusually results in the flooding of surrounding areas,displacing whole villages and disturbing the bal-ance of wildlife and vegetation.

Bengal Tiger SomeSouth Asian animals, such as this Bengal tiger, face extinctionbecause of human activities such as poaching and clearing forests.

Human-Environment Interaction What steps are being takento protect South Asia’s wildlife?

620 U n i t 8

Government

The Narmada River DilemmaThe 25-year effort to build a dam in India’s

Narmada River basin is a good example of the chal-lenges of water management. Supporters of the pro-ject point out the benefits, including the irrigation ofmillions of acres of land currently subject to severedrought and the creation of hydroelectric power.

At the heart of the opposition to the project areenvironmentalists and the thousands of local peo-ples whose ancestral villages will be flooded as aresult of the project. They point to other such pro-jects in which farmers were uprooted and forced to resettle in cities or temporary camps. As workcontinues on the project, people on both sides ofthe controversy have begun talks to resolve theirdifferences.

ForestsCenturies ago, much of South Asia was covered

with forests. Today the region is in a state of envi-ronmental crisis because of deforestation. The prob-lem has accelerated in recent years, driven by SouthAsia’s growing population and the increasing inter-action of humans with their environment. Com-mercial timber operations, an industry that began

under British rule, have destroyed many of SouthAsia’s old-growth forests. Other forest areas havebeen cleared to make way for human settlements.

Some deforestation is a result of traditional prac-tices in South Asia. Slash-and-burn agriculture, nolonger permitted in many places, is an ancient tech-nique used by many hill peoples. In drought-stricken regions, villagers allow livestock to feed onleaves, slowly killing the trees. Most damaging of allis the widespread reliance on burning biomass,including the wood from trees, for fuel.

The effects of deforestation are devastating. Themangrove forests of Bangladesh’s Sundarbansregion, the area of swamp land near the GangesRiver Delta, have over the years provided a barrieragainst erosion caused by cyclones. As the man-grove trees are cut, however, much of this protec-tion against storms vanishes. Losing tropical rainforests also has other damaging effects. Rainforests usually grow in poor soil, where the trees’complex root systems efficiently absorb availablenutrients and hold the topsoil in place. As rainfallfilters slowly through layers of leafy branches, thesurrounding air is cooled. When rain forests dis-appear, soil erodes, rains produce floods, and tem-peratures rise.

Protesting the DamActivists concerned about environ-mental problems protest the build-ing of a dam near Bhopal, India.

Human-Environment Interac-tion What are advantages and dis-advantages of building dams?

Culture

Protecting the ForestsReforestation efforts, under way throughout

South Asia, build on the region’s traditionalrespect for trees. India’s Chipko, or “tree-hugger,”movement was founded by Sunderlal Bahaguna, afollower of Gandhi. Bahaguna has succeeded byreminding villagers of the importance of trees.Chipko nurseries provide seedlings for reforesta-tion. The government ban on timber production inthe Himalayan forests of Uttar Pradesh, advocatedby Bahaguna, was the first of many such govern-ment efforts in the region.

Protecting forests is at the heart of the region’sculture. As the poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote,

“ India’s civilization has been distinctivein locating its source of regeneration,material and intellectual, in the forest,not the city. India’s best ideas have come when man is in communion with trees.” Rabindranath Tagore, quoted by

Gita Mehta, Snakes and Ladders:Glimpses of Modern India, 1998

Seeking SolutionsAs industrialization increases in South Asia, so

does air pollution. Delhi, India, is now the world’sfourth most polluted city. Scientists are studyingthe region to try to solve this and other problems.

Meteorologists are studying monsoon patternsin the Bay of Bengal in the hopes of reducing thedevastation caused by these storms. The ability topredict with some accuracy the coming of themonsoon rains and their intensity could makeenormous differences to South Asia’s people.

Geographers are using satellite imaging to studythe erosion in coastal deltas in Bangladesh. Mil-lions of Bengali people live on thin, crusted islandsformed from silt, which float on the surface ofcoastal waters. When the rains come, the rivers movesilt—2 billion tons (1.8 billion metric tons) a year—into the Bay of Bengal. As a result, the average Ben-gali is displaced from his or her home seven times ina lifetime. If studies of silt erosion can identify solu-tions, scientists will be improving people’s lives.

Finally, South Asia has the potential to help studyglobal environmental issues. For example, an exper-imental station in the Maldives is measuring thepossible effects of global warming on ocean levels.

ErosionSevere flooding has eroded the bank near thiswoman’s home in Bangladesh.

Human-Environment Interaction What factormakes erosion such a problem in Bangladesh?

622 U n i t 8

South Asia’s ChallengesGeography holds a key to other challenges now

facing South Asia. Conflict in the region has deeproots in issues of national autonomy and religiousand ethnic concerns.

Conflict in KashmirSince 1947, India and Pakistan have disputed own-

ership of the largely Muslim territory of Kashmir.During the past 50 years, two of the three warsfought between India and Pakistan have focused

on this territory. Today, Pakistan controls one-thirdof Kashmir; the remainder is held by India.

Indian and Pakistani troops patrol the Line of Control, the border between the two parts ofKashmir. Despite occasional peace talks, India andPakistan accuse each other of violating this border.India also claims that Pakistan supports armedgroups in Indian-ruled Kashmir that want an inde-pendent Kashmir.

The potential danger from this enduring conflict hasescalated since 1998, when both India and Pakistantested nuclear warheads. The map above shows the

60°N

60°S

30°S

30°N

0°120°W 120°E60°W 60°E

0° EQUATOR

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

TROPIC OF CANCER

ARCTIC CIRCLE

N

3,000

3,0000 mi.

0 kmWinkel Tripel projection

1. Russia 22,5002. United States 12,0703. France 500

4. China 4505. United Kingdom 385

6. India 657. Pakistan 15–25

Number of Warheads in Countries With Acknowledged Nuclear Capability

Sources: Arms Control Association; Center for Defence Information

2

2

1

3

4

5

6

7

IsraelUnacknowledged

MAP STUDY

Countries With Nuclear Capability, 2001

2. Applying Geography Skills How mightnuclear proliferation influence the political and economic relationships among countries in and around South Asia?

Find NGS online map resources @ www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

AcknowledgedUnacknowledgedSeeking capabilityAbandoned development

Nuclear Weapons Capability

1. Interpreting Maps India and Pakistan bothhave nuclear weapons. Which of their neighborsare seeking nuclear capability?

world’s countries that have nuclear capability,including India and Pakistan. Both countries havespent huge sums to develop nuclear missiles. Thisnew example of nuclear proliferation—the spread-ing development of nuclear arms—aroused inter-national alarm. The costs of these nuclear programshurt the people of both countries through the loss ofmuch-needed funding for food and other humanneeds. In addition, economic sanctions leveled bythe world’s economic powers against India andPakistan intensified the hardships of South Asia’speople.

Internal ConflictsSome South Asian conflicts occur within coun-

tries. The majority of people in Sri Lanka areBuddhist Sinhalese, who control the government.Tamils, who are Hindu, represent only about 20percent of the population. Tamils accuse the gov-ernment of discrimination, and some have takenup arms to create a separate Tamil state. In India differences between Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh militants often erupt into violence.

India also suffers from the legacy of its ancientsystem of social classes. Those traditionally assignedto the lowest social status—called the Dalits, or“oppressed”—continue to experience discriminationand even, in some areas, violent assault. Dalits are

C h a p t e r 2 5 623

Checking for Understanding1. Define sustainable development,

poaching, Chipko, nuclear prolif-eration, Dalits.

2. Main Ideas Create a web like theone below on a sheet of paper.Use it to fill in the informationabout how natural resources andconflicts present challenges inSouth Asia.

Critical Thinking3. Making Decisions Which of the

region’s resource issues do youthink should receive the mostfunding and attention? Explainyour choice.

4. Comparing and Contrasting Listexamples from your reading tocontrast the region’s tolerance for diversity with its ongoing religious and ethnic conflicts.

5. Making Inferences In what waysdoes nuclear proliferation furthercomplicate the already intenseconflicts in South Asia? Giveexamples to support your answer.

Analyzing Maps6. Location Study the map of coun-

tries with nuclear capability onpage 622. On which continent are the most nuclear warheadslocated? The most countries with nuclear capability?

7. Writing a Letter Imagineyou are a local official writing to a South Asiangovernment about a village hard hit by floods or drought. Analyze theenvironmental impact and suggest ways to resolve the problem.

Applying Geography

South Asia’s Challenges

Resources Conflicts

denied housing, educational opportunities, andjobs, even though India’s constitution outlaws suchdiscrimination.

Promise and PossibilitySouth Asia’s history of conflict rests side-by-side

with its long tradition of tolerance for diversity.On the fiftieth anniversary of his country’s inde-pendence, one Indian writer posed this challengefor the future. His comments could also apply tothe rest of South Asia:

“ In a country as diverse as India , the interests of various groups of Indians will tend to diverge , and political contention is inevitable. The major challenge for Indian democracy is therefore to absorb and resolve the clashes that may arise from contending interests, while ensuring the freedom, safety, and prosperity of all Indians.”Shashi Tharoor, India:

From Midnight to the Millennium, 1997

ViewpointCASE STUDY on the Environment

I N D I A

CornCorn and RiceCorn and WheatRiceWheat

Crops

India’s Green Revolution: Several decades ago, India’speople were dying of starvation.Then came the green revolution.Hailed as the solution to India’schronic food shortages, the greenrevolution was an internationaleffort to increase food productionin less-developed countries.Starting in the 1960s, Indianfarmers planted high-yieldvarieties of crops and used largeamounts of fertilizers and pesti-cides to help the plants grow. Bythe 1970s, India was producingrecord harvests. Yet India’s greenrevolution also has caused environmental damage and dependence on costly chemicals.Is India’s green revolution a success or a failure?

Success or Failure?

India’s Green Revolution:

Success or Failure?

624 U n i t 8

Thanks to the green revolution, fewer children in India starve today.

Indian farmers (below) harvest an abundant crop of rice. But abun-dance comes with a price—relianceon spraying crops with costly pesticides (right). ▼

What’s Your Point of View?Should India continue to practice and improve upongreen revolution techniques?Or should the country seek anew approach?

At India’s Rice ResearchInstitute, scientists exper-iment with various meth-ods of growing rice.The

Institute’s research aids Indianfarmers (left) by introducingthem to green revolution agricultural techniques.

The green revolution wasdesigned to increase agriculturalproduction and end hunger. InIndia, green revolution tech-niques encouraged farmers toturn more fields into cropland,raise more than one crop peryear, and plant new high-yieldvariety (HYV) seeds—mainlywheat and rice.

India’s green revolution has worked as people hoped it would. Grain harvests havesoared, and India no longerimports grain.Yet there areproblems. Compared with olderstrains of wheat and rice, newhigh-yield varieties need farmore water, fertilizer, and pesti-cides to flourish. Huge irrigationprojects deliver water to thirstyHYV plants. In some places,this has led to a buildup of

salt in the soil, damagingonce-fertilefields. Poor Indianfarmers often gointo debt to payfor expensivechemicals. Overuseof pesticides hasgradually poisoned the soil and water in some areas.Thechemicals also have led to pesticide-resistant crop pests.

India’s growing populationof one billion is the second–largest in the world.The coun-try faces a critical decision:Should it continue to rely ongreen revolution technology?

Supporters of the green revolution point out that its techniques dramaticallyincreased food production andalleviated hunger in India.Theyclaim that new geneticallyengineered seeds will produceeven higher yields.These newvarieties will be resistant topests, reducing the need forpesticides. Supporters also saythat despite some exceptions,the green revolution hashelped most farmers earnmore money and raise theirstandards of living.

Opponents of the green revolution argue that the newmethods caused much environ-mental damage and widenedthe gap between rich and poor.Excessive use of chemicalspollutes water, poses healthhazards, and leads to pest resis-tance. Opponents point outthat farmers get caught in acycle of using more and morechemicals to achieve healthycrops. Furthermore, some scientists warn that geneticallymodified seeds carry unknownrisks and may create newenvironmental problems.

▼

Learning the SkillConsequences are the results

of actions or choices we make.For example, scoring high on anexam is one likely consequenceof studying the night before.Often, predicting consequencesis not so straightforward. Anaction or decision can have far-reaching or unintended conse-quences. One country’s decisionto provide aid to farmers, forinstance, could lower the priceof produce across an entireregion. This would make it moredifficult for farmers in otherregions to compete.

Follow these steps to helpyou analyze information inorder to predict consequences:

• Gather information aboutthe decision or action.

• Use your knowledge of history and human behaviorto identify what consequencescould result.

• Analyze each of the conse-quences by asking: How likelyis it that this will occur?

• Determine whether this con-sequence will have otherimportant consequences.

• Make a prediction using the information you havegathered.

Practicing the SkillRead and study the passage,

and then answer the questionsthat follow.

Predicting ConsequencesMaking educated guesses about the outcome or consequences

of an event or situation is useful in almost every area oflife. Making good educated guesses is essential for successfuldecision making, problem solving, and planning.

626 U n i t 8

“India is counting on information technology to create millions of new

jobs and add billions of dollars to export earnings in the coming years.

Yet it appears that unless more training and investment in education is

made available, there may not be enough skilled workers to meet these

ambitious goals. . . .

Most of the top schools producing computer and software workers send

their graduates abroad to the United States and Europe, where Indian high

technology professionals are in high demand. . . . Indian companies say

they cannot compete with their counterparts abroad in salaries or benefits. . . .

This is all happening while India’s unemployment rate among unskilled

workers is soaring. Economists say the only answer is a massive investment in

primary and secondary education. But, with the Indian budget deep in deficit

for years to come, it is hard to see where the money is going to come from.”

—Daniel Lak, “India at Risk of Tech Worker Shortage,”

BBC News (online), April 15, 2000

1. What trend does the passagedescribe?

2. Do you think the trend thewriter describes is likely tocontinue?

3. On what do you base thisprediction?

4. What occurrences might havean effect on changing thetrend?

5. What are three possible con-sequences or outcomes ofthis trend?

6. What are the possible bene-fits and drawbacks of thesolution proposed by econo-mists who study the issue?

The Glencoe Skillbuilder Interactive Workbook,

Level 2 provides instruction andpractice in key social studies skills.

Find a newspaper or news maga-zine article that describes a politi-cal, economic, or social problem inSouth Asia.Analyze the article, anddescribe how the people of SouthAsia are trying to solve the prob-lem. Predict three consequences ofthe actions described. On what doyou base your prediction?

SUMMARY & STUDY GUIDE

C h a p t e r 2 5 627

Reviewing Key Points• Agriculture provides a living for most of South

Asia’s people, and it also provides cash crops forexport.

• South Asia’s mines and fisheries contribute toits exports.

• South Asia is experiencing rapid growth in thehigh-tech sector and continues to develop lightand heavy industries.

• Tourism offers both benefits and challenges tothe South Asian economy.

Organizing Your NotesCreate an outline, using the for-mat below, to help you organizeyour notes for this section.

Terms to Know• sustainable

development• poaching• Chipko• nuclear

proliferation• Dalits

Reviewing Key Points• South Asia faces the complex task of managing

its rich and varied natural resources.

• South Asia is seeking scientific solutions to its environmental challenges.

• Conflict in South Asia stems from issues ofnationalism, religion, and ethnicity.

Organizing Your NotesUse a table like the one belowto help you organize importantdetails from this section.

Terms to Know• cash crop• jute• green revolution• biomass• cottage industry• ecotourism

SECTION 1 Living in South Asia (pp. 611–617)

SECTION 2 People and Their Environment (pp. 618–623)

SUMMARY & STUDY GUIDE

Living in South Asia

I. Living From the LandA. Agricultural Conditions

1.2.

B.1.2.

II. South Asian Crops

NaturalResources Solutions Conflicts

Shopping district, New Delhi, India

2. Predicting Consequences What mightbe the results of ongoing nuclear prolifera-tion in South Asia?

3. Identifying Cause and Effect Create acause-and-effect diagram like the one belowfor each of South Asia’s current environmentalchallenges. Then fill in the details about thecauses and effects of each.

Reviewing Key TermsWrite the key term that best completes each ofthe following sentences. Refer to the Terms toKnow in the Summary & Study Guide on page 627.

1. The spread of nuclear weapons is called_____.

2. _____ is a type of tourism that encouragesresponsible interaction with the environment.

3. Using resources at a rate that does notdeplete them is called _____.

4. _____ are India’s lowest socialclass.

5. People making products such asjewelry or textiles at home areworking in a(n) _____.

6. The movement to increase foodproductivity through the use ofexperimental high-yield crops iscalled the _____.

Reviewing FactsSECTION 1

1. What kinds of agricultural meth-ods are used in South Asia?

2. How do mining and fishing con-tribute to the region’s economy?

3. What are the benefits and chal-lenges of tourism to the regiontoday?

SECTION 24. What are South Asia’s key natural

resources, and where are theylocated?

5. What are the conflicting issuesover India’s Narmada River dam?

6. What are the causes and effectsof the Kashmir conflict?

Critical Thinking1. Making Generalizations What

would you say is the greatest chal-lenge facing South Asia today?

Locating PlacesSouth Asia: Physical-Political Geography

Match the letters on the map with the places and physical features of South Asia. Write your answers on a sheet of paper.

1. Colombo2. Lahore3. Narmada River4. Indus Valley

5. Western Ghats6. Malabar Coast7. Vindhya Range8. Khyber Pass

9. Ganges Plain10. Great Indian

Desert

A

J

E

B

F

G

H

I

D

C

10°N

20°N

30°N

60°E 70°E 80°E 90°E 100°E

TROPIC OF CANCER

Two-Point Equidistant projection400

4000 mi.

0 km

N

ASSESSMENT & ACTIVITIES

628 U n i t 8

Effects

Environmental Challenge

Causes

Environmental Challenge

C h a p t e r X 629

Self-Check Quiz Visit the Glencoe WorldGeography Web site at tx.geography.glencoe.comand click on Self-Check Quizzes—Chapter 25 toprepare for the Chapter Test.

Using the Regional AtlasRefer to the Regional Atlas on pages 560–563.

1. Place Which major physical feature allowssubsistence farming west of the Great IndianDesert?

2. Human-Environment Interaction Whatnatural resource do Pakistan and Bangladeshhave in common?

Thinking Like a GeographerThink about the diverse cultures and physicalgeography of South Asia. What do you thinkcontributes to some of the problems or conflictsin South Asia today? Based on your understand-ing of this region’s physical and human geogra-phy, what solutions might you propose?

Problem-Solving ActivityContemporary Issues Case Study Prepare acase study on the use of the English language inSouth Asia. Gather data from print and electronicresources, and summarize the history and currentstatus of English in the region. Also, consider whyEnglish today serves as a major internationalmedium of communication.

GeoJournalCreative Writing Referring to the notes youmade in your journal, choose one economic activ-ity. Imagine that you are employed in this activity,and write a description of a typical work day. Ifnecessary, conduct additional research to adddetails to your account. Make your description asdetailed as possible to capture the sense of whatyour job is like.

Technology ActivityUsing E-Mail Choose an environmen-

tal issue in South Asia that you have read about inyour text or in other news sources. List the impor-tant points about the issue, and then compose ane-mail letter to the editor of your local newspaperto bring the issue to the attention of others.

Read the passage and answer the question thatfollows. If you have trouble answering thequestion, use the process of elimination to

South Asia is taking several steps to increasefood production in the region’s agriculturalareas. Steps include increased planting cycles in Bangladesh and the use of technology such asmodern irrigation techniques, pest control, soilfertilization, and new varieties of grain thatincrease crop yields. Farmers in Nepal nowplant winter wheat in fields that used to lie fallow after the rice harvest. Research stationsin Bhutan have helped farmers establish fruitorchards, and government-funded programs inSri Lanka have encouraged farmers to growmore food crops.

narrow your choices.

1. Which of the following reasons explainswhy South Asian countries are changing agricultural methods and using moderntechnology?

F South Asia is taking steps to increasemanufacturing production.

G Countries want to raise more food fortheir people.

H Nepal does allow its agricultural fields tolie fallow.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

C h a p t e r 2 5 629

Never rely on your memory to answerquestions derived from a passage. Ifyou refer to the passage before you

choose the correct answer, you will be less likely tomake careless errors.