SOUTH ASIAChapter 7 section 1: Geography and early history of South Asia

South Asia

Aka Indian subcontinent Eight independent nations Three distinct landforms shape the major

geographic regions of South Asia Northern mountains, northern plains,

Deccan Plateau

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan

The two major mountains ranges: Himalayas and Hindu Kush

These mountains create a massive wall that separates the Indian subcontinent from the interior of Asia

Mountains in South Asia

Importance of mountains

Create barriers Great river systems have their sources

fed by the melting snows from the mountains

High valleys are used for farming

Northern Plains

Indo-Gangetic Plain

This plain benefits from the three rivers that flow through this area: Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra

Highly-populated

Indus River Principal river in

Pakistan Ganges River

Begins in ice cave Most holy river

Thar Desert Nomadic herders

Deccan Plateau

South Asia is a huge, triangular region which includes varied landforms, from mountains to low-lying deltas.

Lies south of the great plains Occupies nearly half of South

Asia Farming Bordered on three sides by

mountains

Vindhya Mountains

VIND yuh North of the Deccan Plateau Separates the plateau from the

Indo-Gangetic Plain Read story on page 164 in

textbook Mark the boundary between

northern and southern India

Western Ghat Moutains

Located in the East and West

Named for the many passes that cut through the mountains

Western Ghats prevented Europeans from moving into the interior

Eastern Ghats are disconnected. Europeans invaded through the valleys

Ghat Mountains