World Geography South Asia UNIT8 Study Guide – Flashcards
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Why is South Asia sometimes called a subcontinent?
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It is a large landmass, but it is smaller than a continent.
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What two mountain ranges resulted from the collision of what is now the Indian subcontinent with Asia?
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Himalayas and the Hindu Kush
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What two tectonic plates were involved in this collision?
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Indian plate and Eurasian plate
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What caused the formation of mountain ranges in the northern part of the region?
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The gradual collision of two large tectonic plates forcing the land upward.
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What are the three great rivers of South Asia?
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The Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra
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In which directions do these rivers originating in the Himalayas flow?
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East, West, and South
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Where is the Indo-Gangetic Plain?
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Northern and eastern India and virtually all of Bangladesh; South Asia.
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Why is the Indo-Gangetic plain important in terms of population?
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•One of the most fertile farming places in the world •The most heavily populated part of South Asia •Contains 3/5 of India's population •Most of the subcontinent's largest cities are located there
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What are the two island countries that are part of South Asia?
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Sri Lanka and the Maldives
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What is the main geological difference between the Maldives and Sri Lanka?
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The Maldives is an archipelago made up of atolls.
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What are south Asia's main water resources?
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Rivers and coastal waters
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How are they beneficial?
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•Many types of fish are found in rivers and coastal waters •Provide a means of transportation and power
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What mineral resources have led to the development of industries in India?
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Coal, petroleum, natural gas, uranium, iron-ore, manganese, gypsum, chromium, bauxite, copper
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Why is deforestation a problem?
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Deforestation causes soil erosion, flooding, land-slides, and loss of wildlife habitats.
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Name the climate zones of South Asia. There are 6.
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1. Tropical Wet 2. Tropical Wet and Dry 3. Desert 4. Semiarid 5. Humid Subtropical 6. Highland
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What are monsoons?
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Seasonal winds
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When are South Asia's monsoon seasons?
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•October through February •June through September
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of the southwest monsoons?
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•Advantages: Crucial to life on the subcontinent •Disadvantages: Causes hardships for millions
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What is South Asia's most extreme type of weather?
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Cyclone
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Which country is most affected by cyclones?
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Bangladesh
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Where are South Asia tropical rain forests located?
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Western coast of India and southern Bangladesh
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What do Hindus believe about the Ganges?
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•A sacred river home to the Hindu goddess Ganga •Holy waters wash their sins away
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How do Hindus interact with the Ganges?
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•Provides water for drinking, farming, and transportation •Spiritual significance •Worship river as a goddess •Many temples and sacred sites line the Ganges •Pilgrims come to visit the Ganges •Scatter ashes of deceased in the water •Enter water as the sun rises for purification and prayer •Float baskets of flowers and burning candles on the water
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In what ways is the Ganges a health hazard?
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•Millions of gallons of raw sewage and industrial waste flow into the river everyday •Bodies of dead humans and animals •Toxic chemicals and deadly bacteria •People contract stomach and intestinal diseases and life-threatening illnesses (hepatitis, typhoid, cholera, etc.)
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How did the Feni River cause hardship for the people of Bangladesh?
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•Monsoon rains swell the river and may cause it to overflow •Storm surges swamp low-lying areas •Villages and fields are flooded
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What solution did the Bangladeshis decide on?
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To construct an earthen dam for the Feni
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How long did it take to build the dam across the Feni River?
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Six months
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What crucial test did the dam pass?
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When a cyclone came into the Bay of Bengal
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When and from what country did India gain her independence?
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•August 14, 1947 •From Great Britain
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When and where did early Indian civilization begin?
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•Around 2,500 B.C. •Began in the Indus Valley (now Pakistan)
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Who are the Aryans & the Dravidians?
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•Invaders that crossed the mountains of the Hindu Kush and spread across northern India •Aryans: A light-skinned people from the plains of northern Iran •Dravidians: Darker-skinned native Indians who were pushed to the south by the Aryans
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How did the Mughal Empire change Indian culture?
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Muslim rule brought new customs and sometimes conflicted with those of the native Hindus.
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Why did Europeans come to India?
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Looking for spices, cloth, and other goods not available in Europe
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What is the British East India Company and what did it do?
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•A trading arm •Allowed Britain to gain control over India's trade with Europe in 1757
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What is the raj?
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The period of direct British control which lasted for nearly 90 years
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Who was Mohandas Gandhi and what was his movement based on?
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•A great Indian leader who based his movement on nonviolent resistance
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What changes came to India when independence was gained?
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•The Muslims of West and East Pakistan chose to separate from India •Violence between Hindus and Muslims •Mass migrations across new borders caused great hardship and suffering
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Who was India's first prime minister & what type of government do they have?
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•Jawaharlal Nehru •Democratic republic
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Why are Muslim-Hindu relations of concern to the India Government?
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•India is strongly Hindu •Muslim minority numbers 150 million, so the Indian Government must take Muslim interests into account
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How have Sikhs and Tamils expressed dissatisfaction with the government?
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•Sikh extremists assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the daughter of Nehru. •Tamil extremists assassinated Indira Gandhi's son, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
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Why has land reform been so difficult to enact?
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Large landowners have great political influence
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What program has improved agricultural yield AND how has it done so?
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•Green Revolution •Introduced new farming techniques and higher-yielding grain varieties
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What is India's most prosperous city AND which city is its high-tech center?
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•Most prosperous city: Mumbai •High-tech center: Bangalore
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What is the center of daily life in India?
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Marriage and family
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How are traditional marriages in India different than most in the US?
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•Follow the custom of arranged marriages •Male-dominated •Divorce is rare
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Why has India's government placed a high priority on education?
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To prepare citizens for the future
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How do the languages of India reflect ethnic diversity?
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The culture of India is a rich blend of the different linguistic, ethnic, and religious groups.
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What do the Hindus believe about karma and reincarnation?
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•The soul is re-birthed after death •The moral consequences of a person's actions, known as karma, help determine how a soul is reincarnated
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List and describe the 4 basic castes.
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1. Brahmans (priests and scholars) 2. Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors) 3. Vaisyas (farmers and merchants) 4. Sudras (artisans and laborers)
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What are Hindus basic beliefs?
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•Each person is born into a different moral caste •Each person has a certain moral duty, known as dharma, that is specific to the caste •Each person can only move into a different caste through reincarnation
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What are the characteristics of the Indus Valley civilization?
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•Well-planned cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro •Brick buildings and sophisticated sanitation systems
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What caused the partitioning of India AND what country was created as a result?
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•Partition caused by the end of British rule in 1947 •Created India and Pakistan
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What was the outcome of Pakistan's 1971 civil war?
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East Pakistan won its independence as Bangladesh
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What is the basis for the economies of Pakistan & Bangladesh?
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Agriculture
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How has microcredit spurred the growth of small businesses?
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The policy makes small loans available to entrepreneurs
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What religion is practiced in both Pakistan & Bangladesh?
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Islam
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How do Pakistan & Bangladesh differ in their practice of Islam?
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•Pakistan is stricter in imposing Islamic law •In Bangladesh, the Islamic laws such as purdah are much less common and religious practices are less strict
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Why was Urdu chosen as the official language of Pakistan?
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To avoid favoring one region or group over another
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Why is Rabindranath Tagore a cultural hero in Bangladesh?
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•He wrote about the Ganges and his Bengal homeland •Bangladesh adopted his song "My Golden Bengal" as its national anthem
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What forms of artistic expression are popular?
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•Poetry (Mushairas) •Music (Qawwali) •Dance
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In what 2 ways are Nepal and Bhutan alike?
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•Located in the Himalayas •Kingdoms with strong religious traditions
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What factors contribute to the remoteness of Nepal & Bhutan?
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•Mountainous and rugged landscape •Landlocked location
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What 2 countries had control or influence over Nepal & Bhutan?
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China and Great Britain
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What type of government do both Nepal and Bhutan have?
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Constitutional monarchies
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What political challenges do Nepal and Bhutan face?
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•Decades of isolation •Difficult topography •Limited resources
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What is the economic base for both Nepal and Bhutan?
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Agriculture
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How do farmers increase the amount of farmland?
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Farmers create terraces on the mountainsides
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Name the common farm products and livestock in Nepal and Bhutan
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•Rice, corn, potatoes, and wheat •Cattle, sheep, and yaks
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What activities are also important to the economies of Nepal and Bhutan?
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Timber industry and tourism
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How has tourism affected Nepal?
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•Damaged the environment, particularly on mountain slopes •Increased trash and pollution
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Why does Bhutan regulate tourism?
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Concerned about the impact of tourists on national life
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What language do people in Nepal speak AND what ethnic group are most people in Nepal from?
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•Speak Nepali, a variation of Sanskrit •From Tibetan ancestry
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What historic event connects Nepal with Buddhism?
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The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Guatama, known as the Buddha, was born on the borders of present-day Nepal and India in the sixth century B.C.
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What traditions are reflected in the festivals of Bhutan and Nepal?
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•Ancient traditions such as archery competitions •Music is played with traditional instruments
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Which 2 ethnic groups settled in ancient Sri Lanka?
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Sinhalese and Tamils
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Which European countries colonized Sri Lanka?
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Portuguese, Dutch, British
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What kind of government does Sri Lanka have now?
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Republic
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Who settled the Maldives?
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Buddhists and Hindus
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What religion had the Maldives adopted by the 12th century?
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Islam
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Who ruled the Maldives for 6 dynasties?
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Sultans
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What type of government does Maldives have now?
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Republic
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How many islands make up Maldives and what is the number of square miles?
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•1,200 islands •115 square miles
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Name the different religions of the people of Sri Lanka.
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•Sinhalese Buddhists •Tamil Hindus •Muslims •Christians
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Name the different ethnicities of the Maldives?
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Sinhalese and Dravidian mixed with Arab, Southeast Asian, and Chinese traders over the centuries
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What is a bodu beru?
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•Music and dance based on drumming •Dancers sway to the drum beat with increasing intensity •Strong African influence
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What agricultural products & mining products does the economy of Sri Lanka depend on?
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•Tea, rubber, coconuts, rice •Gemstones such as sapphires, rubies, and topaz
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How does the economy of the Maldives differ from those of other South Asian countries?
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•Farming is limited by lack of land •Most food has to be imported
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What caused the tourist industry in Sri Lanka to collapse?
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•A civil war •Warfare
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What challenge does the Maldives face?
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•Global warming Islands are very low in the water •Any rise in sea level- caused by melting of the polar ice caps- could flood them completely.
