Geography of South Asia: Physical Characteristics

Summary

This script offers an in-depth look at South Asia's geography, emphasizing the region's eight countries and significant physical features, including the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. It delves into the impact of monsoons on climate, agriculture, and trade, highlighting the sacred Ganges River and the Indus River's historical importance. The discussion also covers diverse climates, from tropical to alpine, and the potential effects of climate change, particularly the threat to the Maldives. Natural disasters, such as cyclones and tsunamis, are also addressed, illustrating their devastating impact on the region.

Takeaways

• 🌏 South Asia is comprised of eight countries: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
• 🏞️ The region is characterized by three major mountain ranges: the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Western Ghats, with the Himalayas being the tallest and youngest in the world.
• 🏔️ Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, is part of the Himalayas and continues to grow due to the ongoing tectonic plate movement.
• 🌊 The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is located in northwest India and is influenced by the rain shadow effect of the Himalayas and its latitude.
• 💧 South Asia has four significant rivers: the Indus, Ganges, Narmada, and Krishna, with the Indus and Ganges being the most culturally and historically important.
• 🌾 The Indus River is the cradle of one of the world's oldest civilizations, while the Ganges is sacred to Hindus and believed to cleanse sins.
• 🌧️ Monsoons are a critical aspect of South Asia's climate, with seasonal winds bringing heavy rains in summer and dry conditions in winter.
• 🌤️ The Intertropical Convergence Zone's movement significantly affects the monsoon winds, causing extreme variations in precipitation.
• 🌍 Climate change poses a significant threat to the Maldives, with rising sea levels potentially submerging the low-lying islands in the coming decades.
• 🌪️ Cyclones and tsunamis are natural disasters that have devastating impacts on South Asia, with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

Q & A

What are the main objectives of examining South Asia's physical characteristics?

The main objectives are to identify the countries in South Asia, understand its physical features including mountain ranges, deserts, and rivers, and to discuss the impact of these features on the region's climate, settlement, and people.

How many countries are in South Asia and what are their names?

There are eight countries in South Asia: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

What is the significance of the Himalayas in South Asia?

The Himalayas are significant as they are the world's largest and youngest mountains, housing the tallest peaks including Mount Everest. They impact the climate of South and East Asia and have historically served as a barrier between India and China.

Why are the Himalayas considered to be the youngest mountains in the world?

The Himalayas are considered the youngest because they are still forming due to the ongoing tectonic plate collision between the Indian subcontinent and the Asian continent, which causes them to grow taller over time.

What is the nickname of Sri Lanka and why is it called that?

Sri Lanka is nicknamed 'the teardrop of India' because of its shape on the map, resembling a teardrop hanging off the southern tip of India.

What are the three mountain ranges discussed in the script and their respective impacts?

The three mountain ranges are the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Western Ghats. The Himalayas impact climate and act as a barrier, the Hindu Kush is a tall range running through Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the Western Ghats influence the climate by blocking moisture, creating a semi-arid region known as the Deccan Plateau.

What is the Thar Desert and why was it formed?

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is located in the northwest portion of India near Pakistan. It was formed due to the rain shadow effect of the Himalayas and the high-pressure cells around 30 degrees latitude that push moisture away, creating a dry region.

Why are the Indus and Ganges rivers significant in South Asia?

The Indus River is significant as it is the cradle of one of the world's oldest civilizations and is the cultural heart of South Asia. The Ganges River is considered sacred to Hindus and is believed to cleanse sins, although it is also one of the world's most polluted rivers.

What is a monsoon and how does it affect the climate of South Asia?

A monsoon is a seasonal wind pattern that brings significant rainfall to South Asia. It is characterized by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which causes a shift in wind patterns and humidity levels, leading to heavy precipitation during the summer and less rainfall during the winter.

What are the four major climate types in South Asia?

The four major climate types in South Asia are tropical wet and dry, humid subtropical, arid and semi-arid deserts and grasslands, and alpine or highland climates found in the mountainous regions.

How does climate change pose a threat to the Maldives?

Climate change threatens the Maldives due to rising sea levels caused by global warming. With an average elevation of only four feet above sea level, even a small rise in sea levels could submerge the islands, potentially making them uninhabitable within the coming decades.

What are the natural disasters that can impact South Asia and why are they significant?

Cyclones and tsunamis are significant natural disasters in South Asia. Cyclones, similar to hurricanes, can cause widespread destruction, particularly in coastal areas like Bangladesh. Tsunamis, triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanic activity, can lead to massive loss of life and property, as seen in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that affected multiple countries and resulted in over 230,000 fatalities.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ South Asia's Geographical Overview

This paragraph introduces the South Asian region, highlighting its eight countries: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. It emphasizes the physical characteristics of the region, including three mountain ranges (Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Western Ghats), one desert (Thar Desert), and four rivers (Indus, Ganges, Narmada, and Krishna). The Himalayas are noted for their impact on climate and as a historical barrier between India and China. The paragraph also explains the formation of the Himalayas through tectonic plate movement and the ongoing growth of Mount Everest.

05:02

🌊 Rivers and Climate of South Asia

The second paragraph delves into the significance of the Indus and Ganges rivers, with the former being the cradle of the Indus Valley Civilization and the latter considered sacred in Hinduism. The paragraph discusses the rivers' roles in agriculture and urban water supply, as well as the challenges of flooding and pollution, particularly in the Ganges. The monsoon winds are introduced as a key climatic factor, affecting both the summer and winter seasons, and their impact on precipitation, drought, and the fertility of the soil through alluvial plains.

10:02

🌍 Impact of Monsoons on Trade and Climate Types

This section explores the strategic use of monsoon winds by ancient sailors for trade, timing their voyages to coincide with favorable winds. It then categorizes the climates of South Asia into four types: tropical wet and dry, humid subtropical, semi-arid deserts and grasslands, and alpine or highland climates. The paragraph also addresses the potential effects of global warming, particularly the threat of rising sea levels to the Maldives, which could lead to the islands being submerged or uninhabitable within the coming decades.

15:03

🌪️ Natural Disasters and Their Consequences

The final paragraph discusses the natural disasters that affect South Asia, including cyclones, which are similar to hurricanes and often strike Bangladesh, and tsunamis, which can be caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic activity. The paragraph recounts the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which resulted in significant loss of life and destruction. The paragraph concludes by summarizing the physical features, climate, and weather-related impacts on the people of South Asia.

Keywords

💡South Asia

South Asia refers to the region comprising several countries in the southern part of the Asian continent. It is the main focus of the video, which discusses the physical characteristics, climate, and natural disasters of this area. The script mentions specific countries such as Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, all of which contribute to the diverse geographical features of South Asia.

💡Himalayas

The Himalayas are the world's tallest and youngest mountain range, significantly impacting the climate of South and East Asia. The script highlights that the Himalayas are home to ten of the world's fourteen tallest mountains, including Mount Everest. They were formed by the collision of the Indian subcontinent with the Asian continent, and this tectonic activity continues to cause the mountains to grow, as evidenced by Mount Everest's annual increase in height.

💡Monsoon

Monsoon is a seasonal wind pattern that brings about significant weather changes, particularly heavy rainfall, in South Asia. The video explains that monsoons are driven by the Intertropical Convergence Zone's movement, which affects humidity levels and precipitation. The summer monsoon is crucial for the region's agriculture due to the fertile soils it deposits, while the winter monsoon can lead to drought conditions.

💡Indus River

The Indus River is one of the most important rivers in South Asia, mentioned in the script as a part of the region's early civilization. It is significant not only for its historical role in the development of the Indus Valley Civilization but also for its current contribution to agriculture and as a source of water for the cities and people of Pakistan.

💡Ganges River

The Ganges River is considered sacred in Hinduism, as it is believed to wash away sins and help individuals progress towards spiritual liberation, or 'Moksha'. The script notes the river's cultural significance and the paradox of its sacred status juxtaposed with being one of the world's most polluted rivers, highlighting the environmental challenges faced in the region.

💡Thar Desert

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is located in the northwestern part of India and is a key geographical feature discussed in the script. Its formation is attributed to the rain shadow effect caused by the Himalayas and its position near the 30-degree latitude, where dry high-pressure cells create arid conditions.

💡Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are a mountain range along the southwestern coast of India. Although not as tall as the Himalayas, they significantly influence the region's climate by blocking moisture from the Indian Ocean, leading to the formation of the semi-arid Deccan Plateau. The script emphasizes their role in shaping the region's climate and ecology.

💡Climate Types

The video script outlines four major climate types in South Asia: tropical wet and dry, humid subtropical, arid and semi-arid deserts and grasslands, and alpine or highland climates. These climate types are determined by factors such as monsoons, latitude, and altitude, and they shape the region's biodiversity, agriculture, and human settlements.

💡Global Warming

Global warming is a significant theme in the video, particularly in the context of the Maldives, an archipelago threatened by rising sea levels. The script discusses the potential for the Maldives to become uninhabitable due to global warming, illustrating the real-world implications of climate change on low-lying island nations.

💡Natural Disasters

Natural disasters such as cyclones and tsunamis are discussed in the script as significant threats to the region. Cyclones, similar to hurricanes, and tsunamis, caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic activity, can cause widespread destruction. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is cited as an example of the devastating impact these disasters can have on communities in South Asia.

Highlights

South Asia's physical examination begins with its countries: Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is nicknamed 'the teardrop of India' due to its distinctive shape.

The Himalayas are the world's tallest and youngest mountains, impacting the climate of South and East Asia.

Ten of the world's 14 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, are in the Himalayas.

The Himalayas were a barrier between India and China for thousands of years.

Mount Everest continues to grow due to the ongoing collision of the Indian subcontinent with Asia.

The Hindu Kush mountain range extends from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

The Western Ghats influence the climate by blocking moisture from the Indian Ocean, creating the semi-arid Deccan Plateau.

The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is influenced by the Himalayas' rain shadow effect and its latitude.

The Indus River is the third of the ancient river civilizations and the cultural heart of South Asia.

The Ganges River is considered sacred in Hinduism, believed to cleanse sins and aid in spiritual progression.

Pollution in the Ganges River has made it one of the world's most polluted rivers, with severe health implications.

Monsoon winds, not just rains, are crucial to South Asia's climate, affecting humidity and precipitation.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone's seasonal movement greatly influences the monsoon winds in South Asia.

Summer monsoons bring heavy rains and flooding, while winter monsoons can lead to drought.

Monsoon winds have historically facilitated trade by aiding navigation to and from India.

South Asia has four major climate types: tropical wet/dry, humid subtropical, semi-arid, and alpine/highland.

The Maldives faces potential submersion due to rising sea levels caused by global warming.

Cyclones and tsunamis are significant natural disasters in South Asia, with the 2004 tsunami causing massive destruction.

Transcripts

[Applause]

[Music]

hey mr. Roush up here alright so what

we're gonna do today is we're gonna

start our examination of South Asia by

looking at its physical characteristics

and here our objectives we're gonna be

following so first let's look at the

countries that are in South Asia first

of all there is number one which is

Pakistan there's number two which is

India there is number three which is

Nepal number four is Bhutan number five

is Bangladesh number six is one we're

gonna talk about a bit more when we talk

about Southeast Asia that's Myanmar and

then we have our two island countries we

have number seven which is archipelago

or a group of islands which is the

Maldives and number eight is Sri Lankan

if you look at the shape of Sri Lanka

you'll understand the reason why it is

earned the nickname the teardrop of

India and there are total of eight

different physical features we're going

to talk about there are three mountain

ranges there is one desert and then

there are four rivers so well first of

all let's look at those mountains and we

would talk about mountains it is in

South Asia we have the largest mountains

in the world which are the Himalayas

they also are the youngest mountains in

the world

remember younger mountains actually tend

to be taller because they haven't been

eroded remembered the discussion we had

about the Appalachians and the Rockies

in North America now it is in the

Himalayas that we have the tallest

mountains the world in fact of the 14

tallest mountains the world ten of these

are found in the Himalayas to include

Mount Everest which the tallest mountain

in the world

now the Himalayas knew two very

important things first of all they

really impact the the climate of not

only the people in South Asia but also

East Asia we'll talk about that and when

we talk about China next unit and then

wit also for thousands of years the

Himalayas were a barrier between the

people and China and the people in India

the Himalayas are a product of a

cultural folding and this caused between

50 million years ago and even going on

to

of the indian sub-continent actually

coming and crashing into the asian

continent in fact this process continues

on today as that subcontinent of India

continues moving northward and this is

the reason why Mount Everest continues

to grow an eighth of an inch every year

the second mountain range we're going to

talk about is the Hindu Kush we talked

about this during Central Asia these are

the mountains are run from Pakistan down

into the central portion of Afghanistan

now these also are very tall mountains

are over 20,000 feet but what are not

very tall are our third mountain range

which are the Western Ghats we find our

Western Ghats or in the southwestern

coast of India and they only are about

8,000 feet but they still have an impact

upon the climate because they help

blocks the moisture from the Indian

Ocean going into the interior creating a

semi-arid region known as the Deccan

Plateau now there is another mountain

range that we don't have on your map but

I'll talk about very quickly which is

your Eastern Ghats the eastern Ghats

also runs along the coastline but along

the eastern coastline of India but these

only are about 5,000 feet and in height

all right so on our map number one we

have the Hindu cushion yeah I skip to

you there number two is our Himalayas

and number three are our Western Ghats

now what we're going to do is we're

going to talk about the desert and the

desert we're talking about is the thar

desert which is awesome known as the

great Indian desert it is found in the

northwest portion of India just as

you're getting ready to go into Pakistan

now there are two different reasons for

its creation first of all there's a

range shuttle effect of the Himalayas

and the other mountains that are around

here also it is due to the fact that

it's at 28 degrees latitude and remember

when we're talking about the Hadley

cells what we know that at about 30

degrees latitude both north and south

latitude around the world you have this

dry high-pressure cells that basically

have dry air coming down

and pushing moisture away this is the

reason why the largest deserts in the

world generally are along 30 degrees in

that is the case we see here with the

thar desert which is number four on your

map and then we have some rivers where's

four rivers we're gonna talk about there

are the Indus River which is number five

that runs through Pakistan there is

number eight which is the Ganges River

runs through the northeastern portion of

India down through the Delta that goes

into Bangladesh and then we have the

norm Narmada River which is number six

which is just to the north of the Deccan

Plateau and that we have the Krishna

River number seven that goes through the

Deccan Plateau of these the two most

important rivers to know are the Indus

River and e Ganges River the Indus River

is important because it is the third of

the river civilizations we've talked

about this course our first two we

talked about whatever me river was

Mesopotamia which is along the Euphrates

and the Tigris and the Middle East and

then of course there is the ancient

Egypt which has the Nile it is a long

the Indus River that the culture of the

people and South Asia actually

originated it is the cultural heart of

South Asia the second river is the

Ganges River and the reason why the

Ganges River is important is because it

is considered sacred or holy to Hindus

and the reason why it's considered

sacred is because it is in the Ganges

River that you have the goddess Ganga

and in this said that if you're a Hindu

if you go and bathe in the Ganges River

the goddess Ganga will help solve your

your sins and have you moved one step

more towards Mosca which we'll talk

about when we talk about Hinduism now if

this is supposed to wash away your sins

the irony is is a dangerous river is the

sixth most polluted river in the world

in fact in some of the areas actually

have the highest amount of cancer due to

the pollution of the Ganges River now

there's rivers whether it's these two or

often they're numata and the Krishna

which we talked about

for these our report because they

provide water to cities and they provide

lands for agriculture additionally

whenever you have flooding you it

actually allows for very fertile soils

to be deposited knowing as alluvial

plains all right so we talked about

those physical features that are

important to the settlement of South

Asia now what we're going to do is we're

going to talk about the climate we're

going to talk about the weather and

natural disasters of the area and if we

were talking about the climate of South

Asia the most important thing to

understand is monsoons now many people

will say that a monsoon is a seasonal

rains but I want you to think of a

monsoon as a seasonal winds because it

has to do with how the winds move

humidity on and off of the Indian

subcontinent we know that humidity is

the amount of water vapor in the air and

we know that if there is more humidity

there's more chance of rain there is

less humidity there's less chance of a

rain and what moves these winds is our

friend the Intertropical Convergence

zone remember this is this low-pressure

cell that is usually along the equator

however we know that in many different

places in the world that the itch the

Intertropical Convergence zone moves

north and south based upon these seasons

and nowhere has as much migration than

in South Asia where the itch will move

as much as 40 degrees latitude between

summer and winter now what this means is

is that when you have the itch all the

way down to the South you have that dry

air of for the sadly cells now moving

the northern portion of India and what

that does is it has is winds are pushing

all the humidity off of the continent

and therefore it doesn't have very much

rain now what happens in the summer is

the itch moves all the way up to the

northern portion of India you which have

a low pressure cell now low pressure

cell we know brings lots of winds onto

the subcontinent bringing lots and lots

of rains now the impacts of the

mansu's are pretty striking when it were

depending upon whether it's summer or

it's winter in summer remember you have

that low pressure cells bring all the

winds and this emitted see on this is

where it gets 80% of his precipitation

during the summer monsoons in the winter

monsoons however because you have a high

pressure cell that is blowing all this

precipitation away now you have less

moisture less humidity and less

precipitation in fact drought is a

constant problem especially in areas

that are part of this monsoon a region

such as Bangladesh now the effects of

the summer monsoon there is a positive

which is you have these fertile soils

that are deposited these alluvial plains

there during the flooding of rivers but

during the summer you have also the

problems of flooding causing a lots of

property damage as well as interfering

with transportation now if you look at

this picture here as a picture is a one

is of the winter and one is the summer

at the same location can you determine

which one's at summer and which ones

that winter all right if you said the

bottom one is summer you're absolutely

right this is the effect that happens

between the monsoons the other thing

that monsoons do in addition to climate

is how it actually impacted trade so

understanding these monsoon winds

sailors have actually timed their

journey so that they would be

approaching India in the summer when you

have the winds that they're back pushing

you there and then their departure from

India in the winter when you had their

winds pushing you away so now we

understand the importance of monsoons we

can start looking at the actual climates

of Southeast Asia and they're depicted

in this map now there actually is four

major climate types which we're gonna

talk about and we can break those up by

region

now the first climate we have is your

tropical wet dry and here we're gonna

find that type of climate in those areas

of South Asia that are more impacted by

these monsoons that would be Central

India and

Bangladesh now as you go up to the

northeast portion of India in Nepal and

Bhutan you start getting into a humid

subtropical climate this is much like

what we find in Florida or even here in

Bryan Texas and the third climate we

have really there's - you have your

erred and your semi arid deserts and

grasslands we have in Pakistan and

Northwest India you have the thar desert

in it and then you also have in Central

India you have the Deccan Plateau which

is a semi-arid region and that if you

have the tallest mountains in the world

you're gonna have your Alpine or your

Highland climates here we have all those

along the Himalayas in the Hindu Kush

found in the northern portion of India

Pakistan Nepal and Bhutan all right so

those are the most important climate

types we have in South Asia now if we're

gonna talk about climate one of those

conversations I'll often comes up is

that of global warming or climate change

and nowhere is probably has a potential

of being more impacted than the Maldives

remember we talked about the maladies

when do we went over our country's very

quick this is that group of islands off

to the southwest portion of India it is

known as an archipelago an archipelago

is a group of islands and if we talk

about a group of islands we know that

there's lots of islands in fact there is

over eleven hundred and ninety-six small

islands and they're not very big at all

nor are they very tall the average

elevation of the Maldives is just four

feet above sea level in fact the tallest

point and the Maldives

is just six feet tall that is just about

like here it's not very tall at all so

the problem with that is that there is

lots of scientists to believe that what

is happening is because of global

warming we have their rise of sea levels

in fact that's been measured that in the

last hundred years is actually the Seas

of raise anywhere between four and eight

inches that that doesn't seem like a lot

but when your country's average

elevation is just four feet tall well

this is pretty important in fact some

scientists believe that due to global

warming and the rising of the Seas the

maladies will be completely covered in

the next hundred years in some believe

it will actually be uninhabitable within

50 years all right so if that's not

enough of a natural disaster there are

others so we're gonna talk about two the

first are cyclones now remember we

talked about hurricanes guess what a her

a cyclone is a cyclone is a hurricane

it's a tropical storm and we find these

largely going into when they see which

is known as the sea a bangle and

striking into Bangladesh but not all of

our natural disasters I asked climate we

also have tsunamis now tsunamis are very

large ocean waves that are caused by

tectonic forces either that is a matter

of underwater volcanoes or underwater

earthquakes such as whenever you have a

subduction zone which we find in the

ring of

what we have is we have one Oceania

plate that is push against the other

trying to go underneath the other it

starts to bend that other plate down you

have so much pressure that what will

happen is that one plate will slip and

when it slips it'll push all that water

up and that water gets the top it will

basically cause a Cree a huge wave there

go over across the entire ocean one of

the most devastating tsunamis we saw was

in 2004 the day after Christmas where

you had a 9-point on the Richter scale

earthquake in Indonesia and this wave

goes crashing across the Indian Ocean

crashing into the eastern portion of

India and even affecting the Horn of

Africa when it was all done

it killed over a hundred and twenty

three thousand people wiping villages

off the map to give you an idea of how

powerful this is this is a picture of a

beach before the tsunami in a picture

after so what we've done is very quickly

as we talked about the physical features

that impact a settlement in South Asia

we talked about the climate in South

Asia and we talked about how weather and

natural disasters have impacted the

people of South Asia okay we'll see you

back in the classroom

you

[Music]