SAS - Physical Geography Lesson

Physical Geography

The Physical Geography

The Indian subcontinent is a large landmass that juts into the Indian Ocean along the southern side of Asia, between Afghanistan and Myanmar. The Indian perimeter includes the southern island countries of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the northern regions of the Punjab, Kashmir, Nepal, and Bhutan. Formed by the collision of the Indian Tectonic Plate with the Eurasian Plate, this landmass has a long tectonic history that has given rise to the highest mountain chains and ranges in the world. In fact, the Himalayan Mountains continue to rise in elevation by as much as one to five millimeters per year because of the continued movement of the tectonic plates. Beyond pushing the mountains to new heights, the movement of the plates causes destructive earthquakes and tremors.

Mountains

Mountains dominate the physical landscape in the northern region of South Asia and include the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram Mountains. The Himalayan ranges have some of the highest peaks in the region, including Mount Everest (located on the border between Nepal and China) and K2 (located in Pakistan). The massive Himalayan ranges create an excellent natural barrier between India and China. The Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan act as buffer states between India and Tibet. Although not as high as the mountains in the north, the Indian subcontinent has mountain ranges along both the eastern and western sides of its southern tip. These shorter mountain ranges along the east and west coasts of India are called Ghats.

The Western Ghats reach as high as eight thousand feet but average around three thousand feet. The Eastern Ghats are not as high as the Western Ghats but have similar physical qualities. The ghats provide a habitat for a wide range of animals and are also home to large coffee and tea estates. The Deccan Plateau lies between the Eastern and Western Ghats. The Central Indian Plateau and the Chota-Nagpur Plateau are in the central parts of India, north of the two Ghat ranges. The monsoon rains ensure that an average of about fifty-two inches of rain per year falls on the Chota-Nagpur Plateau, which has a tiger reserve and is also a refuge for Asian elephants.

Physical Geography - Monsoons

Monsoons

A monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds. South Asia experiences both summer and winter monsoons. The summer monsoon usually falls between June and September and is responsible for much of the rainfall in South Asia. These vital rains feed the rivers and streams of South Asia and provide the water needed for agricultural production. By October, the system will have run its course and the summer monsoon season is over. In the winter, South Asia experiences a dry season because of the cool, dry winds it receives from the north. Small parts of South Asia, such as Sri Lanka and southeastern India, experience a rainy winter monsoon as well as a rainy summer monsoon. In their case, the winter monsoon winds that come down from the north have a chance to pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal before depositing it on their shores.

Although important and helpful, the monsoon can also be very destructive. The worst-hit places are along the eastern coast of India along the Bay of Bengal. Parts of Bangladesh and eastern India can receive as much as six feet of rain during the monsoon season causing some areas to experience severe flooding. There is less danger of flooding in western India and Pakistan. This is because the rain clouds lose moisture as they move west. Desert conditions are evident in the west, near the Pakistan border, and help to create the great Thar Desert. On average, it receives less than ten inches of rain per year.

The Monsoon System

In the summer, the continent heats up, with the Thar Desert fueling the system. The rising warm air creates a vacuum that pulls in warm moist air from the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. This action shifts moisture-laden clouds over the land, where the water is precipitated out in the form of rain.

The monsoon rains bring moisture to South Asia right up to the Himalayas which act as a precipitation barrier and create a heavy rain shadow effect for Tibet and Western China. As moisture-laden clouds rise in elevation in the mountains, the water vapor condenses and precipitates in the form of rain or snow. The precipitation feeds the streams and basins that flow into the major rivers, such as the Brahmaputra, Ganges, and Indus.

Physical Geography - Rivers of Life 

Rivers of Life

Three key rivers originate from the Himalayas and cross South Asia delivering sustenance to the land. The Brahmaputra River flows through Tibet before entering India from the east to meet up with the Ganges River in Bangladesh and flow east into the Bay of Bengal. The Indus River, which has been a center of human civilization for thousands of years, starts in the Karakoram mountains of Tibet and flows through the center of Pakistan creating Punjab, a large fertile flood plain. Punjab means the "land of the five rivers" in the Punjabi language and is an appropriate name for this region because the Indus River system consists of five rivers: the Indus and its four main tributaries.

Water Rights Conflict in the Kingdom of Kashmir

The conflict in Kashmir is about the control of water. The Indus River flows through Kashmir from Tibet and into Pakistan. The control of this river system is critical to the survival of people living in northern Pakistan. If India were to place a dam on the river and divert the water to their side of the border, Pakistan could suffer a water shortage in the northern part of the country.

Kashmir is divided, with Pakistan controlling the northern region, India controlling the southern region, and China controlling a portion of the eastern region. A cease-fire has been implemented, but outbreaks of fighting have occurred, and the future of Kashmir is unclear. None of the countries involved wants to start a large-scale war, because they all have nuclear weapons.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.