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Questions and Answers
What is the primary reason for the rainfall during the summers in South Asia?
Where do the Western Disturbances originate from?
What is the result of convection currents in northern and northwest Pakistan?
Why is there little precipitation in Pakistan between October and December?
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What is the cause of the low-pressure zone over South Asia?
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What is the approximate latitude of Pakistan?
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What happens to the water vapor in convection rain?
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Which mountain range in Pakistan has an average height of 6000m?
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What is the main characteristic of the soil found on the slopes of the northern mountains?
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What is the term used to describe a triangle-shaped deposit of gravel, sand, and smaller sediment formed by a river stream?
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Which river is referred to as the main river in Pakistan?
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What is a common feature of the valleys found in the northern mountains?
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What is the term used to describe a deep, narrow valley with steep sides usually formed by a river stream cutting through hard rock?
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What is the name of the glacier located in the northern mountains of Pakistan?
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What is the characteristic of the land in the Thar desert?
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What type of drainage system is found in the Thar desert?
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What is a characteristic of a flood plain?
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What is the time period of the Southwest Monsoon?
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What is the cause of the formation of the Southwest Monsoon?
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What is a characteristic of Western Disturbances?
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What is the origin of Western Disturbances?
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What is the average rainfall in the monsoon-affected areas in July and August?
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What is a characteristic of the Potowar Plateau?
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Which river is fed by the monsoon and melting of snow?
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What is a feature of the Upper Indus Plain?
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What is a characteristic of the Indus delta?
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What is a feature of the Kharan desert?
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Which river drains into the Arabian Sea?
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What is a characteristic of the Balochistan Plateau?
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What is a feature of the Sulaiman Range?
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Study Notes
Position of Pakistan in South Asia and Globally
- Pakistan's latitude is 30.3753° N, denoting its position in the northern hemisphere.
- Pakistan's longitude is 69.3451° E, indicating it is part of the eastern hemisphere.
- The country is situated north of the equator.
- Pakistan shares borders with:
- China in the north east
- Afghanistan (Durand line) in the west
- Iran in the south west
- Arabian Sea in the south
- India in the east
Relief Regions of Pakistan
-
Northern Mountains
- Karakoram range: southeast to northwest, average height of 6000m
- Himalayas range: southeast to northwest, average height of 4000m
- Hindu Kush range: northeast to southwest, average height of 5000m
- Thin soil on slopes
- Steep slopes
- Flat land
-
Physical Features
- Height increases from south to north
- Deep narrow valleys (e.g. Gilgit and Chitral)
- Snowcapped mountains (e.g. K2)
- Fast flowing rivers (e.g. Gilgit river)
- Referred to as the third pole of Earth
- Glaciers (e.g. Siachen and Baltoro)
Drainage of Pakistan
-
Fast flowing rivers
- Gorges, waterfalls, streams, and springs
- River Indus is the main river
Western Mountains
-
Topography
- High mountains (e.g. Safed Koh)
- Sulaiman Range
- Alluvial fans
- Steep slopes
- Deep passes
- Snow fields
- Barren or bare rocks
-
Drainage
- Western tributaries of River Indus (e.g. Gomal, Kabul, and Tochi)
- Enough water throughout the year
- Sulaiman range is drained by small hill torrents and small seasonal rivers (e.g. Bolan)
Potowar Plateau (Rawalpindi Plateau)
-
Topography
- Bad land (eroded)
- Flooded valleys with steep sides
- Ravines and gullies
- Flat surface
- Dry and arid
- Rawalpindi and Islamabad
- Sakesar is the highest peak
-
Drainage
- Swan is the main river (tributaries include ling, leh)
- Kerrang river is fed by Monsoon and melting of snow
- Kallar Khar, etc. are salt water lakes
- Inland drainage, thus temporary and seasonal
Indus Plain
-
Topography
-
Upper Indus Plain
- Flat land
- Low hills
- Active flood plain
- Doabs (area between 2 rivers)
- Rolling sand dunes
- Alluvial fans
-
Lower Indus Plain
- Flat land
- Low hills
- Active flood plain
- No doabs
- Rolling sand dunes
- Alluvial fans
-
Upper Indus Plain
-
Drainage
-
Upper Indus Plain
- Indus has main tributaries
- Ox-bow lakes, meanders
- No delta
- Less width of rivers (1.4-1.6km)
-
Lower Indus Plain
- Indus has few tributaries
- Ox-bow lakes, meanders
- Delta
- Width is greater than 1.6 km
-
Upper Indus Plain
Indus Delta
-
Physical Features
- When river Indus reaches the Arabian Sea, it slows down and throws sediments
- Mangrove trees
Balochistan Plateau
-
Topography
-
Kharan desert
- Flat
- Bare rocks (no or little rainfall)
- Deep narrow valleys
-
Mountainous
- E.g. Toba Kakar range
- Steep slopes
- Deep valleys
- Rugged
- Sandy
-
Kharan desert
-
Drainage
- Mainly inland, so temporary
- Small rivers
- Meanders
- Salty lakes
- Some rivers drain in Kachi Sibi plain (e.g. Bolan river)
- Some drain into Arabian Sea (e.g. Hingol)
Thar Desert
-
Topography
- Flat land
- Rolling sand dunes
- Barren
-
Drainage
- Inland, temporary, and seasonal
- Ponds
Drainage Basin
- A drainage basin is an area of land where water from rain or snowmelt drains downhill into a body of water such as a river, lake, wetland, or ocean.
Characteristics of Flood Plain
- A large area of flat land either side of a river
- Layers of alluvium cover the flood plain
- A river bluff along the edge of a flood plain
- Meander scars
- Levees
- Rich, fertile soil
- Reeds and marsh plants
Characteristics and Causes of Southwest Monsoon and Western Disturbances
-
Characteristics of Western Disturbances
- Moderate to heavy rain
- Cloudy skies
- Higher night temperature
- Heavy snow on mountainous areas
-
Characteristics of Southwest Monsoon
- Winds blow from Bay of Bengal
- Heavy rainfall
- Giant seabreeze
- Time period: July to September
-
Cause of Southwest Monsoon
- The subcontinent/Thar desert region becomes very hot during the summer, and air rises, causing low atmospheric pressure to develop, and winds containing moisture blow from low pressure areas of the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea, forming the Southwest Monsoon.
-
Cause of Western Disturbance
- Western disturbance originates from the Mediterranean Sea, where cold moist air from the polar region meets relatively warmer air with high moisture, creating an eastward moving depression that enters Pakistan after crossing Afghanistan.
Seasonal Variations in Precipitation in Pakistan
-
Southwest Monsoon
- Occurs in late summer, between June/July and September
- Half of the total annual rainfall in the areas affected by the monsoon occurs in July and August, averaging about 255 mm for both months
- Primary reason: temperature differences between land and the ocean
-
Western Disturbances
- Occur during the winter months (December to March)
- Cause light to moderate showers in southwestern parts of the country and moderate to heavy showers with heavy snowfall in the northern parts of the country
-
Post-Monsoon Period
- Little precipitation in Pakistan between October and December
- No active wind or pressure systems are present
-
Early Summer
- Convection currents can cause convection rain and thunderstorms in the northern and northwestern areas of Pakistan between April and June
- Convection rainfall is caused by rising moist air cooling into the higher levels of the atmosphere, so that condensation occurs, causing the water vapor to condense and fall as convection rain.
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Description
Learn about Pakistan's position in South Asia and globally, including its latitude, longitude, and neighboring countries. Understand the country's placement in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
