WG 8 SouthAsia GNPowerPoint.pptx

SOUTH ASIA Physical Geograph y Cultural Geograph y History Modern Times ©2017LearnedLessons  SOUTH ASIA PHYSICAL...

SOUTH ASIA Physical Geograph y Cultural Geograph y History Modern Times ©2017LearnedLessons  SOUTH ASIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY South Asia, also known as the Indian subcontinent, is a large triangular peninsula that juts into the Indian Ocean. A subcontinent is a large landmass that is smaller than a continent. More than 1/5/20% of the world’s people live on the South Asian peninsula, making it one of the most populated regions on earth. ©2017LearnedLessons  CHALLENGES IN RECENT DECADES High population growth. Increased stress on the environment. Many economic changes. Modernizing gap between urban and rural areas. Conflict between India and Pakistan ©2017LearnedLessons  TECTONIC ORIGIN India was part of the supercontinent of Gondwanaland. 65 million years ago the Indian plate broke away forming an island 40 million years ago, Indian and Eurasian plates collided  formed mountains. ©2017LearnedLessons  3 MAJOR LANDFORM REGIONS Himalayan Mountain Rim Indo-Gangetic Plain Deccan Plateau ©2017LearnedLessons  Himalayan Mountain Rim Northern edge of the subcontinent. Crosses Nepal, Bhutan, and northern portions of India and Pakistan. Himalayas are the longest and highest range. Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 29,028 feet, is part of the Himalayas. People of this mountainous region live in the valleys of the Himalayas. To the west are the Karakoram range, the world’s second highest mountain range. Himalayas are the source of the major rivers of South Asia carry sediment from the high points to the base of the mountain rim to form the Indo-Gangetic Plain. ©2017LearnedLessons  Indo-Gangetic Plain Productive river plains that are densely populated, even though severe flooding destroyed crops and killed many people here. 3 major rivers cut through the region. Indus River: lifeblood of the desert and mountain country. Ganges River: fertile plain region where half of India’s huge population live. Called the “mother river,” and is sacred to Hindus Brahmaputra River: meets w/ Ganges River to form Bangladesh’s low delta plain ©2017LearnedLessons  Deccan Plateau Covers much of the southern two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent. Western Ghats (GAWTS): steep, rugged hills that face Arabian Sea. Eastern Ghats: hills that face the Bay of Bengal. Contains fertile soils in the younger portions, and the plateau also holds most of India’s mineral resources. ©2017LearnedLessons  CLIMATES Humid-Tropical Tropical-Savanna Humid-Subtropical Highland Desert Steppe ©2017LearnedLessons  The monsoon seasonal wind system, influences the region’s climates. Summer Monsoon winds blow from oceans; brings high humidity, heavy rains and thunderstorms. Winter Monsoon winds blow from the interior of Asian continent; brings dry and warm season. Thar Desert & lower Indus Valley of Pakistan are not in the path of wet monsoons get little rain & dust storms are common Tropical Cyclones Hurricane-like storms that produce strong winds & high seas. Hit coastal regions of the Bay of Bengal during the spring and fall. ©2017LearnedLessons  CULTURE OF SOUTH ASIA ©2017LearnedLessons  Indus Civilization one of first civilizations in Indus River Valley (2500 B.C.) Irrigation agriculture, written language w/ alphabet of 250 to 500 characters, stone and bronze sculptures, metal tools and pottery, domesticated animals, and began trade activities. Declined around 1750 B.C. ©2017LearnedLessons  Aryans nomadic people from Central Asia took over Indus area and northern India somewhere around 1500 B.C. Dravidians local farmers pushed south. Some mixed with Aryan and new Indo- Aryan culture emerged. ©2017LearnedLessons  Indo-Aryan Culture upper Ganges River area, roots of Hinduism Hinduism major religion in India and Nepal Many gods worshipped, salvation comes through dharma (good conduct) Believed in reincarnation (rebirth into something or someone else after death). Roots of caste system. Sanskrit language Practiced by 80% of people in India ©2017LearnedLessons  LANGUAGE & RELIGION 18 languages are spoken in the country. Hindu is the national language (spoken by 1/3 of people) English is language of government, education, and business ©2017LearnedLessons  RELIGIONS 80% Hindu 14% Muslim 2% Christian 2% Sikh Millions of Buddhists, animists, and other religions. ©2017LearnedLessons  Religious tension between Hindu and Muslims have been going on for 100s of years. Hindu nationalism is on the rise destroying Muslim mosques Conflict over claim that mosque was built where Hindu god was born and where a temple once was ©2017LearnedLessons  THE CASTE SYSTEM Social system developed by Hindu Aryans 1000 years ago Four major castes (based on occupations) 1- Brahmins: Priests, religious authorities, intellectuals, only who could read and write. 2- Kshatriyas: Rulers and warriors. 3- Vaisyas: The traders and merchants. 4- Sudras: Farmers and skilled laborers (blacksmiths). ©2017LearnedLessons  NOT WORTHY OF LEVEL THE UNTOUCHABLES Too low, considered almost non- human, not part of the caste system, not allowed to enter a temple, did worst tasks (tanning hides for leather, cleaned waster) Caste system based on cleanliness of elders, so untouchables could not be touched they were unclean Must use different water system, high death and infant mortality rates, no contact with other Indians. ©2017LearnedLessons  Born into a caste and cannot move into another caste (opposite of class system. Working in an occupation of another caste or marrying into another caste is immoral rebirth will be as an untouchable or a non-human form of life Indian constitution after independence abolished the caste system Mohandas Gandhi treated them with respect and dignity Untouchables still face violence and discrimination ©2017LearnedLessons  HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA ©2017LearnedLessons  MAURYAN EMPIRE 3rd century B.C., helped spread Buddhism around Asia. Buddhism formed in northern India by about 500 B.C. ©2017LearnedLessons  Muslim Invade around A.D. 1000 and brought Islam into the northwest Sikhism 15th century, Muslim culture and teaching mixes with Hinduism. ©2017LearnedLessons  1526, the Mogul Empire gained control over India, Muslim rule--last invasion. ©2017LearnedLessons  EUROPEAN 16th century, COLONIALISM Europeans arrived in India to trade and set up trading sites Portuguese wanted to spread Christianity and open new trade ports empire spreading. Dutch Controlled East Indies spice trade. Britain & France India was good for resources ©2017LearnedLessons  1740s British gains control over India after conflicts in Europe. By 1858 majority of Indian subcontinent officially part of the British Empire (present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka). Indian subcontinent called “jewel in the crown” of British Empire. India shipped cotton, tea, indigo, coffee, and jute to Britain. Railroads, roads, and ports were built in India by the British. English left impact by bringing their ideas of language, law, education, and political system. ©2017LearnedLessons  INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT Early 1900s a desire for independence rose up in India led by Mohandas Gandhi Gandhi believed in “nonviolent noncooperation” as a method to bring political and social change boycotts, marches, and fasts. 1947 India gained independence from Britain ending the colonial era in India British divided the region between Muslims and Hindus to avoid conflict. ©2017LearnedLessons  Muslims went to Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs left Pakistan for 1948 Gandhi was India killed by a Hindu extremist 1971 Pakistan broke into East Pakistan and West Pakistan East Pakistan became Bangladesh West Pakistan became modern Pakistan an Islamic Republic Religious and ethnic divisions still are a problem in South Asia. ©2017LearnedLessons  MODERN SOUTH ASIA ©2017LearnedLessons  AGRICULTURE Mostly farmers who live in small villages. Food production is limited due to small inefficient farm, overpriced fertilizers, limited access to mechanization, crop diseases, & multiple natural disasters Green Revolution introduction of high-yield grains to increase agricultural output. Natural disasters and overpopulation reduced efforts of revolution 3/4th of India’s population are mostly subsistence farmers Producers of tea and sugarcane ©2017LearnedLessons  Textile industry flourishes due to cotton fields Irrigation problems and lack of modernized farming tools lead to low crop yields. India’s Hindus consider cattle sacred used all parts (dung, milk, animals for work) Agricultural development has helped make India self-sufficient in food production, but mechanized tools have led to less employment for the people Soil erosion and deforestation still are major problems The rule that land must be divided equally among all sons causes farms to decrease in size. ©2017LearnedLessons  RESOURCES & ColonialismINDUSTRY slowed down industrialization of South Asia Calicoes fine cotton fabric with colorful patterns. Britain banned imports of these calicoes and caused an economic decline in India ©2017LearnedLessons  Civil War in America 1860s caused a reduction in cotton from the American colonies so Great Britain got cotton from India Civil War was over and they went back to getting cotton from New United States of America Let to famine in India for 35 years. Most efforts go to feeding South Asia’s large population instead of building industry ©2017LearnedLessons  Cities have developed iron, steel, cotton cloth, and textile industries. Minerals in India iron ore, bauxite, coal, petroleum, uranium ore, hydroelectricity Most industry was owned by the government in India and was ineffective Slowly privatization and foreign investors are getting involved in industry development in India. ©2017LearnedLessons  ENVIRONMENT 70% of water polluted due to poor regulation of industry and lack of pollution policies Deforestation, overuse of land, and erosion are major issues Sanctuaries are being set aside to conserve. ©2017LearnedLessons  POPULATION GROWTH Population and poverty grow People move to city for jobs which are not there high unemployment high crime in urban areas Population growth is out of control due to lack of education, rural areas stay disconnected, farmers need more kids to work fields, low literacy rates. ©2017LearnedLessons  HUMAN GEOGRAPHY India is the largest country in South Asia. India is culturally complex. India is most populous democracy. 25 states are divided along ethnic lines. ©2017LearnedLessons  RURAL LIFE OF INDIA 75% of India’s people are poor farmers who live in rural villages. 60% cannot read or write. Sanitation is poor, safe drinking water is a concern, and medical services are limited Alluvial river valleys, straw- roofed homes are made of mud. Houses might be made of dried cattle-dung plaster, brick, or bamboo. ©2017LearnedLessons  Population grows rapidly in rural areas to provide needed farm workers. Landless field workers make up more than 30% of India’s rural population. ©2017LearnedLessons  Village industries are limited mostly to cottage industries. Workers make small consumer items in homes and small workshops. The traditional Indian handicrafts are important sources of rural employment in India hand-woven carpets, metal tools, locks, jewelry, shoes, leather goods, weaving products, art metal ware, hand printed-textiles, and pottery. Skills used to create items have been passed down over the centuries. ©2017LearnedLessons  Indian men in rural areas wear a dohtee, simple white cloth wrapped around the hips and between the legs. Hindu women wear a sari, a wide piece of cloth draped to cover the body from shoulder to ankle. ©2017LearnedLessons  MALES DOMINATE RURAL INDIA When a woman marries, she is no longer part of her own family, but becomes a member of her husband’s family. Wife shares field work with her husband and must gather drinking water and firewood for the family. She may also care for the cattle, as well as raise the children. Literacy rates among rural Indian women are very low. ©2017LearnedLessons  URBAN INDIA Most Indian city dwellers wear European-style clothing, read English- language newspapers, work in factories and office buildings ©2017LearnedLessons  Education is available in the cities, and urban women work with men in professional and factory jobs. The working middle class make up a larger and growing sector of urban society part of India’s growing consumer economy. Most live in small apartments. ©2017LearnedLessons  Poor are the majority of the urban population Many are homeless and live in the streets, live in slums in makeshift homes built of scraps of wood, cardboard, and cloth shantytowns. No clean water, sewage systems, or garbage collection. ©2017LearnedLessons  NEW DELHI Located in northern India, capitol of the country, houses the national government, and the largest industrial area of northern India. ©2017LearnedLessons  MUMBAI (BOMBAY) Located on the western coast, India’s largest city, major seaport, and a commercial and industrial center (textile & movies). India is the number- one movie making nation in the world, and Mumbai is sometimes called the “Hollywood of India.” ©2017LearnedLessons  CALCUTTA Located in eastern India on a branch of the Ganges River, huge industrial & seaport city of India, produces goods (tea and hides to steel and electronics), religions groups live separate. ©2017LearnedLessons  CHENNAI (MADRAS) Southern India’s leading industrial city and port and busy shipping center. ©2017LearnedLessons  POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY After independence, India adopted a constitution Became a democratic republic under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. The nation is made up of a union of states held together by a strong central government and headed by a prime minister and a parliament. ©2017LearnedLessons