Asia – World Geography for UPSC IAS (Notes) PDF

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Contact: WhatsApp Telegram Home Blog Inshorts QnA Maps हिन्दी Login Store UPSC UPSC Notes Optional Notes State PSC eBooks Join Prime LOGIN GEOGRAPHY WORLD GEOGRAPHY Asia – World Geography for UPSC IAS (Notes) by LotusArise January 2, 2021 32 Comments Asia Search … Asia is the world largest continent, having an area of 44,444,100 sq km. UPSC Optional PYQPs It covers about 30% of Earth’s total land area and 8.7% of the Earth’s total surface area. with a population of 4.4 billion which is 60 % of the world’s total population. Geography Sociology It is a continent of contrast in relief, temperature, vegetation and people also. Asia is to the east of the Suez Canal, the Ural River, and the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. PSIR Anthropology It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. The earth’s highest and lowest places are both in Asia: History Pub-Ad The highest place on earth: Mount Everest The lowest place on earth: Dead Seashore Geography Optional Notes Physical Human Geography Geography Indian Geography Geography Mapping Sociology Optional Notes Sociology Sociology Optional Optional (Paper-1) (Paper-2) UPSC Notes Geography World Geography Environment Indian Polity Regional Divisions of Asia Governance Asia can be divided into six physiographic divisions: Science & Tech Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Social Justice Eastern Asia: China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, Taiwan Indian Society Northern Asia: Russia Agriculture South-eastern Asia: Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, International Relations Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam. Internal Security Southern Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Disaster Management Western Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijana, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Art and Culture Oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Post Independence India Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude Geography Optional Geography Optional Notes Geography Optional PYQPs Join Prime Membership Sociology Optional Sociology Optional Notes Sociology Optional PYQPs Join Prime Membership History Optional History Optional Notes History Optional PYQPs Join Prime Membership Prelims Research Notes Major Physical Divisions of Asia The Northern Lowlands The Central Mountains Geography Environment The Central and Southern Plateaus PYQ Solutions PYQ Solutions The Peninsulas Deserts Science & Tech Economy The Great River Plains Island Groups PYQ Solutions PYQ Solutions 1. The Northern Lowlands The Northern Lowlands are the extensive plain areas that comprise of several patches of lowlands of Indian Polity IR this large continent. PYQ Solutions PYQ Solutions The major lowlands are: Great Siberian plain It extends between the Ural Mountains in the west and the river Lena in the east. It is the largest lowland in the world covering an area of 1,200,000 square miles approx.  Contents Asia Regional Divisions of Asia Major Physical Divisions of Asia Seas: Lakes: Straits: Resources Quiz: Manchurian Plain It is the area adjoining Amur river and its tributaries of the northern part of China with an area of 135,000 square miles approx. Great Plains of China It is contributed by two major rivers of China, Hwang Ho and Yangtze river which covers an area of 158,000 square miles approx. Tigris-Euphrates plains Ganga plains Irrawaddy plains 2. The Central Mountains These are the prominent and extensive mountain ranges that cover the parts of Central Asia. They consist of Pamir and Tian Shan ranges and extending across portions of Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These mountain ranges are designated as biodiversity hot spots by Conservation International which covers several montanes and alpine ecoregions of Central Asia. It encompasses several habitat types, including montane grasslands and shrublands, temperate coniferous forests, and alpine tundra. A mountain knot is a junction of two or more mountain ranges. The two main mountain knots in Asia are: The Pamir Knot is the junction of five mountain ranges they are the Sulaiman, the Hindu Kush, the Kunlun, the Karakoram, and the Himalayan ranges. Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world in the Himalayan range. The Armenian Knot is connected to the Pamir Knot by the Elburz and the Zagros Ranges that originate in the Armenian Knot. The Tien Shan and the Altai are other mountain ranges in Asia. Peaks of Asia Mount Everest (8848 m), Nepal-Tibet, China border K2 (8,61,1 m), (POK) India -China Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), Nepal-Sikkim (India). Lhotse (8,516 m), Nepal-Tibet, China Makalu (8,462 m), Nepal-Tibet, China Cho Oyu (8,201 m), Nepal Mountains-Ranges 3. The Central and Southern Plateaus Plateaus are the land areas having a relatively that surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyon. Major Plateaus of Asian Continent – Plateau Location Types  Ladakh Between Karakoram and Himalaya mountain ranges Intermontane Tibet Between Kulun and Himalayan Mountain range Intermontane Yunan Situated on the southeast of the Tibet Plateau and separated from Piedmont Szechuan Basin extensive fertile land by the range of Mountains Pamir Well connected to the range of mountains such as The Himalayas with the Intermontane Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and the Hindu Kush ranges on all sides Armenian Present in between Caspian and the Black Sea Piedmont Iranian Present in between Zagros Mountains, Caspian Sea, Turkmen-Khorasan Mountain Range Piedmont Surrounded by the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the east, the Yin Mongolian Mountains to the south, the Altai Mountains to the west, and the Sayan Intermontane and Khentii mountains to the north Shan Stretched in the Pegu Yoma and Arkan Yoma in the eastern part of Intermontane Myanmar, Extended in between the Western Ghats in the west and the Eastern Ghats Deccan inIndian the east of Subcontinent, it almost touches the southern tip of India and in Intermontane north covered by the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges Anatolian Enclosed southwest between Pontic mountain ranges in the South and Taurus in the Volcanic 4. Peninsulas A peninsula is a mass of land surrounded by water but attached to the mainland. The Deccan plateau region is also a peninsula. The major peninsulas of Arabia, India, and Malay are in southern Asia. The Kamchatka peninsula lies in northeastern Asia. 5. Deserts Asia has some big deserts such as the Gobi, the Takla Makan, the Thar, the Kara-Kum, and the Rub-al- Khali Deserts. The Rub’ al Khali desert, considered the world’s largest sand sea, covers an area larger than France across Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. 6. (a) Islands of Asia Asia also has a cluster of islands, also called an archipelago. An archipelago sometimes called an island group or island chain, which is formed close to each other in large clusters. Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, Andaman, and Nicobar are some examples of archipelagos. 6. (b) Drainage of Asia The drainage of Asia consists of mighty oceans, extensive seas, lengthy rivers, and their tributaries and distributaries, major lakes, etc. Oceans: Asian continent is surrounded by three major ocean from three sides such as The Pacific Ocean – It covers the eastern part of Asia where major rivers of eastern Asia drain, such as Menam Mekong, Xi Jiang, Chang Xiang, Huang Ho, and Amur. The Indian Ocean – It covers the southern part of Asia and the major rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean are Tigris, Euprates, the Indus, the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween. The Arctic Ocean – It covers the Noth east part of Asia and consists of three major rivers such as Ob, Yenisey, and Lena. Seas: As the continent is covered by sea from its three sides, It has also characterized by the long stretch of bay and gulf. Major seas contributing to Asian Drainage are Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Banda Sea, Barents Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, East Siberian Sea, Java Sea, Kara Sea, Laccadive Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk. The South China Sea and the Yellow Sea. Name Location Part of Ocean Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, and East Siberian Sea North of Russia Arctic Ocean Bering Sea Northerst of Russia Pacific Ocean Sea of Okhotsk East of Russia Pacific Ocean Sea of Japan West of Japan Pacific Ocean Yellow Sea West of Korea Pacific Ocean East China Sea East of China Pacific Ocean South China Sea South of China Pacific Ocean Sulu Sea West of the Philippines Island Pacific Ocean Celebes Sea North of Celebes Island Pacific Ocean Banda Sea East of Celebes Island Pacific Ocean Flores Sea South of Celebes Sea Pacific Ocean Molucca Sea East of Celebes Island Pacific Ocean Java Sea North of Java Pacific Ocean Timor Sea Northwest of Australia Pacific Ocean Arafura Sea North of Australia South Pacific Ocean Bay of Bengal East of the Indian Peninsula Indian Ocean Arabian Sea West of the Indian Peninsula Indian Ocean Red Sea Separates Asia from Africa Indian Ocean Lakes: Major lakes of Asia are Lake Baikal, Onega, Ladoga, and Peipus in Russia; Lake Akan, Mashu, Biwa, Shikotsu in Japan; Qinghai Lake, Lake Khanka in China; Dal Lake, Chilka, Vembanada, Pullicat and Sukhna in India; Lake Matano and Toba in Indonesia, etc. Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. It is in Southern Siberia, Russia. Freshwater Lake Baikal, located in southern Russia, is the deepest lake in the world, reaching a depth of 1,620 meters (5,315 feet). The lake contains 20 percent of the world’s unfrozen fresh water, making it the largest reservoir on Earth. It is also the world’s oldest lake, at 25 million years old. The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world (behind the Amazon of South America and the Nile of Africa). Reaching 6,300 kilometers (3,915 miles) in length, the Yangtze moves east from the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau to the river’s mouth on the East China Sea. The Yangtze is considered the lifeblood of China. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers begin in the highlands of eastern Turkey and flow through Syria and Iraq, joining in the city of Qurna, Iraq, before emptying into the Persian Gulf. The land between the two rivers, known as Mesopotamia, was the center of the earliest civilizations, including Sumer and the Akkadian Empire. Saltwater The Persian Gulf has an area of more than 234,000 square kilometers (90,000 square miles). It borders Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq. The gulf is subject to high rates of evaporation, making it shallow and extremely salty. The Sea of Okhotsk covers 1.5 million square kilometers (611,000 square miles) between the Russian mainland and the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world, covering almost 2.2 million square kilometers (839,000 square miles) and bordering Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Burma. Many large rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra, empty into the bay. Straits: The important straits in Asia are the Strait of Malacca, Bering Strait, etc.  Name Separates Connects Bering Strait Asia and North America East Siberian Sea with Bering Sea La Parouse Strait Sakhalin Island and Hokkaido Island Sea of Okhotsk with Sea of Japan Tata Strait Eastern Russia and Sakhalin Sea of Okhotsk with Sea of Japan Korea Strait South Korea and Kyushu (Japan) Yellow Sea with Sea of Japan Formosa Strait (Taiwan Taiwan and China East China Sea with South China Strait) Sea Luzon Strait Taiwan and Luzon (Philippines) South China Sea with Pacific Ocean. Makassar Strait Borneo (Kalimantan) and Celebes Celebes Sea with Java Sea. Island Sundra Strait Java and Sumatra Java Sea with India Ocean Malacca Strait Malaya Peninsula and Sumatra Java Sea with Bay of Bengal Strait of Jahore Singapore and Malaysia South China Sea with strait of Malacca Strait of Hormuz UAE and Iran Persian Gulf with Gulf of Oman. Strait of Bosporus Asia and Europe Black Sea with Sea of Marmara. Sea of Marmara with Strait of Dardanelles Asia and Europe Mediterranean Sea Resources Asia’s climate can be most generally divided into three zones: North/central, Southwest Southeast North/central Zone– The continent’s north/central zone is affected by cold and dry Arctic winds, especially the Siberia region of Russia. Hardier grains, such as barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, and wheat, are grown in the central and southern areas of this zone, where permanent frosts inhibit plant growth. Animal husbandry is also very important in this zone. In Mongolia, for example, 75 percent of agricultural land is allocated to the rearing of livestock, such as sheep, goats, and cattle. Southwest– The southwest zone is a dry, hot region that stretches from the Gobi Desert in Mongolia through Pakistan, Iran, and into the Arabian Peninsula. This zone has very few areas with enough moisture and precipitation to produce crops. Grains, such as barley and corn, are the principal irrigated crops of some countries. Dates, figs, apricots, olives, onions, grapes, and cherries are the most important of these fruit and vegetable crops. Southeast– The southeast zone is greatly affected by the summer monsoon season. Rice is one of Asia’s most important agricultural commodities and a major food staple of the entire continent. Many regions where rainfall is less, grow a large amount of wheat. Southeast Asia is also a major producer of tropical fruits, such as mango, papaya, and pineapple. India is the world’s largest mango-producing nation, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total global output. Mining: China, India, Russia, and Indonesia are the continent’s most productive mining economies. These countries extract many of the same minerals. China is the world’s largest producer of aluminum, gold, tin, and coal. India is also a major producer of aluminum and iron ore, along with other minerals such as barite (used in drilling fluids), chromium (used in steel production and dyes), and manganese (used in steel production). Russia is a major producer of coal, tungsten (used in steel production), diamonds, iron, and steel. Indonesia is a major producer of coal, gold, copper, and tin. Drilling: Countries on the Arabian Peninsula have the world’s largest deposits of oil and natural gas. These fossil fuels are drilled for energy and fuel. The oil found throughout the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East is of the highest quality: light sweet crude. Light sweet crude oil is used to make gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuels. In 2010, Saudi Arabia was the world’s largest manufacturer of petroleum liquids, producing 10.07 million barrels of liquid fuels every day. (An oil barrel is 159 liters or 42 gallons.) It also has the world’s largest oil reserves, at roughly 250 billion barrels. Russia has oil reserves in Siberia and massive natural gas reserves throughout the Arctic. Russia and Iran have the world’s largest reserves of natural gas, while the US produces the most. Quiz: Q1. The Gaza Strip is a self-governing territory of: (a) Israel (b) Jordan (c) Lebanon (d) Palestine Solution: (d) Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist political organization and militant group that has waged war on Israel since the group’s 1987 founding, most notably through suicide bombings and rocket attacks. It seeks to replace Israel with a Palestinian state. It also governs Gaza independently of the Palestinian Authority. Q2. Which of these water bodies witnesses sun rise at the earliest? a) Red Sea b) Black Sea c) Caspian Sea d) Mediterranean Sea Solution: c) Caspian sea lies the easternmost among all of the options. Black Sea lies to the west of Caspian Sea. Q3. The Red Sea is a strip of water and an inlet of the Indian Ocean occupying the area separating the continent of Africa from Asia. The countries bordering the Red Sea are – 1. Saudi Arabia 2. Yemen 3. Ethiopia 4. Egypt 5. Djibouti Select the correct answer code: a) 1, 2, 3, 4 b) 1, 2, 3, 5 c) 2, 3, 4, 5 d) 1, 2, 4, 5 Solution: d) The six countries that border the Red Sea are the following: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti. 32 COMMENTS   Oldest  Simran birdi  May 30, 2021 3:53 PM Superb content ….thnkuuu….really thnkuuuuuu😊 24 MOHIT KUMAR  July 17, 2021 6:46 PM Thank You Very Much Sir/Madam… One of the best and quite Informative Article …Thanks 7 LotusArise Admin  Reply to MOHIT KUMAR  July 18, 2021 4:41 AM Most Welcome Mohit 5 Rajnish Kumar  July 27, 2021 6:39 PM This website is really amazing,very helpful for me , thank you @lotus Arise 13 Praveen  July 29, 2021 11:18 AM Best website for mapping 4 Md Danish Farid  September 3, 2021 6:50 PM SUCH AN EXCELLENCE CONTENT  5 LotusArise Admin  Reply to Md Danish Farid  September 5, 2021 5:44 PM Keep reading 3 Vivek Anand  September 7, 2021 4:41 PM It’s an amazing resource provided by the website, very concise and useful , 2 LotusArise Admin  Reply to Vivek Anand  September 8, 2021 10:40 AM Enjoy 5 Yagya Singh  September 20, 2021 1:53 PM THESE NOTES ARE VERY HELPFUL 4 Prinka  September 23, 2021 3:11 PM Thank you very much god bless you 2 Rakesh  October 25, 2021 3:40 AM Excellent content with Quality material n precise Topics…Thank You 1 KIRTI  November 27, 2021 3:53 AM Super content, 🥰😍 2 Deeksha Pal  December 6, 2021 3:23 PM Upsc lover 2 Stephy joseph  December 16, 2021 7:34 AM Amazing site. 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