South Asia Powerpoint Flashcards
Himalayan Mountains
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal and Bhutan
contain many of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest
geologically active region
Western and Eastern Ghats
form Deccan Plateau
Western Ghats influence the Indian monsoon pattern
average elevation is approximately 4000 feet
Eastern Ghats are lower (average elevation approximately 2000 feet)
less continuous than the Western Ghats
Deccan Plateau
located in south-central India (between the Western and Eastern Ghats)
dry (moisture blocked by Western Ghats)
Indus River
Starts in himalayas
flows southwestward through Pakistan
empties into the Arabian Sea
Ganges River
Starts in himalayas flows southeastward to the Bay of Bengal sacred to Hindus heavily polluted Ganges river valley is one of the mostly densely populated regions in the world
Brahmaputra River
flows southwestward from Tibet
southward through Bangladesh
merges the Ganges
empties into the Bay of Bengal
Sundarbans
largest mangrove forest in the world
located on the delta of the Ganges River
protect coastline from storms
known for its diversity of wildlife (Bengal tiger)
humans depend on forest for their livelihood
Sundarbans ecosystem is threatened by
industrial and agricultural activity (development, population growth) climate change (sea level rise, saltwater intrusion)
Climates in Region
Tropical – mostly along the coast of Southeastern India, Sri Lanka
Mild Temperate - northeast
Dry/Arid – northwest; southcentral India (deccan plateau region)
Highland – Himalayans
Vulnerability to climate change
increased rainfall (and flooding) and droughts
more intense storms
sea level rise
increase in prevalence of disease (particularly from mosquitoes)
Monsoons
a seasonal reversal of wind flows in parts of the lower to middle latitudes,
driven by atmospheric pressure gradients
governs precipitation patterns here
Climate of South Asia
Summer: southwesterly winds bring warm, moist air from south; results in heavy rainfall and flooding
Winter: northeasterly winds bring dry conditions
Late/unusually dry monsoon season can lead to drought, famine
Climate change may disrupt the monsoon pattern
Natural Resources
Modest resource wealth, compared to other world regions (coal, iron ore, bauxite, manganese)
The geology of the region yields large amounts of sandstone and marble
- reflected in architecture
labor and environmental concerns
challenging physical labor and dangerous work conditions
pollution, land degradation - damages watersheds, wildlife habitats and forest cover
Air pollution
motor vehicle emissions is a major contributor
coal-fired powered plants
crop burning
linked to premature deaths (respiratory disease, lung cancer)
Water Issues
competition between agricultural and urban use
poor distribution systems
pollution
most successful economic sectors
textiles petroleum pharmaceuticals Technology Tourism
Mountain Tourism in Nepal
Very important
It brings in revenue and offers job opportunities (guides, porters, etc.)
Challenges associated with tourism in Nepal
worker exploitation (low pay, dangerous work)
lack of cultural respect
damage to natural environment
tourism business is vulnerable to outside factors
Child Labor (causes)
form of bonded labor sometimes (labor for a loan)
additional income
better life for child
Poverty and Literacy
Poverty rates are very high (especially in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan) Low literacy rates Bangladesh -75% India – 74% Nepal – 68% Bhutan – 67% Pakistan – 59% Afghanistan – 43% (literacy rate for females 15 and over is only 30%)
Hinduism
polytheistic
belief in karma, reincarnation
Buddhism
Based on teaching of Siddhartha Gautama(the Buddha)
focus on achieving enlightenment—a state of inner peace and wisdom (nirvana)
Four Noble Truths - related to suffering
Languages (India)
there are over 20 official languages in India
Hindi is the most prevalent (spoken by approximately 40% of the population)
English is the lingua franca
Caste System
a social hierarchy that determines norms of interaction between classes
reinforced by language, region and occupation
associated with Hinduism
common in India and Nepal
outlawed by Indian constitution, but remains in practice in some areas
Gender Inequality
women are socially, culturally, and economically dependent on men
dowry disadvantages women
-6000 dowry deaths annually in India (murder/suicide over dowries)
arranged marriages
child brides
women are often under threat of violence from male relatives
low literacy rates (women’s literacy rate approximately 30% in Afghanistan)
Microfinance
programs that provide small-scale credit and saving to the self-employed poor, including those in the informal sector who cannot borrow money from commercial banks
The Raj
period of British Rule in India (1858-1947)
Partition (1947)
India – Hindu
Pakistan – one country, but two separate territories (East Pakistan and West Pakistan); Islamic
Problems with Partition
Hindus minorities in Pakistan
Muslims minorities in India.
Religious violence erupted
12 million people fled to respective countries
East and West Pakistan
1971
West Pakistan becomes Pakistan
East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh
Kashmir
northwestern portion is Pakistan
southern portion is India
northeastern corner is China
Demographics
greatest population density is along the Ganges river
lower population density in the more arid regions and the more mountainous regions
Growth Rates
Rate of growth varies by country
Afghanistan is growing at a relatively high rate, while India and Sri Lanka are growing at a lower rate
Bhutan
smallest country of South Asia
low level of urbanization
highly traditional, rural, Buddhist society
the King of Bhutan coined the term: Gross National Happiness
Swayambhunath
also known as the Monkey Temple
Buddhist temple
Pashupatinath Temple
oldest Hindu temple complex in Kathmandu
site of Hindu cremation rituals
Indian gender demographics
Preference for men (more men, sex-selective abortions)
large, rapidly growing population
Grameen Bank
grassroots organization formed to provide small loans (microfinance) to rural poor in Bangladesh
has grown into international organization that lends worldwide
average loan is a little over $100 (enough to buy a cow, a sewing machine or a slik worm shed)
97% of borrowers are women
99% repayment rate
Caste system Top and Bottom of hierarchy
Brahmins (priests, teachers)
Dalits (“the oppressed”, untouchables)
Languages (Pakistan)
English and Urdu are official languages
Punjabi is the most widely spoken language in the country
Puja (Hinduism)
worship ritual
typically involves offerings of fruit, water or flower
may be done at a temple or at home
Pollution of India’s water
about 70% of India is polluted
most of the pollution is a result of untreated sewage;
industry, agriculture, improper disposal of garbage
climate change/drought, etc. are causes
