Learn more about the unique characteristics of the geography of South Asia

2. India is a large country in southern Asia. It is separated
from the rest of Asia by the Himalayan Mountains.
Because it is so big and cut off from the rest of the
continent, it is called a subcontinent. To the south of
India is the Indian Ocean.
India is the seventh largest country in the world. It has
deserts, jungles, mountains, forests, and farms.
The major rivers are the Indus River and the Ganges
River. Big cities include New Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay,
and Bangalore.
India has half as many states as the U.S. has. How
many states are in India?

3. South Asia

4. Satellite View of South Asia

5. The
Size of
South
Asia

6. Countries
Afghanistan China
Iran Nepal Bhutan
Pakistan
Myanmar
India
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka

8. Bodies of Water
R.
s Brahmaputr
du a R.
In
Gang
es R.
Bay of
Bengal
Arabian Sea
Indian Ocean

9. The Ganges River System
1,560 miles long

10. “Mata Ganga” (Mother
Ganges)

11. The Brahmaputra River System
1,800 miles long

12. Flooding on the
Brahmaputra

13. The Indus River System
1,975 miles long

14. Valleys /Plains
Indo-G
anges
Plain

15. Mountains & Peaks
Hin
d u K Kara
ush koran Mts
Pa ber
.
y
I ss
Kh
I
Hi
m ala Mt. Everest
ya ▲
s
lls
dhy a Hi
Vin t s
ha
We
G
n
st
t er
ern
E as
Gh a
ts

16. Hindu Kush

17. The Himalayas
 “him” [snow]
 “aalaya” [home]
 Mt. Everest is
29,035 feet. It
is the highest
mt. peak in the
world.

18. The Himalayas

19. “Fire Rim of the Pacific”

20. the Tsunam Devastation
i’s
100,000s dead!

21. Deserts /Plateaus
Tibetan
Plateau
r
Tha t
er
Des
Deccan
Plateau

22. The Deccan Plateau
 31,800 square miles in size.
 Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high.
 From the Sanskrit word, “dakshina” [“the south”].

23. The Tibetan Plateau
 The “Roof of the World.”
 average elevation is 16,400 feet.

24. The Thar Desert
 The Great Indian Desert
 200 - 1500 feet in elevation.
 up to 127ºF in July.

26. December to March ~~~~ Cold
April to May ~~~~ Very hot (Often
over 100 degrees)
June to September ~~~~ Monsoon
season
October to November ~~~ less rain
MONSOONS
Monsoons are huge rain storms that come in
from the Indian Ocean. They bring enough
rain to supply water for the whole year.
These storms have strong winds. They can
flood and destroy farms and houses. Some
have even killed people.

27. Climate Regions of South
Asia

28. Winter Monsoons:
November - April

29. Summer Monsoons: May-
Oct.

30. Monsoon Season
• Nearly all of the rainfall for the entire year
falls during the monsoon season.
• The economy depended on the
monsoon season in order for the farmers
to grow crops.
• The monsoon season made the land
fertile for crops.

31. Fun Facts About India

32. At about the same time
the pilgrims were
landing at Plymouth
Rock, the Taj Mahal was
built. That was almost
400 years ago.
It took over ten years to
build. More than twenty
thousand people and
one thousand elephants
helped build it.
. . .but why was it built?
Any ideas?
The Taj Mahal is in Agra
near the capital of India.
What is the capital of
India?

33. Shah Jahan was the emperor of India from 1628 to 1658. He
deeply loved his wife Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 when she
was giving birth to their fourteenth child.
The emperor was so heartbroken that he decided to build a massive
tomb in honor of their love. The two of them were buried together
inside the Taj Mahal.
Since Shah Jahan loved his wife so much, he used only the finest
marble. He also made sure that beautiful gems decorated her
tomb.
The Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world.
It is also a great tribute to love.

34. The Hindu New Year falls in
October or November of
each year.
It is called Diwali, the
Festival of Lights.
For Diwali, people get
dressed up in new clothes,
send cards to friends and
family, and give out
presents.
Since it is the Festival of
Lights, fireworks light up the
sky.
What American
Holidays are
celebrated like Diwali?

35. Many women in India wear beautiful saris.
Their clothing is brightly colored. For
special events, women wear saris with
gold embroidery and sequins.
Men usually wear dhotis. They are loose
pants, similar to pajamas. In big cities,
men wear American style clothing.
Children wear jeans, T-shirts, and skirts at
home. They usually have uniforms for
school.
Indian women love to wear jewelry. They
wear earrings, nose rings, bangles
(bracelets), anklets, rings, necklaces, and
even jewelry in their hair!

36. Pitara for Kids - http:www.pitara.com
This site contains books, stories, folk tales, and
activities for children.
We Are India - http://weareindia.com/
This site contains photos and other links on culture,
traditions, and art.
Welcome to India - http://www.welcometoindia.com/culture
This site contains info on culture, music, food, travel
and more.
History of India - http://www.historyofindia.com/home.html
This site covers ancient, medieval, British, and
modern history.
India for Kids – Snaith Primary School
http://www.home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/India.htm
This site shows a slideshow trip to India for children ages 7-9. With
lots of great links, photos, stories, and activities, this site is highly
recommended.

37. Chantal Boulanger: Indian saris-research
http:www.devi.net/sari.html
This site has photos of saris and other Indian clothing. It also has
other links.
Really Cookin’ Recipes for Kids
www2.whirlpool.com/html/homelife/cookin/India.htm
This site has Indian recipes for children to make.
Experience India - http://www.vijnanakalavedi.org/
This site tells about different Indian art, music,
and dance. It also contains great photographs, video clips, and
music clips.
India Parenting
http://www.indiaparenting.com/Indiaculture/index.htm