G E O G RA P H Y , C L I M AT E , A N D R E S O U RC E S

ANCIENT INDIA

1. GEOGRAPHY

• India is located in Asia

• Geographers refer to India as a subcontinent, which is a large landmass that sticks out from a continent

1. GEOGRAPHY

• Five nations make up the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh

1. GEOGRAPHY

• The mountain range that separates India from the rest of Asia is the Himalaya Mountains

2. MOUNT EVEREST

• Located in the Himalaya Mountains

• 29,028 feet tall

• Highest peak in the WORLD!

MOUNT EVEREST

HINDU KUSH

• The Hindu Kush is the mountain range that was the pathway for many of the earliest inhabitants of northern India.

4. MAJOR RIVERS

• Two great rivers rise in the mountains which are fed by melting snow from the Himalayas as well as rain and make farming possible.

Indus River

Ganges River

4. MAJOR RIVERS

• India has two very fertile river valleys that are fed by the mountains in Northern India.

5. CLIMATE

• The climates of India differ greatly from the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas to the dry Thar Desert• Humid subtropical climate: hot, humid

summers with plenty of rainfall in the plains south of Himalayas• Tropical climate: warm temperatures all year• Humid tropical: warm temperatures and heavy

rains to southwest India• Dry climate: in the southern and western part of

India

5. CLIMATE

6. MONSOONS

• Monsoons are strong winds that blow across the region at certain times of the year• June-October: summer monsoons bring moist air

up from the Indian Ocean which causes heavy rains and flooding• November-January: winter monsoons change

directions which brings dry air from the mountains in the north and there is little rain fall• People depend on the summer monsoon for life-

giving rain such as providing water for crops

6. MONSOONS

6. MONSOONS

6. MONSOONS

6. MONSOONS

• If the monsoon is late or weak, crops die causing famine

• If it brings too much rain, the rivers overflow and it may cause deadly floods

• As long as the rain comes on time and lasts long enough, the Indian farmers will be able to produce food

7. RESOURCES

• Natural resources occur naturally within environments• Ex. Sunlight and air

• A wide variety of resources are found in India• Agricultural and mineral

resources are the most abundant

RESOURCES

• Agricultural resources such as fertile soil produce crops like tea, rice, nuts, and jute (for making rope)• Timber and livestock are also

important• Mineral resources such as

large deposits of iron ore, coal, natural gas reserves, and gemstones

8. DISCUSSION QUESTION

•How do you think that the geography of India will play a role in the development of ancient civilizations here?