Chapter 9 notes india

Chapter 9:South Asia

World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. 2

South Asia’s Physical & Human Contexts

• Monsoon climate

• Flat topography with elevated features on its edge

• Hinduism

• Islam introduced through invasions

• Transformation through British imperialism

• Post-World War II independence



Annual Rainfall & Dominant Atmospheric Wind Patterns Over Asia During the Summer

• Prevailing winds that occur during particular seasons of the year

• Brings pronounced wet and dry seasons

• Expresses itself differently in each of the three Asian subregions



Annual Rainfall & Dominant Atmospheric Wind Patterns Over Asia During the Winter



Monsoon Contrasts



Environmental Contrasts

• Monsoon climate

• Expresses itself differently in each of the three subregions of Asia

• Mountain-induced orographic precipitation

• Late southwestern monsoon season sometimes includes cyclones.

• Landforms• Indo–Gangetic Plain• Deccan Plateau (Southern India)



The Indo–Gangetic Plain

• Annual precipitation levels increase west to east

• Much of Indus plain is arid.

• Humid Bangladesh characterized by semideciduous and tropical rainforest vegetation

• Water supply is seasonal.

• Summer or west monsoon provides 85% of annual rainfall totals.



Landform Regions of South Asia



South Asia

• Often referred to as the “Indian subcontinent”

• Territorial dominance of India

• Substantial population density

• Primarily a rural region

• Tradition of state control of industry

• Divisive role of ethnicity, religion, and politics in economic development process



The Precolonial Heritage

• Greater cultural diversity than China

• Subjected to numerous external influences from the west

• Early civilizations in Indus River region

• 2000 BC–Aryans invasion produced a mixed Indo–Aryan civilization.

• Indo–Aryans introduced Hinduism and the caste system.



Impact of Islam

• Most powerful of all Islamic empires was Mughal Empire–16th and 17th centuries.

• Lahore became one of the most celebrated Islamic cities of the world.

• Islam especially attractive to untouchables and Hindus of lower caste

• Rejection of caste system produced the blended Hindu and Islamic religion of Sikhism.

• Islam was highly doctrinaire and closely associated with a nomadic conquering culture.



Languages of South Asia



Colonial Transformation

• Early British influence• British East India Company• Indirectly came to control up

to two-thirds of country• Replaced native

administration• Took actions to decimate

textile industry in 19th century

• By 1900s, South Asia was a total colonial possession.

• Economic contours totally altered

• Industrial development slow-paced



Independence and Nation-State Building

• British engaged in divide and conquer strategy.

• Caste system remained rigid.

• Communalism persisted.



Spatial Evolution of British Empire in India



Pakistan

• Created in 1947• A west and east formed

• West–Closer to the West• East–Closer to southeast Asia• Tenuous from the beginning• East gained independence in 1971 (renamed Bangladesh).

• Tensions with India• Jammu and Kashmir• Joint nuclear ambitions

• Post-9/11/2001 relationship with US in al Qaeda fight



Jammu and Kashmir



Accommodating Diversity in India

• Created as a secular state

• Religion has become a predominant political issue relating to castes.

• Rise of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

• Conservative• Hindu-based

• Federalism as a political structure

• Hindi–Official language and most widely spoken



Population Contours of India

• More than 1 billion people

• Second most populous country in the world

• Population growth rate double that of China

• Quadrupled in past 85 years

• ¾ live in rural villages

• Changing age structure



Explaining the Decline in Population Growth Rates

• Growth rates vary between ethnic, religious, and caste groups.

• In general, Hindus have fewer children than Muslims.

• Unequal gender relationships

• Heading toward stage three of demographic transformation model



Population Growth Rates of Indian Political Units–1991–2001



Gender Bias of Indian Political Units 2001



Agricultural Development in India

• 62% of population engaged in some form of agricultural pursuits.

• 65% in rural villages and small towns

• Spatial distribution determined by availability of water.

• Heavy reliance on livestock

• Various dairy products

• Cattle are primary source of power for plowing and short-distance transport.



Agricultural Productivity and Change

• Sources of rural poverty are many.• Lack of health access and other social services• Lack of meaningful land reform• Average size of household plot is 6.5 acres.• Negative impact of Green Revolution• Negative impact of government economic policies• Technology impact• Hasn’t solved problems• Has exacerbated economic inequalities



Agricultural Regions of India



India’s Industrial Economy

• Railroads

• Strong industrial resource base

• Fossil fuels can adequately power the industrial base.

• Iron ore counts for 6% of world production and 5% of world reserves.

• Government has constructed hydroelectric facilities to make up for shortages in commercial energy.

• Carefully planned economy by government



Primary Mineral and Industrial Regions of South Asia



Industrial Regions

• Diversified industrial sector is emerging–Damodar Valley

• Mumbai is second most important industrial region.• Cotton textile manufacturing• Automobile production• Aircraft• Pharmaceuticals• Plastics• Chemicals

• Bangalore– “Silicon Valley of India”• Texas Instruments• IBM• Compaq• Other computer software firms



Brain Drain

• Highly educated university graduates

• Concern to stem brain drain



Evolving Urban-Industrial Regions

• Kolkata (Calcutta)

• Mumbai

• Bangalore

• Other regions• New Delhi• Chennai



Urban India

• Stark contrasts between urban and rural world

• Prosperity gap has widened in the postindustrial economy.

• Greater levels of rural to urban migration

• Stream of urban migrants has exceeded urban employment opportunities.



Urban Growth

• Urbanization levels low into the mid-20th century

• Growth indicators• Rural to urban migration• Natural increase of urban population

• Most population growth in large cities

• Thirty-five cities with more than 1 million population

• Some are megacities, but not “world cities”• Delhi–17.3 million• Mumbai–17.3 million• Kolkata–14.3• Insufficient finance, transport, and telecommunications



Urban India–1901–2007



The Urban Poor

• First- and second- generation rural to urban migrants see the city as a place for greater economic opportunity.

• Lack of adequate income to secure durable housing

• Some in substandard housing

• Bustec–“Village in a city”• Squatter dwellings• Dirt floors• Electricity, sewage, and water

rare



Pakistan

• Continues to rank as one of the world’s poorest countries

• One of the larger debtor nations• Agriculture based on wheat,

rice, leather products, and carpets.

• Located in transitional location between Islamic Middle East and Hindu India.

• “Dysfunctional country with little evidence of a civil society”



Pakistan in the Crossroads

• 169 million population• 96% Islamic• Formerly East and West Pakistan until 1970s, when East

Pakistan became Bangladesh.• Language is 96% Punjab.• Parts of Sharia in legal system• Tension among civil society, religious elements, and

military rule.• Madrasahs helped to support militant Islam.• Supported Pushtuns and Taliban government in

Afghanistan prior to 9/11/2001



Nepal

• Landlocked country• Physical and cultural transition between Tibet in north and

India to south• Most populated part is central foothills–Kathmandu

Valley• Worldwide success in marketing its natural and cultural

heritage• Adventure tourism• Tourism industry creates substantial domestic employment

opportunities.

• 90% involved in subsistence agriculture• Exacerbated demands on women in economy



Bangladesh

• Formerly East Pakistan after 1971 civil war

• Great cyclone in 1971 resulted in a sharply reduced agriculture economy.

• Economy rests almost completely on agriculture.

• Poorly developed industrial economy

• Relatively stable government• Child labor is widespread.• Half the rural population is

landless.• High illiteracy



Sri Lanka

• 20 million population• 74% Singhalese• Tamil-speaking Hindus for the rest• Cultural conflict

• Gained independence from British in 1948

• Changed name from Ceylon in 1972

• Government programs have significantly improved life.

• Some social indicators on par with developed countries

• Exports count for about one- third of the economy.

Date post:	17-May-2015
Category:	Education
Upload:	guestc4c245
View:	735 times
Download:	3 times