GEOGRAPHY PROJECT – HIMALAYAS LAND OF

THE YETI
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Location and formation of the Himalayas
Himalayas are the great mountain system of Asia forming a barrier between
the plateau of Tibet  to the north and the alluvial plains of the Indian
subcontinent to the south.
The Himalayas consist of the three main mountain ranges which are –
The greater Himalayas or himadri
The middle Himalaya or himachal
And the lesser himalaya or shiwalik
The Himalayas are the youngest and the highest mountain range in the world. This
stunning mountain range located in South Asia is incredible and majestic . The
Himalayas are located on the Tibetan plateau, north-west of the Indian terrain. These
mountains were a result of a collision between the tectonic plates of India and
Eurasia. This collision took place around 50 million years ago and continues to
collide even today.
The great Himalaya Mountain Range formed as a result of tectonic forces driving two
continental plates towards each other, the Indian and Eurasian Plates.., the Himalayas
are evidence of plate tectonics and what happens when two continents collide
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. Himalayan region, with its diverse climatic conditions, is home to many uncommon,
endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna. The number of plant species in
the Himalaya is estimated at 25,000 – 10% of the world’s known species and 50% of
India’s endemic flora. Himalayan vegetation varies according to both altitude and
climatic conditions. They range from the tropical deciduous forests in the foothills,
to temperate forests in the middle altitudes. Higher up, coniferous, sub-alpine, and
alpine forests spring up. These finally give way to alpine grasslands and high
altitude meadows. They are followed by scrublands which lead up to the
permanent snowline.The vegetation also varies from the unexplored tropical
rainforests of the Eastern Himalayas, to the dense subtropical and alpine forests of
the Central and Western Himalayas

The Himalayan mountains, are the highest mountain range in the world and,
although its climate is so adverse, many species have adapted in order to live
there. Most of the inhabitants here are birds, although mammals are the most
famous. The best time to see the Himalayan wildlife live is in autumn, from
September to November, when the animals migrate to lower altitudes. Some of
the most characteristic ones are:
The goral
The snow leopard
The yak
The Himalayan brown bear
The tahr
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Tribals living there and their lifestyles

Tribes in the Himalayas mainly follows the religion of Buddha, Islam, and Hinduism. There
are many myths and legends to be heard in Himalayas. The most popular is YETI. The
Himalaya ranges consist of tribes predominant in Northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan, and many
parts of West Bengal. There are more than 80 tribes and sub-tribes from the Arunachal
Pradesh only. Tribes, there mainly rely on plants and yaks. Most of the meat production is
from Yak. The Yak also gives milk, cheese, and butter. The main plantation provides
vegetables and other daily stuff for the tribes living in the Himalayas.
There are many people living in the Himalayas. The tribe differs from sherpas of Nepal to Kashmiris.
The Himalayas region is remote. There is no development or to say the least development. People rely
on herbs for their medicines. In case of any diseases, people rely on the roots of different plants. The
abundant plant is Rhododendron. Juices of Rhododendronare extracted which is used for cuts and
wounds. The juice is also used for drinking.
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites in

Himalayas are -UNESCO World Heritage Site is an area or
landmark which is chosen by UNESCO on the basis of it’s cultural, historical,
scientific significance and also legally protected by international treaties. There are
some UNESCO Heritage Sites in the lap of the Himalayas 

Great Himalayan National Park

Khangchendzonga National Park
Sagarmatha national park
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary 

Effects of environmental degradation

Problems associated with modernization like GHG emission, air pollution, land use
conversions, fragmentation, deforestation and land degradation have already crept
into the HKH region. The landscapes and communities in the HKH region are being
simultaneously affected by rapid environmental and socioeconomic changes.

How to stop effects of environmental degredation

1. Demanding a moratorium on large hydropower projects and the campaign for

free flowing rivers
2. Initiating a dialogue on adverse impacts of commercial tourism and
understanding what ecologically responsible community based tourism is
3. Implementation of the forest rights act 2006 for community control of forest
resources
4. Intervening on industrial pollution and the issue of solid waste