Ancient India

Geography
LOCATION
• India is a large country located in
Asia and is called a subcontinent as
it extends far south. The climate is
warm-to-hot year round with two
seasons: rainy and dry.
BRAHMAPUTRA, GANGES AND
INDUS RIVERS
• India has many rivers, such as
the Brahmaputra, which starts in
the Himalayas, the Ganges, which
flows across most of northern
India, and the Indus, which begins
in the Himalayas through what is
now Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.
The rivers were important sources
of water for farmland and people.
DECCAN PLATEAU
• The Deccan Plateau is a massive
triangle-shaped area that lies
between the Western Ghats and
Eastern Ghats mountain ranges. It
is raised, flat land that is dry with
few rivers. The soil is black (rich in
iron and growing cotton) or yellow
or red, which are difficult for
farming.
MOUNTAINS: Himalayas, Hindu
Kush, Western Ghats, Eastern
Ghats • There are seven mountain ranges
in India including the Himalayan
and Hindu Kush Mountains to the
north and the Western Ghats and
Eastern Ghats that run south along
the western and eastern coasts. All
form a natural barrier.
THAR DESERT
• The Thar Desert lies in northern
India, stretching for hundreds of
miles of sand, dunes, and stone
with little plant life. It is dry and
hot, and dust storms are common.
Birds, lizards, snakes, and gazelles
live here.
BAY OF BENGAL, ARABIAN
SEA, INDIAN OCEAN
• India is surrounded by ocean on
three sides: the Bay of Bengal in
the east, the Arabian Sea in the
west, and the Indian Ocean to the
south.