Chapter 21 – The Indian Subcontinent

Section Notes Video

Physical Geography
History and Culture of India
India Today
India’s Neighbors
Close-up
Diwali: The Festival of Lights
World Almanac
Religions of the Indian
Subcontinent
Quick Facts
Chapter 21 Visual Summary
Impact of Population Density
Maps
Indian Subcontinent: Political
Indian Subcontinent: Physical
Indian Subcontinent: Precipitation
India: Population
Religions of the Indian Subcontinent
The Indian Subcontinent
Images
Geography
Summer and Winter Monsoons
Crowded Delhi Street
Sri Lanka
Population Growth in Indian
Subcontinent
 Physical Geography

The Big Idea

The physical geography of the Indian Subcontinent features
unique physical features and a variety of climates and
resources.

Main Ideas
 Towering mountains, large rivers, and broad plains are the
key physical features of the Indian Subcontinent.
 The Indian Subcontinent has a great variety of climate
regions and resources.
 Main Idea 1:
Towering mountains, large rivers, and broad
plains are the key physical features of the
Indian Subcontinent.
• A subcontinent is a large landmass that is smaller than a
continent.

• The Indian Subcontinent is a triangular wedge of land that juts out

from the southernmost portion of Asia.

• The Indian Subcontinent is also called South Asia.

• The Indian Subcontinent is made up of seven countries:

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri
Lanka.

• The Indian Subcontinent is one of the most distinctive geographic

regions in the world.
 Key Physical Features
Mountains Rivers and Plains Other Features
• Hindu Kush • The rivers flood • The Deccan is a
mountains divide each year, leaving large, hilly plateau
the subcontinent fertile plains. located to the
from Central Asia. • India’s most south of the
• The Eastern and important river is Ganges Plain.
Western Ghats the Ganges. • The Thar, or Great
separate India’s • A delta is a Indian Desert, is
east and west landform at the made up of rolling
coasts from the mouth of a river. sand dunes.
country’s interior.
• The Ganges Plain is • The Tarai in
• The Himalayas run India’s farming southern Nepal has
along the northern heartland. fertile farmland and
border and are tropical jungles.
home to the • The Indus River
world’s highest creates a fertile
mountains. plain known as the
Indus River Valley.
 Main Idea 2:
The Indian Subcontinent has a great variety
of climate regions and resources.

The Indian Subcontinent has four climate regions: the

highland climate, the subtropical climate, the tropical
climate, and the desert or steppe climate.

Monsoons have a huge influence on the weather and

climates in the subcontinent.

Agricultural and mineral resources are plentiful.

 Climate Regions
1. Highland climate
– Himalayas
– Brings cool temperatures to much of Nepal and Bhutan
2. Humid subtropical climate
– Plains south of the Himalayas
– Hot, humid summers with plenty of rainfall
3. Tropical climate
– Covers much of the subcontinent
– Tropical savanna in central India and Sri Lanka
– Humid tropical climate in southwest India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and
Bangladesh
4. Desert and steppe climate
– Throughout southern and western India and most of Pakistan
– Dry
 Monsoons

Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring either moist or

dry air to an area.

Summer monsoons bring heavy rains and fertile growing

conditions to many places on the Indian Subcontinent.

In the winter, the monsoons change direction. The

winter monsoons bring dry air from the north, and little
rain falls during this time of year.
 Natural Resources

Agricultural Resources
• Fertile soil
• Timber
• Livestock

Mineral Resources
• Iron ore – India
• Coal – India
• Natural gas reserves – Pakistan
• Gemstones – Sri Lanka
 History and Culture of India
The Big Idea
Ancient civilizations and powerful empires have shaped the
history and culture of India.

Main Ideas
• Advanced civilizations and powerful empires shaped the
early history of India.
• Powerful empires controlled India for hundreds of years.
• Independence from Great Britain led to the division of
India into several countries.
• Religion and the caste system are two important parts of
Indian culture.
 Main Idea 1:
Advanced civilizations and powerful empires
shaped the early history of India.

Ancient Civilizations
• Around 2300 BC the Harappan civilization began in the Indus River
Valley.
• The Ayrans, invaders from Central Asia, entered India around 1500
BC.
• Aryan culture helped shape the language, religion, and caste system
of India.

Early Empires
• By 223 BC the Mauryan Empire controled most of the Indian
Subcontinent.
• Emperor Asoka helped spread Buddhism in India.
• Indian trade and culture flourished during the Gupta Empire.
 Main Idea 2:
Powerful empires controlled India for
hundreds of years.
The Mughal Empire
• Babur establisheed the Mughal
Empire in northern India in
1526
• Indian trade, culture, and
religion thrived under the rule
of Akbar the Great.
• By 1700 the Mughal Empire
ruled almost all of the Indian
Subcontinent.
The British Empire
• The British East India
Company established trade in
India in the early 1600s.
• By the mid-1800s the
company controlled more than
half of the Indian
Subcontinent.
• India became a British
colony.
• Indian troops revolted against
the East India Company.
• The British government took
direct control of India in 1858.
• India and Pakistan gained
independence in 1947.
 Main Idea 3:
Independence from Great Britain led to the
division of India into several countries.
• Indians began to question British rule and created the Indian
National Congress.
• Mohandas Gandhi was the most important leader of the Indian
independence movement.
• Great Britain finally agreed to make India independent, but
they feared that a civil war would erupt between India’s Hindu
and Muslim communities.
• To avoid civil war, the British government agreed to the
partition, or division, of India into two separate countries:
India and Pakistan.
• Sri Lanka and Maldives gained their independence from Great
Britain.
• In 1971 East Pakistan broke away to form the country of
Bangladesh.
 Main Idea 4:
Religion and the caste system are two
important parts of Indian culture.
• India is the birthplace of several major religions, including
Religion Hinduism and Buddhism.

• One of the world’s oldest religions

• Hinduism—the dominant religion of India
• Believe everything in the universe is part of a single
Hinduism spirit called Brahman
• Believe one’s ultimate goal is to reunite one’s soul with
Brahman
• Believe in reincarnation

• Began in northern India in the late 500s BC

• Buddhism—a religion based on the teachings of
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha
Buddhism • Believe people can rise above their desire for material
goods and reach nirvana
• Nirvana is a state of perfect peace.
 The Caste System

• The caste system divided Indian society into groups based

on a person’s birth or occupation.

• The caste system features four main classes, originally

based on occupations.

• Below the four main castes are the Dalits, members of

India’s lowest class.

• Many rules guided interaction between the classes.

 India Today

The Big Idea

India today features a blend of modern and traditional
culture, a rapidly growing population, and a developing
economy.

Main Ideas
• Daily life in India is centered around cities, villages, and
religion.
• Today India faces many challenges, including a growing
population and economic development.
 Main Idea 1:
Daily life in India is centered around cities,
villages, and religion.

Cities Villages Religion

• Two largest cities— • Most Indians live in • Plays a key role in
Mumbai rural areas. Indian daily life
(Bombay) and • Most villagers work • Most practice
Kolkata as farmers and live Hinduism.
(Calcutta) with an extended
• Many follow other
• Bangalore and family.
religions (Islam,
Mumbai— • Paved roads and Buddhism, etc.).
universities, electricity have
research centers, • Millions practice
only recently
and high-tech Sikhism and
reached many
businesses Jainism.
Indian villages.
• Most people • Religious
struggle to earn a celebrations are
living in the cities. important.
 Main Idea 2:
Today India faces many challenges, including
a growing population and economic
development.

Population

• India is the world’s second most populous country.

• India’s huge population places a strain on India’s

environment and resources.

• Urbanization is taking place. Urbanization is the

increase in the percentage of people who live in cities.
 Government and the Economy

• India is the world’s largest democracy.

• India is one of the strongest nations in Asia.

• One of India’s largest industries is its

moviemaking industry—called Bollywood.

• Although India is one of the world’s top five

industrial countries, millions of Indians live in
poverty.
 Challenges for India

1. Poverty
• India’s government instituted a reform called the green
revolution, a program that encouraged farmers to adopt

modern agricultural methods.

• The government had succeeded in attracting many high-
tech businesses to India.

2. A growing population

3. Relationship with Pakistan

 India’s Neighbors

The Big Idea

Despite cultural differences, the countries that border India
share similar challenges.

Main Ideas
• Many different ethnic groups and religions influence the
culture of India’s neighbors.
• Rapid population growth, ethnic conflicts, and
environmental threats are major challenges to the region
today.
 Main Idea 1:
Many different ethnic groups and religions
influence the culture of India’s neighbors.

• Five countries share the subcontinent with India:

Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.

• These countries have significantly different cultures.

• The people of these countries come from many different

ethnic groups.

• A variety of religions exist on the Indian Subcontinent.

 People and Religions of the Indian
Subcontinent
People
• The Indian Subcontinent is
home to many different ethnic
groups.
• The Sherpas, an ethnic group
from the mountains of Nepal,
often serve as guides through
the Himalayas.
• Bhutan’s largest ethnic group
originally came from Tibet.
• Many of Sri Lanka’s Tamil
people came from India to
work the country’s huge
plantations.
Religions
• Pakistan: most practice
Islam; small portions of the
population follow Hinduism,
Christianity, and tribal
religions.
 Bangladesh: most practice
Islam; small portions of the
population follow Hinduism,
Christianity, and tribal
religions.
 Nepal: the dominant religion
is Hinduism, although
Buddhism is practiced in some
parts of the country.
• Bhutan: the dominant religion
is Buddhism.
• Sri Lanka: the dominant
religion is Buddhism.
 Main Idea 2:
Rapid population growth, ethnic conflicts,
and environmental threats are major
challenges to the region today.

Major Challenges for Pakistan

• Lack of government stability

• Rapid population growth

• Troubled relationship with India, especially over the territory of

Kashmir

• Terrorists within Pakistan’s borders

 Major Challenges for Bangladesh

• Over population
– One of the world’s most densely populated countries
– Dhaka (capital and largest city) – over 11.5 million
people

• Flooding
 Major Challenges for Nepal

• Rapid population growth

– Population has more than doubled in the last
30 years.
– Kathmandu (capital and largest city) – over-
crowded and impoverished
• One of the world’s least-developed nations
• Deforestation
• Controlling tourism
 Major Challenges for Sri Lanka

• Conflict between Sri Lanka’s two largest ethnic groups:

the Tamil and the Sinhalese
• Tsunami in 2004
– Killed thousands of Sri Lankans
– Crippled Sri Lanka’s fishing and agricultural industries
 Bhutan Today

• Small mountain kingdom in the Himalayas

• Most people earn a living as farmers.
• Tourism is an important industry.
• Government limits the number of visitors in order to
protect the environment and Bhutan’s way of life.
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