South Central Asia Geography Spring 2026

Himalaya Mountains

the world's tallest mountains.

Andes Mountains

the largest mountain range in the world

subcontinent

A large landmass that is smaller than a continent (India)

alluvial plain

plain where soil is deposited by flooding rivers.

archipelago

island group

atoll

island that is the low-lying top of a submerged volcano surrounded by coral reefs and shallow lagoons.

Indus Valley Civilization

An early civilization, known for its advanced culture, that developed in the Indus River valley in India. One of the first 4 human civilizations.

Pakistan

This nation was once part of northwestern India. It broke off during a civil war in 1948 because the majority of the population was Muslim instead of Hindu.

Hinduism

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms.

Mohenjo-Daro

Largest city of the Indus Valley civilization. It was centrally located in the extensive floodplain of the Indus River. Little is known about the political institutions of Indus Valley communities, but the large-scale implies central planning.

Indus River

A river that flows from Tibet, through the Himalayas and Hindu Kush into the Arabian Sea.

Ganges River

Located in India, this river is considered sacred to Hindus and is used for spiritual cleansing, funeral rites, and other Hindu rituals.

New Dehli

Capital of India

Amazon River

largest river in the world by volume

Mahatma Gandhi

Leader of the peaceful civil disobedience movement in India.

Bagavad Gita

Hinduism's most popular sacred text.

monsoon

Major winds in the Indian Ocean that blew into India for half the year, and blew away from India for the other half. Helped facilitate trade in the Indian Ocean.

cyclone

a storm with heavy rains and high winds that blow in a circular pattern around an area of low atmospheric pressure

storm surge

high waters brought by cyclones

Estuary

an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river.

Nonviolet resistance

A form of protest used by Mohandas Gandhi, which employs any means of protest except violence. Also used by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Hindi

most spoken language in India

raj

The Hindi word for reign is used to identify the period of British rule over India.

caste system

Hindu system of social classes.

land reform

a more balanced distribution of land among farmers.

Sikhism

a monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak in the Punjab region that mixes Islam and Hinduism.

Mughal Empire

An empire established by Muslim invaders in the early 1500's. This is the root historical reason why Pakistan exists today, as the area was converted from Hinduism to Islam.

Kashmir region

When India was partitioned into India and Pakistan, what area was divided between the two countries? Four nations now fight over this territory.

region

An area distinguished by a unique combination of trends or features.

Islamabad

Capital of Pakistan

Malé

Capital of Maldives

Kathmandu

Capital of Nepal

Dhaka

Capital of Bangladesh

North Sentinel Island

indigenous people in voluntary isolation who have defended, often by force, their protected isolation from the outside world. Governed by India, located in The Indian Ocean.

The Indian Ocean

This area had the largest network of maritime trade in the postclassical period, prior to the rise of Atlantic-based trade. The water is very calm and dependable.

What created the Himalayan Mountains?

Land that was part of East Africa broke off and collided with Central Asia. The collision of tectonic plates forced the land upward, creating them.

Mt. Everest

The tallest mountain in the world is located in the Himalayas.

Buddha

Means "Enlightened One." He is said to have found a path for overcoming suffering. He was from the nation of Nepal.

Brahmaputra River

The river that begins in Tibet flows through northeast India and Bangladesh, joining with the Ganges to empty into the Bay of Bengal. The most important river in Bangladesh.

Feni River

A small river in Bangladesh that is prone to flooding, causing great suffering. The government began to dam the river in 1985.

Mawsynram, India

The rainiest city in the world.