April 15 -- South Asia

why is south asia geopolitically and environmentally important

it’s home to ~2 billion people, has 5 time zones, vast climate change and cultural diversity, and key ocean access via indian ocean

what are the major physicak barriers in south asia

himalayas and the thar desert

what are the four physical subregions of south asi

mountains of the north, indus-ganges-brahmaputra lowlands, peninsular india, southern islands

what is the tallest mountain in the world and where is it located

mount everest (8,848 m) located in the himalayas on the border or nepal and tibet

what tectonic event lef to the himalayas’ formation

the indian plate collided qith the eurasian plate 40-50 million years ago

what is the monsoon and how does it affect south asia

seasonal wind and rain pattern that causes distincy wet/dry seasons, critical for agriculture, but can cause flooding

what is orographic rainfall

rainfall caused by moist air rising and cooling over mountains, common on the windward side

why is bangladesh environmentally vulnerable

flooding, sea level rise cyclones, and high population density

what was the bhopal disaster

1984 gas leak from a union carbide plant killed over 3,800 people in india

what are the major mineral resources in aouth asia

iron core, coal, copper, bauxite, sandstone, marble, mica

what was the green revolution

a movement that introduced high-yield crops and fertilizers, increasing food production but causing pollution and social inequality

what are the three major vrop zones in india

rice (ganges), wheat (indus/ganges), milet/sorghum (central india)

which country has the largest population in the world

india

what is a bustee

a slum/informal settlement, common in indian cities

what are some problems in south asia’s urban areas

overcrowding, pollution, lack of clean water/sanitation, homelessness

what religion did the aryans introduce to south asia

hinduism

what are key contrass between islam and hinduism

islam: monotheistic, burial, one book. hinduism: polytheistic, cremation, many texts

where did Sikhism origninate and what does it combine

Punjab; blends elements of hinduism and islam

what is bollywood

the world’largest firm industry, known for colorful, musical films with broad cultural influence

who led india’s nonviolent independence movement

mahatma gandhi

what was the result of the 1947 partition

india and pakistan split, causing mass migration and violence

what country was created from east pakistan in 1971

bangladesh

what is Kashmir a contested region

muslim-majority region with a hindu ruler in 1947; claimed by both india and pakistan

what are india-china tensions focused on

arunachal pradesh and damming of the brahmaputra river

what is pakistan’s key geopolitical challenge

balancing U.S. relations with Taliban oinfluence and China alliance

what region is the poorest nect to sub-saharan africa

south asia

what is india’s high-tect hub and why is it successful

bangalore; strong education, english use, global outsourcing

what is the economic divide in india

prosperous west and south vs poorer east and north

what is the status of gender equality in south asia

uneven; gendercide, low literacy for women, yet female leaders exist

what are Dalits

the lowest caste in india’s caste system, often facing discrimination