Indian primary economic activities

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from a lecture on Indian geography, agriculture, and the Green Revolution.

Laterite Soils

Tropical red soils that are heavily leached.

Monsoon

A seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing winds of a region.

South-west Monsoon

A low-pressure system occurring from mid-June to September, bringing torrential rain, cyclones, and tidal waves; also known as the hot, wet season.

Retreating Monsoon

Occurs from October to February, bringing cool, dry conditions and dry wind due to a high-pressure system; low rainfall except in the south.

Black Soils

Soils formed from weathered basalt, common in the Deccan Plateau.

River Ganges

Located in the north of India, flowing from north to northeast; New Delhi is situated near its source.

Leaching

The washing away of minerals and nutrients out of reach of plants.

Subsistence Farming

Farms under 2 hectares with high population density, where most produce is sold locally.

Green Revolution

Effort in the 1960s to allow less developed countries, such as India, to overcome chronic food deficits by producing more food using the same amount of land.

Paddy Fields

Waterlogged fields where rice is grown.

Plantation Agriculture

Cultivation of cash crops like cotton, coconut, and tea in large quantities for export.