Southern Asia (India and the
Indian Perimeter)
Chapters 25 and 26
India and the Indian Perimeter
India contains three major landforms
– The Himalaya Mountains
– The Gangetic Plain
– The Deccan Peninsula
56% of India is arable (fit for growing
crops)
India’s largest export is textiles.
The Indian parameter is not very rich in
resources
Animals of India include Bengal Tigers,
Indian Elephants, Monkeys, and Cobras.
Himalaya Mountains
Common Indian Monkey
Indian Elephant
Bengal Tiger
India and the Indian Perimeter
Aryans conquered India in 1500 B.C.
They introduced Sanskrit to the area.
By 1000 AD the Islamic Empires took over
the area. (They built the Taj Mahal)
By the 1700’s the British gained control of
the area from the French in the “7 Years
War”
The British East India Company controlled
India for the British in the 1700’s
Taj Mahal
India and the Indian Perimeter
Many Indians did not like British rule. In
1857 their was a rebellion from Indian
sepoys (Indian troops under the command
of British officers)
The sepoys killed the officers and their
families.
Both sides reported vicious acts of cruelty
but in the end the British crushed the
revolt.
The Sepoy Revolt
India and the Indian Perimeter
Because of the sepoy revolt, the British did not
treat the Indians as equals.
In 1885 the Indian National Congress was formed
to request more rights from the British, the request
was denied.
A young lawyer named Mohandas K. Gandhi led
the independence movement in the 20th century.
He was known as Mahatma (great soul) Gandhi.
Gandhi believed that nonviolent noncooperation
was the best way to bring positive change.
He led hunger strikes, boycott of British goods and
protest.
His efforts were effective and Britain granted
independence to India after World War II.
Mahatma Gandhi
India and the Indian Perimeter
Britain and the Indian congress wanted India to
be one country.
But the Muslims in India wanted to be a separate
state.
Tensions grew and to avoid war, Britain divided
the colony in to the countries of India and
Pakistan.
This division is called the partition of India.
Pakistan became mostly Muslim
India became mostly Hindu.
India and the Indian Perimeter
This left many Hindus in Pakistan and many
Muslims in India.
Panic let out and 1 million people died in
massacres and riots trying to get to the country
of their religion.
These riot even killed Gandhi, when he was shot
and killed by Hindu extremist in 1948.
There is religious tension between the areas to
this day.
Hinduism
Aryan religion included the basic
ideals that became part of Hinduism.
A pantheon is all the gods of a
religion.
Hindi is the major language of India
Hinduism consist of thousands of
deities.
Hinduism
Hinduism centers on 3 beliefs:
– Reincarnation (being reborn in different forms)
– Dharma (doing ones duty in life)
– Karma (positive and negative force caused by a
person’s actions)
Hindu’s also believe in a caste system.
–
–
–
–
–
1. Brahmins (priest and intellectuals)
2. Kshatriyas (warriors)
3. Vaisyas (traders and merchants)
4. Sudras (laborers)
Dalits (Unclean or oppressed)
Hindu Temple
A Fakir or holyman
India and the Indian Perimeter
One out of every 6 people live in India
(Over a billion people)
India’s economy is extremely varied
(outsourcing)
Farming is the basis of the economy.
Cities are overcrowded, noisy, and smog
filled.
70% of India lives in villages that have not
changed much for generations. (electricity
and paved roads are a recent
development.)
India and the Indian Perimeter
Issues and concerns
– Rapid growth /Over Population (33%
of the country is younger than 14)
– Poverty (many never attend school and
do not have basic standards of life)
– Political violence (particularly with
Pakistan and the Muslim culture – Both
countries now have nuclear capability.)
Bombay, India
The Indian Perimeter
The countries of the Indian Perimeter are:
– Pakistan
- Bhutan
– Nepal
- Bangladesh
– Sri Lanka
– Both Nepal and Bhutan are landlocked.
¤ Monsoons greatly affect the climate and
vegetation of the area.
¤ The Island countries are prone to hurricanes.
¤ Since records have been kept 1 million people
have died because of storm surge in these areas
¤ Mount Everest (29,035ft) is located in Nepal
¤ Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the
world.
Mount Everest
The Indian Perimeter
By the 1500’s the Aryans had moved into
the area.
The Muslim Mughal Empire rules the 1500’s
to the 1700’s
Overtime Great Britain controlled almost the
entire sub continent.
The British gave up control in 1947
Bangladesh gained independence from
Pakistan in 1971.
Sri Lanka became independent in 1948.
Bhutan became fully independent in 1949
(however their foreign policy is still guided
by India.)
The Indian Perimeter
The area has eclectic cultures from several
different ethnicities.
The area has 3 main religions (Buddhism,
Hinduism, and Islam)
Christianity though publicly outlawed is
practiced by some.
Bangladesh in overwhelmingly agricultural.
Nepal and Bhutan are very poor and still
mainly agricultural.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have more than
130 million people.
Nepal and Bhutan have a low population
density. And mostly rural.
Issue and challenges
The greatest challenge of the Indian
Perimeter is poverty.
Many of the area’s current problems are
related to a rapid population growth.
Deforestation in Nepal
Political issues over Kashmir between India
and Pakistan.
Military leaders have overthrown the
Pakistan government three times in recent
years.
Sri Lanka faces issue between Hindu Tamil
minority and Buddhist Sinhalese majority.
Temple in Nepal
The streets of Bangladesh
Elephants
moving timber
Nepalese Woman and grandson
Katmandu
Sri Lanka