World Geography : South Asia Exam
Mount Everest, K2, Kachenjunga, and Makalu
What are South Asia's highest mountains?
Cows are considered *holy* in Hinduism
What are cows considered to be in Hinduism?
They were reincarnated as a Brahmin because they It means they had good karma in their previous life.
According to Hindu beliefs, why would someone be reincarnated as a member of the Brahmin caste?
They were reincarnated as a Dalit because they had *bad karma* in their previous life.
According to Hindu beliefs, why would someone be reincarnated as a member of the Dalits (Untouchables) caste?
*Dharma* : correct actions for one's class, helps achieve karma *Ahimsa* : non-violence, requires the believer to protect humans, animals, insects, even plants *Moksha* : release from the pain and suffering of rebirth and becoming one with the universal spirit, only Brahmins can achieve this
Define *Dharma*, *Ahimsa*, and *Moksha*.
*Karma* : how a person lives determines what form the person will take in the next life (good actions means a soul will be reborn to a higher caste in next life, bad actions means a soul will be reborn in a lower caste in the next life)
Define karma in terms of Hinduism
*Nirvana* : the freedom from reincarnation and being at one with the universe. *Anyone regardless of class could achieve nirvana.*
Define nirvana and who can accomplish nirvana?
- Hinduism does not have a particular origin. - It is a combination of different beliefs and practices that began about 4000 years ago.
Describe Hinduism.
Border in South Asia do not indicate a difference of religion because some bordering countries share the same religion and multiple religions seem to pass into other countries, ignoring the country border, such as between Pakistan and India.
Do borders in South Asia tend to indicate a difference in religion?
Economic activity and location are closely related in South Asia because the economies are based on certain terrains. For example, commercial fishing is prominent near the ocean, while nomadic herding is held in flat lands, such as in the Thar Desert. Of course, areas with little to no economic activities are near the Himalayan Mountains because the mountains make them remote and the elevated areas make it difficult to perform economic activities, such as farm or herd.
Give 2 examples of how economic activity and location are related in South Asia.
- In 563 BC, Siddhartha Gautama was born in luxury and raised as a prince in India. He was shielded from sickness and death. - After encountering sickness, old age, and death for the first time, he decided to find out why people suffered and how it could end. - At the age of 29, he left his wife and newborn son and began his search. - After 7 years of traveling and meditating, he gained the answer and began sharing it. - His teachings and other important teachings are recorded in a collection of texts called the Sutras.
How did Buddhism begin?
- The word Buddha is a title meaning "The Enlightened One." - When Siddhartha Gautama became enlightened, he became a Buddha and is often referred as "the" Buddha. - However, Buddhism recognizes that there were Buddhas that came before him and there will be Buddhas that follow him.
How does Hinduism handle multiple "Buddahs"?
Compared to the United States, South Asia is significantly smaller although it has a larger population than the United States. In square mileage, South Asia is exactly 1,509,229 square miles smaller than the United States.
How does the size of south Asia compare to that of the United States?
I would expect that if the rate of infant mortality went up, life expectancy would decrease because it shows that something in the environment is unhealthy for everyone.
How would you expect the rate of infant mortality to affect life expectancy?
Country : Maldives Religion : Islam
In which country does the population practice one religion? Which religion?
India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka
In which country or countries are the most religions practiced?
Yes, polytheism is the worship of more than one god, which is what Hinduism does.
Is Hinduism a polytheistic religion?
The population of South Asia is greater than that of the United States by approximately 1,314,250, 286 individuals.
Is the population of South Asia greater or less than that of the United States? By approximately how much?
The most densely populated area in South Asia is Delhi or the North part of India. It is likely the most densely populated area because it is near many rivers, such as the Ganges and Indus rivers, for fertilization and it is close to the densely populated country of China.
Of the most densely populated areas in South Asia, which is the largest? Why might that be so?
The Thar Desert, Arabian Sea, and the Himalaya Mountains all seem to serve as natural barriers of the Indus valley civilization.
What appears to be the natural boundaries of the Indus valley civilization?
They appear to conform most to the Thar Desert and the Indus River.
To what physical feature does the Indus valley civilization appear to conform?
1. All people suffer and know sorrow. 2. Desires cause suffering (in other words, people suffer because they try to get things they cannot have). 3. End suffering by eliminating desires. 4. Eliminate desire by following the Eightfold Path. *ADSE*
What are the four noble truths of Buddhism?
*Vedas* - sacred works of Hindu religious literature *Upanishads* (800-300 BC) - contains Hindu beliefs
What are the sacred texts of Hinduism?
Bottom ( least ) to top ( highest ) : *Brahmins* : priests, scholars *Kshatriya* : Warrior and rulers *Vaishya* : Merchants, landowners *Sudra* : Commoners, peasants, laborers, servants *Dalit, Untouchable* : Performed unclean jobs like street sweepers, waste handlers, dead body handlers *DSVKB*
What are the stages of the *caste system* in Hinduism?
The Indus Valley Civilization
What civilization does this land belong to?
Afghnistan, Kabul
What country is this and what is its capital?
Bangladesh, Dhaka
What country is this and what is its capital?
Bhutan, Thimphu
What country is this and what is its capital?
China, Beijing
What country is this and what is its capital?
India, New Delhi
What country is this and what is its capital?
Maldives, Male
What country is this and what is its capital?
Nepal, Kathmandu
What country is this and what is its capital?
Pakistan, Islamabad
What country is this and what is its capital?
Sri Lanka, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte / *Colombo*
What country is this and what is its capital?
*Karma* : a cycle of cause and effect (what happens to a person is a result of their previous actions)
What does this symbol mean and what does it mean in terms of Buddhism.
*Samsara*: the endless cycle of reincarnation
What does this symbol mean and what does it mean in terms of Buddhism.
1. Know truth 2. Resist evil 3. Say nothing to hurt others 4. Respect life 5. Work for the good of others 6. Free mind from evil 7. Control your thoughts 8. Practice meditation A person can achieve *nirvana*. *KESRWFCP*
What is the eightfold path of Buddhism and what does a person achieve if they follow this path?
- *Reincarnation (Samsara)* : rebirth of the soul continues until a person reached spiritual perfection - Cycle of rebirth is determined/controlled by *karma*.
What is the revival system that Hindus believe in and define it. What is this cycle controlled by?
Brahma, the creator ( of the other gods in Hinduism )
What is this Hindu god and what is its significance?
Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles
What is this Hindu god and what is its significance?
Ganga, the Ganges River goddess
What is this Hindu god and what is its significance?
Shiva, the Destroyer
What is this Hindu god and what is its significance?
Vishnu, the Preserver
What is this Hindu god and what is its significance?
Arabian Sea
What is this physical feature?
Bay of Benegal
What is this physical feature?
Deccan Plateau
What is this physical feature?
Eastern Ghats
What is this physical feature?
Ganges River
What is this physical feature?
Himalayas
What is this physical feature?
Indian Ocean
What is this physical feature?
Mount Everest ( located in Nepal )
What is this physical feature?
Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert)
What is this physical feature?
The Ganges Delta (in Bangladesh)
What is this physical feature?
Western Ghats
What is this physical feature?
The symbol is a *Lotus Flower* and it represents the rising out of the muddy, murky waters of desires and attachments and becoming pure of mind, speech, and body.
What is this symbol and what does it represent?
The symbol is a *mandala* that represents the universe.
What is this symbol and what does it represent?
The symbol is the eight spoked *dharma wheel* represents the Eightfold Path.
What is this symbol and what does it represent?
*Kashmir* and Jammu Capitals : Jammu, Srinager
What is this territory and what are the capitals?
Sri Lanka
What large island lies off the coast of India?
The "other" category of religion might stand for lesser-known indigenous religions that were invented in secluded or remote civilizations.
What might the "other" category of religion stand for?
- *directional location in the continent / subcontinent* ( ex : Texas is a state located in the southern United States. ) - *bordering territories / states / countries* ( ex : Texas is bordered by New Mexico to its west, Oklahoma to the north and Arkansas and Louisiana to the east. ) - *bordering physical features* ( ex : The Gulf of Mexico forms the southeast coast of Texas ) - *extra information or further description* ( ex : The country of Mexico completes Texas's southwest border [ further elaborates on border ] ) *Complete Example* : Texas is a state located in the southern United States. It is bordered by New Mexico to its west, Oklahoma to the north and Arkansas and Louisiana to the east. The Gulf of Mexico forms the southeast coast of Texas and the country of Mexico completes its southwest border.
When describing the relative location, what are the three/four minimum things that must be stated?
Delhi, Dhaka, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Karachi *DDKMK*
Which 5 South Asian cities have the largest population?
India has a population of more than a billion people. It is amazing that individuals can live in a place with over a million people. For those people, it must be awful living there. Houses, stores, apartments, and other facilities must be all practically stacked on top of each other. Sanitation, clean water, and disease must be a huge problem for the country. The infection rate must be incredibly high in India, especially ever since covid showed up. The streets must be always packed, and going to and from work must be a nightmare. For me, living in a place like that would be torture because I enjoy my privacy and space.
Which South Asian country has more than a billion people? What do you think it would be like to live in a place with that many people?
The areas closest to the Himalayan Mountains, such as Nepal, Bhutan, and the North tip of India, have little to no economic activity.
Which areas have the least amount of economic activity?
The countries bordering India that are likely to be remote are Nepal and Bhutan. These countries are most likely to be remote because they only border one South Asian country, India, and on their North border, the Himalayas block all northern connections. All other South Asian countries have water access, so they are not remote do to ship trading.
Which countries bordering India are likely to be remote? Explain.
Sri Lanka has the lowest infant mortality rate, while Pakistan has the highest.
Which country has the lowest infant mortality rate? Which has the highest?
Maldives
Which country is made up of a series of islands?
India
Which country physically dominates South Asia?
The tallest mountain in the world in Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas.
Which of the worlds mountains is the tallest?
The majority of Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan practice Islam.
Which religion is practiced by the majority of the population in 3 countries?
The longest rivers in South Asia are the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and the Indus River.
Which rivers in South Asia are the longest?
The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers
Which two major rivers empty into the Ganges Delta?
The civilization did not expand eastward because the Thar Desert, a physical feature located eastward, did not offer enough water and fertile soil to sustain a large population or farmland.
Why did the civilization probably not expand eastward?