World Geo 1B Unit 2

population of india

1.2 billion people, it is second only to China in population. It is estimated that India will surpass China to become the world's most populous country in the next 20 years.

about ___ of india's land is forest

1/4

religions other than hinduism

13 percent of Indians practice Islam, and much smaller numbers are Christian or Sikh. Only about 1 percent of Indians are Buddhist, even though Buddhism began in India. Most Sikhs live in northwestern India; many want an independent Sikh state there. Sikhism is a distinct and independent religion that arose out of the teachings of Guru Nanak. Sikhs believe in one God who is formless, all-powerful, all-loving, and without fear or hate towards anyone. One can achieve unity with God through service to humanity, meditation, and honest labor.

indian oil reserves

Although India has large oil reserves, it uses more and more energy every year. As more Indians buy cars and trucks, and as electricity serves more homes and businesses, energy consumption increases. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, India's oil production held fairly steady at 950,000 barrels of oil per day between 2000 and 2010. However, consumption of oil rose from a little over 2 million barrels a day in 2000 to over 3 million barrels a day in 2010. India must buy the energy from other countries that it does not produce itself.

poverty on environment in india

Although the Indian economy is growing rapidly, the country also holds a large concentration of people living in poverty, especially in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Manipur. Large numbers of people cut down trees illegally because they need fuel for cooking. Removal of forests creates many other problems. In addition to soil erosion and flooding, loss of trees can cause temperatures to rise. Loss of forests destroys habitats for wildlife, including birds and other creatures that eat insects, snakes, and rodents.

pros of india's population

At the same time, India faces what some experts think may be a positive effect of its large and growing population. They think a young and growing workforce could fuel India's economy. Much of the young population yearns for educational opportunities and training. However, the country faces a monumental task in providing education and social services as an investment for the future.

how do pakistan and bangladesh compare in terms of topography

Bangladesh is almost entirely low and flat. Pakistan has large areas of low, flat plains, as well as high mountains.

euros in india

Beginning in the 1490s, Europeans came to trade. Eventually, the British East India Company tightened control over India. They employed a policy of mercantilism. Under this economic system, colonies supplied raw materials to the colonizing country, which then sold finished goods back to to the colony. The imperialist policy of the British government led it to take direct control of India. The British called their Indian empire the British raj, the Hindi word for "empire." The British dominated India. They introduced the English language, restructured the educational system, built railroads, and developed a civil service and judiciary. Indians, however, were not treated as equal citizens and were forced to pay the costs of British domination.

if rivers of india do not begin in himalayas, where do they come from

Western Ghats. These rivers' many rapids and gorges make navigation impossible but make them suitable for hydropower. Many of India's major cities, such as Mumbai (Bombay) on the Arabian Sea and Chennai (Madras) on the Bay of Bengal, are port cities. People fish all along India's coastline and on nearly all of its rivers. However, it is getting harder for small fishing families to compete with larger commercial enterprises. Aquaculture, of both fish and shrimp, is increasing.

One of the worst environmental disasters in history

December 1984 in Bhopal, a city in central India. A dangerous chemical leaked from a factory that made insecticides. It drifted over densely populated areas around the plant and killed between 15,000 and 20,000 people. Hundreds of thousands of others were blinded or suffered respiratory problems or other injuries. By the early twenty-first century, testing found that the soil and water around the factory site was still contaminated. This soil pollution has been blamed for high rates of birth defects and chronic health problems among people living near the factory.

india's largest megalopolises

Delhi (DEH•lee), Mumbai, and Kolkata, each with populations of between 15 and 22 million people.

ten percent (half of indias population) of the worlds population lives where

Ganges river valley

muslim rule in india

In the 700s Muslim invaders began arriving. A Muslim dynasty of mixed Mongol and Turkish heritage, the Moguls, ruled most of India from 1526 to the 1800s. During this period of Muslim rule, many Indians converted to Islam.

where do the major rivers of south asia flow from

Major rivers that drain the region—such as the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra—flow from their source high in the Himalaya in the north to the floodplains in the south, carrying fertile soil used to grow food for the region's large population.

india coastline

Malabar Coast on the west and the Ganges Delta and Coromandel Coast in the east. India also includes Lakshadweep, a group of about three dozen islands in the Arabian Sea, as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at the southeastern edge of the Bay of Bengal. The southernmost tip of the subcontinent, Cape Comorin, marks the division between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

common natural disaster in Pakistan and Bangladesh

Pakistan and Bangladesh experience at least two floods a year, many of which are devastating. In Pakistan, heavy rains cause the Indus River to overflow its banks. Poor water management adds to the problem. Since population density is high along the river, these floods affect millions of people. Many factors combine to cause floods in Bangladesh. The country has a very low elevation. Four major rivers—the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Jamuna, and the Meghna—flow through Bangladesh's plains, raising the probability of flooding. These floods strike when snow in the Himalaya melts, filling the rivers. The problem is made worse during the wet monsoon season or when cyclones hit.

air and water pollution in india

Pollution of groundwater is a growing health threat. Much of India's water has high levels of chemicals that make it unsafe to drink because as water supplies are depleted, people draw water from deeper and deeper in the ground, where it is polluted by arsenic, fluoride, and heavy metals. Excessive fertilizer runoff and pollution from human and industrial wastes also contaminate water supplies. A number of India's cities, including its capital, New Delhi, are among the world's most polluted. Overcrowding in urban areas leads to air pollution as a result of increased use of fossil fuels for transportation and industry.

Brahmaputra River

South Asia's powerful Brahmaputra River carries rich soil throughout the region. But the river can also cause destructive flooding. In 2012, some 1.7 million people were forced from their homes because of flooding along the Brahmaputra.

flooding in south asia

Strong winds traveling across warm seas bring the wet season to South Asia, providing rain vitally needed by the region's farms but also causing flooding in low-lying areas.

what sparked economic growth and helped expand the middle class

The Indian government opened its economy to direct foreign investment in the 1990s. It also deregulated many industries and turned over government-run companies to private owners; however, contributed to a growing economic inequality.

rainfall on vegetation in india

The heartland of northern India is a humid subtropical zone. Areas that receive more than 80 inches (203 cm) of rainfall on an annual basis have generally tropical evergreen and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests. Areas with 60 to 80 inches (152 to 203 cm) of annual rainfall have mostly tropical deciduous trees, while areas that receive less than 60 inches (152 cm) are dry deciduous forests. Tropical palms and bamboo are found throughout the country. Much of the land along the coast is tidal marsh or wetland, with mangrove forests in some areas. Wetlands are used for growing rice and are important wildlife habitats.

farmland issues in india

The numbers of people who must use the farmland put great pressure on this resource. Much of India's farmland has become less productive because its nutrients have been depleted or because of excessive irrigation with improper drainage. Furthermore, too much plowing can change the structure and composition of the soil. Sometimes it is difficult or impossible to grow food in the soil.

consequences of india population structure

The population will continue to grow as the large number of young people start families of their own. Additionally, a large population in a poor country leads to poverty. About one-third of the total population lives in poverty. Social services, health care, and education are difficult to provide to a population of this size. With such a young population, India's workforce has expanded, but so too has its need to provide jobs.

Tehri Dam

To supply the residents of a northern city of India with water and power, the Tehri Dam was built in the Himalaya. Located on the Bhagirathi River, the Tehri Dam is India's highest dam. The dam was designed to increase the flow of water during the dry season.

cottage industries of india

weave textiles and make shoes, jewelry, woodcarvings, furniture, and bowls. The biggest number of manufacturing jobs comes from India's textile industries, which employ people in turning cotton, jute, wool, silk, and synthetic fibers into fabrics. Nearly every large Indian city has at least one cotton mill.

india is one of the worlds largest exports of what services and workers

well-educated, English-speaking people who work in the growing high-technology industry. India is one of the world's largest exporters of high-technology services and software workers. Increasing numbers of schools offer training in technology and engineering. Indian computer professionals are in high demand around the world.

thar desert and surrounding mineral rich places

west of gangetic plain; bordered by the mineral-rich Aravalli Range; In eastern India, the Chota Nagpur Plateau is another mineral-rich region.

economic activities of india

agriculture, high tech, oil, cottage industries, and heavy industry

cyclones in india begin in what 2 bodies of water

begin in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. Much like hurricanes that originate in the Atlantic Ocean, they can be dangerous and destructive. Tropical cyclones bring torrential rains and winds that can reach speeds of more than 100 miles (161 km) per hour. Cyclones often cause storm tides, or surges of high water along the coasts.

clean water and sanitation in india

between 1990 and 2008, the number of people who lacked safe drinking water fell by half. But because India's population is so large, tens of millions of people still do not have access to clean water. By 2008, more than half of India's people still did not have toilets and sanitation facilities. Poor sewage and waste disposal threatens water supplies. Overcrowding in urban areas along with lack of sanitation leads to pollution of air and water resources as well as to the spread of disease.

deccan plateau location and climate

between the Eastern and Western Ghats, is semi-arid steppe

endangered animals of india and work being done to help

world's largest population of wild tigers and many other endangered species such as the Asian elephant, the one-horned rhinoceros, and snow leopards. While the African elephant is endangered primarily as a result of poaching of the animals for their ivory tusks, the Asian elephant is at risk due to loss of its natural forest habitat. The clearing of forests for timber and agricultural purposes continues to threaten the viability of this species. To protect its unique biological heritage, India has created a network of 668 protected areas. These include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves, and community reserves. In 2012 the court restricted ecotourism in India's tiger reserves. Although ecotourism is designed to protect wildlife and ecosystems by increasing appreciation, environmentalists argued that tourists were threatening tiger habitats. After a temporary ban on any tourism, the court allowed tourism in the reserves but with far more restrictions.

seasons in india

mid-June to the end of September, the winds bring hot, wet weather. This occurs during the summer period because heated air rises over the land, which pulls in the moist ocean air from the south and southwest. The monsoon winds cause heavy rains and flooding across the subcontinent during these months. Then, from early October to February, the winds change direction. In these winter months, air from the Asian interior in the north is drawn across the subcontinent toward the ocean. The air is dry and cool compared to the wet season. The weather turns hot and humid with little rainfall from March to mid-June and the winds turn calm. The weather becomes hot with little rainfall but high humidity in the south and dry conditions in the north.

rivers of south asia

- Ganges - in the Deccan, Narmada, Godavar, and Krishna - Brahmaputra

indian religions

- Hinduism: main faith with 80% of total population - Islam: largest minority with 11-14% mainly in north - Christianity: 20 million - Buddhism: og from India, now less that 1% of population - Sikhism: combines Muslim and Hindu beliefs - Jainism: strict moral code based on preserving life

south asian agriculture

- farming is key with 25% of GDP and more than half of land area - rice, wheat, tea, sugarcane, and sorghum - small farms - moving toward food grain self sufficiency

south asian culture

- many ethnic groups (Aryan descendants, Dravidians, etc - 1000+ languages and dialects (hindi is national and english is widely used) - hot weather clothing (sari, choli, lungi, and turbans aka Sikhs) - food: curry; variety based on climate, crops, and religions - festivals: many holidays including Holi and Pongal

south asian village vs city life

- most indians live in villages but cities are growing fast - villages are small with few services whereas cities are huge w smog, noise, and congestion - city dwellers live modern, middle class lives and villagers live traditional - most ppl are poor in both, but urban poor live in giant slums

south asian challenges

- population growth and related issues (poverty health, education) - environmental damages (water, forests, wildlife) - tensions with Pakistan (Kashmir, water) and China (borders) - ethnic conflicts (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs)

south asian industry

- ranks 10 in industrial production - cottage industries in weaving and crafts - large scale production on textiles, jute products, and steel - high tech computer industry in Bangalore

indian supreme court and constitution on environment

1976 India's constitution was amended to require the government to protect the environment. India's Supreme Court has made many decisions designed to protect India's air, water, ecosystems, and wildlife. It has considered a proposal to charge an extra tax on diesel cars because of the pollution they cause. In 2011 the Indian Supreme Court prohibited the production, distribution, and use of a pesticide called endosulfan because of its toxicity and its persistence in the environment. In 1972 the government of India passed a law to protect wildlife from poaching and smuggling. In 2003 this law was amended to increase punishment and penalties. The law was also expanded to protect plants and ecosystems as well as endangered animals.

Climates of south asia

6 types; tropical humid, tropical wet/dry, arid, semi arid, humid subtropical, and highland; monsoons have strong influence on climate

hindus of india

80 percent of people in India are Hindus, and many Hindus also identify themselves by a jati, a group that defines one's occupation and social position by birth. The highest jati is the Brahmans; the lowest is the Shudras. Hindus believe that after death people undergo reincarnation, or rebirth. By moving through multiple reincarnations, Hindus strive to overcome personal weaknesses. The law of karma states that good deeds—actions in accord with dharma, or rules of conduct—lead one to break the cycle of birth and death and attain salvation

mountains seperating south asia from everywhere else

About 160 million years ago, geologists think that a large piece of land broke away from the landmass that is now Africa. This landmass collided with the southern edge of Asia about 50 million years ago. Over time, the force of this collision thrust up the world's highest mountains, the Himalaya. This mountain range stretches about 1,500 miles (2,414 km) from west to east and includes Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, and over 100 other peaks that are more than 24,000 feet (7,300 m) above sea level. The Himalaya meet the Karakoram Range in northwestern South Asia, which in turn connects to the Hindu Kush farther west. These mountains separate South Asia from the rest of Asia, forming a subcontinent. India occupies most of the subcontinent.

pakistanian mountains

Himalaya cover part of northern Pakistan, as do, farther north, the Karakoram. Hindu Kush range frames the northwest edge of Pakistan. range from about 13,000 ft to 19,500 ft. A few peaks soar more than 25,000 feet (7,620 m). One peak in the Karakoram, named K2, towers 28,250 feet (8,611 m). It is the second-highest mountain in the world. Three lower mountain ranges run in a north-to-south direction from the western half of Pakistan and toward the Arabian Sea. These are, from north to south, the Salt Range, the Sulaiman Range, and the Kirthar Range

landforms of south asia

Himalays (includes Kashmir Valley), Gangetic Plain (alluvial plain), and Deccan (peninsular plateau, bordered by the Ghats, which are eastern and western ranges)

mountain passes in pakistan

Hindu Kush have several wide, very high passes. The most important is the Khyber Pass in northwest Pakistan along the Afghanistan border. This pass has allowed armies to the Indian subcontinent. A highway through the Khunjerab Pass in the Karakoram is being modernized by China as a link to Pakistan.

rural india

Hindus of the higher jatis live in the core or center of the village, while Muslims and those of lower jatis generally live in areas that surround the core. Village streets are narrow and twisting, but people gather in open spaces next to temples or mosques, at a water well, or in front of the home of a wealthy or powerful villager. These open spaces could be public areas such as the panchayat (village council) hall, shops, a tea stall, a public radio hooked up to a loudspeaker, or a post office. The village school is usually on the edge of the village so that children have room to play outside the school building.

how has a recurring natural disaster harmed Pakistan and Bangladesh?

Hundreds of people can die in a flood. In 1988 floods in Bangladesh resulted in the deaths of more than 2,000 people. In 2010 record flooding in Pakistan killed some 1,700 people and destroyed almost 2,000 homes. The economic cost can rise to billions and billions of dollars. The danger comes from more than the flood waters alone. The water washes away crops, reducing harvests, and stored food becomes wet and spoils more quickly. With reduced food supplies, people suffer from hunger. Ironically, too much water means too little drinkable water. River water is muddy and contaminated by chemicals washed off farmland and by the decomposition of the bodies of dead animals and other waste. This kind of contamination also raises the likelihood of deadly diseases.

india responding to population growth

India's National Family Planning Program has trained service providers to introduce other birth control methods. However, action at the national level may not be enough. Some Indian states are responding to India's population challenges. They have issued incentives to control the birthrate and offered payments for people who delay having children. In some states, people who have many children are barred from running for political office. However, not all states are implementing programs to slow population growth. This uneven response could thwart efforts to achieve national goals.

india population characteristics

India's population growth rate is higher than the world average. In 2012 the number of male children age 4 or under was about 64 million. This age group alone grew by about 8 percent between 1992 and 2012. India's two youngest age groups dominate. Males and females ages 10-24 make up as much as one-third of the country's population. Over the past decade, India's growth rate has declined. But in 2012 the growth rate, 1.5 percent, led to population increase. This rate still exceeds the world's average annual growth rate of 1.2 percent in 2011. Fertility rates also have dropped. Based on the data, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2025 India will outrank China as the world's most populous country.

india in late 19 century to now

Indian National Congress was calling for independence. After British troops fired on unarmed protesters at Amritsar in 1919, Mohandas K. Gandhi led Indians to seek freedom using nonviolent methods of civil disobedience. India won its independence in 1947. Britain divided the region into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. Conflicts between Pakistan and India over the territorial division of the state of Kashmir continue today.

animals of india

Indian elephant, the Indian rhinoceros, and several species of tiger. The numbers of some of these mammals have decreased to such low levels that the animals are in danger of extinction. There are many species of monkeys and other primates. India is home to more than 1,200 species of birds, including cranes, herons, flamingos, and peacocks, the national bird. Many species of lizards and snakes—especially cobras—are widespread. Crocodiles and turtles are found in the country's rivers, swamps, and coastal regions.

how much of pakistans ppl are muslims

Islam spread to South Asia centuries ago. Today, about 97% of Pakistan's 180 million people are Muslims.

highest waterfall in India

Jog Falls, Karnataka

family in india

Many people live in extended families in which people of several generations make up a household. The oldest man in the household—whether father, grandfather, or uncle—is usually the head of the family, and his wife assigns tasks to the women of the household. Nearly all Indians marry and have children. Women are still expected to obey their husbands in all things. Divorce is rare. Parents or older relatives arrange most marriages, but more people in cities are choosing their own spouses in "love marriages." Hindus who belong to the same jati treat one another as relatives, even when there is no kinship connection. People are also expected to marry within their jati.

ethnic groups and religions of india

Most Indians belong to one of two ethnic groups. About 22 percent are descended from the Dravidians, who have lived in the south of India for 8,000 years. About 75 percent are Indo-Aryan, descended from the Aryans, who migrated from Central Asia some 4,000 years ago. Most Indo-Aryans live in the north. Indians traditionally identify themselves by their religion as Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, or Christians

northwestern and central southern india climate

Northwestern India receives less than 20 inches (51 cm) of rain in some desert areas. Regions in the northwest and the central southern subcontinent that receive 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm) of rain are steppe, covered largely with thorny scrub, acacia, and palm trees.

what does pakistan and bangladesh do to reduce damage from their reccuring natural disaster

Other countries faced with frequent flooding have taken steps to prevent it. They have built dikes and levees to hold water back, and put limits on building on floodplains or other flood-prone areas. They also have evacuation plans. In 2005 world leaders met to discuss ways to prevent and recover from disasters like the floods in Pakistan and Bangladesh. They adopted a set of recommendations called the Hyogo Framework for Action. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh have tried to implement some of the recommendations. However, their efforts are hampered by the lack of funding.

gangetic plain

foot of himalaya; world's longest alluvial plain; It is also India's most densely populated area

heavy industry in india

manufactures iron, steel, cement, and heavy machinery. The Gangetic Plain and parts of eastern India have rich deposits of iron ore, low-grade coal, bauxite, and copper. Many Indians are employed in mining these resources, while others work in India's fishing industry.

Vindhya and Satpura Ranges, plateau, and other ranges

divide India into northern and southern regions. To the south lies the Deccan Plateau, which has a relatively flat surface but rises to hundreds of feet high. It is covered with rich, black soil. Bordering the Deccan Plateau on the east are the Eastern Ghats, a low mountain range. Another range of low mountains, the Western Ghats, borders the western edge of the Deccan Plateau. The Nilgiri Hills, a fertile region for growing tea and coffee, are part of the Western Ghats.

Ganges River; also Indus

draws waters from a basin covering about 400,000 square miles (about 1 million sq. km). The Ganges flows throughout the year, even during the dry season from December to June. During the summer monsoon, heavy rains can cause devastating floods along the Ganges. Named for the Hindu deity Ganga, the Ganges is sacred to Hindus. A number of major cities, including Kanpur, Varanasi, and Kolkata (Calcutta), are located on its shores. The Brahmaputra River forms a broad delta as it joins the Ganges in Bangladesh and empties into the Bay of Bengal. The Indus flows mainly through Pakistan and empties into the Arabian Sea. The Indus is an important source of irrigation and a major transportation route.

thar desert and surrounding climates

driest area of India is the Thar Desert, east of the Indus River. The vegetation here is desert scrub of low, thorny trees, and grasses. The rest of the area around the Thar Desert is semi-arid grassland. Few trees grow in this steppe

natural disasters of india

drought, floods, cyclones, and tsunamis

sikh religion originated where

religion originated in the Indian region of Punjab during the late 1400s. About 23 million people now practice Sikhism worldwide.

india on sustainable development and economic growth

government, however, recognizes that sustainable development and economic growth are related. These principles guided India's Planning Commission as it prepared the near final draft of its twelfth Five-Year Plan. This latest plan states that India must improve living standards "through a growth process which is faster than in the past, more inclusive, and also more environmentally sustainable." The draft went on to say that India cannot "neglect the environmental consequences of economic activity, or allow unsustainable depletion and deterioration of natural resources."

aryans

group of hunters and herders from the northwest, settled in India in the 2000s B.C. The Aryans created a rigid social structure based on castes. A caste, or jati, is the social position into which a person is born. The Aryans' sacred writings, the Vedas, outline Aryan ideas about social structure. These writings also form a basis of the Hindu religion

agriculture in india

half of population; Many farmers rely on labor-intensive methods. They use digging sticks or hand plows to break up the soil. Many fields have irrigation, but in some fields, farmers must hand-carry water from a river or well. Most farmers use oxen and water buffalo to pull plows and carts with heavy loads and turn waterwheels for irrigation. Motorbikes and small tractors are increasingly used by rural people for transportation and farming. The most important crops on India's farms are rice, wheat, and other grains. Pulses, which include legumes such as chickpeas and lentils, are grown. Large plantations grow commercial agricultural products such as bananas, coffee, tea, and cotton.

population density of india

high average population density of about 1,050 people per square mile (325 per sq. km), but it is much higher in some places. The distribution of population varies from place to place due to factors such as climate, vegetation, and physical features that affect the number of people the land can support. The population density on the Gangetic Plain can be more than 2,000 people per square mile (800 people per sq. km). On the other hand, the Thar Desert and some mountain regions are very sparsely populated.

area of pakistan west of the Kirthar range

highland region, the Baluchistan Plateau. The mountainous northern and western regions of Pakistan are prone to earthquakes. A major earthquake in northwestern Pakistan in 2005 killed more than 80,000 people.

india's economy today

highly varried, ranging from subsistence farming to high tech

indias religions are key to understanding

history and culture

forest rights act (2006)

india; law gives authority to people living in the forest areas to prohibit forest clearance by large timber and mining companies. This law can trace its origins to a movement in the 1970s among Himalayan women. In what is considered one of India's first environmental movements, the women protected trees that were marked for logging. The women were determined to protect the trees that provided them with firewood and prevented soil erosion.

india climate

influenced by the shape of the subcontinent, its proximity to the Equator, and the Indian Ocean. The difference in temperatures of the air over the ocean and the air over the landmass creates the monsoon winds. These winds cause rainfall and temperature to fluctuate, creating wet and dry seasons.

what affects the amount of rain that monsoon winds bring to different areas

landforms and location; When rain sweeps over the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, the Himalaya block rain clouds from moving north. Instead, the rain moves west to the Gangetic Plain. Farmers in this densely populated plain depend on these rains.

India after independence

launched a series of five-year plans to guide economic development under its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Throughout the Cold War era, Nehru tried to keep India non-aligned, or neutral. He wanted to maintain friendly relations with both the United States and the Soviet Union. Two years after Nehru's death in 1964, his daughter, Indira Gandhi, became prime minister and continued this policy. She held office for a total of 15 years until her assassination in 1984. Her son Rajiv then became prime minister. He pursued a closer relationship with the United States until his assassination in 1991.

Indus Valley Civilization

located in what is now Pakistan; 4,500 years ago

india natural resources

mineral resources are numerous and widespread. Iron ore is abundant. Other important mineral resources include copper, bauxite (used to make aluminum), zinc, lead, gold, and silver. Petroleum is one of India's most valuable resources. Oil reserves are located along India's northeast coast, near the Ganges Delta, and in the Arabian Sea. India produces a slight surplus of coal from about 500 mines in many different areas of the country. India also produces a small amount of uranium. The country has large areas of rich soil that support agriculture and timber. Timber resources include India's sandalwood, sal, and teak woods. Nearly any type of wood is used for fuel, often illegally. More than half of India's total land area is used for growing crops. Given the population of India, however, the country does not have a large amount of high-quality cropland.

india languages

more than 1,000 languages. There are 22 official languages, with Hindi being the most widely spoken. English, the common language for national, political, and business communication, is also widely spoken in India.

most of indias population is? urban, rural, other

most of India's population is rural—about 70 percent of the people live in villages. They farm and work to grow enough food for their families. Part of their crops often goes to the owners of the fields they farm. In recent years, growing numbers of Indians have been migrating to urban areas, drawn by the hope of better jobs and higher wages. As urban populations grow, they strain public resources and facilities.

arts of india

much a part of Indian life as religious practice. Two great epic poems—the Mahābhārata (muh•hah•BAH•ruh•tuh) and the Rāmāyana (rah•MAH•yah•nuh)—combine Hindu social and religious beliefs. India has numerous classical dance styles, most of which are based on themes from Hindu mythology. India's film industry is the world's largest, producing more full-length feature films each year than any other country. It is centered in Mumbai and is nicknamed "Bollywood," a combination of Bombay (Mumbai) and Hollywood.

developent policies putting indian resources at risk

ndia's forests are an important natural resource, providing a livelihood for some 250 million people. It is estimated, however, that 40 percent of India's forests are degraded. Deforestation began in the colonial era. The construction of the country's railways, which facilitated moving crops to market, encouraged the development of cash crop agriculture and the clearing of land. Removal of forests also affects farmland by increasing erosion and flooding. Erosion degrades farmland by washing away the nutrients that make farmland productive. This in turn leads to further degradation because farmers overuse the soil in an effort to increase their harvests. Overuse further depletes nutrients. Erosion caused by wind is also a problem in drier areas of India.

bangladesh location

northeastern edge of the Indian subcontinent; almost surrounded by India, but also shares a small border with Myanmar (Burma).

pakistan location

northwestern edge of the Indian subcontinent; borders Afghanistan in Central Asia to the west and China to the north

today, india is the worlds most

populous democracy. Ruled by a coalition, the government has been trying to improve life for farmers and rural Indians. The government approved the country's twelfth Five-Year Plan in October 2012.

hinduism pyramid

priests at top, then warriors and upper class, then traders and middle class, and at the bottom are untouchables and lower class

housing in indian cities

problem in India's largest cities. Real estate in Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai is very expensive. Many people are homeless and others live in slums. According to a 2011 report by the government of India, more than 7.6 million children under the age of 6, or more than 13 percent of the urban population for this age group, live in slums.

northeast indian coast climate

receives considerable rainfall and has a forested biome, including the world's largest protected mangrove forest

indian village homes

small with just one or two rooms. People and animals live in the same shelter, and few people have electricity or running water. The design of roofs and the materials used for building vary depending on an area's rainfall. Houses in rainy areas have sloped roofs and are likely to be made of bamboo and covered with metal or plastic; they may be built on stilts to protect from flooding. In drier regions, homes may be made of mud and have flat roofs. Brahmans and wealthier people also tend to live in the core areas of cities. As in villages, streets are narrow and winding, with gathering places near businesses and public buildings. Markets in the city specialize in certain goods. For example, one street may include stores that sell books and stationery, while another market may sell cloth. Store owners and their employees may live in the store building.

key resources of south asia

soils and rivers; minerals include coal, iron ore, bauxite, oil, and uranium.

green revolution in india

sought to increase crop yields in India with high-yielding varieties of crops. These varieties require carefully managed irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides. The green revolution has stirred controversy, however. Supporters point out that it has increased food production and alleviated hunger in a country that once suffered devastating famines. Opponents argue that excessive use of chemicals pollutes waters, poses health hazards, and leads to pest resistance, requiring farmers to use more and more chemicals to grow crops.

himalaya

south asia; As the Indian subcontinent moves slowly and steadily into Asia, it pushes up the highest mountains in the world, the 1,500-mile (2,414-km) long Himalaya, which have individual peaks that reach more than 5 miles (8 km) high.

ganges river and sacred

south asia; The Ganges River is one of Hinduism's most sacred sites. Hindus believe that scattering the ashes of the deceased on the Ganges assures passage to heaven.

karakoram range

south asia; The Karakoram mountain range extends over some 80,000 square miles (207,000 sq. km) and contains Earth's second-highest peak, K2.

where did hinduism and buddhism begin

south asia; has three of the four most populous Muslim countries in the world; Buddhism formed in northeastern India in the 6th century B.C. Over the following centuries, it diffused throughout much of Asia.

monsoon on natural disasters in india

summer monsoons bring problems as well as benefits. Rainfall waters crops, but areas outside the path of the monsoon may suffer from drought. Large amounts of rain from the monsoons cause flooding in low-lying land. The floods deposit rich silt on the floodplains which renews soil fertility. But the floods can also kill people and livestock, ruin crops, and leave thousands homeless.

western ghats climate

summer monsoons rise over the Western Ghats, the air cools and releases heavy rains that create rain forests in this part of the country. As the winds go over the mountains, they lose most of their moisture. This rain shadow makes a dry area of scrub and deciduous forests

From sources high in the Himalaya, three major river systems

the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Indus—fan out over the northern part of the subcontinent. These rivers carry fertile soil from the mountain slopes of the Himalaya and Karakoram onto the floodplains as the rivers swell with seasonal rains.

Gupta empire

united much of India and built one of the world's most advanced civilizations