Essay on economic geography and regional studies

Performed by Yury Lapshin, group 110

High School of Economics

St. Petersburg branch

Faculty of Economics and Management

South Asia, a natural region in Asia, covering the Hindustan Peninsula with nearby islands, the Indo-Gangetic plain and its mountainous surroundings. The area is 5.1 million km 2. Tropical forests, savannahs, in the west - areas of deserts. Tropical agriculture (mainly on the plains). On the territory of the South Asia are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan.

Late 19th - early 20th century. India became an object of investment of British capital, and the development of Indian capitalism intensified. In con. 19th century The national liberation movement was led by the National Congress Party of India. The creation of mass socio-political organizations, civil disobedience campaigns conducted by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of its leader M. Gandhi, weakened the positions of the colonial authorities. After World War II, the British government was forced to grant India the rights of a dominion, dividing the country (1947) into 2 parts - the Indian Union (with a predominantly Hindu population) and Pakistan (with a predominantly Muslim population). The government of the Indian National Congress, which came to power in the Indian Union, proclaimed the independence of India on August 15, 1947. In 1950 the Indian Union became the Republic of India. The head of the independent Indian state (until March 1977) was the Indian National Congress (INC). The government was headed by one of the leaders of the national liberation struggle J. Nehru (until 1964) and his daughter I. Gandhi (since 1966). Agrarian reforms were carried out, a state sector was created in industry, a course was taken for industrialization and the rise of agriculture, with some limitation on the activity of private capital. In 1980-89 and since 1991, the government of the INC (I) has been in power.

In the 19th century the territory of Pakistan was captured by the British colonialists and included in British India. In 1947, the state of Pakistan was formed, which included the northeastern (East Bengal) and northwestern (Sind, Punjab, Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province, etc.) regions of Hindustan with a Muslim majority population. In 1965 and 1971 Pakistan was in a state of armed conflict with India. In 1971 on the territory of Vost. Pakistan, the state of Bangladesh was formed. In 1972-76, an agrarian reform was carried out in Pakistan, the nationalization of private banks, insurance companies, etc. The military regime established as a result of the coup in 1977 pursued a policy of Islamization of domestic life. Carried out the modernization of the army. In 1988, the transition to a civilian form of government was carried out. In October 1999, power again came under the control of the military.

With the achievement of independence by India and its division into 2 states (1947), the territory of the East. Bengal went to Pakistan (Prov. East Pakistan). The Bengali national movement led to the formation in 1971 of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. As a result of the coup d'état of 1982, a military regime was established, which, under pressure from the opposition, was removed in 1990; parliamentary elections (February 1991) brought success to the National Party (founded in 1986).

In 1802 - February 1948. Sri Lanka is a separate colony (Ceylon). The colonialists turned the territory of Sri Lanka into an agricultural and raw material appendage of the metropolis (plantations of coffee, rubber, tea). In 1796, 1818, 1848 there were major uprisings against British rule. In con. 19 - beg. 20th century a national movement was born, led by the Sinhalese and Tamil bourgeoisie. The Communist Party was founded in 1943. The rise of the national liberation movement after the 2nd World War forced Great Britain to grant independence to the island in 1948. The governments of the independent state carried out progressive measures: foreign military bases were liquidated (1957), the state sector in the economy was expanded, agrarian reform was carried out; foreign policy is based on a course of non-alignment, non-participation in military blocs. In 1972, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was proclaimed. Since 1977, a policy of strengthening the private sector of the economy and attracting foreign capital has been pursued. The 1980s were marked by acute ethnic conflicts.

Until 1968, the Maldives was a sultanate. In 1887 a British protectorate was established over the islands. In 1965 they received state independence. A republic was proclaimed in 1968.

Since the 19th century by 1947 Bhutan - British protectorate. In 1949, the King of Bhutan concluded an agreement with India on special relations between the two countries.

In 1846-1951, the Rana clan was in power in Nepal. Since 1957, the government of the country has passed directly to the royal power. Under the 1962 constitution, the parliament was replaced by the National Panchayat (a legislature with limited functions, dissolved by the king in April 1990). The 1990 constitution, proclaimed by the king, guarantees a multi-party system of government.

Britain's attempts to subjugate Afghanistan (the Anglo-Afghan wars of the 19th century) ended in failure, but the British succeeded in establishing their control over Afghanistan's foreign policy. In 1919 the government of Amanullah Khan proclaimed the independence of Afghanistan. The war of Great Britain against Afghanistan (May - June 1919) ended with the victory of Afghanistan. Amanullah's government carried out reforms aimed at eliminating archaic feudal institutions and developing capitalist relations. In January 1929 the feudal-clerical reaction, supported by Great Britain, seized power. In October 1929, the dynasty of Nadir Shah came to power (ruled until July 1973). The Soviet-Afghan treaties of 1921, 1926, and 1931 contributed to the strengthening of Afghanistan's independence. In July 1973, Afghanistan was proclaimed a republic. After the 1978 coup d'état carried out by the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (founded in 1965; scientific socialism was proclaimed the ideological basis of the party), a civil war broke out in Afghanistan. In 1979, Soviet troops entered Afghanistan, participating in the war (until 1989) on the side of the government that came to power (it fell in 1992). In April 1992, the country became known as the Islamic State of Afghanistan, power was transferred to the Guiding Council of Jihad (Transitional Council of the Mujahideen). In December 1992, B. Rabbani was elected president of the country and headed the Governing Council. Since the mid 1990s. most of the territory of Afghanistan, after fierce fighting, comes under the control of the Taliban movement, which professes extremely fundamentalist views and enjoys the support of the ruling circles of Pakistan. The Rabbani government has the status of a government in exile. In 2001-2002 US-led anti-terrorist coalition forces crushed the Taliban regime. Now the armed forces of the coalition are in Afghanistan and the leading role is given to the Northern Alliance.

Large, from 1 to 4 million square meters km .: India (. 3.3 million km 2).

Medium, from 0.2 to 1.0 million square meters km .: Pakistan (796 thousand km 2), Afghanistan (647 thousand km 2)

Small, less than 0.2 million sq. km. (including "micro"): Bhutan (47 thousand km 2), Bangladesh (144 thousand km 2), Maldives (298 km 2), Nepal (147.2 thousand km 2), Sri Lanka (65 .6 thousand km 2).

The largest, over 100 million people: India (1029 million), Pakistan (144 million), Bangladesh (131 million)

Medium, from 10 to 50 million people: Nepal (25 million), Sri Lanka (19 million), Afghanistan (26.8 million).

Small, less than 10 million people: Maldives (310 thousand), Bhutan (2.049 million)

Bangladesh is a country in South Asia bordering the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. Most of the country's territory is lowland within the common delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The climate is subequatorial, monsoonal. Average January temperatures are 12-25°C, April (the hottest month) 23-34°C. The annual rainfall is 2000-3000 mm. During the rainy season (July-October) and the flooding of the rivers, the delta is subject to severe flooding. Tropical forests occupy about 14% of the territory.

The Kingdom of Bhutan, a state in South Asia, in an inaccessible part of the East. Himalayas. Vost. The Himalayas (height up to 7554 m) are dissected by deep valleys of the bass rivers. Brahmaputra. The climate is monsoonal (in the valleys - tropical, higher - colder). In the valleys, the average temperatures in January are -4.5 °С, in July 17 °С. Precipitation from 1000 to 5000 mm per year. Forests predominate (deciduous, evergreen, deciduous, coniferous), above 3500 m - meadows, rocks, eternal snows. Reserves of Jigmi-Dorji, Gaza, Manas.

India, a state in South India. India is washed by the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Most of the Hindustan peninsula is occupied by the Deccan Plateau, in the north - the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the highest mountains of the Earth - the Himalayas (height in India up to 8126 m, Nangaparbat) and Karakoram. The climate is predominantly tropical, in the north - tropical monsoon. On the plains, the average temperatures in January are from 15 ° C in the north to 27 ° C in the south, and in May 28-35 ° C. Precipitation is from 60-100 mm per year in the Thar Desert in the west of the country, 300-400 mm in the central regions of the Deccan, 3000-6000 mm in the East. Himalayas and on the outer slopes of the Ghats, up to 12 thousand mm in Cherrapunji on the Shillong Plateau (the wettest place on Earth). The main rivers are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Indus. Tropical forests, savannah and shrub semi-desert. In the mountains - altitudinal zonality.

The Republic of Maldives, a state in South Asia, on the Maldives Islands (St. 2000 islands, mainly coral atolls) in the Indian Ocean, southwest of about. Sri Lanka. The climate is equatorial monsoon. Average monthly temperatures are 24-30 °С. Precipitation is about 2500 mm per year. Groves of coconut palms, bananas.

(more than 20 °), a sharp change in wet (summer) and dry (winter) seasons. Precipitation is quite a lot and depends on air masses and. Maximum precipitation on the southern slopes and western Hindustan. On the Shillong Plateau, 12,000 mm falls, in the interior of the Deccan - 600-880 mm, in the lower reaches of the Indus - only 200 mm. In the flora, a combination of humid subequatorial forests, seasonally humid monsoon, tropical light forests and. It belongs to the Paleotropic floristic kingdom and is distinguished by antiquity and species diversity. Cultural savanna landscapes dominate. Forests are preserved in mountainous areas. The fauna is also rich and varied, but deforestation has led to the reduction of many large mammals: elephants, tigers, rhinos, buffaloes are on the verge of extinction.

Himalayas. The highest mountain system, stretching for 2500 km with a width of 200-300 km. Clear natural boundaries: in the north, the longitudinal valleys of the Indus and Brahmaputra, in the west and east - transverse sections of the valleys of the same rivers, in the south - the Indo-Gangetic lowland.

Formation in the Cenozoic during crushing, compression and extrusion of material from the bottom of the Tethys ocean and marginal zones of the colliding Indian and Asian plates.

A complexly built mountain system, the thickness of sediments of age from the Cambrian to the Neogene is crumpled into large folds, cut through by intrusions. Mountain building alternated with periods of rest, when the river network was formed. In geological terms, four longitudinal steps are distinguished in the Himalayas:

1. Himalayas;
2. Small Himalayas;
3. Greater Himalayas;
4. Ridges Ladakh, Kailash (step of the northern slope).

The Himalayas are represented by the Sivalik Mountains, 700–1000 m high, made of Neogene and anthropogenic sandstones and conglomerates, strongly dissected by rivers. The width of the mountain step varies from 10 to 50 km. From the north of Sivalik there is a strip of intermountain tectonic valleys (dunes).

The Lesser Himalayas are the second step. Raised to 3500-4500 m, individual peaks up to 6000 m. In the structure are crystalline and metamorphic rocks of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene, crumpled into folds, broken by a system of faults. They have steep southern and more gentle northern slopes. Caricatures were widely developed. To the north of the Lesser Himalayas are intermountain basins, in many lakes. The largest of them and Kashmir are the most developed territories of the Himalayas. The Small Himalayas reach their greatest height in the central sector and merge with the Great Himalayas in the Dhaulagiri massif.

The Great Himalayas are the third and highest step. The average height is 6000 m, more than a dozen peaks rise to 8000 m. In the northwest, the width of the step reaches 70-90 km, here is the powerful Nanga Parbat massif (8126 m). Southeast of the Sutlej, the step narrows and represents a single ridge with a number of eight-thousander peaks: Dhaulagiri, Chomolungma (), Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Annapurna, etc.
The ridges of Ladakh and Kailash are the fourth step at an average height of 4000-4500 m. It is distinguished by rocky jagged ridges, but the slopes of the mountains are rather gentle.

The Himalayas are the largest climate divide in Asia. To the north, continental prevails, to the south -. Large differences between northern and southern slopes. The contrasts are very great: on the northern slopes 100 mm, on the southern slopes - 2000-3000 mm of precipitation. The Eastern Himalayas are more humid (4500-5000 mm). The height of the snow border on the southern slopes is 4500 m, on the northern slopes up to 5700 m. The passes at an altitude of 3500-4500 m (Bodpo-La, Ne-La) are closed most of the year.

The lowlands of Bengal and Assam lie in the subequatorial zone, where precipitation is more than 2000 mm, and on the Shillong Plateau their amount averages 12000 mm per year with a summer maximum (Cherapunji region).
In the swampy delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, young land areas are combined with riverbeds, channels, and canals. During floods, the pattern of the water network is extremely variable and inconsistent. The coastal part of the delta (Sundarban) is often flooded. Mangrove thickets grow along the sea coast, bamboo, banana, mango grow in drier areas.

Bengal and Assam are densely populated. The natural vegetation has not been preserved, the cultivated savannah prevails. Rice (two crops per year), cotton, jute, sugarcane, bananas and mangoes are cultivated.

On the Gangetic plain, precipitation decreases to 700-1000 mm. The dry period is longer than the wet period. Shrub and herbaceous vegetation. In the past there were savanna landscapes, now there are fields. Artificial, many channels, especially between the Ganges and Jamna. Fertility is restored when rivers flood.

In Punjab (Pyatirechye) there is little precipitation (400-500 mm). Landscapes of dry savannah and, in the lower reaches (Sinde) - semi-deserts. The differences between Punjab and Sindh are not only in climate, but also in relief. In the Punjab there are hilly plains and low mountains, in Sindh there is a flat low territory of alluvium. Major irrigated land in Punjab. They grow cotton, rice, millet and wheat.

The sandy Thar Desert is east of the lower Indus. Geologically heterogeneous. In its west, in the ancient one, there is a region of a foothill trough, in the east there is an eroded section of the Indian platform with a complex of aeolian sandy ridges and outcrops of indigenous ones. A large area is occupied by endorheic lakes and salt marshes. There are areas of semi-desert. Saxaul, camel thorn, saltwort. Date palm in oases.

Distinctive features: represents a foothill trough, at the base of which lies the Indian platform. Ancient (Bongar) and modern (Khodar) alluvium deposited cyclically. Contrasts in moistening, which led to the difference in landscapes. World maximum precipitation (Cherapunji).

Hindustan Peninsula. It is composed of ancient crystalline rocks. It has a double slope: from south to north and from west to east. As a result of continental development, a thick crust (several tens of meters) was formed - lateritic and red earth soils were formed.

Hindustan is dissected by river valleys into separate sections with steep slopes and undulating surfaces. Solid crystalline rocks stand out in the form of individual ridges, ridges or ledges.
The Narmada divides Hindustan into Central India and the Deccan Plateau.

In the northeast of Central India, there is a low (up to 600 m) Aravalli mountain system - the outskirts of the ancient Indian platform. To the east is the Malwa basalt plateau, bounded on the south by the Vindhya and Kaimur mountains. At the southern steep foot of the Vindhya range, the deep valley of the Narmada River is incised. Behind it passes the second row of ridges, including the basalt ridge of Satpura.

The Deccan Plateau is flanked by the Eastern and Western Ghats. The Western Ghats (1300 m) serve as a watershed for the Deccan rivers. They cross the plateau in a latitudinal direction and divide the Eastern Ghats into separate low chains and massifs. The mountains are predominantly gneiss. Basalts characteristic of the western periphery are absent. In the south, the Western and Eastern Ghats converge, forming the Nilgiri (Blue) mountains from the city of Dodabetta (2636 m). To the south, beyond the Palgat fault, the Anaimalai massif extends with the highest point of the peninsula, the city of Anaimudi (2698 m).

The Western Ghats are cut off by steps to the sea. Off the coast, a sandy lowland with dunes and lagoons is the Malabar Coast. Along the eastern edge of the peninsula stretches the Coromandel coast - sandy and flat with dunes up to 60 m high. There are small lakes between them.

Hindustan is located in the subequatorial zone with a seasonal change of air masses. From June to November, the southwest monsoon brings moisture. In winter, dry tropical masses of the northeast direction (trade winds), merging with the winter monsoon, predominate. The summer monsoon is divided into two currents - and Bengal. the stream, passing through the Western Ghats, dominates the Deccan and Central. The main moisture that Hindustan receives (88% of the annual amount) is associated with it. The distribution of precipitation is extremely uneven. On the slopes of the Western Ghats, on average, up to 2500 mm falls, and in the southwest - up to 6000-7000 mm. On the east coast, precipitation is less and does not exceed 1000 mm. The southern part of the Coromandel Coast receives the main moisture in winter during the northeast monsoon. In the inner parts of the peninsula, there is little precipitation, less than 1000 mm, and in the northwest of the Deccan, up to 500 mm. The duration of the dry period increases from south to north. In autumn there are tropical.

High temperatures throughout the year. In winter +16° in the north, +24° in the south. The hottest - March-May, when in the central regions up to 40 °, on the coast above 30 °. At the height of the summer monsoon, about 28 °. The monsoon begins with heavy downpours, sometimes with storms.

Rain fed rivers. The flow of rivers during the summer monsoon increases 1000 times, the rivers flow in deep valleys. Navigation in the lower reaches of the rivers Godavari and Krishna.

The soils are varied and depend on the nature of the parent rocks and moisture. Lateritic soils in wet areas of the Malabar Coast and the Western Ghats. Krasnozems and their varieties in the arid regions of the Deccan, Eastern Ghats. Dark-colored regura ("cotton") are formed on basalts and are confined to the areas of distribution of traps - the southeast of the Deccan, some parts of the Coromandel coast.
The vegetation cover has been transformed. There used to be forests, they have been preserved in the mountainous regions - in the south of the peninsula and the Gatakhs. On the Deccan Plateau there is a savannah with sparse spreading trees that shed their leaves in the dry season. Candelabra-like euphorbia, deleb palm, acacias make this savannah related to African ones.
Banyan is one of the wonderful plants of the Deccan - a huge tree with many trunks. The crown reaches up to 500 m in circumference. Monsoon forests of terminalia, dalbergia, albizia, lard, and teak also grow on the plateau. Valuable teak forests, common south of the river Godovary. A significant part of the monsoon forests has been cut down, and secondary formations grow in their place - the jungle - low (5-12 m) impenetrable forest thickets of acacia, bamboo, mimosa, and palm trees.

The Coromandel coast was covered with evergreen forests of satin and ebony, fan palm, umbrella acacia. Now there is a cultural savannah. The mouths of the rivers are characterized by mangroves.
On the coastal slopes of the Western Ghats, evergreen subequatorial forests grow, heavily exterminated. They are characterized by trees from endemic genera of the euphorbiaceae, myrtle, and legume families. The upper tier consists of various species of dipterocarps 45-60 m high.

The fauna is rich and little exterminated. There are elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, bulls (gaur, gayal, banteng), antelopes (Indian black, four-horned and nilgai). Predators are common in the monsoon forests: tigers, leopards, hyenas, jackals. Numerous monkeys. Of the lemurs, there is a thin lory living in South India. Lot .

The world of birds is rich - more than 1600 species, of which over 900 species are passerines (ravens, thrushes, nightingales, finches). There are many reptiles and amphibians, there are three types of crocodiles. The largest - gharial - up to 9 m. India is the only country where all families of snakes are represented - cobra (large, royal, karait), viper, muzzle, carpet and rat snake. From boas - tiger python up to 4-6 m.

The most important Indias are Corbett, Shivpuri, Kanha, Hazaribag, Gir Forest.
Distinctive features: double slope - from south to north and from west to east. Thick weathering crust with lateritic and red earth soils. Extremely uneven distribution of precipitation (88% in summer), vegetation depending on them.

Sri Lanka island. It is separated by the narrow Polk Strait with a strip of reefs known as "Adam's Bridge".
In tectonics, this is a section of the Indian Platform, which separated from the main massif in the Neogene. It is composed of Archean crystalline rocks that come to the surface in most of the territory. Only the north is composed of coral limestones overlying the crystalline base. In the southern part, the Central Massif rises with a series of faults, steep stepped slopes and domed peaks. The highest point is Pidurutalagala (2524 m), slightly lower than Adam's Peak, included in the national park.

The northern part is a hilly plain, in places with crystalline ridges. The shores are low-lying, sandy, sometimes with lagoons. Sri Lanka is known for its gemstone deposits. The main supplier of ilmenite, monazite.

Subequatorial climatic zone, extreme southwest in the equatorial. Minor fluctuations in temperature, the average is 24-28 °. The amount of precipitation varies by season. The southwest monsoon brings the main moisture. The southwest is the most humid (up to 3000 mm), in the mountains up to 5000 mm. In the rest of the territory, from 1000 to 2000 mm, with a pronounced wet summer and dry winter seasons. In the northeast, the maximum is in the winter monsoon, which is saturated with moisture over the Bay of Bengal.

Humid tropical and equatorial forests, in the lower part of the mountains, significantly exterminated and replaced by plantations of tea, coffee, cocoa, cinchona and rubber plants. On the coasts - mangroves, palm trees, pandanuses. In the foothills of the Central Massif trees of the ebony family, satin and sandalwood. National parks Vilpattu, Yada, Gal-Oya. Low xerophytic forests predominate in the northeast. On the coastal lowlands - plantations of coconut palms. The fauna is similar to Hindustan.

Special features: detached section of the Indian platform, the largest deposits of precious stones.

The South Asia region, like all other parts of the Asian continent, is a territory of acute internal and external contradictions and conflicts. Here yesterday, today and tomorrow coexist bizarrely side by side. Regional leader, "the country of the XXI century." this region is definitely India.

India

General information. The official name is the Republic of India. The capital is Delhi (more than 10 million people). Area - 3300000 km 2 (7th place in the world). Population - more than 1 billion people (2nd place). The official languages ​​are Hindi and English. The monetary unit is the Indian rupee.

Geographical position. India occupies the Hindustan peninsula and most of the Indo-Ganzkoi lowlands. From the west it is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, from the east by the Bay of Bengal. They belong to the Indian Ocean basin. India has three groups of islands - Laccadive, Andaman and Nicobar. The border with Pakistan lies in the west and northwest, in the north India borders with Afghanistan in the northeast - with China and Nepal, in the east - with Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The length of land borders (15,000 km) is not much greater than the length of sea borders. On the whole, the placement of India on important sea and air routes linking East and Southeast Asia with Europe and Africa is beneficial. However, the country is surrounded by unstable, crisis, and even hostile neighboring countries, which also limits development.

History of origin and development. According to one of the concepts, in the II millennium BC. e. from the territory of modern

Ukraine Aryans (Aryans) came to India. Here they mixed with the local aborigines, and in fact, began the formation of the modern population of India. IV Art. BC e. the first empire arose. UIII Art. BC e. Buddhism became the state religion. In the IV-V centuries. n. e. Hindu culture flourished. From the 7th century n. e. Islamic expansion began. At the end of the XIV century. The Mongol invasion led by Timur took place. In the XVI century. they started the Mughal dynasty in India. After the opening of the sea route to India, a large number of European traders poured in here, who founded Dutch, French, Portuguese and English trading posts.

By the middle of the XIX century. account for the spread of British rule over almost all of India. The national liberation movement began to grow, headed by M.K. Gandhi. At the same time, conflicts between Hindus and Muslims escalated. In 1947, India gained independence. At the same time, the British divided it into Hindu and Muslim parts (India and Pakistan). This led to sharp conflicts and grandiose migrations of Hindus and Muslims. Now in India, the aggravation of ethnic and religious conflicts continues, giving rise to separatism, armed confrontation and terrorism.

State structure and form of government. India is a federal state, a parliamentary republic. The head of state is the president. He is elected for 5 years by an electoral college composed of electoral members of the two houses of parliament, as well as members of the legislature of all states. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament and the President. Parliament consists of two chambers: the Council of States and the House of the People. Executive power is concentrated in the president and government. The latter is formed by the parliamentary majority and is responsible to the People's Chamber. According to the political and administrative division, the country has 25 states and 7 union territories.

Natural conditions and resources. About 3/4 of the territory of India are plains and plateaus. They are based on a fragment of an ancient platform that broke away from Africa and joined Asia. The Deccan Plateau is located on the Hindustan Peninsula. To the north, northeast and west of it is a large Indo-Ganzka plain. In the north of the country, the highest mountain systems in the world, the Karakorum and the Himalayas, rise.

The climate in most of its territory is subequatorial, monsoon, only in the north - tropical. Precipitation falls mainly in the wet season (up to 80%). In the east of the country, on the windward slopes of the Himalayas, the greatest amount of precipitation on Earth falls (up to 12,000 mm per year), and in the north - only 100 mm of precipitation, in the center of Hindustan - 300-500 mm. Average temperatures in summer throughout the country are up to + 32 ° C, in winter from + 27 ° C in the south and up to + 15 ° C in the north.

In India, the full-flowing rivers Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra flow, having snow-glacial and rain feeding. There are no large lakes in the country at all.

The soil cover of India is very diverse. Alluvial, black and red-brown soils are fertile. In the south, red-yellow lateritic soils predominate.

The flora and fauna of densely populated India is greatly modified by people. Monsoon forests occupy only 10% of the territory. There are still valuable tree species - sandalwood, teak.

Almost completely exterminated lions, leopards, Bukhara deer. More fortunate tigers, rhinos, Indian elephants. There are many monkeys (gibbons and macaques) and snakes in India. Among the latter, the famous king cobra stands out, the length of which can reach 5.5 m. The animal and plant world is better preserved in more than 50 reserves and national parks.

India has large deposits of metal ores. There is iron ore, copper, bauxites, manganese ores, uranium, titanium, etc. There are known deposits of precious stones. India is insufficiently provided with energy carriers. There are deposits of coal and oil.

In general, among natural resources, India is rich in hydropower and recreational resources.

population. The population density at present has already exceeded 320 people per 1 km 2. Natural conditions determine its significant contrast in placement. The fertile Indo-Ganzka lowland is densely populated (over 500 people per 1 km 2). There is no permanent population in the desert northwestern parts and in the highlands.

Although the Indian government is pursuing a policy of reducing the birth rate, it is still very high (25% o). In the middle of this century, India will become the largest country in the world in terms of population. According to the UN forecast, up to 1700000000 people will live in it.

India is a poorly urbanized country. Although the urban population is about 30%, the country has a significant number of very large cities: more than 16 million people live in Kolkata, about 14 million in Mumbai, and about 8 million people in Chennai.

The national composition of the population of the country is motley in the world. More than 500 peoples and tribes live here in their ethnic territories. The largest peoples - Hindustanis, Bengalis, Tamils, Punjabis, Biharis, etc. - number tens of millions of people.

Economy. As in other areas of life, India's economy is woven from contradictions. According to the UN classification, it refers to countries that are developing. Agricultural production remains the dominant sector of the economy. On the other hand, in terms of GNP, this state was ahead of Germany and took 4th place in the world. She developed and tested nuclear weapons. Back in 1980. India launched an artificial Earth satellite into orbit with its own rocket.

Agriculture employs 60% of the total workforce. Now India ranks first in the world in tea production and in the number of cattle (about 200 million heads). It also produces more grain legumes, jute and some spices. In terms of cultivation of rice, wheat, vegetables, coffee, sugar cane, peanuts, India ranks second in the world; cotton and tobacco - the third. Significant harvests of bananas, coconuts and mangoes. In terms of the number of sheep, the country ranks fifth in the world. A significant number of goats and buffaloes.

Agricultural production is still unproductive. To the greatest extent this applies to animal husbandry. Due to the religious prohibition of eating beef, a large number of cattle are used primarily as draft power.

Indian industry is undergoing a restructuring towards a reduction in the share of light and food industries and an increase in energy, metallurgy and machine building. In the east of the country, a powerful region of heavy industry was formed. Here, near Calcutta, centers of metallurgy (Roukela, Durgapur, Bokaro), heavy engineering (Ranchi, etc.), and chemical industry (Sindri) arose. The large Bhilai Iron and Steel Works is located in the center of the country. The largest cities produce cars and tractors, equipment for all industries, televisions and video recorders.

The development of the Indian economy is based on a powerful fuel and energy complex. Over 300 million tons of coal are mined annually in the country. Oil production is constantly growing, processed at 14 plants.

The specialized light industry is traditionally developed. It is mainly focused on the processing of jute and the production of cotton fabrics. The garment industry is developing at a predominant pace. Handicrafts have not lost their significance.

The large area and population density determine the development of India's transport. In terms of the length of railways (63 thousand km) and roads (1,800,000 km), the country is among the top five countries in the world. In cities, along with modern modes of transport, motorcycle and cycle rickshaws are used. The importance of air and sea transport is constantly growing. The largest seaports are Mumbai and Kolkata.

Culture and social development. More than 300 million Indians live below the officially defined poverty line of $100 CIA per annum. On the one hand, in India only 48% of the population can read and write. On the other hand, it is the country with the largest number of people with higher education. More and more Indian professors are working at CIA. Although the number of officially registered unemployed is relatively small - 16 million people - disguised unemployment is widespread.

India is a country of ancient culture. There are many historical, architectural and religious monuments, museums and private collections here. Among them, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, the Golden Temple (Amritsar), the Golden Temple of Shiva in Varanasi and the like stand out.

The Republic of India recognized Ukraine on December 26, 1991. Diplomatic relations were established on January 17, 1992 by signing a protocol. Since May 1992, the Embassy of the Republic of India has been operating in Kyiv. The foreign trade turnover between the two countries is constantly growing.

Questions and tasks

1. In what year did India gain independence?

2. What do you know about India's natural resource potential?

3. Why do you think India's birth reduction policy is not as effective as China's?

4. What structural changes are characteristic of the Indian industry?

and Bangladesh) and the island states of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, as well as. Desirable places for tourists.

The main part of South Asia is occupied by gently undulating plains, which are high relative to sea level - 500 m. Wide river valleys and volcanic plateaus are located here. To the north of the Deccan plateau, which occupies vast expanses of the Hindustan peninsula, there is a wide and flat Indo-Gangetic plain, the eastern and western margins of which are the regions of Bengal and Punjab, which differ sharply from each other.

The Ganges River and its tributaries divide Bengal into large and small islands, and its southern part is subject to sea tides. The plains of the Punjab are arid and heavily dissected by ravines. North of the Indo-Gangetic Plain is the highest mountain system in the world - the Himalayas.

There are eleven peaks in the Himalayas with a mark of more than 8000 m, the highest of which is Chomolungma (aka Everest, 8848 m) - the highest mountain in the world. The ranges of the Himalayas are always covered with ice caps and snow fields.

South and East Asia. Climate

The countries of the region are located in the subequatorial and equatorial climatic zones. The climate is hot, the average annual temperature is more than 20°С (plus). The exception is the Himalayas, where several climatic zones are pronounced (with a rise to a height).

Climatic conditions are formed under the influence of equatorial monsoons. In the mainland zone, there are sharp seasonal differences in the amount of precipitation. Annual rainfall and the length of the wet season vary across the subcontinent. But on the islands, precipitation falls more evenly, which is traditional for the equatorial climate.

Moist equatorial, variable-moist tropical forests and savannas predominate. South and East Asia is characterized by a rich and diverse flora and fauna. And on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, in addition to Asian tropical species, there are representatives in the fauna that are also found in Australia.

Peoples of the region

South Asia is dominated by the peoples of the so-called Indo-Aryan group (Bengali, Hindustani, Biharis, Rajistani, Marathas, Sinhalese, etc.) and the Dravidian family (Tamils, etc.), as well as Tibetans.

South Asia is exotic and rich in culture and natural resources. The Hindu religion (especially in India and Sri Lanka) had a huge impact on the unique culture of South Asia. Buddhism (now most widespread in Sri Lanka and the Himalayan part of India) and Islam (now Bangladesh) also left their mark on India.

South and East Asia is densely populated, but unevenly. Along the sea coasts and on the alluvial lowlands, every patch of fertile land is cultivated, the population density is high here. There are many lands with soils of volcanic origin in the region. Such lands are productive, people live and work on them. In the interior of the region, there are many territories that are relatively little used by humans.

दक्षिण एशिया , Marathi दक्षिण आशिया , there. தெற்கு ஆசியா , Urdu جنوبی ایشیاء listen)) is a region of Asia.

Politically and geographically, South Asia includes the following states: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives. The political and geographical isolation of South Asia is associated with the common history and culture of these countries (entry into the ancient Indian empires and British India, the predominance of Indo-European and Dravidian languages, the contact area of ​​Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, and other cultural phenomena).

South Asia covers an area of ​​4.5 Mm² (10% of all Asia and 3% of the world's land mass), but its population is 40% of the population of Asia and 22% of the world's population.

Geography

South Asia is a region that occupies mainly the Hindustan peninsula with mountains adjacent to it in the north, as well as small volcanic and coral islands in the eastern Indian Ocean. The geological structure and relief of South Asia are very heterogeneous. It includes ancient shields and platforms (Hindostan and Ceylon fragments of the former Gondwana mainland), complex fold-block structures of Paleozoic and Mesozoic age in most of Indochina, young (Alpine) folded structures of the Himalayas, Arakan Mountains, Andaman-Nicobar arc, young troughs filled with continental strata (Indo-Gangetic Plain). The latest tectonics, which owe their configuration to the main outlines of the coasts and the largest features of the relief of South Asia, manifested itself with particular force in the grandiose uplift of the Himalayas (with the highest peak in the world - Mount Everest, 8848 m), high seismicity and active volcanism of the Malay archipelago. The bowels of South Asia are rich in coal, oil, ores of iron, non-ferrous and rare metals, in particular tin and tungsten. The position of South Asia in tropical and equatorial latitudes determined the predominance of equatorial, monsoon sub-equatorial and tropical types of climate and landscape within its boundaries. To the west, the tropical Thar Desert is related to the deserts of Arabia and Africa; in the southeast, the nature of the Lesser Sunda Islands has Australian features. The equatorial type of landscape with moist multi-tiered forests - hylaea, is typical for the Greater Sunda Islands and the Malay Peninsula; subequatorial landscapes are partly represented by humid tropical evergreen, partly wintergreen deciduous monsoon forests. The Indo-Malay fauna prevails. The agriculture of South Asia is dominated by tropical crops and rice cultivation. Terracing of slopes for the needs of agriculture is widespread.

clothing

The traditional Indian women's clothing is a sari made of unsewn linen and a short jacket. Preferred colors are green, red, white. They wear a lot of jewelry, gold, silver, copper, glass. The traditional dress of Muslim women is the shalwar kameez, loose trousers made of cotton or silk, tapering at the ankle, and a straight or tight shirt. A mandatory element of a Muslim woman's clothing is a dupatta - a wide scarf that covers her head or throws it over her shoulders.

Hindu men's clothing is the dhoti and chadar (cloak-like cape), but shirts are now more commonly used. On top is a piran, a type of jacket or jacket. Muslim men wear wide white trousers and a tight frock coat (shirvani) or a loose shirt or sleeveless jacket (kurta).

Hindus wear a turban on their heads, Muslims wear a round cap. The main food of the Hindus is rice, legumes, vegetables, fish. Meat is rarely eaten. The food of Indian Muslims, on the contrary, includes a lot of meat dishes (except for pork, which is forbidden by Islam).

Women knitted woolen (knee-length) socks with rich colored ornaments, which were worn under boots with soft soles. In the summer they wore shoes like sandals, like the Shugnans. Since the 1950s, clothes of a modern urban cut, factory-made have entered everyday life everywhere. For women - a regional Central Asian dress on a yoke made of Central Asian silk, satin, velvet, factory-made woolen knitted sweaters, sweaters, socks, stockings, shoes. Woolen robes, sheepskin coats, woolen patterned socks without heels and boots with soft soles are mainly worn by shepherds.

Kitchen

Particular emphasis in Indian cuisine is placed on vegetarian dishes of sabji from beans and vegetables seasoned with traditional spices, among which one of the first places is curry spice mixture. Indian cuisine is also based on rice, which, together with a flatbread and spices, forms a thali dish, and is also served along with a curry dish. The first courses are represented, in particular, by dhal bean soup. A striking Indian dessert is wattilappam. Under the influence of the Hindu religion, beef is excluded, since the cow is considered a sacred animal. Beginning with the reign of the Buddhist king Ashoka, meat dishes became uncharacteristic of Indian cuisine. However, under the influence of Islam, meat cuisine, represented by tandoori chickens, began to return to the diet of the Hindus. A distinct culinary region is northwestern India, whose cuisine is called Mughlai and dates back to the days of the Muslim Mughal Empire of Uzbek origin.

Notes

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