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Allie Frymire
Mr. Reynolds
Global Studies 8-4
27 March 2014
South Asia In-Class Essay
Due to the varying climate and natural geography throughout South Asia, humans have
adapted to the land and used each different part of South Asia for the crops and trades most
suitable to that area; in contrast, the majority of the Chinese population lives within the eastern
coast, or cradle, of China, where the climate is roughly the same throughout. The majority of
South Asia's climate is based upon seasonal shifts in wind direction, called the monsoons. These
monsoons are a vital part of South Asian culture, and the people of South Asia have adapted to
the specific amount of rainfall, or lack thereof, received from the monsoons. Each part of South
Asia depends upon its climate in order to decide which crops to grow. For example, the crops
grown in Pakistan, where it is dry year round, will differ from those grown in the city of
Cherrapunji, which is considered one of the wettest places on Earth. The differences in climate
contribute to the agricultural diversity in South Asia, and a wide variety of crops can be grown
because of the various climates. In East Asia, specifically China, the highest population density
lies in the eastern coast, where the soil is fertile and a string of large cities have formed. Other
areas of China, such as the Kunlun Mountains to the west, the Tibet Plateau on the southern
border, and the Takla Makan desert, offer little prospect for bountiful agriculture, so the
majority of China's crops are grown in areas with similar climates.
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According to Merriam-Webster.com, the word monsoon is defined as "the season of the
southwest monsoon in India and the adjacent areas that is characterized by heavy rainfall. In
the summer months, between May and September, the air over the land grows hotter than the air
over the water. As the hot air over the land rises, moisture-rich air blows from the southwestern
Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, bringing heavy rains. Even though the summer monsoons bring
more than half of South Asias yearly rainfall, the amount of precipitation received by each area
differs greatly. For example, the Western Ghats are a long series of mountains and hills that line
the western coast of India, and are, thus, the first to receive the rain. The tall mountains in these
Ghats act as an obstacle for the rain-laden clouds, therefore causing them to release the majority
of their moisture when the hills and clouds collide. Due to the loss of water, the clouds give little
rainfall to the region behind the Western Ghats. This occurrence is referred to as a rain shadow,
which is the "shadow" cast by a mountain when one side receives the majority of the rainfall, and
the opposite side is drier and has less foliage. Despite the effects of the rain shadow, the summer
monsoons still give approximately thirty inches to the other side of the Western Ghats, which is
enough rainfall to support agriculture and other wild plant life, but creates a vastly different kind
of climate: While the coastline of the Western Ghats in a lush, tropical area, the opposite side is a
hilly, plain-like region. However, areas such as the central part of the Deccan Plateau in southern
India, receives zero to ten inches, making abundant foliage growth nearly impossible. Despite the
heavy effects of the monsoons, some regions are unaffected. Regions such as the Himalayan
Mountains, which lie on the northern border of Nepal that is shared with China, are virtually
unaffected by the monsoons because of the distance from the Arabian Sea, where the summer
monsoons originate and is elevated high enough to be unaffected by the winter monsoons. In
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winter, severe drought hits South Asia as dry winds from the north blow across the subcontinent,
which is a clear disadvantage of the monsoons. The monsoons, despite brining plentiful rain to
dry fields that are in need, have many disadvantages that balance its advantages. For example, in
summer, when the first heavy rains arrive with the summer monsoons, floods threaten villages
and wipe away small towns and fields in a number of days. The monsoons are both a blessing
and curse, by providing vital water for plant growth, but also causing periods of drought and
floods throughout South Asia.

Because of the varying amount of rainwater in certain region of South Asia, different
crops are grown, such as rice, a staple of South Asian agriculture, in the wetter regions, and
millet and cotton in the more dry areas. Livestock, like yak, cattle, and sheep, are also raised in
areas that support little agriculture, such as the Thar Desert and dry northeastern regions (South
Asia: Land and Resources). South Asia has been host to a nesting ground of different crops and
livestock trades due to the varying climate. The people in each area have adapted to their
surroundings and grown various crops because of this. For example, Pakistans major
agricultural products include cotton, wheat, as well as meat products such as mutton, beef, and
poultry. The drier climate in this area is ideal for raising and culling livestock for food and
clothing products such as wool and leather. The people of Pakistan, in order to sustain crop
growth, have used the Indus River as a source of water by creating a complex system of
irrigation to spread water to all the fields. Due to most agriculture being sourced around the
Indus River, the majority of In contrast, the country of Bangladesh is home to the Ganges delta,
making Bangladesh an extremely wet area. In these regions, large amounts of flooding occur, so
people grow crops such as rice. Rice is a vital part of the South Asian diet and agriculture, and
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they grow in paddies, which are simply flooded fields. These crops are ideal in areas such as the
city of Carrapunji, Bangladesh, which receive large amounts of water during the summer
monsoons. However, cities that are heavily deluged by the monsoons are not without problems.
An excess of rainfall can cause over-flooding of fields, leaving crops either inaccessible or
drowned and useless. Also, hilly areas, such as those in Bangladesh, are prone to mud slides.
These mud slides are extremely dangerous and can destroy everything in their path if strong
enough. Farmers are left devastated as their crops are destroyed by the monsoons that also supply
desperately needed water to the same crops it abolishes. Like coast dwellers whose homes are
demolished by the sea they rely on for fish and trade, the people of India are forced to rely on an
uncontrollable force of nature whose fickle temperament can cause disasters ranging from severe
drought to raging floods. When the first rain comes late, large regions of South Asia suffer from
lack of natural water, leaving people with little to feed their crops and their families. Despite the
dangers posed by nature, South Asia still relies heavily upon the monsoons, showing just how
strong the relationship between man and nature is. Without the monsoons, South Asias culture
and geography would be vastly different, since both rely upon the changes of weather that occur
seasonally in South Asia.
In China, most crops are grown in the region called the "cradle of China", which lies
along the eastern coast and contains many rivers such as the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, which
provide ample water to the surrounding areas. These rivers also create large areas of fertile land,
making crop growth ideal. Similarly, the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus Rivers in South Asia
support local agriculture. The regions surrounding the rivers in both East and South Asia are
similar, and therefore similar crops are grown in both areas, such as rice and other crops that
flourish in damp and nutrient-rich soil. However, the climate throughout the East Asian areas
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where the majority of crops are grown is warm throughout the entire area, with consistent rainfall
occurring year-round. In contrast, South Asia has a wide range of climates, and the heaviest
amounts of rainfall occur within the summer monsoon season, between May and September. In
the winter monsoon season, very little rainfall occurs, causing droughts and scarce water supplies
in different regions. Similar to the threat flooding and drought caused by the monsoon pose to
South Asia, China is also faced with the threat of weather. Heavy flooding of major rivers, like
the Yangtze, can threaten millions of farmers and villagers. In the past, major earthquakes and
floods have affected countless numbers of people, akin to the yearly floods and droughts that
occur in South Asia. In terms of culture and people, China is a relatively homogeneous nation.
With the majority of its population originating from China and minorities from other parts of
East Asia, China is vastly different to the melting pot of cultures that is South Asia. From the
Dravidians to the Indo-Aryans, South Asia is a place of great diversity in all its aspects. Even in
agriculture, South Asia is diverse. Its various climates play host to a large number of crops and
trades, including rice, wheat, mill, meat, sugar, and rubber. From Pakistan come many different
livestock products, since it is drier and more suited towards raising livestock than mass
producing crops. In areas such as the Western Ghats and Bangladesh, it is extremely wet and
tropical, so growing crops that require lots of water like rice is logical. The Himalayan
Mountains are frigidly cold, as opposed to the sweltering Indian cities such as Mumbai and Delhi
and the people in these areas have adapted accordingly. East Asia, like its people, is very
homogeneous, with rice, wheat, and barley being the three main components of its agriculture.
China has grown to be a major industrial power, and has placed less emphasis on its rural trades.
Roughly fifty percent of the population lives in urban areas, a staggering comparison to Indias
thirty seven percent. Despite being in the same continent, South Asia and China have many
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differences, yet are also similar. In many ways, China and South Asia are near opposites, but
have many similarities that can be seen as well.
In South Asia, the physical and human geography have a close relationship to each other.
The agriculture of South Asia depends heavily upon the monsoons, and whether they come early,
late, etc. The people of South Asia have changed their culture and agriculture to accommodate
the effects of the summer and winter monsoons. The variation in climate contributes to the
agricultural diversity, and the human geography depends heavily upon the physical geography.
Because of the people of South Asia's ability to adapt to its individual climate, a vast number of
different crops can be grown. From the irrigation systems in the drier areas of South Asia to the
rice paddies in heavily flooded areas, the people of South Asia have used the monsoons and
varying climate to their advantage. In East Asia, however, the climate is roughly the same
throughout, so little adaptation is needed. On the other hand, East Asia grows similar crops to
those grown in South Asia, such as rice and wheat. The varying climate and natural geography
throughout South Asia has caused humans to adapt to the land and use each different part of their
surrounding for the crops and trades that would flourish in that area. On the other hand, the
majority of the Chinese population lives within the eastern coast of China, where the climate is
roughly the same throughout. Humans have changed their method of growing crops that are most
suitable to their area because of the varying climate; to contrast, China's population lives majorly
within the eastern coast, where the climate is very similar in the entire region. Overall, the
effects of the monsoons, as well as the various climates throughout South Asia, have shaped its
agriculture and trade in multiple ways that are extremely different than China. As a result, South
Asia is rich in agricultural diversity and produces a large variety of crops and livestock. Physical
geography plays a large and very important role in South Asia, affecting its human geography in
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infinitely many ways. Without its distinct physical geography and climate, South Asia would not
be the same as it is today.















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Bibliography
Bangladesh. CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 11 March 2014. Web. 24
March 2014.
Brown University. The Peacocks Dance- India and the Monsoon. www.choices.edu.
Providence: Watson Institute for International Studies. Print.
Chapman, Graham P., Richard Louis Edmonds, Abraham Marcus, and Jonathan Rigg. Asia.
World Book Advanced. World Book, 2014. Web. 27 March 2014.
India. CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 11 March 2014. Web. 24 March
2014.
monsoon. Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2014. Web. 6 April 2014.
Pakistan. CIA World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 11 March 2014. Web. 24 March
2014
Stockdale, Nancy. "South Asia." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-
CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
The Ganges River. Discovery Atlas: India Revealed. Discovery Channel, 2007. Video Clip.
Discovery Education. Web. 27 March 2014.

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