Tuesday, April 6, 2010

South Asia







A. Why does South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons? How do monsoons affect seasons? How have the monsoons affected life in South Asia? Specifically address life in Bangladesh.

-- South Asian countries have to deal with monsoons because of the winter and summer wind patterns. In the winter, there is cool and dry air that flows from South Asia out to the ocean. It is the opposite during the summer because the air with the moisture flows from the Indian Ocean in towards the countries located in South Asia. This brings heavy rains and it affects many different aspects of life. The monsoons can dictate the amount of precipitation a region has, which can affect things like agriculture. The amount of rainfall can either destroy or help crops grow. Monsoon season is especially tough on people who live in Bangladesh. This is because heavy rainfall is common characteristic of this country because of its location. It is located just south of the foothills of the Himalayas which are close to the intertropical convergence zone, which draws a lot of rain. This amount of precipitation makes it very difficult to maintain crops during very wet and very dry seasons.

B. Explain the environmental issues around the Ganges River and the impact this has had on the people of India.

--There are many problems that surround the pollution of the Ganges River. The Ganges River has been important to the people of India because it has served for many years as a resource for drinking, cooking and bathing. This river is now being over-polluted by the people within this country because of several of reasons. The old sewage system which was built by the British has exceeded its capacity. This system, because of its capacity, is now dumping raw sewage directly into the river which leads too much of the pollution. There is also a Hindu tradition in which people scatter their dead loved ones cremated body into the river. However, the process of the cremation is not fully successful and this problem also contributes to the pollution of the river. This pollution has affected the many people who rely on this river for their everyday life. The pollution of this river has caused various illnesses and it doesn’t allow people to use it for their needs. There are many solutions that are trying to be implemented to make this river cleaner to help the people and animals that use this river.

C. In what areas is the population density highest in South Asia and why? What are the reasons for the population growth in South Asia? What impact does the massive population have on South Asia?

--There are many areas within South Asia that have very high population densities. These regions consist of southern and northern India and Bangladesh. There are many factors that have contributed to this massive population growth in South Asia. One reason is because of the incentive to have large families so that the children can contribute to labor such as farming to help the family bring in a larger income. Another factor that is causing high population is because of the poor access to healthcare within these regions. This causes many babies and young children to die at an early age. This means that families will try to have multiple children to ensure that at least one will survive to adulthood. The impact of high population density contributes to many economical and environmental problems. There is not an equal distribution of resources to the people living within these highly populated regions.

D. How did the caste system develop and what affect has it had on the human geography of the region?

--The caste system is an ancient development that divided a society into hereditary hierarchical categories. A person is thought to be born into a given category and destined to live the life of those types of people. This traditional system has had many affects on human geography throughout the years. It has caused much discrimination between classes of high and low standing. Traditionally ones sub-caste would determine where one lived, what they ate, who they were associated with and what type of job and life they would have. Now India has began to try to eliminate the discrimination between the various categories of the caste system. They have begun to implement a affirmative action program that guarantees rights and jobs to those people who are thought to be in the lower classes.

E. What are at the roots of the conflict over the Punjab and Kashmir regions? What groups are involved with the conflict?

--Punjab is the home of the Sikh people. The state of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947. During this transition, the Sikh community chose to live in the Indian part of Punjab because they thought that their identity would be better protected by living within this region. However, they have felt alienated by the people of India. This has caused much violence between these two groups of people. There have been many deaths due to the violence of angry citizens. Kashmir is a region that has been dominated by Muslim influence. Some of the citizens living within this region believe that it should be turned over to Pakistan. However, the king of Kashmir who is a Hindu wants Kashmir to remain independent. There are many regional conflicts in which people dispute the territorial boundaries of land. These are two examples of regional conflicts of the citizens living within these territories. The conflicts are usually felt by local citizens who want to associate with a different country, but this association can be very troubling because there are many political reasons. Politics play an important factor in determining the regional conflicts.
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