eee Sse 733 EXTENT to understand Political and Physical PXTENT CC Geograpiny of s Asia is the world’s largest continent, with 44,444,100 sq. km. ; = It occupies 8.8% of the Earth's total surface area and i on has a population of 4.4 billion people, accounting for * eee F 60% of the world’s total population. Me ere + Tris a continent of extremes in terms of relief, climate, | ae vegetation and people. a eed + Asia is located to the east of the Suez Canal, the Ural River and the Ural Mountains and to the south of the Caucasus Mountains, the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. ‘The Pacific Ocean borders it on the east, the Indian Ocean on the south and the Arctic Ocean on the north. = [REGIONAL DIVISION ‘Asia can be divided into six physiographic divisions: ‘Central Asia Kazokhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Eastern Asia China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Macau, Mongotia, Taiwan Northern Asia Russia South-eastern Asia | Brunel, Myanmar, Cambodia, indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam. ‘Southern Asia ‘Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Western Asia J Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia ran, rag, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, | oman, State of Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arablo, Sura, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. After studying this unit, you will be ableFigure 64 [MAJOR PHYSICAL DIVISIONS * The Northern Lowlands «The Central Mountains The Central and Southern Plateaus The Peninsulas © Deserts + Island groups * The Great River Plains The Northern Lowlands The Northern Lowlands are the extensive plain areas, which comprise of several patch of lowlands of this large continent. The major lowlands are:Great Siberian Plain: It stretches from the Ural Mountains in the west, to the Lena River in the ast It is the world’s largest lowland, covering around 1,200,000 square miles. ") Great Siberian Pain =) rigrs-Euphrates Plain = Manchurian Pain Figure 6.2 jurian Plain: It is the area in northern China, adjacent to the Amur River and its tributaries, g approximately 135,000 sq. km. Plains of China: Itis aided by two major Chinese rivers, the Hwang Ho and Yangtze, which er encompass an area of around 158,000 sq. miles. is of Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Kuwait. ‘The river system is approximately 13,700 sq. miles in size. ‘Mesopotamia is the historical name for this region. snga Plains: These are the lowlands that go alongside the Ganga River in India. It is around 75 lakh sq. km in size. waddy Plains: These are the lowlands along Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River. It is around 160,000 km in size.84 ¢ Indian and World Geography The Central Mountains These are the prominent and extensive mountain ranges which covers the parts of Central Asia. Figure 6.3 They consist of Pamir Knot, Tian Shan, Kunlun Shan, Karakoram, Great Himalayas, Hindu Kush, Kirthar and Sulaiman ranges and extending across portions of Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Conservation International has recognised these mountain ranges as a biodiversity hotspot, which encompasses many Central Asian montane and alpine Eco regions. It includes montane grasslands and shrublands, temperate coniferous forests and alpine tundra, among other habitat types. A mountain knot is, where two or more mountain ranges meet. In Asia, the two most common mountain knots are: = The Pamir Knot is the meeting Peaks of Asia point of five mountain ranges: the Sulaiman, Hindu Kush, Kunlun, [Mounteverest_| 8.848 m | Nepot- Tibet, China border Karakoram and Himalayan | K2 8,611m_| Pakistan-China, PoK mountains. The Himalayan range | Kangchenjunga | 8,586 m | Nepal-Sikkim (India) contains Mount Everest, the world’s | thotse ee ml Nese Ca tallest : Makalu: 8,462 Nepal-Tibet, Chir = The Elburz and Zagros Ranges, |“ oa a Nope Tibet crane which originate in the Armenian | Cho Oyu 8201m | Nepat-Tibet, Chine Knot, connect the Armenian Knot | Dhaulagiri 867m _| Nepal to the Pamir Knot. Other Asian mountain ranges include the Tien Shan and the Altai.The Central and Southern Plateaus = Plateaus are the terrain areas, with a generally level surface, that is significantly elevated above neighbouring ground, on at least one side and are frequently cut by deep canyons. ‘The Asian Continent’s Major Plateaus Ladakh Between Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges: World Beagraphy, @. 85 Intermontane Tibet Between Kunlun and Himalayan Mountain range. Itis the highest plateau in the world and Is also known as roof of the world. Intermontane Yunnan itis a highland region, located in southwest China. Itis a plateau, with areas of rolling uplands, precipitous folded and fault-block mountain ranges and deep, river-cut gorges. Piedmont Pomir It is situated to the northwest of Indian subcontinent. It is well connected to the range of mountains, such as the Himalayes, with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun and Hindu Kush ranges on all sides. It is o meeting point of all these Central Asian mountain ranges. Intermontane ‘Armenian Present in between Caspian and Black Sea. It is also known as Armenian knot, as mountain ranges spread out from here like in Pamir plateau. Piedmont Iranion Present in between Zagros Mountains, Caspian Sea, Turkmen-Khorasan Mountain Range Piedmont ‘Anatolian Enclosed between Pontic mountain ranges in the South and Taurus in the south west. Tigris and Euphrates rivers drains this region. Volcanic Mongolian Its extensive north eastern highland region of the great plateau of Central Asia. This high tableland is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is regarded as a large interior drainage basin between the bordering mountain range. The plateau includes the Gobi Desert as well as dry steppe regions. Intermontane Shon Ws a crystalline plateau in Myanmar's eastern region that’s part of the Indo-Malayan mountain range. The plateau is bisected in the east by the Salween River's deep trench and in the west by the upper channel of the Irrawaddy River. Precious stones, tin, lead, silver and tungsten are all found in this area. Intermontane Deccan It stretches from the Western Ghats in the west, to the Eastern Ghats in the east of the Indian Subcontinent, almost to the southern tip of the country and is bordered in the north by the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges. Intermontane ‘Arabion This plateau extends over the whole Arabian peninsula. The peninsula consists of the countries Yemen, Oman, Gatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Peninsulas A peninsula is a large piece of land that is surrounded by water, yet is connected to the mainland. + The Deccan plateau is both a peninsula and a plateau. + Southern Asia encompasses the Arabian, Indian and Malay peninsulas. In north-eastern Asia, the Kamchatka and Korean peninsulas are located.E.6 ¢ Indian and World Geography Deserts * Asia has some big deserts such as the following: Gobi Desert ‘The Gobi Desert is a huge Asian desert or brushland. Parts of Northern and Northeastern China, as well as Southern Mongolia, are included. The Gobi Desert is bordered on the orth by the Altai Mountains and Mongolian grasslands and steppes, on the west by the ‘Taklamakan Desert, on the southwest by the Tibetan Plateau and on the southeast by the North China Plain. The Gobi has been historically significant as the site of several important Cities along the Silk Road, The Tibetan Plateau blocks precipitation from the Indian Ocean from reaching Gobi region, creating a rain shadow desert. Karakum Desert | The Karakum Desert is o Central Asian desert. In Turkic languages, it is known as Black Sand, referring to the dark soil that lies beneath much of the desert’s sandy surface, It covers over 70% of Turkmenistan’s land area. Kyzulkum Desert | The Kyzylkum Deserts the world's 15 largest desert. In Turkic languages, the name means “Red Sand.” Itis situated in Central Asia, between the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya rivers. | Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan now share the region. Takla Makan Desert | The Taklamakan is a desert in Northwest China’s Southwest Xinjiang province. Itis bordered on the south by the Kunlun Mountains, on the west and north by the Pamir Mountains and ‘Tian Shan and on the east by the Gobi Desert. Thar Desert The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is @ huge arid region in the northwestern Indian subcontinent that spans 200,000 km? and serves as « natural border between india and Pakistan. It is the 17" largest desert in the world and the 9" largest subtropical desert in the globe. Around 85% of the Thar Desert is located in India and the remaining 15% In Pakistan. Over 60% of the desert is in Rajasthan, with the rest in Sindh, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Pakistan, Islands of Asia * Asia also has a cluster of islands, also called an archipelago. An archipelago sometimes called an island group or island chain, are formed, close to each other in large clusters. * Indonesia, Philippines, Japan andaman and Nicobar are some examples of archipelagos. Drainage of Asia * Asia's drainage system includes gigantic oceans, vast seas, long rivers with their tributaries and distributaries, important lakes and so on. * Oceans: The Asian continent is surrounded on three sides by three major oceans: = The Arctic Ocean: It encompasses the northeastern section of Asia and is fed by three major rivers: the Ob, Yenisei and Lena. = The Pacific Ocean: It is located in eastern Asia and drains significant rivers, such as the Mekong, Xi Jiang (a tributary of the Pearl River), Chang Xiang (Yangtze), Huang Ho (Yellow) and Amur. = The Indian Ocean: The Tigris, Euphrates, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy and Salween rivers all flow into the Indian Ocean and the Tigris, Euphrates, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy and Salween are the primary rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean.euROrE Hnsprat sale | Figure 6.4 | ‘Seas | "» Since the continent is surrounded on three sides by water, it is characterised by lengthy stretches of bays and gulfs. “+ The Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Banda Sea, Barents Sea, Bering Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, East Siberian Sea, Java Sea, Kara Sea, Laccadive Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea and Yellow Sea are the major waters that contribute to Asian drainage. Lakes Major lakes of Asia are Lake Baikal, Onega, Ladoga and Peipus in Russia + Lake Akan, Mashu, Biwa, Shikotsu in Japan + Qinghai Lake, Lake Khanka in China Dal Lake, Chilka, Vembanada, Pullicat and Sukhna in India + Lake Matano and Toba in Indonesia88 _¢ Indian and World Geography CLIMATE AND NATURAL VEGETATION OF ASIA Climate of Asia Equatorial climate Charact It Is characterised by high temperature of about 30°C throughout the year. The annual range of temperature is only 3°C. Heavy convectional rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunder occurs almost everydoy, Asia due to its vast areas experiences varied and extreme climates. It has some of the coldest, hottest, wettest and driest places on Earth. The climate of Asia can be classified into following eee ae It ls found between 10°N and 10°S. latitudes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sti Lanka and southern parts of Philippines. Monsoon Climate It is characterised by hot, wet summers and cool dry winters. There is a distinct rainy season. Its found in india, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, southern China, parts of Philippines and Sri Len Tropical Desert Climate ‘Summers are hot and winters are cool. Rapid heating of land during the day and coating of tand during the night leads to huge difference between day and night temperatures. This region receives very litte rainfall It Is found in the Arabian desert in Saudi Arabie and the Thar desert in India ond Pakistan. Mid-latitude desert climate tt is characterised by hot summers with scanty rainfall and very cold winters. The precipitation occurs in winter in the form of snow. It is found in the high plateaus and basins in Central Asia like Gobi desert and Mongolie. Mediterranean climate It is characterised by hot, dry summers and coo! wet winters. Moderate winter rainfall occurs in form of short, heavy showers. It is found in parts of Turkey, israel, Suria, Jordan and Lebanon, Temperate grassland climate It is characterised by cold winters and warm summers. The annual range of temperature is high. Scanty rainfall mostly occurs in the early Itis found in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan China type of climate Ht Is characterised by warm summers and cold winters, Most of the rainfall occurs during summers. in winters, the temperature in January remains below freezing point. It is found in the eastern part of Asia-in central and northern China, | Southern Japon, North Korea and South Korea, Manchurian type of climate It is characterised by short, warm summers and long cold winters. Moderate rainfall occurs during the summer and winter is marked by heavy snowfall. It is found in north eastern China nd northern parts of Japan. Taiga Climate It is characterised by cold and tong winters and warm and short summers. Very little rainfall occurs during summer and mostly in form of snow. It Is found in Northern Russia, sol of Tuncra belt Tundra Climate It Is characterised by long and very cold winters and short and cool summers. Itis covered by snow for 8-9 months in a year and rainfall mostly occurs in form of snow. It is found along the northern coast ‘of Asia in Russia,(HII) Equatorit $8 Monsoon $= Tropica Desert Zi, Nibatude Deser = china Type SQ Mediterranean Temperate Grassland GE Taiga 22]. Mancehurian Type Tundra Map Netto Scale Figure 6.5 Climatic regions of Asia ral Vegetation and Wildlife experience variety of climate types which results in rich diversity in vegetation and wildlife. e major types of Natural vegetation found in Asia are oa thas dense evergreen trees, along with dense undergrowth of shrubs nd creepers. Main hardwood trees found are rosewood, ebony, mahogany, rubber and Cinchona, aaa Most of the animals in these forests live on trees. The main species ore monkey, stoth, snake, ape, elephant, lizard and a large variety of birds. Areas Wher ae Its found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. ‘Monsoon forests The areas with heavy rainfall have thick evergreen forests while other ‘areas have deciduous forests. Deciduous trees like teak, sal, sandal, papal and neem are found. Main animals found in this region are tion, tiger, leopard, _thinoceros, elephant, stag and deer. ‘These are found in south, south east and east Asia.Reno an) eau es eee) Nene Desert Here xerophytic vegetation is found | Camel and ass are found | Itis found in hot deserts of vegetation like grass, shrub and thorny bushes. | in hot deserts, whereas, | south west Asia, e.g., Thar the Yak is found in cold | desert and Cold desert of desert. Central Asia. Mediterranean | This region is known for Citrus | The natural wildlife found | it is found in countries forests fruit and viticulture. The main | here include goats, sheep, | surrounding the ‘trees found in this region are Oak, | rabbits and jackals. Mediterranean Sea. Walnut, Chestnut and Olive. Most of the forests have been cleared to provide land for agriculture. Steppes These are temperate grasslands. | The natural wildlife include | It Is found in Mongolia, Antelope, Mule and wolf | Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, Temperate This region has both deciduous| The natural wildlife | It is found in north eastern forests and evergreen forests. The main | include ape, monkey, fox, | part of Asia. trees are Oak, magnolia, Mulberry, | pheasant and crane. camellia and Camphor. Taiga forests This region has a belt of coniferous | The natural vegetation | These forests are found trees which is used for timber, pulp, | include furbearing animals | in the south of Tundra in paper and rayon. The main trees are | like arctic fox, sable and | Siberia region. pine, fir, spruce and cedar. mink, Tundra ‘The area is covered with snow for | The natural wildlife include | It is found in the northern vegetation most part of the year, hence only | reindeer, potar beer, polar | coast of Asia, mosses and lichens grown. dogs, seal and Walrus. Figure 6.6 Vegetation zones of Asia_Norld Geography @ Gill ONOMIC GEOGRAPHY culture culture is the most important occupation of the people in Asia. The farmers practise shifting ture in mountainous and forested areas, intensive agriculture in densely populated areas ad Extensive agriculture in large farms in central Asia and Siberia. The major food crops cultivated Mainly in China, India, Japan, Bangladesh and in south east Asian countries In India, Pakistan, Kazakhastan, China and south west Asia iwilets Mainly in semiarid regions. In India, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and China In india, Pokistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, Taiwan and Philippines In China, india, Pakistan, Kazokhastan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Syria. Mainly in Ganga — Brahmaputra deta in Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Myanmar Tecand Coffee Main producers are India, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Japan. Mainly in plantations in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sri lanka, Thailans and China. Malaysia Is the largest producer and exporter of natural rubber isa storehouse of minerals, where the mining is an important activity. Important minerals are: {In China, india, Russia, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Indonesia, North Korea and Philippines In India, Kazakhstan, China and eastern Russia India, Indonesia and Russia Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, Thailand and Vietnam India is the largest producer of Mica in the world. Russia, China, Mongolia and india Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar China, Thailand and South Korea Russia, China, india, Japan and South Korea Saudi Arabia, Iran iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Russia, Indio, China, Myanmar and indonesia ‘Other minerals _ | Other important minerals found in Asia are Copper, lead, zinc and sulphur ndustrial Regions ‘The important industries which have developed in Asia are textiles, sugar, iron and steel, electronic ‘and electrical goods, machine tools, computers, shipbuilding, automobiles, heavy engineering, chemicals, fertilisers, cement, garments and oil refining. Most of the industrial activities are entrated in the following industrial regions.eane+pogen Figure 6.7 South Asia India and Pakistan East Asia Jopan, Taiwan, China, North Korea and South Korea. In china the main industrial regions are: 4. Manchurian Industrial region which is famous for ron and steel industry at Anshan and Penki, machinery and tools industry at Mukden and oil & chemicals industry at Fushun 2. Yangtze Industrial region which is famous for production of consumer goods such as textiles, leather, food, utensils etc. There ore also shipbuilding, metallurgical and heavy industries. 3. Beijing region- This region produces coal, steel and machinery. In Japan-the major industrial regions include: 4. Tokyo Yokohama — This region is known for electrical engineering works, such as Computers, refrigerators, transistors, washing machine etc. Besides this, Refineries, shipbuilding, airplane, textile industries are also located in this region. 2. Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto ~ This region is known for textile industries. Osaka is the greatest cotton textile town and Is known in the Manchester of japan. South East Asia _| Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Philippines. Norther Asia__| Region near Ural mountains in Russia has Iron and Steel industries.World Geography © 6.13 People ia has the largest population in the world, with 60% of world’s total population. The average yy of population is about 100/km®. China and India are the two most populous countries of he world. The distribution of population is highly uneven. sely populated | Fertile river valleys, industrial regions and coastal regions in India, China, Pakistan, Bongladesh, Japan, south east Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia are densely populated. Moderately populated | Parts of China, india, west and south east Asian countries, are moderately populated. Sporsely populated | The regions with mountains, deserts, forests and areas with extreme climatic conditions have sparse population for example-regions in west Asia, central Asia and northern Russia etc. [Asia is inhabited by the people, belonging to different races. Mongloid race is found in eastern snd south eastern parts and Caucasoid race is found in Central and south west Asia. The brown race found in South Asia. People from all the religions of world like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Roadways in most of the Asian countries are well developed. Japan, South Korea, India, China etc. have good network of roadways. Many Asian countries have well developed network of railways. The trans-Siberian railway route is the longest railways in the world, China, India, Japan, Pakistan have good network of railways. Bullet trains in Japan are fast trains. India has one of the largest railway network in the world. Inland waterways is cn important means of transport in many Asian countries. River and canals are used as waterway in India, China and south east Asian countries. Also sea routes connect Asian sea ports like Aden, Karachi, Singapore, Mumbal, Chennai, Kolkata, Colombo, Manila, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong etc. with the rest of the world. Most of the Asian cities are well connected with Airways. India, Ching, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan etc., are well connected by international airlines. AFRICA ‘Africa is the world’s second-largest continent in terms of area (30,330,000 sq. km) accounting to 6% of the Earth’s total surface area and 20.4% of its land area. Algeria is Africa’s largest country in terms of land area followed by Nigeria in terms of people b6.24 ¢ Indian and World Geography Industries Africa exports the raw materials and imports finished goods. Industrial development is low in Africa, due to the shortage of coal and iron, lack of technical knowhow, shortage of money, lack of market within the countries and low standard of living. The industries include: Food processing, manufacturing textiles, leather goods, cement, chemical and other building materials. Manufacturing is mainly concentrated in larger cities. | HUMAN GEOGRAPHY People Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. The total population of Africa is estimated at 1.335 billion, representing 17% of the world’s population. The density of population is 45 per km”. The distribution of population is highly uneven. The deserts, forests, swamps are sparsely populated whereas river valleys, coastal areas, mining centres and cities are thickly populated, e.g,, Nile valley. Races and Religion Africa has a number of ethnic groups, with Majority of black population. The main social groups include Negroes, Bushmen, Pygmies and Hottentots. Most Africans live in tribal communities and speak different languages. Swahili is most commonly spoken language. Transport Africa does not have an efficient and adequate network of transport. This is because of the geographical factors like extensive deserts, thick forests and swamps affect road and rail transport. The major transport include: Waterways ~ Suez Canat Reduces distance between Europe and South Asia Airports International airports in main cities like Cairo, Nairobi, Cape town, Casablanca, Addis Ababa, Accra and Lagos. EUROPE SIZE ‘© Europe is the second smallest continent, with Australia being the smallest. * Itcovers around 10 million sq. km, including the islands off the shore. * Itisnearly three times the size of India and less than half the size of China. LOCATION * It runs from 10°W to 60°E longitudinally and a substantial portion of it is in the temperate zone, spanning 35°N to 80°N latitude.The Prime Meridian runs through the city of London. The Warm Gulf Stream, which penetrates over the Arctic Circle maintains the ports ice-free in the north. JUNDARIES The Ural Mountain, Caspian Sea, Caucasus Mountain and Black Sea separate it from Asia to the east. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south (The Aegean Sea and Adriatic Sea are two of its branches). The Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Europe from Africa and connects the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, is located to the west. The Atlantic Ocean includes the Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea. In the north, the Baltic Sea splits into two branches: the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. The White Sea is a harbour in the Arctic Ocean to the north. Inthe Mediterranean Sea, the Greek peninsula, often known as the Balkan Peninsula and Italy stretch. + The Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal, is located in the southwest. The Scandinavian Peninsula, which includes Norway and Sweden, is located in the northwest. RUSSIAN FEDERATION Nesters AFRICA erent OD? [momar[PHYSICAL DIVISIONS Western Upland /Northern Highlands Northern European Plain Central Uplands and Plateaus Mountains Islands of Europe Drainage Pattern Gulfs and Bays Western Upland The Northern Highlands is another name for it. It defines the physical terrain of Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland and the Brittany region of France, as well as Spain and Portugal. These landforms are the product of ancient glaciations of hard rock. With the retreat of glaciers from highland areas, distinct physical features such as marshlands, lakes and fjords have emerged. This area contains the well-known Norwegian Fjords. Northern European Plain It is the extensive low land. These plains are extensive low land, flat and gently rolling plains which seldom rise more than 300 m above the mean sea level. It covers almost half of the Europe and is bordered by White Sea in north and Black and Azov Sea in south, Ural Mountains in the east and Atlantic coast in the west. The plains are broad in the eastern part and gradually tapers in the west. These are spread along the bank of various rivers such as Rhine, Siene, Don, Danube, Weser, Elbe, Oder and Vistula. These river valleys are favourable for growing seasonal crops. The important plains that are part of North European plains are: = Plains of Lombardy in Italy = Plains of Hungary in Hungary = Plains of Andalusia in Spain = Paris basin in France Central Uplands and Plateaus These are the collection of distinctive landscape of summits, steep slopes, valleys and depression which stretches across the central Europe. They lie between North European plains and the Alpine mountain system. It extends from Belgium in the East to France in the West and from Czech Republic and south Germany in south to Switzerland and Austria in North. ‘These uplands are not very high and height does not exceed beyond 1600 m above mean sea level. The main uplands include: = Meseta in Spain = Massif Central and Vosges in France = Black forest in GermanyWorld Geography, ¢ 6.27 «= Ardennes in Belgium = Bohemia Plateau in Czech Republic With the exception of a few river basins such as the Rhine, Rhone, Elbe and Danube, the rest of this division is sparsely populated. fountains Alpine Mountain Ranges These are a group of young fold mountains that run from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea in the east. They stretch for about 700 miles in a crescent form, from the southern French coast (near Monaco), into Switzerland, then across northern Italy and Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and Albania on the Adriatic Sea’s rocky shoreline. The mountain range is divided into several branches. The Alps, Carpathians, Balkans, Caucasus and others are the most prominent. The Apennines (Italy, Africa’s Atlas and Spain’s Sierra Nevada) are another branch. Another branch is the Dinaric and Pindus mountain ranges (Yugoslavia and Greece), which _ teaches Asia via the island of Crete. Mont Blanc, at 15,771 feet, is the highest point (4,807 m). The Caucasus Mountains are located on the eastern edge of the Alpine mountain chain, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Mt Elbrus (5,642 m) is Europe's highest peak, located in the Caucasus. ‘The Pyrenees, which run west of the Alps and divide France and Spain, are located to the west of the Alps. The Cantabrian Mountains are in northern Spain, while the Sierra Nevada is in southern Spain. Ural Mountains This is a mountain range that stretches about north to south, across western Russia, from the Arctic Ocean's coast to the Ural River and northern Kazakhstan. In the east, these mountains separate Asia from Europe. These are 2,200 km long and 80-120 km wide, with many parallel valleys running north to south. Their highest peak is around 1,638 metres high, despite their average height of 300 metres. Scandinavian Mountains Norway, Sweden and Denmark make up the Scandinavian countries, | In truth, Scandinavia stretches all the way to Fenno-Scandia, which continues east via Finland to Russia’s Kola Peninsula. ‘A mountain range that stretches through the Scandinavian Peninsula, is known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The mountains on the west, drop abruptly into the North Sea and Norwegian Sea, making Norway's fjords, while the mountains on the east gradually bend into Finland, forming Finland’s fjords. nds of Europe Europe is an island rich continent, as it is surrounded by number of seas from all sides. The British Isles, which include England, Scotland and Ireland are the largest and most important set of islands in the world.828 « lndin and er enorenhy Great Britain | England, Scotland, Wales UK England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Iretand British Isles —_| England, Scotland, Wales, (Geographical | Northern Ireland, Ireland term) Drainage Pattern The rivers of Europe ate perennial being fed by melting snow or by the rain brought by the Westerlies. The rivers of Europe can be grouped as follows: 1. Originating in west from the Alpine mountain system: It includes Rhone, Rhine, Danube and Po. 2. Originating in the east: It includes Volga, Don, Dniester, Dnieper and Dvi 3. Originating in the Scandinavian Highlands: It includes Pechora and Mezen. jryuraa sva¥9 30. WOOD es 0 ans NUH Major Rivers of Europe 1. Volga: It is the longest river of Europe. It originates from Valdas plateau and flows through Russia. It drains into Caspian Sea. ae 2. Danube: It is the second longest a river of Europe. It originates in Black forest, Germany and drains in Black sea. The Danube is an international river. It flows through Austria, Hungary & Serbia and enters the Black Sea in Romania. It is the only east flowing river in Europe. 3. Rhine: The Rhine begins in the Swiss Alps and flows north through Germany, before entering the sea through Holland. It runs through densely populated areas and is used to move large items. It is Europe's busiest canal. On its delta stands Rotterdam, Europe’s largest city. It drains into the North Sea after flowing through a rift valley between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. 4, Rhone: It is a south flowing river in France and drains in Mediterranean Sea. Lake Geneva of Switzerland is located on Rhone River. 5. Thames: It is the most important river of England. It is the longest river in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom. 6. Portis Italy’s longest river, beginning in the Alps on the country’s western border and draining into the Adriatic Sea on the country’s eastern side. It is the widest and most fertile plain in Italy._ World Beogranhy, ¢, 628 Figure 645 Europe-Major Rivers Other important rivers are Vistula, Oder, Elbe, Loire, Garonne, Douro, Tagus, etc. Mediterranean | Rhone (France), Ebro (Spain) Faia carl Sea Fran R ‘Adriatic Sea Po (italy) omer io Venic Po Black Sea Danube, Dnieper ond Don Vienna, Budapest, | Danube ‘Atientic Ocean | Guadalquivir (Spain), Tagus and Douro] — | peigrade (Portugal), Loire and Seine (France), The : Rhine Weser and Elbe (Germany) Kiev Dniester English Channel _| Thames, the chief river of England Bertin Elbe Caspian Sea__| Volga, Ural Baltic sea Vistula, Oder + These are the parts of big bodies of water that are close to a large land mass. Because Europe js bordered by enormous bodies of water such as the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and North Sea, there are numerous Gulfs, Bays and straits.8.30 ¢, Indian and World Geography * The Gulf of Finland is located in the Baltic Sea’s easternmost arm and stretches from Finland (north) through Estonia (south) all the way to Saint Petersburg, Russia, where the river Neva flows into it. Helsinki and Tallinn are two other significant cities around the gulf. The eastern parts of the Gulf of Finland are Russian territory and it has some of Russia’s most vital oil ports. * The Gulf of Bothnia is located in the northernmost region of the Baltic Sea, bounded on the west by Sweden and on the east by Finland. * The Gulf of Riga is a brackish water body that is considered a Baltic Sea sub-basin. The Gulf of Riga has an area of approximately 16,300 km”. * The Gulf of Lions stretches from the Pyrenees’ easternmost spurs to the Rhone River Delta, covering several lagoons. Lakes Glaciation, during thé Ice Age, has formed many lakes in Europe. Finland is called the Lake Ladoga Russia. It is the largest freshwater take In Europe ‘Land of Lakes’, because several lakes are | Lake Onega Russia formed, due to the melting of ice-sheets. | Vanern and Vattern Sweden Major lakes in Europe include (refer table). |S rsrance ond Geneva | Switgeriana CLIMATE OF EUROPE The climate of Europe varies from subtropical to polar. It can be classified into following types: Itis characterised by warm summers and cool | It is found in the coastal areas of western climate/British | winters. Rainfall is distributed throughout the | Europe in Ireland, United Kingdom (UK), tupe climate | year, due to prevailing Westerlies. This is also | Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, known as martime climete, as influence of | western France and northern Spain, North Atlantic Drift nd neamess to the water bodies, leads to moderating effect on the climate of the region, ‘Continentat It Is characterised by extreme climate, Le. | Itis found in the interior regions, far away from climate short and hot summers and long ond cold | the water bodies that is in the eastern and Winters. In winters the temperature may reach | central Europe. below freezing point. Rainfall is tess during ‘summer as westerlies dry up when they reach the interior parts ofthe continent, Mediterranean | it is characterised by the long, hot, dry] Itisfoundinthe European countiessurrounding climate summers and cool wet winters. Moderate | Mediterranean sea like Spain, Portugal, Italy, winter rainfalt occurs in form of short, heavy | France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, L showers due to the onshore westerlies. Greece, Croatia, Albania, etc, Taiga climate Itls characterised by the cold and tong winters | It is found in the northern Europe from 50°N cond warm and short summers. Very Ute | latitude to Arctic circle including countries like rainfall oceurs during summer and mostly in | Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. form of snow. Tundra climate | Its characterised by the tong and very cold | It is found in the extreme northern parts of winters end short and cool summers. tt is | Europe north of Arctic cele, ie. in northem covered by snow for 8-9 months in a year and | parts of Nerway, Sweden, Fintand and Russia, rainfall mostly occurs in form of snow.World Geography @ 6.3 Figure 646 Climate of Europe Figure 647 Vegetation of Europe GETATION OF EUROPE urope has a rich variety of plants and animals. The natural vegetation of Europe can be classified Cora eee) The area Is covered with snow for most |The natural wildlife | It is found in the northern Part of the year, hence mainly mosses | include Reindeer, polar | part of Europe, beyond the and lichens grow. Colourful flowers | beer, arctic fox, sable, | Arctic circle. grow in summer season when snow | musk ox, seal and watrus. cover melts. It is a treeless region, except a few stunted shrubs, dwarf willows and birches. This region has a belt of coniferous | The natural vegetation | These forests are found ‘trees which is used for timber, pulp, | include fur bearing| south of Tundra from Paper and rayon. The main trees are | animals like lynx, arctic | Norway in the west, upto pine, fir, spruce and cedar. Lumbering | fox, sable, squirrel and | Ural mountains in the east. Is an important occupation in Taiga | mink. forests, Rue eeu) It has both deciduous and coniferous |The natural wildlife | It Is found towards south trees. The main trees found in this | includes fox, deer, wolf, | of taiga belt in the western region are oak, ash, elm, poplar, beech, | beaver, rabbit and | and central Europe. birch and willow. The wood is used to | squirrel. make furniture. This region is known for citrus fruit and | The natural wildlife | It is found in countries sur viticulture. The main trees found in| found here include goats, | rounding the Mediterrane- this region are oak, walnut, chestnut, | sheep, rabbits etc. an Sea. ‘almond, cypress and olive. Most of the forests have been cleared to provide land for agriculture.32. Indian and World Geography eee aaa) These are temperate grasslands. Cattle | The natural wildlife | It is found in south eastern rearing practised due to availability of | include antelope, horse | part of Europe between nutritious grasses. Most of the land has | and wolf Danube valley in Romania been cleared for cultivation of wheat, and Ukraine. barley, rye etc. Mountain The type of vegetation varies with |The natural wildlife | It is found in the highlands vegetation _| altitude. it ranges from mixed forests to | include European beaver, | in Europe. coniferous forests and thereafter Alpine | European otter, wolf, vegetation like grasses, mosses and | mink etc. lichens at higher attitudes. ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY Agriculture One third of total land area of Europe is under cultivation. The major food crops cultivated are: Food crops Wheat is grown in Paris basin in France, Po valley in Italy, the plains of Hungary and Russia, Ukraine and lowland countries Barley, rye and oat are grown in Great European plains Potato in France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland and ireland Cash crops ‘Sugar beet — Its the main source of sugar in Europe. Itis grown in Central Europe, UK and Russia. Flax - It s grown in areas around Baltic Sea, France, Belgium and northern Russia. Fruits ~ Apples, olives, figs, atapes, peaches and oranges are mainly grown In Mediterranean lands. Viticutture is common in France, Germany and Italy. Various types of wines are famous for e.g. ‘Souther Spain — Sherry wine Portugal ~ Port wine Italy = Chianti and Marsala France — Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy Bulgaria, Netherlands and Belgium grow vegetable and flowers. Animat rearing Dairy farming Is done on scientific tines. High quality breeds of cattle are reared to produce a large quantity milk, which is widely used to make milk products, such as dried and condensed milk, butter and cheese. Dairy farming is mostly practised in countries like Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and Germany. Pig and poultry farming provide eggs and chicken. Sheep rearing is done for wool and mutton and is carried on in dry parts of Europe. Europe has rich fishing reserves as warm water of North Atlantic drift provides suitable fishing sites. The major fishing grounds are The Dogger Bank and The Great Fisher Bank. The main fish variety includes ~ Cod, sardine, herring, tuna, haddock, halibut, mackerel etc. and the major fishing countries include —Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Germany, UK, Spain and Portugal. Minerals The important mineral deposits found in Europe are: lron ore Mainly in Ukraine, Russia, Spain, Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium and UK Bauxite Germany, France, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, UK, Russia and Italyand lead Belgium, France, Spain, Germany and Poland ‘Spain, Germany, Norway and Sweden Germany, Russia and Spain ZT S . NorTH Se \, = 9 RUSSIAN FEDERATION ryeapeanet oneve a ea ee APRICA Figure 648 Mineral reserves in Europe Sources Russia is the largest coal producing country in Europe. In UK- Coal is mined in North Eastern Coastal region. in Germany-Ruhr region is the leading coalfield. In France, the coal reserves are in Lorraine and Loire mining region. ‘ond natural gas Deposits are mainly found in Russia, Romania, Georgia and Armenia. Norway and UK have rich reserves in North sea. lectricity Norway, Sweden, Russia, France, Italy, Switzerland, UK, Austria, Spain and Germany. r energy Industrially developed countries like Germany, France, Russia, UK use nuclear energy for the generation of electricity. in Industries include:834 _¢ Indian and Word Geography Iron and steel industry Developed near the coalfields in UK, northern France, Belgium, Germany, Poland! Russia and Ukraine. Ruhr-Lorraine region is the most industrialised region with rich reserves of coal and iron. Textile industry Synthetic textiles are made in many countries of Europe. UK is known for cotton textiles and Silk textiles are manufactured mainly in Mediterranean countries, Chemical industries {tis mainly developed in Russia, UK, France, Germany and ttaly Tourism It is one of the most important industry in Europe with major tourist destinations include France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland etc. Other industries Other industries include agro based industries like food processing, dairy products, meat and leather goods. Besides this electronic goods, computers, cameras, garments, plastics, fertilisers, cement and drugs industry are also located in Europe. The major industrial ci Co Cees ies of Europe are: ibao (Spain) lron mining Lyon (France) Silk-rayon textile, chemical industries Turin (aly) Automobile and chocolate industries Naples (taly) Automobile, ship building and tight aircraft manufacturing Lodz (Poland) Textile industries Hannover (Germany) Automobile Frankfurt (Germany) Important global financial centre Stuttgart (Germany) Automobile (Mercedes, Porsche) Munich (Germany) Automobile (BMW), electronics (Siemens), finance (Allianz) Glasgow (UK) Shipbuilding industries Edinburg (Scotland) Steel, optoelectronics, defence manufacturing HUMAN GEOGRAPHY classified as: The total population of Europe, including European Russia is about 90 crores and its population — density is more than 70 persons per sq. km. The population distribution is highly uneven. It can be Densely populated areas Geographically favourable regions like fertile lowlands, river valleys, industrially ] rich regions are densely populated Moderately populated areas Most of the cities are moderately populated in Europe. | ‘Sparsely populated areas Regions with extreme climatic conditions like Tundra, Taiga, Alpine mountain | regions and arid south eastern Europe belt have sparse population.Norld Geography 6.35 Europeans belong to the Caucasoid race. The ethnic people like Yakut, Sami and Samoyed inhabit the continent. TRANSPORT Europe has world’s best system of transport. Roadways Roadways in Europe are dense ond well maintained. The broad super highways in Germany are known as Autobahn and in Italy are known as Autostrada, Roilways All countries of Europe are well connected with a dense network of railways. Many cities have underground and suburban railways and trams. The Eurail and the Intercity Express connect important cities of Europe. Waterways. Inland waterways are an Important means of transportation in Europe. The rivers like Rhine ‘and tributaries are connected by canals and is an important waterway of Europe. Also a no of sea ports connect Europe with other parts of World like London, Liverpool, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremen, Le Havre, Naples etc. “Airways. Major cities in Europe are well connected by airways. Also international airports like-The Heathrow in London, Schiphol in Amsterdam, Charles de Gaulle in Paris connect Europe with other parts of World. “Fiords are deep inlets of the sea into mountains land. E.g. Norway Fjords NORTH AMERICA ae North America is the/third lai Asia and Africa. It covers an area of nearly 24 million sq. km. From south to north, it extends from] 7°N to 85°N latitude]and east to west from 20°W to 179° W. In other words, its northern limit is only 500 kilometres from the North Pole and its western boundary is barely 10 kilometres from the International Date Line. Due to its large longitudinal extent there are five time zones in North America. The Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle both travel across the continent, while the 100°W longitude cuts right through the middle. This vast landmass contains three large countries ~ Canada, the United States of America and Mexico ~ as well as seven small Central American states and West Indian islands. In the east, west and north, the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans surround North America ‘The Bering Strait separates it from Asia in the north and the Isthmus of Panama connects it to South America in the south. st continentWorld Geography @ 6.59 “Migrant Groups ‘These are the people, who have migrated and settled in South America, over a period of time. It ‘includes Spanish, Portuguese, Germans, Indians and Japanese, etc. “Mixed Race ‘Due to interaction among the population many mixed races have developed for e.g, Mestizos are mixed European and American-Indian race, Mulattos are mixed European and Negro race. Transport Roadways | Roads link most of the major cities and ports in South America. The Pan American Highway, connects capital cities of all the South American countries. Railways | In South America, railways are not well developed and connects most of the big cities and ports | only. There is no transcontinental railway in South America. The{Chile-Argenting railway crosses the "Andes through the[Uspallata Pass whichis mainly used to transport minerals Waterways | Waterways are an important means of transport to reach the interior of South America. The two main | waterways include: | 1. The Amazon basin, along with its tributaries connect Atlantic ocean with the Amazon basin. [Link] La Plata river system connects Brazil, Urugua, Paraguay and Argentina, Sea Routes ‘The major ports of South America are Rio de Janerio, Recife, Buenos Aires, Belem, Lima, Santos, ‘Montevideo and Valparaiso. The construction of Panama canal has proved to be a boon for seaborne trade. The transatlantic sea routes provide links with North America, Europe, Aftica and Australia, ‘Airways | Major cities are connected with airways. The interationat airports also provide important link with the other parts of the world, USTRALIA AND OCEANIA EXTENT © Oceania is a tropical Pacific Ocean group of islands that stretches from the Strait of Malacca to the coast of the Americas. + Theregion has the world’s largest island and the world’s smallest continent (Australia). It also contains the Zealandia microcontinent (which includes New Zealand) and the western part of the Island of New Guinea, which is home to the country of Papua New Guinea. » Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia are the three island regions that make up Oceania (including the USS. state of Hawaii). ‘Australia + It is located in the Southern Hemisphere and is appropriately named Austral, which means “south”. It runs west to east from 114°E longitude to 154°E longitude and from 10°S to 40°S latitude, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. + tis the only country that spans the entire continent.8.60_¢ Indian and Word Geograph aAEUeAGER Torres Strait TIMOR SEA NORTHERN TERRITORY (QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA INDIAN OCEAN Shak Bay PACIFIC OCEAN ‘St. Vincent Darwin = Bauxite Mining Bais Sqrait TASMAN Brisbane; Textile Port SEA sydney: Textile ANTARCTIC OCEAN Melbourne: Manufacturing TASMANIA fogarT fAdelade : Ship Buldin, Petro-Refinery Perth; Plantation, Agriculture, Gold Min lantation, Agri ing [Map Not to Scale Figure 6.30 Its overall area is approximately equal to the combined areas of India and Pakistan. Tropic of Capricorn divides it into almost two halves. Asia is the continent that is the closest to Australia. Singapore is the closest Asian mainland location. ‘The Indian Ocean lies to the west of Australia, while the snowy shores of Antarctica lie to the south and New Zealand lies to the south-east. Asia, to the north-west, is a continent. Capital: Canberra It is the only continent, which is also a country It lies between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans It is surrounded by = Timor Sea in the North-West Gulf of Carpentaria in the North Great barrier reef in the North-east Great Australian bight in the South To the south east of the mainland lies the island of Tasmania * Ithas 6 states (Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania) and 2 centrally administered territories (Northern Territory and Canberra).__.Marld Geography ¢ 6.61 ‘SICAL DIVISION OF AUSTRALIA Australia is the lowest of all the continents and there are no high mountains or deep valleys. The highest peak of Australia is Mount Kosciusko which is 2,230 metres above sea level. The coastline is very smooth with very few inlets only in the south. Thus, there are few good harbours. ‘Australia can be divided into the following physical divisions: 1. Eastern Hii 2. The Western Plateau and Deserts 3. The Central Lowland 4, The Great Barrier Reef AARUIASEA mess Australia Z Physical Features a or @ cute carpe rwonsea eo a ui : ) : 7} Sek Mm oy i 7 nen ak 2 er, ie Guat ite — = SHEgn oCEAN = Y Figure 6.31 Eastern Highlands In the eastern portion of Australia, there is a chain of hills and ranges. The Eastern Highlands and the Great Dividing Range are other names for these mountains. The range runs more than 3500 kilometres from the north-eastern edge of Queens Land, through the eastern coastline of Australia, across New South Wales and then into Victoria, until ultimately dissipating into the central plain of western Victoria.B62 _¢_ Indian and World Geography Itis made up of a series of mountain ranges, plateaus, upland areas and escarpments that have a long and complicated geological history. ‘The watershed or boundary between the drainage basins of rivers that drain straight eastward into the Pacific Ocean and those rivers that drain into the Murray-Darling River system towards the west, defines the range’s crest. The rivers on the west side of the range drain into the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. 2. Western Plateau It is an eroded plateau, which has undergone the process of erosion for quite a long time. Itis considered as home for several deserts, since the climate is comparatively dry, owing to the cold-water current of the Western Australia. The series of desert in this region are: = Gibson Desert — a central Australian desert = Great Sandy Desert — a north-western Australian desert «Little Sandy Desert - a western Australian desert = Western Desert — a desert located in western Australia, comprising the Gibson, Great Sandy and Little Sandy deserts. = Great Victoria Desert — the sixth largest desert in the world by area, located in south- central Austral = Simpson Desert - a central Australian desert = Strzelecki Desert — a south-central Australian desert = Tanami Desert - a northern Australian desert It is characterised by several ‘sinkhole’, which is a network of underground caves filled with water. It was originally home to Australian Aboriginal tribes such as the kulin. 3. The Central Lowland Itis a huge patch of plain or lowland lying between Eastern Highlands and Western Plateau. Itis drained by two rivers such as Murray and Darling. These rivers provide irrigation facility for farming and other essential activities in Central lowland region. The area is also known as the Great Artesian Basin .This is because it is covered by anumber of underground pressurised wells from which the water comes out automatically to the surface. However, they are not suitable for drinking as they are salty by nature. It is further divided into three parts: * Great Artesian Basin = Eyre Basin = Murray-Darling Basin 4. The Great Barrier Reef It is the world’s largest coral reef, stretching for almost 2000 kilometres. It is located in the Pacific Ocean off the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Itstretches for about 2,000 kilometres, with some sections as close as 16 kilometres to the coast and others as far as 200 kilometres. It is one of the world’s natural wonders and is made up of small coral polyps.Morld Geogranhy ¢ 683 |THE ISLANDS ‘The group of Islands in central Pacific region is known as Oceania. The islands of Oceania have ‘been formed due to differential activities of volcanoes. Broadly, it has been divided into three major island groups Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Figure 6.32 Black Islands are another name for these Islands. These islands are clustered around Australia's north and east coasts. East Timor, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Sotomon Islands and Vanuatu are some of the major islands. Little Istands Is another name for these islands. Guam, Kiribati, Marshall tslands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Northern Ariana Islands, Palau and Wake Istand are among the islands that make up this group. Micronesia’s low islands were produced by forming coral reefs on the rim of {a volcanic island, giving it the shape of a ring, which is known as cn AtolL The atolls encircle the Lagoons, which are defined by small pools of clean water at a very low elevation of only « few feet above sea level. Many Lands extends from the islands of Midway in the north to New Zealand in the south and includes islands lke Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Pitcaim, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna tstands. DRAINAGE SYSTEM ‘Australia has hot and dry climate with low average rainfall. The rate of evaporation is significant, resulting in less water flowing through the river. As a result, two of the largest drainage basins, the Murray and Darling drain the majority of the ‘Australian continent. Lake Eyre Basin, an interior lake with a surface extent of nearly 1 million sq. km, can also be discovered. Murray River originates in the Great Dividing Range’s Snowy Mountains. = The Darling, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan are its tributaries. «Irrigation and power generation dams have been erected over these rivers. The River Swan, near Perth, is also used in this manner.6.64 @ Indian and World Geography Surrounding Water Bodies Australia is surrounded by various Water bodies like: * TimorSea, Arafura sea, Gulf of Carpentaria, Coral sea, Tasman sea, Bass Strait, Great Australian Bight, Indian, pacific and Southern ocean. Did You Know? Bushfires in Australia * The climate of Australia is hot and dry and therefore, is prone to droughts. Due to this, bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia. Ina bushfire, grass, branches and trees start burning in an uncontrolled manner. © Inareas of New South Wales and Queensland, the major occurrence of bushfires is during spring and early summer, that is around November-December. Australia has witnessed widespread bushfires in December, 2019. * Bushfires are thus considered to be an intrinsic part of Australia’s environment. * Its natural ecosystem has been shaped by and has evolved with historic and recent fires. * The bushfire season in 2019 is said to be the worst. It started early in 2019, that is even before the beginning of the Southern Hemisphere summer. © Itaffected the air quality adversely in the surrounding areas. The readings for PM 2.5 and PM 10 fell in the “hazardous” category (readings above 200) as per the Australian scale. What causes bushfires? The main factors that create a favourable environment for bushfires are as follows: 1. These include factors such as fuel load (leaf litter, barks, small branches), fuel moisture. 2. Wind speeds, high temperature, oxygen, low humidity and ignition source. 3. They can be caused by both human activity and lightning. 4, The remaining fires have human origins that are classified as deliberate or accidental. Is there a climate change linked to this? ‘* While climate change does not cause bushfires directly, it does increase the likelihood of more frequent and violent bushfires. * This time, the flames are occurring in more places and with greater intensity than in the past. * For instance, rainforests in northern NSW, tropical Queensland and Tasmania’s traditionally moist old-growth forests * The current drought is worse than the Millennium Drought, with higher evaporation rates, due to higher temperatures. * Asa result, the bush has dried out, making it easier for fires to start and spread quickly. | CLIMATE OF AUSTRALIA The climatic regions in Australia can be classified as follows: Cees Gmesciaied See ed Tropical climate It is characterised by hot and wet summers and | It Is found in the northern and north cold and dry winters. Rainfall occurs during | eastern parts of Australia. summers from the Monsoon winds.World Geography © 6.65 ed Creed eee) Temperate climate | It Is characterised by warm summers and cold | Its found in Murray Darling basin and winters. Rainfall occurs throughout the year i.e. in | Tasmania. ‘summer due to trade winds and in winters due to westerties. ‘Mediterranean It Is characterised by hot and dry summers and | Itis found atong the southern coast of climate cool and wet winters. Australia. Desert climate It Is characterised by hot summers, cold winters | It is mainly found in the western and little or no rainfall throughout the year. plateau. INDIAN OCEAN TASMAN seh [iapratsa| Figure 6.33 Climatic regions of Australia |VEGETATION OF AUSTRALIA “The major types of vegetation and wildlife in Australia is as follows: Pecan) eee) eee) The main species are monkey, | It is found in north and sloth, snake, ape, elephant, | north eastern parts. crocodile and a large variety of birds. Many unique animals ‘are found in Australia like Duck billed platypus, Emu (a flightless bird) and brown kingfisher oF kookabura. Several types of Parrots and eagles are also found here. eee Evergreen forests are found in wet areas and deciduous trees ore found in relatively dry areas. The main trees grown here are palm, birch, cedar and Bamboo.8.68 ¢ Indian and World Beagraphy Vegetation 1) Peer eae) The broad leaved deciduous trees | Koala is found in this region. It] It Is found along the forests are found here. The eucalyptus | sleeps on Eucalyptus tree and| south and south trees are found in dry areas and | eats its leaves. eastern coastal. areas beech and pine trees in wet areas. of mainiand and in the island of Tasmania, Tropical It is characterised by toll and| The natural wildlife include | itis foundinthe northern grasstands/ | coarse grasses with scattered | possums, wallabies, bandicoots, | part of Australia where Savanna trees like Eucalyptus trees. dingo and kangaroos. The| there is relatively less Australian savannah is . also | rainfall home to the flying fox, the estuarine crocodile and many species of birds, reptiles and invertebrates Temperate | It is characterised by short and| These grasslands are home to| These are also called grasstands —_| less coarse grasses. It is used for | Kangaroos Downs and are foundin rearing of sheep and cattle. Murray-Darling basin, Desert or Here xerophytic vegetation is found | The natural wildlife includes | It is found in the dry semi- desert | lke grass, cacti, acacia, shrub and | Rodents, insect-eating bats, car- | western parts. vegetation | thorny bushes. nivorous marsupials, kangaroos Saltbush and Mulger plants are | and wallabies. found in the semi desert creas while cactus is found in dry areas. TNDIAN OCEAN SOUTHERN OCEAN (Antarctic Ocean) 5 Australia ZL, Wowie Forests sy 5 Temperate Forests Temperate Grasiands wy oe [Map Not to Scale, Figure 6.34Morld Geography ¢ 6.57 ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY Agriculture ‘Australia is a major agricultural producer and exporter. Agriculture contributes roughly 3 per cent of the GDP and employs about 4 per cent of the total workforce directly. The considerable expanses of arable land and well developed irrigation system have helped ‘Australia to become a leading world exporter of grains. The major crops are as follows: Cereal crops Wheat ‘The main wheat producing states are New South ‘Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Rice Rice is mainly grown in Murray-Darling basin. Maize and alfatfa Mostly grown in fodder crops in semiarid areas. Cosh crops ‘Sugarcane, cotton, tobacco and fruits. Fruits grown in tropical region are banana, pineapple and papaya while those in temperate regions are apples, oranges and grapes. Sheep rearing Sheep ore reared both for wool and meat. They are reared where the average rainfall is about 40 cm. The main areas ore temperate grasslands in Murray Darling, basin and the coastal areas in Western Australia, New South Wales is the main sheep rearing state. 30% of the world’s wool is produced in Austratia and 75% is exported, Sydney and Melbourne ate the main wool trading centres. Australia auasea ‘animal Husbandry meaning nd tang ews graince ‘Australia rears both Beef and Dairy cattle. Beef cattle is raised in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Queensland is the main cattle rearing state. Dairy cattle are raised in wet plains of Southern Queensland, Northern territory, New South Wales and Victoria. Wet plains provide rich and nutritious grasses for cattle feed. Australia Is one of the leading exporter of meat and dairy products.6.68 ¢ Indian and World Geography Minerals Australia has a large variety of mineral reserves. Gold Australia is the fourth largest producer of gold in world. Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie and Yampi in Western Australia and in Queenstand-Mount Morgan have gold reserves. Coat Major coal reserves are in New south wales and in Queensland. Australian has the largest coal reserves in Southern Hemisphere. Bauxite Australia is the leading producer of bauxite in the world. Bauxite is mined around Gulf of Carpentaria, Perth and Tasmania. Most of bauxite is exported to Japan. Iron Vast reserves of Iron ore are found in Souther Australia and Western Australia, Uranium ‘Uranium is mined near Townsville in North eastern Austratia. itis one the leading producer of Uranium. oil Australia has rich oil reserves in New south wales, Queensland, Bass strait, offshore westem Australia and Timor sea. Other minerals _| Manganese, lead, zinc, silver, copper, nickel and tin. Australia Minerals NORTHERN hy TERRITORY mg Fs ae oF queens MY Rc ar oe . soum Industries Tae Figure 6.35 The abundant supply of agricultural raw materials and mineral resources led to growth of industries in Australia. The main industries are:World Geography 6.69 ‘Agro based Cotton and woollen textiles, food processing, meat packing, dairy, sugor, paper, beer and industries Wine industry, These are mostly located in raw material producing regions. Tether industries | ron and steel, automobiles, ships, electrical goods, computer equipment, electronic and consumer goods, petrochemicals, textiles, fertilisers, et. Main industrial Sydney ~ Textile ‘centres Brisbane ~ Textile, port ‘Adelaide — Ship building, petro refinery Melbourne ~ manufacturing Darwin — Bauxite mining Perth — Plantation agriculture, gold mining |HUMAN GEOGRAPHY “Australia is thinly populated, with most of the population living on east coast. The interior part of stralia is largely uninhabited and 80% of the population lives in towns and cities. ‘The population of Australia includes native people - The Aborigines and the Migrants who came from across the seas and settled in Australia. Transport Roadways ‘Australia has a well-developed roadways with good roads connecting all state capitals. The main trunk roads of Austratia are called Commonweaith Highways. Railways Railways lnk the port towns to the interior. Transcontinental railway connects Sydney on the east coast to Perth on the west coast. Waterways ‘Coastal shipping is well developed. The main ports include Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne ond Brisbane. ‘Airways Regular air services are available In all major cities with international fights available from all important cities. ‘New Zealand consists of two main islands - North Island and South Island and some small islands. two big islands are separated by Cook Strait. The capital, Wellington, is located in the North Island. Physical Features few Zealand is a mountainous country with the main mountain range running from north east to ith west. Tn North Island, the main mountain range runs from Wellington to East Cape. The central part volcanic peaks, hot springs, geysers and mud pools. It also experience Earthquakes. In South Island, the mountain ranges are known as the Southern Alps. The highest peak in ithern Alps is Mt. Cook. To the east of Southern Alps lie Canterbury plains. New Zealand has many short and swift rivers, which are used to generate hydroelectricity. It has many glacial lakes.