PENNSVALLEY
126
COPYRIGHT
South Asia
Lesson 65:
Natural Resources and Economy of South Asia
Thenatural resourcesandeconomyof SouthAsiaareverydependent on thephysical featuresand
climate of the region.The dominant land features of SouthAsia aremade up of highmountains along
itsnorthernborder, river plains inPakistan, India, andBangladesh, anda largeplateau incentral India.
Two thirds (67 percent) of the people living in villages eke out an existence through subsistence
agriculture. The rich, fertile plains of the Ganges and Indus Rivers contain huge numbers of people
involved in farming. Millions of people rely upon the summer monsoons to blow rain clouds over the
land.
In drier regions, such as the Thar Desert, nomadic herding occurs. In higher mountain countries,
such as Bhutan, farmers raise crops and raise herds of yaks. Yaks provide clothing, food, and
transportation. Other farming is achieved by a means known as terracing. Terracing is a process for
leveling hillsides into steps of land.Thismethod of farming, which better holds themoisture, is used in
Bhutan, Nepal, and northern India.
Primary Industries –Agricultural
Rice is themajor food crop of the region.Wheat is grown in drier regions.Tea is amajor export of
the region.The small island of Sri Lanka is theworld’s largest exporter of tea. Jute is called the golden
fiber plant.Many rope products aremade from jute.Bangladesh exports 80 percent of theworld’s jute.
Cotton is anothermajor crop grown in India andPakistan. Fishing is very important for peoplewho live
in coastal villages. Indiahas the largest livestockpopulation in theworld.Becauseof the livestock, India
is theworld’s second largest producer of milk.Timber products are harvested inNepal andBhutan.
ACTIVITY 1:
Use the information contained in the reading above of SouthAsia to answer the following questions.
1.What is themajor food crop grown inSouthAsia?
2.Name the plant that provides rope products?
3.What country produces the largest amount of this plant?
4.What country is theworld’s largest producer of tea?
5.What country is theworld’s second largest producer ofmilk?
6.Throughwhat activity domost people earn their living?
7.Name the farmingmethod used to cultivate steep hills.
8.Nomadic herding occurs inwhat region?
9.Uponwhat climatic feature domost people depend?
