Indian subcontinent
This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. For geopolitical treatments, see South Asia. |
Satellite image of the Indian subcontinent |
|
Map of South Asia (see note) |
The
Indian subcontinent is a
peninsular
landmass of the
Asian
continent occupying the
Indian Plate and extending into the
Indian Ocean, bordered on the north by the
Eurasian Plate. The
region is known as a
subcontinent because its
geography and
geology are distinct from the rest of the continent.
The Indian subcontinent includes:
*
India*
Pakistan*
Bangladesh*
Bhutan*
Maldives*
Nepal*
Sri LankaGeographically, the Indian subcontinent can be divided into the following regions:
* the
Himalayas/
Himalayan states* the
Peninsular India/
Deccan Plateau* the
Indian Ocean statesThe term
Indian subcontinent includes only those regions which
geophysically lie on the Indian Plate. Geopolitically, however, regions with
cardinal directions â€"
South Asia or Southern Asia â€" aptly include territories found external to the Indian Plate and in proximity to it.
Myanmar (formerly
Burma), for instance, is sometimes grouped in the region due to the fact that it was a part of British India for nearly a century and has historical and cultural ties to India. The subcontinent is surrounded by three water bodies-Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.
Historically, the Indian subcontinent was known as
Hindustan (
Persian:
The land of the Hindus) in medieval times. The region came to be known as
British India or simply India, during the
British Raj which lasted for more than two centuries. The term "South Asia" came into existence after the
Partition of India in
1947.
Until the end of the 19th century, the Indian subcontinent along with
Southeastern Asia was collectively known as the
East Indies by
European
colonists and traders. The Indian subcontinent was referred to as
Hither India (India Citerior) while Southeastern Asia was known as
Further India (India Ulterior). These terms, however, are no longer in common usage with the exception of East Indies, which is mostly confined to
historians and
geographers (compare with West Indies).
Geographically, the Indian subcontinent is a
peninsular region south of the
Himalayas and east of the
Hindu Kush mountain range and
Balochistan region, extending southward into the Indian Ocean between the
Arabian Sea (to the southwest) and the
Bay of Bengal (to the southeast). It covers about 4,480,000 km² (1,729,738 mi²) or 10 percent of the Asian continent; however, it accounts for about 40 percent of Asia's population.
 |
The Indian and Eurasian landplates run through Pakistan and Kashmir and often cause earthquakes in the region such as the October 2005 Kashmir Quake. |
Geologically, most of this region is a
subcontinent: it rests on a
tectonic plate of its own, the
Indian Plate (the northerly portion of the
Indo-Australian Plate) separate from the rest of
Eurasia, and was once a small continent before colliding with the
Eurasian Plate and giving birth to the Himalayan range and the
Tibetan plateau. Forming
Carita on its northeastern frontier, even now the Indian Plate continues to move northward with the result that the Himalayas are growing taller by a few centimetres each decade. On its western frontier, the Indian Plate forms a
conservative boundary with the Eurasian Plate. In addition, it is also home to an astounding variety of geographical features, such as
glaciers,
rainforests,
valleys,
deserts, and
grasslands that are typical of much larger continents, in an area about half the size of the
United States.
The climate of South Asia is called the
Monsoon climate. It is quite opposite of the
Mediterranean climate. For the monsoon climate, the weather in this region remains humid during summer and dry during winter. Instead of four seasons, it basically has two main seasons, the wet and dry. The monsoon climate favours the cultivation of
jute,
tea,
rice, and various vegetables in this region.
*
Plate tectonics*
Continental drift*
History of South Asia*
Indology*
South Asia*
Etymology of India*
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