Transcript regional geography - Leaving Certificate Geography

• A Region is an area on the earth’s surface which is
different to all areas around it.
• It has different characteristics e.g. physical (climate soils,
rocks, drainage), cultural, administrative, economic,
human.
An area with similar climatic
conditions (Temperatures,
Rainfall etc)
• Cool Temperate Oceanic
Climate
• Mediterranean Climate
An area with similar landscape
features, rocks or formation
• The Burren, Co. Clare
• Alps, Central Europe
World Climatic Regions
COOL TEMPERATE OCEANIC
(Climatic Region)
• Where: Western Europe - From Northern Norway to North West Spain
(including Ireland)
• Temperatures: Summer average 15 (can go to 23) Degrees, lower
averages along coasts, higher inland (South Westerlies=Trade winds /
North Atlantic Drift=warm current). Winter average 6 Degrees influences of S. Westerlies / North Atlantic Drift current.
• Precipitation: all year round - Cyclonic and Relief Rainfall but with
Winter Maximum 8000mm (Rain Shadow Dublin)- 2,800mm (West)
• Effects: Positive (irrigation) and negative (leaching) effects of
precipitation on soils
PHYSICAL REGIONS
CASE STUDY - THE BURREN
 KARST LANDSCAPE: Exposed limestone on the surface
• Large expanses of Limestone Pavements (Clints & Grikes)
containing Swallow Holes,terraces, Dolines and few surface streams
• Underground Passages and Caverns
• Unique Flora and Fauna (Spring Gentian and Common Lizard)
ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS
CASE STUDIES IRELAND & FRANCE
• IRELAND - SINGLE TIER SYSTEM
Central Government
County Councils/City Councils/ Boroughs
Administrative Regions
•Dates back to Norman times 12th Century
•By mid 13th Century we had 8 counties
•1606 - 1994 26 counties
•1994 Dublin subdivided into 3 new counties Dublin,Fingal, Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown
•Many county boundaries are distinguished by
natural physical boundaries eg River Slaney/
Wicklow Mountains
Wexford
• Local Authorities….such as County
Councils or Corportations
• EU Administrative Regions……larger
areas like The West of Ireland
FRANCE - ADMINISTRATIVE
SYSTEM
Multiple Tier System
Central Government
22 Regional
Governments
92 Departments
Cultural Regions
These are regions with unique landguage or
religion characteristics.
Today we will look for key points on two Language
Regions :
1. Gaeltacht (Ireland)
2. Belgium
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Language Regions - Belgium (Independence 1830)
Flanders (North) - Wallonia (South) - German Enclave
Flanders
Flemish speaking, culturally
linked to Netherlands
• Wallonia
Historically poor - Prospered • Mainly French speaking
since 1960’s attracting growth • During 1800’s became
industries to places such as
prosperous based on coal
Antwerp
& steel in Sambre-Meuse
Brussels is the capital of
Valley
Belgium and located here but • Collapse of these
is Bilingual
industries in 1950’s led to
massive decline (Maladjusted Region)
• German Enclave
• Territory received from
Tensions Caused by Cultural
Differences in Belgium
• Flanders has received much industrial investment but
still feels under threat from the more dominant French
language in the south
• Possible break up of Belgium has been averted many
times
• This led to fundamental governmental reforms and the
creation of a Federal Government which recognises all
three regions - each has a certain amount of Autonomy
• Flemish display a defensive attitude over the spread of
French and have created a new Pro Flemish political
party - Vlaams Belang
REGIONS IN IRELAND
cCCC
CORE - PERIPHERY MODEL
• A model that helps explain differences in
economic development
• Economic development does not affect all
areas in the same way.
• Some regions develop strongly because of a
number or factors eg. Raw materials/strategic
location for trade
• Other areas may not develop to the same
extent because of poor resources/unfavourable
environments/poor access to trade routes
CHARACTERISTICS OF A REGION
• All regions have different chacteristics but some characteristics are the same.
 AREA: Regions occupy an area of the earths surface that is different from all
other areas around it.
 BOUNDARIES: Regions are separated by boundaries from surrounding regions.
Some boundaries are clear e.g. mountain ranges, rivers. Some boundaries are not
clear e.g. local government boundaries e.g. Mayo co. council v Castlebar Town
Council.
 IMAGE: By naming a region people can conjure up an idea of a place e.g.
France – Eiffel Tower, Garlic , USA – McDonalds, Disneyland, Gaeltacht – Aran
sweaters, Thatched cottages.
 CHANGE: Regions change over time e.g. Dublin –Why? – Transport, Industry.
Urban Sprawl, Satellite Towns, Suburbs, Commuter Belts.
REGIONAL DEFINITIONS
• CORE REGIONS - A core region is the
wealthiest part of an area of land. It is the
centre of economic,political and administrative
life in a region e.g. Dublin, Paris Basin,
Manchester-Milan-Berlin axis = core of EU.
• Usually the capital of a country is in the core
region.
PERIPHERAL REGIONS
• A peripheral region is a region which is
distant from the core and lacks economic,
political and administrative investment e.g.
BMW, Mezzogiorno, Greece, Scottish
Highlands
• Usually the poorest part of the country.
• Usually will have negative aspects to its
physical geography eg drought, boggy soils
MALADJUSTED REGIONS
REGIONS OF INDUSTRIAL DECLINE:
These are regions which were once dependent
on an industry or natural resource which is now
in decline or has declined e.g. Sambre - Meuse
(coal), Greater Cork Area
Core - Periphery Model
Ireland
• CORE – The Greater
Dublin Area
• Periphery – The West
of Ireland
Study under these
headings
Study under these
headings
• Physical Processes
• Economic Processes
• Human Processes
• Physical Processes
• Economic Processes
• Human Processes
Regional Contrasts in Ireland
GDA v The West
Each Region to be studied under these headings
Physical Processes
Relief
Climate
Soils/Drainage
Economic Processes
Primary Sector
Secondary Sector
Tertiary Sector
Human Processes
Rural-Urban Divide
Population Structure
Migration
Sketch Region
2 Main Urban Areas
2 Drainage Features
2 Relief Features
Human Processes – Topics to
Include in an Answer
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Migration – Causes and Consequences
Birth Rates/Death Rates
Rural Depopulation
Urbanisation – Positives/Negatives
Openess to Change
Education Opportunities
Employment Opportunities
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BMW
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Human
Processes
Population Decline since Famine Times – Migration
Aprx. 50% of total area but 27% of population
Few large urban areas – Galway biggest @ 50,000 (Dominant
Urban Area)
Lack of Education Facilities – One of the seven Universities –
Most young students leave for education and do not come back
Low rates of natural increase due to low birth rates due to so
few young people left – Ageing Population
Gaeltacht areas find it very difficult to attract FDI (Foreign
Direct Investment)
Some In migration during 1996-2006 due to Celtic Tiger
Economy
Population decrease = Decpletion of Infrastructure
Tradition = Extensive Agriculture = Poor Development
CORE REGION - PARIS BASIN
Each Region to be studied under these headings
Physical Processes
Relief
Climate
Soils/Drainage
Economic Processes
Primary Sector
Secondary Sector
Tertiary Sector
Human Processes
Rural-Urban Divide
Population Structure
Migration
Sketch Region
2 Main Urban Areas
2 Drainage Features
2 Relief Features
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PARIS BASIN – Human Processes
Population of the City of Paris (Ile de France) doubled between
1921-2004 to aprx. 12 Million but the Greater Urban area has a
population of 22 Million- 1/3 of French population (Huge suburbs
and New Towns – Evry/Marne-lá-Valée)
Ile de France – High density/Birth Rate 15 per 1,000 – Death Rate
7 per 1,000- Natural Increase of 0.8% means an increase in
population before migration is taken into account
Contrast with France in general- Birth Rate 12 per 1,000 and death
rate of 9 per 1,000
Outskirts of the Paris Basin are experiencing net Emmigration
while Ile de France is experiencing net Immigration
40% of all foreign migrants in France live in Paris Region
13% of the region's population are migrants – mostly from North
and West Africa (Former Colonies) and Portugal
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PARIS BASIN – Human Processes cntd.
Lack of jobs and stricter migration control has slowed migration
into the region in past ten years
Many French people have left parts of the Ile de France and some
of these areas have been replaced by migrant ghettos
Unemployment has led to ethnic instability and Paris riots in
early 2000's
Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism – Dress codes in schools
Overcrowding/High Cost of living/Inner city decline/deindustrialisation = Major Human problems
Urban Renewal projects have tried to improve parts of the city –
Development of 8 Nodes (centres) in the greater Paris region
(modern housing/employment opportunities/improved services)
Example of one is Lá Defense
Also New Towns built outside the Ile de France with populations
of over 100,000/good range of services and employment eg.
REGIONS OF INDUSTRIAL
DECLINE
• Ireland - Greater Cork Area
• Belgium - Sambre-Meuse Valley
• United Kingdom - South Wales
Case Study 1.
Sambre - Meuse Valley
• Core Region of Belgium has changed from Wallonia - Flanders
• 1750 - 1950’s major coal and steel/associated industries base
around major coalfields of the area - Kampen/Liege/SambreMeuse
• Engineering/chemicals/iron and steel
• Decline due to new cheaper imports/decline in coal and
steel/new cheaper sources of energy (oil/gas)/ new technologies
= DEINDUSTRIALISATION
• Flow of people to North/Loss of industry to North led to Flanders
becoming the new core of Belgium
• Wallonia became an Objective 2 Region - Attempts by government
and EU to REINDUSTRIALISE the region eg. Charleroi
Airport/Caterpillar
• Since 1960 Flanders has experienced significant economic growth
- Antwerp/Zelzate
Sambre-Meuse Valley - A Response to
Industrial Decline?
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EU designated the area Objective 2 (Convergence
Region) – Structural Funds from The Common Regional
Policy
Investment in transport network -motorways to
Randstad/Rhur/Paris
Development of new Industrial Estates near citiies such
as Charleroi/La Louviere
Upgrading of airports to International standard eg.
Charleroi (Ryanair Hub)
Cleaning up of derelict landscape to make it more
attractive for investment
Case Study 2
Greater Cork Area
• 1973 - Ireland joined EEC - Began process of INDUSTRIALISATION
• Verholme Shipyard/Oil Refinery/Ford/Dunlop/Irish
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Steel/Sunbeam Textiles added to traditional industries eg
processing - Cork became a Growth Centre for the National
Economy
1980’s Recession - Industrial decline hit the Cork area. Long
established industries closed down. MNC’s eg. Ford & Dunlop
closed the branch plants in Cork - DEINDUSTRIALISATION Massive unemployment
1990’S - REINDUSTRIALISATION - due to booming world economy
Lots of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) led by IDA
PFIZER/JOHNSON&JOHNSON/WYETH/APPLE/BOSTON
SCIENTIFIC
Unlike Wallonia Cork has recovered
Urban Regions - Case Study Dublin
• 60% of Irish people live in cities and towns - Dublin has by far the largest proportion Primate City
• Ireland - One of least urbanised in Europe (European Average - 80%)
• Dublin’s development traced back to Vikings - Site-Woodquay, Christchurch/ Lowest
bridging point -Further developed by Normans and Plantations
• Situation - Deep sheltered bay on East Coast development of infrastructure focused
here/Liffey Valley providing access to central lowlands/
• Agricultural Hinterland - Market City
• Large population - led to development of Industries and Services eg Guinness/Intel IFSC/Transport system centralised in Dublin
• Urban Sprawl - Eastwards and Northwards and along coast but restricted by Irish Sea
and Dublin/Wicklow mountains
PERIPHERAL REGION
MEZZOGIORNO
Each Region to be studied under these headings
Physical Processes
Relief
Climate
Soils/Drainage
Economic Processes
Primary Sector
Secondary Sector
Tertiary Sector
Human Processes
Rural-Urban Divide
Population Structure
Migration
Sketch Region
2 Main Urban Areas
2 Drainage Features
2 Relief Features
Mezzogiorno/Gulf of
Metapontino/Tarranto
2 Drainage Features Agri/Sinni Rivers flowing
into Gulf of Metapontino
MEZZOGIORNO- Land of Midday Sun
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40% of Italy's territory
36% of population
25% of GDP
50% of
agricultural employment
THE MEZZOGIORNO
Primary Activities
• Pre 1950's – most
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employed in
Farming/Fishing
Very Low incomes – 50% of
average
Latifundia – Extensive
Farming-Hiltops
Only1/4 owned own land
70% of holdings smaller
than 3 Hectares of poor
land
Minifundia –
overgrazing/overcultivatio
n= soil erosion
• Post 1950 land
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reform/Casa per il
Mezzogiorno
Land redistribution larger
holdings 5-50 hectares
Retraining = more
Intensive farming-new
machinery/new cropscitrus and
olives/vines(cash crops)
for large EU market- 2
seasons
Irrigation eg Gulf of
Metapontino(was malaria
swamp)-5 rivers (coastal
lowlans now the most
successful area)
THE MEZZOGIORNO
Primary Activities
• Pre 1950's – most
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employed in
Farming/Fishing
Very Low incomes – 50% of
average
Latifundia – Extensive
Farming-Hiltops
Only1/4 owned own land
70% of holdings smaller
than 3 Hectares of poor
land
Minifundia –
overgrazing/overcultivatio
n= soil erosion
• Post 1950 land
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reform/Casa per il
Mezzogiorno
Land redistribution larger
holdings 5-50 hectares
Retraining = more
Intensive farming-new
machinery/new cropscitrus and
olives/vines(cash crops)
for large EU market- 2
seasons
Irrigation eg Gulf of
Metapontino(was malaria
swamp)-5 rivers (coastal
lowlans now the most
successful area)
Mezzogiorno-Secondary
Sector
• Between 1960-2000 workforce
• By 1950's only 17% of Italian
workforce in Mezzogiorno
• Government help-Casa per
ilMezzogiorno/Grants/TaxRel
ief
• Infrastructure developedAutostrada/Ports/Airports
• State companies 80% of new
investment
• Development of Industrial
Zones-Brindisi/Palermo/Bari/
Naples
almost tripled to
1.4ml/reduction on Primary
sector dependance
• 75% 0f new jobs in Steel
/Chemicals/Engineering –
located on coast
• Inland areas remain
depressed
• Most successful area=
Bari/Brindisi/Taranto
Deep water port@ Taranto=Oil
Refining/SteelMill
• Car Assembly@ LatinaFronsione 16,000 workers
• Oil Refining/Potash@Siracusa
Mezzogiorno Tertiary Sector
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Traditionally very poorly developed – Fascist regime of Mussolini
and Mafia influence didn't help
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Under Casa major investment in transport system – Autostrada del
Sol running from Swiss Border to toe of Calabria. Also other large
motorway connecting West to East of Mezzogiorno. Both help to
connect it to the Core
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Port developments in South West have improved accessibility –
Taranto/Bari/Brindisi
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Long hot dry summers thanks to anticyclone settling over the South
has helped develop tourist numbers
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Also the historical Roman sites, expansive underdeveloped beaches
and coastal scenery have helped develop the tourist sector
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Cheaper than other Italian holiday areas eg. The Northern Lakes and
Amalfi coast
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Mezzogiorno – Tertiary Sector cntd.
Over 12 Million tourists now visit the Mezzogiorno annually
9 Million come from other parts of Italy – Need to further
develop foreign tourists to help bring in further revenue
Geomorphological sites are very popular eg. Mt Vesuvius near
Naples and Mt. Etna in Sicily
Herculaneum and Pompeii and the Isle of Capri are hugely
popular with tourists and bring valuable revenue to this area
The area is not overly commercialised unlike high profile tourist
areas of Spain, Portugal and France so still has a natural feel to it
The tourist season in the Mezzogiorno should be able to
overcome seasonality which is a problem in other areas. This is
due to warm weather for large parts of the year particularly in the
East which also receives less rainfall due to the rain shadow of
the Apennines
Subcontinental Region - India
Each Region to be studied under these headings
Physical Processes
Relief
Climate
Soils/Drainage
Economic Processes
Primary Sector
Secondary Sector
Tertiary Sector
Human Processes
Rural-Urban Divide
Population Structure
Migration
Sketch Region
2 Main Urban Areas
2 Drainage Features
2 Relief Features
India – A Sub Continental Region
India A Subcontinental Region - Physical
INDIA - BASIC STATISTICS
Geographical Location: Between latitudes 804’ and 3706’ North and longitudes 6807’ and
97025’ East.
Land Area: 3.29 Million Square Kilometers.
Climate: Mainly tropical with temperatures ranging from 100C – 400C in most parts of the
country.
Capital: New Delhi.
Population: 1.147 Billion (estimated as at March 2008).
Population growth rate: 1.606% per annum.
Population density: 348 persons / square kilometer. (Population / land area in sqkm)
Life expectancy at birth: 66.28 years, male; 71.17 years, female.
Literacy rate: 65.47% (as per 2001 Census).
Languages spoken: Eighteen principal languages; majority speak Hindi; business language:
English.
Major religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism.
International Airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Dabolim, Guwahati,
Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Shrinagar and Thiruvananthapuram.
Major Seaports: Chennai, Ennore, Haldia, Kandla, Kochi, Kolkata, Marmagao, Mumbai, New
Mangalore, Paradip, Tuticorin and Vishakhapatnam.
India Physical Processes
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3 Main Regions – Northern Mountains/Indus-Ganges
Plain/ Southern Plateau
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
Extremely high and separate India from neighbours
Extend from Hindu Kush in North West to Himalayas in
North East containing Mt Everest and next 23 highest
peaks in world
Formed by tectonic collision of Eurasian Plate
(Continental) and Indian Plate (Oceanic)
Collision caused uplifting at the convergent boundary
and formed fold mts approx. 35 Million years ago (Alpine
Fold System)
India Physical Processes cntd.
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Indus-Ganges Plain
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Covered in thousands of metres of rich Alluvial soils
washed down by Indus Ganges and Brahmaputra which
are swollen by summer meltwater from these rivers
causing flooding of their floodplains
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A huge depression formed south of the fold mts.. Follows
the Indus river valley from Pakistan through Ganges
valley and ends in Bangladesh as a double Delta –
Ganges/Brahmaputra
Flooding is positive from soil formation point of view but
negative as valuable land can be destroyed
India Physical Processes cntd.
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Southern Plateaux:
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2 mountain ranges – Western Ghats/Eastern Ghats,
border narrow coastal ranges
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Both mountain ranges have an effect on onshore
winds and the amount of rainfall falling on the
peninsula area of India
The south is made up of a number of plateaux
Largest is Deccan Plateau which tilts from West to
East
INDIA - Climate
India Physical Processes cntd.
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CLIMATE
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2 Seasons: Dry Monsoon/Wet Monsoon
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Tropical Continental Monsoon – most of India is in the Tropics
Frost only happens in mountains of North and North West
Temperatures are generally high all year round but summer
maximum inland can reach 40c+
DRY MONSOON
October-February cool winds blow outwards from area of high
pressure in centre of Asia. Dry winds bringing freezing
temperatures and snow to North
March-June these winds become warmer and can bring
temperatures up to 49c to Ganges Valley
India Physical Processes cntd.
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WET MONSOON
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First wind is a South-West monsoon from Arabian Sea. Air rises
to come in over Western Ghats and falls as intense relief rain
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Mid June-September warm ocean winds are sucked in to a low
pressure area – 2 winds
Second wind blows from Bay of Bengal and goes northwards
along Brahmaputra and Ganges river valleys – Can give up to
10,000mm over a six week period
The further west along the Ganges valley they go the lighter
the rains become. By the time they get to extreme North West
they have become dry and lead to Desert conditions
Monsoons bring essential water supplies to India and if they
are late or do not arrive at all can bring widespread famine to
the country as crops fail
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES - Agriculture
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India has the same amount of cultivated land as in the whole of
the EU
Cereal production is the main type of farming
Holdings are small aprx. 0.5 Hectares – some have no land at all
2/3 of India's population depend directly on the land
¼ of agricultural land owned by less than 5%
Intensive subsistence
Rice is main crop – also wheat and millet in drier Northern areas
Very labour intensive – most done by hand
Double-Cropping is widespread. Rice grown in wet season and
other cereals grown in dry season
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES Agriculture cntd.
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The population is ever increasing which means output also
needs to increase – huge demand
Genetically Modified varieties of rice/wheat giving high yields
and resistant to disease/pests have been introduced - This is
the 'Green Revolution' and has led India to become a net
exporter of some foods
Largest livestock numbers in the world but of poor quality.
Slaughter of cows is outlawed in many states of India due to
religious beliefs (Hindu)
Most beef comes from malnourished cattle who have died of
old age and is not very nutritious
Agriculture totally dependent on the arrival of the 2 Monsoon
periods
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES - Mining
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Large reserves of Iron Ore and Copper
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Coal produced in West Bengal and Bihar
Also Bauxite which makes Aluminium, Zinc/Gold/Silver
Oil reserves in the Arabian Sea and brought to shore in
Mumbai
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES
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Independence achieved in 1947 and only 2% of labour force was
employed in Industry at that time
Most industry concentrated on main cities (colonial legacy) –
Kolkata/Mumbai/Chennai due to large cheap labour force/large
home market and natural resources(coal & iron)
New Indian govt focused on:
1. Agri-Industry – Food Processing/Fertilisers
2. Craft Industries – employing large amounts of people with
traditional skills
3. Rural Community based projects to reduce migration from rural
areas to cities
4. High tech industries – Computers/Engineering – located mostly in
Kolkata/Mumbai/Chennai/Bangalore
INDIA Secondary Sector
New growth sectors include call centres in cities
such as Mumbai and Bangalore
SECONDARY ACTIVITIES cntd.
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New Capital City set up after independence – New Delhi- a new
urban centre to attract economic development
Major growth areas were also developed in the established cities
– shift focus from Industries developed during British occupation
MUMBAI: Electronics/Pharmaceuticals (to add to traditional
industries such as food processing and textiles)
CHENNAI: Computer Software (to add to textiles and light
engineering)
KOLKATA: Cotton /Clothing/Jute/Heavy engineering had
always been here(British) but it became enhanced with the
development of the Indian owned TATA IRON AND STEEL
COMPANY
INDIA – Tertiary Activities
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Very poorly developed and typical of a poor population with
little money to spend on services
2 Types of Services:
1. Regular Services for Wealthy members of society (5% of
population)
2. The Informal Sector (Black Market?) Unlicensed
vendors/street traders/organised begging
rackets/prostitution/drug dealing
Transport
Very poor road infrastructure – most of rural India does not
have access to tarred roads suitable for cars and other vehicles
Many rural communities depend on dirt-tracks and cattledrawn carts
INDIA – Tertiary Sector cntd.
Tourism:
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India has such a vast and diverse landscape that it could offer much for
potential tourists:
Mountain Climbing/Trekking – Himalayas/Ghats
Religious temples – Hindu/Buddhist/Sikh/Muslim
Rivers – Transport/Adventure/Spirituality- Ganges/Brahmaputra/Indus
Wide variety of wildlife
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The problem is that the poor development of the country's infrastructure
and safety issues in cities along with racial/religious tensions in areas such
as Kashmir restrict the potential of tourism
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Poverty and disease can be off putting for potential tourists
INDIA – Human Processes
Population: 1.2 billion (1/4
of everyone on planet)
Only a quarter of them have
access to clean water
Half are illiterate
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INDIA – Human Processes
Population cntd.
Natural Increase – 1.6% per year -ie its population increases by aprx. 16
Million per year! This will continue as a trend as India's population is very
young
Estimates suggest the Indian population could reach 2 Billion by 2040
Death Rates are quite high despite improvements in healthcare
Large rural families due to social reasons (looking after
parents)/religious/cultural beliefs
Food supply is becoming a major challenge
Insufficient jobs for this population growth = further poverty
Rural-Urban migration is almost out of control
India has only recently entered the third stage of the 'POPULATION CYCLE'
Population distribution is uneven. High population densities in the Ganges
river valley/coastal lowlands but low population densities in the interior
regions – areas such as Thar Desert/Mountainous regions
INDIA – Human Processes - Culture
INDIA - Culture
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India's culture has been influenced by:
Migration of Indo-Europeans
Spread of Islam
British Colonialism
India has over 1,600 languages and dialects (Disunity)
Schools teach 58 different languages
National newspapers printed in 87 different languages
These languages/dialects can be arranged into 2Main Groups:
1. Indo-European
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2. Dravidian
Hindi is the official state language – resented by other language groups
INDIA – Human Processes
Religion
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HINDUISM:
Multi-layered CASTE system – Highest ranked such as priests
(Brahmins) at the top. The bottom are the unclean (Untouchables)
It is frowned upon to socialise or marry outside your own caste –
happening somewhat now in large urban centres
Hindus regard cow as sacred
The dominant religion
ISLAM:
Introduced by traders
200 Million muslims in India
Most common in Indus/Ganges river basins
Not common in peninsular India
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INDIA – Human Processes
Religion cntd.
Sikhism:
Founded in 15th century
No caste system
Powerful cultural group
Focal area is the Punjab region
Buddhism:
A minority religion in India
Christianity:
A minority religion in India
Conflict In Kashmir
 1947 – Creation of the two countries
 Secular, mostly Hindu India
 Muslim nation of Pakistan
 Conflict between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir dates back to British
rule before partition.
 India and Pakistan are technically still waiting for a UN decision on
where the final border between the two countries will be.
 Civil war has erupted repeatedly and sporadic fighting continues along
the boundary line. Both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons.