
What geographic features affect settlement patterns in South Asia?
Major geographical features that affect settlement patterns in South Asia include the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Himalaya Mountain Range, the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra rivers, and large bodies of oceans such as the Indian Ocean, which is home to the Maldives Islands, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea.
How has the modernization of Southwest Asia changed ethnic groupings?
The modernization of Southwest Asia—through the renaissance of Turkey and the impact of petroleum exploitation on the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and Iran—has altered many of the old patterns of ethnic groupings in those areas.
What is an example of settlement pattern?
Settlement patterns are patterns that take shape to conform to the geographical environment. Examples of settlement patterns include nucleated (structures are close to one another), dispersed (structures that are spread apart), and linear (structures are parallel to the geographical feature; they are in lines).
How has the geography of East Asia changed over time?
Although marginal lands in many parts of South and East Asia have been brought under cultivation, and many former pastoral ranges in Southwest and Central Asia are now irrigated, the broad ecological factors touched upon above have continued to give rise to geographic variations in population and economic activity.

What influenced settlement patterns?
Spatial variation in climate, physiography, and natural resources has influenced human settlement patterns throughout history. Civilizations have flourished in fertile valleys, along river and lake shores, in coastal areas, and near other highly productive ecosystems.
What are the settlement patterns of South Asia?
The majority of settlements, however, are rural. Rural villages and dispersed agricultural settlements are mostly located near major water sources. Parts of the country, due to geographic barriers and/or inhospitable geographies, such as some of the mountain and desert regions, discourage settlement.
What physical geographic factors influence settlement patterns in East Asia?
In the summer, warm moist air blows in from the south, bringing high temperatures and often torrential rains and typhoons. These weather systems have strongly influenced settlement patterns, and the formidable hurricane-like storms have had enormous historical consequences.
How was Asia settled?
Southeast Asia was first colonized by modern humans unrelated to present-day Chinese and Indonesians, and that these and other East Asians arrived in later migrations. This "southern route" hypothesis has previously been supported by archaeological evidence, but has never had strong genetic support.
Why is Asia so densely populated?
The agriculturally productive river plains of South Asia, China, and Southeast Asia have supported dense rural populations and large cities since the beginnings of civilization. Irrigated agriculture has provided the surplus to sustain urban elites.
How does climate impact settlement patterns?
The most widespread direct risk to human settlements from climate change is flooding and landslides. Projected increases in rainfall intensity and, in coastal areas, sea-level rise will be the culprits. Cities on rivers and coasts are particularly at risk. Figure 1 shows the projected impact on low-lying areas.
What is the most important physical feature of Asia and why?
Mountains & Plateaus Perhaps the most important mountainous geographical feature is that of the Himalayas. This is a mountain range in Asia that separates Asia from the Indian subcontinent (also considered to be part of Asia today).
What makes Asia unique from other continents in the world?
Asia is the only continent that shares borders with two other continents; Africa and Europe. It sometimes joins with a third continent, North America, in the winter by ice forming in the Bering Sea.
What is Asia known for geographically?
Asia is the largest of the world's continents. It can be divided into five major physical regions: mountain systems; plateaus; plains, steppes, and deserts; freshwater environments; and saltwater environments.
What are the contribution of Asia in science and technology?
China is also credited by many for inventing the compass, which helps us navigate around the world. Around 1000 AD, the Chinese invented gunpowder. While the Chinese, at first, used gunpowder for firecrackers, once the Europeans got their hand on this technology, they used it for cannon fire instead.
When did humans settle in Asia?
Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000–55,000 years ago (ca. 50–55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka.
When did the first humans settle in Asia?
60,000 years agoA recent report in BMC Biology indicates that modern humans first arrived in southern East Asia 60,000 years ago and settled the rest of East Asia from there.
What is pattern of settlement?
A settlement pattern refers to the way that buildings and houses are distributed in a rural settlement. Settlement patterns are of interest to geographers, historians, and anthropologists for the insight they offer in how a community has developed over time.
What population pattern do you see in Southwest Asia?
Population Profile Southwest Asia is home to about 330 million people. Iran and Turkey, its most populous countries, each have about 80 million people.
Where in Asia were the first major settlements located?
The first major civilization in South Asia was in the Indus River valley beginning around 3300 BCE.
What types of settlement are there in Iran?
In Iran, we have two kinds of informal settlements: Inner-city and outer-city. Both of them sited in deteriorated lands but as economical situation inner-city informal settlements have better situation than the outer-city one.
What are settlement patterns?
Settlement patterns are patterns that take shape to conform to the geographical environment. Examples of settlement patterns include nucleated (structures are close to one another), dispersed (structures that are spread apart), and linear (structures are parallel to the geographical feature; they are in lines).
How to get a picture of a settlement pattern?
You can best get a picture of a settlement pattern from an elevated position, in which you can look down and clearly see how a settlement is laid out and get an idea of where people settled by looking at maps to view population density and the locations of settlements. Let's take a closer look at the geographical patterns ...
Where did the first settlements in South Asia originate?
The earliest settlements in South Asia arose in the Indus River Valley located in what is now modern-day Pakistan. The Indus River Valley with its rich alluvial soils was an ideal place for civilizations to emerge and evolve nucleated settlements, such as Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, which thrived in this region for centuries.
How many people live in South Asia?
Today, South Asia is home to approximately 1,946,460,084 people, which means that around 25% of the world's population can be found here. The majority of people living in South Asia live on what is called the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a belt that stretches across north-central India and includes the three major rivers, ...
Why do you think people decided to build a community in that specific location?
Why do you think people decided to build a community in that specific location? Geography is often a major factor in deciding where a group of people settle. People need access to natural resources to build their homes and other infrastructure, to land that can provide food and water, and to places that are easily accessible to those who live in them.
Where is the most of South Asia's population located?
Most of South Asia's population, however, can be found on the Indo-Gangetic Plain , which is fed by three major rivers and is located in north-central India.
Which countries are associated with South Asia?
Countries traditionally associated with South Asia include India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. South Asia is home to the tallest mountains in the world, the Himalaya Mountain Range, the Deccan plateau, rainforests, mangrove forests, coastal areas with access to deltas, bays, gulfs, and seas, ...
