India's Ganges River is more than just a body of water. It is sacred to Hindus, to whom it symbolizes purity.

South Asia comprises the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, as well as the island nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. All told, some 1.73 million square miles make up South Asia.

Water, Water Everywhere …

Because of Punjab's fertility and location near the westernmost reaches of South Asia, it has been the site of most invasions of the region over the last 2,500 years. Even today, India and Pakistan still bicker about who owns various parts of Punjab, and some followers of the Sikh religion want the region to become an independent country.

Sri Lanka hosts some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

Another river, the GANGES, runs from near the town of Hardwar in the Himalayas into a broad region called the Gangetic Basin. Today, after centuries of intensive farming, the Gangetic Basin's soil is poor and exhausted, and hardly a trace remains of the lush jungle that once lined its banks.

The Ganges winds its way through India and joins up with the JAMUNA RIVER to form a wide delta in the country of BANGLADESH. Every year, terrible floods from the Ganges threaten Bangladesh during monsoon season.

A forested region east of Bangladesh boasts the town of CHERRAPUNUJI, the second-wettest place on Earth. During the monsoon season, the town can receive more than 1,143 centimeters (450 inches) of rainfall.

South Asia contains some of the highest elevations in the world. Note the elevations of Nepal and Bhutan.

In the dry season, vegetation withers, and the land bakes beneath a sun that can raise inland temperatures above 37.77 Cº (100ºF) in early spring. When a monsoon comes in early June, it builds slowly. Black clouds hang in the sky, and light arcs among them. Then the clouds break, and torrents of rain fall. The monsoon spreads north and east, drenching Bengal and eventually covering all of India. The rain falls in many short but intense bursts.

Once the monsoon arrives, the plants regenerate, and frogs can be heard singing continuously. The temperature drops abruptly, and for a while life flourishes.

The vastness of the Thar Desert can make a solitary traveler feel rather insignificant.

In winter, the dry season returns. The temperature usually stays above 21.1ºC (70ºF) in much of South Asia.

In contrast to these wet areas, the Thar Desert of western India is almost devoid of vegetation. Water is hard to come by, so the few oases that do exist have become centers for civilization and trade.

Contrasting with the low, flat desert are the glorious Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. These mountains are so high that they cause some of the worst storms on Earth: monsoons. Monsoons wreak terrible havoc, but without them South Asia would be dry and almost uninhabitable.

The country of NEPAL rests in the Himalayas, as does the beautiful KASHMIR VALLEY, an alpine paradise in northern India. Today, India and PAKISTAN struggle over which country can claim the region as its own.

Crowning South Asia

Heading south from the Deccan Plateau, the weather stays hot but gets far wetter. The people who live here are historically distinct from the people of northern India. In fact, they speak languages completely unrelated to those spoken in the north.

Off the east coast of India lies an island country called Sri Lanka. Wet and tropical, the island is dominated in the center by high mountains. The MALDIVES, another island nation, rest a few hundred miles south of the mainland of India. Although the Maldives stretch over 805 kilometers (500 miles) north to south and 129 kilometers (80 miles) east to west, most of the islands are very small, and the country's total land area is about 185 square kilometers (115 sq. miles).

The Indian elephant (sometimes called an Asian elephant) differs from its African cousin in size, color, and disposition.

Hundreds of thousands of species of animal are native to South Asia. The tiger, the biggest cat in the world, was once the chief predator of the region. The few that remain are mostly restricted to sanctuaries. Elephants also lived throughout the region and have long been domesticated in South Asia. Although India is rife with domestic elephants, their wild cousins are almost extinct due to loss of habitat.

Still, the wilderness teems with life. Monkeys, deer, snakes, and wild dogs run free, and bears inhabit the Himalayan foothills. The most common kind of animal, though, is the insect. Many varieties of insects thrive in the thick jungles, and malaria-bearing mosquitoes appear everywhere.

Endangered Species of South Asia Learn about some of South Asia's most endangered animal species.

Cows and water buffalo, sacred to many South Asians, move about freely both in and out of the cities. Sometimes, they even disrupt traffic!

As diverse and varied as the geography and wildlife of South Asia are, the people who dwell there are even more diverse. Their long, elaborate histories, rich cultures, and colorful and profound religions are as striking, terrifying, and beautiful as the lands in which they live.

South Asia Map It's time to put your geography skills to the test. In the following activity, you will be presented with a blank map of South Asia. Choose "Countries" or "Cities" to begin the quiz. At the top of the screen, the area to be identified will appear. Click on the appropriate region and see how you do. To start over, press the "reset" button. Good luck! Click Here!

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