Southern and Eastern Asia Population and Environmental Issues

Populations in cities in South Asia are growing rapidly because...

• there are better jobs and better eduction

• there are better farms and cleaner air

• there is no place else for people to go

• flooding along the coasts has forced people to move inland

Choose the TWO physical features that have large portions of South Asia's population living in/near them.

• river valleys

• coasts

• mountain ranges

• arid deserts

What are TWO of the reasons that river deltas can support high population densities?

• they have fresh water

• they have good soil for farming

• they always contain valuable oil

• the climate is always relatively cool

Why will Southeast Asia be especially impacted by climate change in the future?

• much of the population lives near coasts that will be flooded

• much of the population lives in the mountains that will receive less rainfall

• much of the region will turn into arid deserts

• much of the region is covered in rivers that will increase in salinity

Which of the statements below is TRUE about the Ganges River?

• The river is ignored by Indian religious rituals.

• People do not drink the water because it is so polluted.

• Many people use the river for transportation as well as a water supply.

• Plant and animal life have not been affected by the poor quality of the river’s water.

What has led to the contamination of the Ganges River?

• raw sewage, including household wastes

• industrial waste containing arsenic, chromium, and mercury

• both of these are correct

• none of these are correct

Water pollution on the Ganges is caused by _____.

• volcanic eruptions in the Himalaya

• monsoon rains

• loess that blows across the Thar Desert

• sewage, factory waste, and increased runoff from fertilizers

Label sources of pollution in the Ganges River in India.

e

g

b

a

Air pollution and vehicle emissions

Agricultural runoff and pesticides

Raw sewage from villages along the river

Clean and treated water

Industrial waste from factories

Dead bodies due to religious rites

Coal-burning electricity plants

What do cities along the Ganges River do that contributes to its pollution?

• They recycle waste effectively

• They use the river for drinking water only

• They pour millions of gallons of sewage into the river

• They prevent any waste from entering the river

Why have China's cities become increasingly polluted?

• People flocking to cities has led to an increase in pollution from factories, cars, buses, and other sources

• The government has no environmental laws or regulations

• The population has decreased in size

• There are many green (and clean) sources of energy being used