Asia

MOUNTAIN, PLATEAUS & RIVERS

Asia
Asia
● Biggest continent
● Separated from Europe by ___
and from Africa by the Sinai
Peninsula.
● Equator passes through
Indonesia & Maldives
● Russia and Turkey, with their
maximum area in Asia, belong
to Europe. (In 2007, European
Commission accepted Turkey
as a full-fledged European
member.)
Important Mountain Ranges
● Pamir Knot (Mountains)
○ The point from where major ranges
diverge
○ Created due to convergence of
Eurasian and Indian plates.
○ Tajikistan, Afghanistan, China,
Pakistan (PACT)
Important Mountain Ranges
● Himalayas
○ Young Fold Mountains
○ Eurasian and Indian Plate
○ No active Volcanoes, high seismicity
○ Tallest mountain range on land
○ Highest peak (also the highest peak of the
world): Mt. Everest (8848 m)
○ Their extension North East India and
Myanmar: Purvanchals and Arakan Yoma,
respectively.
○ India, Pakistan, Nepal, China (Tibet),
Bhutan
Important Mountain Ranges
● Trans-Himalayas
○ Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar and
Kailash
○ India and China (Tibet)
○ Part of Himalayan Orogeny
○ K2, world’s 2nd highest peak in
Karakoram
○ Siachen glacier
Important Mountain Ranges
● Kunlun Shan
○ Northern border of Tibetan Plateau
○ China
Important Mountain Ranges
● Tien Shan
○ Aka Celestial Mountains
○ Convergence of Indian and Eurasian
Plate
○ Extend from Pamir Knot
○ Earthquake prone
Important Mountain Ranges
● Hindukush
○ Extends over 800 km, linking with the
Pamir Knot and Karakoram.
○ PAT (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan)
Important Mountain Ranges
● Kirthar
○ Western edge of Indian plate
○ Pakistan
○ Mostly arid and rocky terrain, with low
rainfall.
Important Mountain Ranges
● Altai
○ Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan
○ Major rivers Ob and Irtysh originate
here.
Important Mountain Ranges
● Zagros
○ Iran, Iraq and Turkey
○ Runs about 1,500 km, forming the
western boundary of the Iranian
Plateau.
○ Formed by subduction of the Arabian
Plate under the Eurasian Plate.
○ Highly folded and faulted structure,
rich in oil and gas deposits.
Important Mountain Ranges
● Elburz/Alborz
○ Iran
○ Natural barrier between the Caspian
Sea and the Iranian Plateau
○ Formed by collision of the Arabian
Plate with the Eurasian Plate.
Important Mountain Ranges
● Taurus:
○ Turkey
○ Stretches across southern Turkey, forming
a natural barrier between the Anatolian
Plateau and the Mediterranean coast.
○ collision of the African and Eurasian
plates.
○ Prone to frequent earthquakes
Important Mountain Ranges
● Verkhoyansk:
○ Russia
○ In Eastern Siberia
○ Contains Verkhoyansk town, which holds
records for some of the lowest
temperatures ever recorded outside
Antarctica
○ Relict fold mountains
 Important Volcanoes
Name Country Type Status Significance

Mount Fuji Japan Stratovolcano Dormant Japan’s highest peak and cultural symbol;
last erupted in 1707-08.

Mount Mayon Philippines Stratovolcano Active Known for its perfect cone shape; frequent
eruptions, last in 2023.

Mount Merapi Indonesia Stratovolcano Active One of the most active volcanoes in
Indonesia; last major eruption in 2021.

Krakatoa Indonesia Caldera Active Famous for the 1883 eruption, one of the
(Krakatau) deadliest in history; formed Anak Krakatau.

Mount Indonesia Stratovolcano Dormant 1815 eruption caused the 'Year Without a
Tambora Summer'; largest recorded eruption in history.

Barren Island India Stratovolcano Active Only active volcano in India. Last erupted in
2022.
Asia Volcanoes
 Important Volcanoes
Name Country Type Status Significance

Mount Philippines Stratovolcano Dormant 1991 eruption was one of the largest in the
Pinatubo 20th century; led to global cooling.

Mount Indonesia Stratovolcano Active Dormant for centuries before erupting in

Sinabung 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2021.

Mount Paektu North Caldera Dormant Located on the China-North Korea border;
(Baekdu) Korea/China last major eruption in 946 AD.

Mount Unzen Japan Stratovolcano Active Located on Kyushu Island; 1991 eruption
caused deadly pyroclastic flows.

Mount Bromo Indonesia Stratovolcano Active Part of the Tengger Massif; frequently active
and a popular tourist attraction.

Klyuchevskay Russia Stratovolcano Active Highest active volcano in Eurasia; located in

a Sopka (Kamchatka) the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Important Plateaus
● Tibetan Plateau
○ China India Nepal Bhutan
○ The largest and highest plateau in the
world, often called the "Roof of the
World".
○ Source of major rivers like the Indus,
Brahmaputra, Yangtze, and Mekong.
Important Plateaus
● Deccan Plateau
○ Includes the Deccan Traps.
○ Southern Part of Indian Plateau
○ India
○ One of the world's largest volcanic
provinces.
Important Plateaus
● Mongolian Plateau
○ China Mongolia
○ Lies between the Altai and Greater
Khingan Mountains
○ Gobi desert lies here
Important Plateaus
● Anatolia Plateau
○ Central Turkey
○ Surrounded by the Taurus and Pontic
Mountains.
○ Formed due to the collision of the
Arabian and Eurasian plates.
○ Seismically active
Important Plateaus
● Shan Plateau
○ East Myanmar
○ Formed by tectonic uplift and erosion.
Important Plateaus
● Loess Plateau
○ China
○ Formed by wind deposition over
millions of years.
○ Famous for its thick deposits of
wind-blown loess (fine silt and clay).
Important Plateaus
● Siberian Plateau
○ Craton
○ Rich in minerals
○ Russia
 Important Rivers
River Location Source Mouth Features

Yangtze China Tibetan East China Longest river in Asia (6,300 km); major economic
Plateau Sea and cultural significance in China.

Yellow China Bayan Har Bohai Sea Second-longest river in China (5,464 km); known
(Huang Mountains as 'China’s Sorrow' due to frequent floods.
He)

Ganges India, Gangotri Bay of Sacred river in India; supports one of the world’s
Bangladesh Glacier Bengal most populous regions.

Brahmaput China, India, Angsi Bay of Trans-Himalayan river with the world’s largest
ra Bangladesh Glacier, Bengal delta; prone to seasonal flooding.
Tibet

Indus China, India, Tibetan Arabian Major river of South Asia; key to Pakistan’s
Pakistan Plateau Sea agriculture through the Indus Basin.
 Important Rivers
River Location Source Mouth Features

Mekong China, Tibetan South Major river in Southeast Asia (4,350 km); crucial
Myanmar, Laos, Plateau China Sea for agriculture and fishing.
Thailand,
Cambodia,
Vietnam (My
Very Low CTC)

Amur Russia, China Onon-Shil Sea of Longest river in the Russian Far East (4,444 km);
ka River, Okhotsk forms the Russia-China border.
Mongolia

Lena Russia Baikal Laptev Sea One of the longest rivers in Russia (4,400 km);
Mountains heavily frozen for much of the year.

Irrawaddy Myanmar Himalayas Andaman Main river of Myanmar; supports agriculture and
Sea transportation.
 Important Rivers
River Location Source Mouth Features

Salween China, Tibetan Andaman One of the longest rivers in Southeast Asia
Myanmar, Plateau Sea (2,815 km); flows through deep gorges.
Thailand

Ob Russia, Altai Kara Sea Major Siberian river (3,650 km); frozen for much
Kazakhstan Mountains of the year.

Yenisei Mongolia, Mongolian Kara Sea Longest river in Siberia (5,539 km); key to
Russia Highlands hydropower generation.

Volga Russia, Valdai Hills Caspian Longest river in Europe (3,530 km); historically
Kazakhstan Sea and economically significant for Russia.

Tigris Turkey, Syria, Eastern Shatt One of the two major rivers of Mesopotamia;
Iraq Turkey al-Arab historically significant for early civilizations.
(Persian
Gulf)
 ASIA
Physical Map
 Important Rivers
River Location Source Mouth Features

Euphrates Turkey, Syria, Eastern Shatt Longest river in Western Asia (2,800 km); crucial
Iraq Turkey al-Arab for Mesopotamian civilizations and modern
(Persian agriculture.
Gulf)

Amu Darya Tajikistan, Pamir Aral Sea One of Central Asia’s major rivers; historically
Afghanistan, Mountains known as Oxus; critical for irrigation.
Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan

Syr Darya Kyrgyzstan, Tian Shan Aral Sea Flows through Central Asia; historically called
Uzbekistan, Mountains Jaxartes; important for agriculture and
Kazakhstan, hydropower.
Tajikistan
 Important Lakes
Lake Location Type Significance

Caspian Russia, Saltwater Largest enclosed inland body of water; rich in oil and
Sea Kazakhstan, gas resources.
Turkmenistan, Iran,
Azerbaijan (TARIK)

Lake Baikal Russia Freshwater Deepest, largest and oldest freshwater lake; contains
20% of the world's freshwater.

Aral Sea Kazakhstan, Saltwater Once the world's fourth-largest lake, now largely dried
Uzbekistan up due to overuse of [Link] Darya & Syr Darya
rivers used to feed it, before their water was diverted
for irrigation.

Lake Kazakhstan Freshwater/Salt Divided into freshwater and saline parts; crucial for
Balkhash water fisheries.

Dead Sea Israel, Jordan, Hypersaline One of the saltiest water bodies; lowest point on
Palestine Earth's land surface (-430m).
 ASIA
Physical Map
 Important Lakes
Lake Location Type Significance

Tonle Sap Cambodia Freshwater Largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia; crucial for
Cambodia's fisheries.

Lake Kyrgyzstan Endorheic (does One of the world's largest high-altitude lakes; remains
Issyk-Kul not drain to the unfrozen in winter.
sea)

Lake China Saltwater Largest lake in China; important for migratory birds.
Qinghai

Dal Lake India Freshwater Famous for houseboats and tourism in Kashmir.

Poyang China Seasonal China's largest freshwater lake; varies greatly in size
Lake Freshwater seasonally.
 Important Lakes
Lake Location Type Significance

Lonar Lake India Crater Lake Formes about 52000 years ago. Highly alkaline &
(Meteorite) Saline

Lop Nur China (Xinjiang) Endorheic Once a large saltwater lake, now a dried-up basin; site
of China's first nuclear tests." cell. Tarim river used to
feed it, before its water was diverted for irrigation.
Thankyou