Border security and encroachment
There is fixed demarcation to separate one nation from another. This demarcation is
mentioned in border treaty. Nepal is a landlocked country with open border with India
on three sides.
Reasons behind border encroachment
- No clear physical demarcation on the land
- Lack of border map and statistics
- If the neighbouring country ignores the international borderline
- If the river in the border changes its natural course
- If there is any incomplete historical document
- If there is any physical construction activity in the border area
- If there is an increase in population pressure
Result of border encroachment
- Social problems like drugs smuggling, illegal trade and human trafficking increase
- People involved in criminal activities easily cross the border.
- There is conflict in the use of natural means and resources.
- Tussle increases between the individuals of the nations.
- There is possibility of war between the nations .
Border security measures
- forming civil stakeholders' group of both the nations
- forming joint technical border committee
- talking at diplomatic level
- dialogue between heads of the states/ governments
- creating pressure in international level
- solving problem through mediation
- solving problem with the help of the UNO
Self respect/Self esteem
Self respect or self esteem is the identity of Nepalese people. Every person values human
dignity, self respect and personal freedom more than anything else. This also applies to a
nation. Nepal has secured its freedom and prestige from the ancient period to the present.
Many patriots and warriors have given their lives for the sake of national freedom and
self-respect. Bhimsen Thapa called the south Asian nations to unite against British imperial
government. The unparalleled bravery shown by Balabhadra Kunwar in Nalapani, Bhakti
Thapa in Malau and Amar Sigh Thapa in the western front during the Anglo Nepal War
is highly remarkable. We have such glorious history of independence that it is our duty to
protect it and live with self-respect and dignity. Self respect and self esteem is our pride.
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We need to be proud of our language, culture, tradition, norms, values and our natural
and historical heritage. We need to give full respect to the bravery of our ancestors. We all
need to have same voice and work together keeping national interest at the top. We need
to maintain our glorious history. This does not let any country interfere in our internal
matter. It is the duty of all Nepalese to maintain our national integrity.
Glossary
allegiance : loyalty to a nation
justifiable : being justified
encroachment : forcible entry in other's territory
In-class Activity
What sort of provisions have been made in the present constitution of Nepal to
promote national integrity ? Talk to local intellectuals or teachers and prepare a
report on it.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is nationality? How does it reflect the national integrity?
2. 'The Nepalese should have the feeling of co-existence rather than self-existence'.
Justify the statement with examples.
3. Write some ways to promote national integrity.
4. What are the major problems seen around the border areas of Nepal? Make a list
of problems.
5. If you were made the foreign minister of Nepal, what steps would you take to
solve the border problems? Write your views.
6. 'Nepalese want to live with pride and self-respect.' Justify the statement with
historical facts.
B. Offer long answer to the following questions.
1. What are our major national concerns? Explain any three of them in detail.
2. Border security is one of the issues of national concern. Explain the role to be
played by the government, civil society, political parties and the people around
the border areas to minimize the problems seen in the border.
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Unit Review
In this unit, we have learnt that:
• Constitution is the fundamental law of a nation.
• There are different forms of government and each nation’s constitution defines what
form of government the country has.
• Clarity, guarantee of fundamental rights, separation of power, independent judiciary
are some of the features of a good constitution.
• Although the history of constitutional development in Nepal is short, we have
already implemented six constitutions and promulgated a new constitution recently.
• The current Constitution of Nepal, 2072 was promulgated on November 22, 2015.
• Fundamental rights such as right to freedom, right to equality, rights against
untouchability and discrimination are guaranteed by the present constitution.
• Just as we enjoy rights, we also have duties towards the nation—moral duty, legal
duty, and civic duty.
• Good governance means the administration run with transparency, accountability,
and responsibility without corruption and discrimination.
• People’s participation in politics, government, and development is required to ensure
good governance.
• Civil society plays a vital role to promote democracy, control corruption, and ensure
good governance.
• Rule of law is the principle that all people and institutions are subject to and
accountable to law.
• Pluralism and unity in diversity is the unique identity of Nepal.
• National integrity, border security and self esteem are some of the important issues
of national concern.
Test Your Knowledge
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is a constitution? What does right to constitutional remedy indicate?
2. Who can exercise the executive power according to the present constitution of
Nepal? Explain.
3. What is meant by civic consciousness? Explain.
4. Which country does not have a written constitution? How does that country run
without a written constitution?
5. What is rule of law? Write down the negative impacts in the absence of rule of
law.
6. Write differences between moral and legal duty.
7. Define good governance. Explain its major characteristics.
8. What is consensus? Write its importance in the country like Nepal.
9. State the differences between rights and duties.
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10. Mention the features of the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2063 B.S.
11. The will of people should be reflected in a constitution. Why?
12. The United Kingdom, which has no written constitution, follows the best
democratic norms in the world. Why?
13. What are the features of good constitution?
14. What were the main objectives of People's Movement II?
15. What were the reasons behind the failure of the first CA in Nepal?
16. Mention any four salient features of the constitution of Nepal 2072.
17. What is human right? What does Human Right Commission do in Nepal?
18. What do you know about the provisions made by children's right?
19. If you were asked to draft the constitution, which of the rights would you have
added to the list of fundamental rights? Write with justification.
20. Make a list of duties as a Nepali citizen. Why should you do these duties?
21. Mention the features that are related to children and women in the present
constitution of Nepal.
22. 'Rights and duties are regarded as the two sides of the same coin.' Justify this
statement.
23. Explain in brief the four challenges of good governance in the context of Nepal.
24. 'Civil society is considered as the pathfinder of the transformation of the society'.
Justify.
25. How has the national anthem of Nepal expressed the "unity in diversity"?
26. What are the steps that a state can take for the management of a diversified
society?
B. Offer long answer to the following questions.
1. What is good governance? What provisions has the constitution of Nepal 2072
made about good governance? Explain.
2. Write the main qualities of a good constitution with brief description of each.
3. Give a short description of the following fundamental duties:
a) Loyalty to the state
b) Obedience to the law of the state
c) Voting
4. Write a couple of paragraphs highlighting the objectives of peaceful People's
Movement 2062/2063.
5. Give a short description of:
a) Right to information
b) Right against exploitation
c) Children's right
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6Unit
Our Earth
In this unit, we will learn about:
• Concepts and meaning of longitudes and latitudes
• Relationship between longitudes, time, and date
• Meaning and importance of local and standard time
• Topography and climate patterns of Nepal
• Impact of geography and climate on human life
• Physical structures of Asia, Europe, and Australia
• Economic and social life in Asia, Europe, and Australia
• Concepts and types of maps
• Scaling and symbols in drawing maps
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Lesson
6.1 Longitude and Time
Pre-reading Activity
A cricket match is scheduled to begin at 8:00 o’clock at Eden Garden, Kolkata,
India. You want to watch the match on television. In your TV set, the match begins
to broadcast at 8:15. But, then a spectator watching the match in Kolkata and you
watching the match on the TV set in Nepal will experience it at the same time. How
is that possible? Discuss and suggest how an event taking place at the same moment
is received in different times.
Reading
The shape of the earth is spherical like an orange. Some
types of imaginary lines are assumed on the surface of the
earth. These lines help study the earth surface easily and
locate any place on the earth. Such lines are drawn on the
map or the globe. The vertical lines drawn on the earth
surface from the North Pole to the South Pole are called
longitudes. The horizontal lines drawn on the earth surface
from the east to the west are called latitudes. With the help
of longitudes and latitudes, we can locate any place on the
map or globe easily.
The earth rotates around its axis, and it takes about 24 hours to complete one full rotation.
It causes day and night. Furthermore, the earth revolves round the sun in 365 days 5
hours 48 minutes and 45.68 seconds. This revolution of the earth around the sun causes
seasonal changes. In actual practice, longitudes are related to the time of a place and
latitudes are related to the climate or temperature of a place.
Relation between time and longitude North Pole
You might have heard the news broadcast of BBC Greenwich Line
Nepali Service announce that “it is a quarter to nine
in Nepal and three o’clock in London.” It means that South Pole
time is different in different places. Then how is time
calculated? Time of a place or country is determined
with the help of longitudes. The places that fall on
the same longitude have the same time. Local time
is determined with the help of the longitude of that
place. We know that the earth is round and it makes
360° angle on its centre within 24 hours. During this
time, the earth covers about 40000km on its perimeter
(circumference). 0° longitude is called Prime Meridian
which passes through Greenwich of the UK. There is
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180° longitude on the both sides (east and west longitude). It is assumed that when the
line (longitude) faces towards sun directly, we call it mid-day or noon, i.e., 12 o’clock of
day time.
International date line
The time from Prime Meridian
to 180° east longitude becomes
maximum of 12 hours faster and ed
180° west longitude also becomes
12 hours later and altogether time
difference is 24 hours. The longitude
of 180° is called International Date
Line, which is curved in shape.
Therefore, the time at the two sides
of the date line is 24 hours or one
day different. If it is Sunday to the
east, then there is Saturday on the west side. Since it would be difficult to observe different
days in the same place, the International Date Line is drawn in a curved shape so that one
area has the same day and date.
Local time and Standard time
Every country is located between two longitudinal lines. If the time is calculated on
the basis of longitude, the place from which the longitude passes is called local time.
Generally, a country has more than two longitudinal lines. Since a country has more than
one longitudinal line pass through it, the country uses a common time taking a particular
longitude. This time is called the standard time. Most of the countries of the world use
single standard time; however, some big countries use more than one standard time. For
example, if a country has 80°4' farwest longitude and 88° 12' fareast longitude, the total
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difference in longitude would be 8°8' and the time difference would be 32 minutes.
If a big country like Russia uses single standard time, there would be vast time difference
between the west and east. In this condition, such countries use more than one standard
time. For example, in the USA there are five standard times. Similarly, Canada has four
and Russia has six standard times in practice. In Nepal, the standard time is taken from
Gaurishankar Mountain peak which is situated at 860 15' east longitude. Maximum time
difference of Nepal is not more than 20 minutes. So, we have only one standard time in
practice.
How to calculate the local time?
1. Find the difference of longitude from two different places.
2. Calculate the remainder with the rate of 1° = 4 minutes.
3. Remember that 13 o’clock means 1pm or 12 at midnight means 24 o’clock.
4. If the time has to be calculated of a place that is in the east, the time should be added
and if the place is in the west, the time should be subtracted.
5. If the longitudes are given from the same hemisphere, i.e. east/east or west/west, then
we should find difference by subtraction. If the longitudes are given from different
hemispheres, i.e. one east longitude and another west longitude, in this situation the
longitudes should be added.
Steps to measure the time
To make 360° rotation, it takes 24 hours
10 of angle, it takes 24
( )Tomake 360° hours
i.e. 24 × 60 minutes = 4 minutes
360°
It means that there is 4 minutes time difference within one degree longitude. Let us
compare the time between Kathmandu and Greenwich. Suppose it is 14.00 (2pm) in
Greenwich, located at 0o longitude, what would be the time in Kathmandu, located at 85o
east longitude?
Here,
Difference in longitude = 85° – 0° = 85°
We know,
1° longitude means 4 minutes time difference.
85° longitude means 4 × 85 minutes time difference = 340 min or 5 hour 40 min.
Kathmandu lies to the east from Greenwich. So, time of Kathmandu is faster than
Greenwich.
Therefore, time of Kathmandu is 14.00 + 5 hour 40 min = 19.40 or 7.40 pm.
Here, if we have to calculate time of a place lying westward or 85o west longitude,
we should subtract from the time of Greenwich. Then time would be 14.00 – 5 hour 40
min = 8.20, i.e. 8.20 am.
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Glossary
spherical : similar to a sphere
longitude : imaginary vertical line drawn from North pole to South pole
latitude : imaginary line drawn on the surface of the earth from east to west
imaginary : not real
determine : decide; conclude
strait : narrow water channel
In-class Activity
1. A satellite registers a major solar explosion that lasts from 15:15 to 16:26 UT
(universal time). A solar scientist monitoring the satellite data decided to go
grab a cup of coffee between 7:00 AM and 7:45 AM Pacific Standard Time.
a) How long did the explosion last?
b) Did the scientist know about the flare before he left for coffee?
c) How much of the flare event did the scientist get to see in the satellite
data as it happened?
d) Should the scientist have gone for coffee?
2. Imagine you are a basketball fan. You want to watch a live basketball match
between your favorate NBA teams taking place in New York on July15, 8:00
pm. If you watch it live, you will have to switch on TV on July 16 at 6:45 am.
Discus the situation in class and explain why.
3. Use your atlas or a globe and find the location of the following cities in terms
of longitudues and latitudes. Calculate the local time of each city given below
when it is 12:00 noon in London.
Kathmandu, Delhi, New York, Tokyo, Hongkong, Stockholm, Berlin
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is the International Date Line? Why is it curved?
2. What are local and standard time?
3. What are the uses of local and standard time?
4. Why do some countries follow more than one standard time?
5. Which place and longitude is taken for the standard time of Nepal? Why?
6. Between 1° longitude, we experience 4 minutes of time difference. Prove the
statement.
7. When it is 10.00 am in India, it is 10.15 am in Nepal. What is the reason?
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8. How many minutes later is the sun seen in the far-west of Nepal after it rises in
the far-east? Why?
9. Write short notes on each of the following terms:
axis orbit rotation revolution
Prime Meridian Equator latitude longitude
Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Cancer Arctic Circle Antarctic Circle
current strait
10. It is 5.00 pm in Cairo located at 30 degree east longitude. What is the longitude
of Chennai where it is 8:20 pm at the same time? (Answer: 80° East longitude)
11. A mother called her son from Kathmandu (85° East longitude) to Tokyo (140°
East longitude) at 7.00pm. At what local time is her son receiving the phone call?
(Answer: 10:40 pm)
Self- Discovery: Project Work
1. Draw a circle of five meters in diameter with the help of lime powder as
shown in the figure (Page 148). Suppose OB is the International Date Line,
the upper part is the eastern hemisphere and the lower part is the western
hemisphere. If you travel form one hemisphere to another, there will be 24
hours' time difference. You will lose one day while going from the lower
part to upper part and gain one day while going from the upper part to the
lower part. Find its reason from your teacher. Explain why the International
Date Line is curved and what its uses are.
2. Take a globe and a 6 inch
pvc pipe with 3 inch
diameter. Fit the pipe and
globe as shown in the
figure. Fix the distance
between the pipe and the
globe in such a way that
you can see the entire part
of the globe and a bit space
around the globe.
Now look at the globe through the pipe with one eye
and rotate the globe from left to right slowly. Here, your
eye works as the sun, your vision as sun rays and the
globe as the earth. Compare the one corner as morning,
other as evening and middle as mid-day. It helps you to
understand the day and night, difference in time.
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Lesson
6.2 Topography of Nepal
Pre-reading Activity
Imagine that you are travelling to a foreign country. You’re having a talk with a
couple of foreign friends over a cup of tea. Someone tells you, “Your country looks
so beautiful with snowcapped mountains and Himalayas.” You want to be polite but
you also know that mountains and Himalayas do not quite describe the geography
of Nepal. Now, think of at least five points that you want your friends to know about
Nepal’s geography. Make a list of those points that accurately describe every aspect
of Nepal’s geography.
Reading
Nepal lies on the southern slope of the great Himalayan Mountain range in the northern
hemisphere. Nepal is roughly rectangular in shape. It is bounded within 26° 22' to 30° 27'
north latitudes and 80° 4' to 88° 12' east longitudes. It borders with India in the east, west,
and south and China’s autonomous region of Tibet on the north. Its East-West length is
885 km and North- South width is 193 km in average. There are high mountains in the
north and plain land in the south, which is called the Terai. Geographically, Nepal is a
diverse country. Within the expanse of 200 km of area, there are varieties of altitudes,
climates, ecologies and cultures as well as flora and fauna. Such a diversity is rare in the
world. Sagarmatha, the highest peak in the world, Dana, the deepest gorge, and Tilicho,
the highest altitude lake are in Nepal. Similarly, Nepal boasts of human settlement at
the highest altitude (Simikot, Humla) and the deepest valley (the Arun valley). On the
basis of river system, Nepal can be divided into three regions. They are: Koshi Region,
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Gandaki Region, and the Karnali Region. The Koshi Region extends from Kanchanjungha
to Langtang Himal. It lies in the east side of Nepal. The middle region is Gandaki, which
covers the land from Langtang Himal to Dhawalagiri. The third one is the Karnali Region.
It stretches from Dhawalagiri to Api Himal. In terms of physical structure, Nepal can
be divided into three regions. They are: The Terai Region, the Hilly Region, and the
Himalayan Region.
1. Terai Region
The plain area in the south of Nepal is called
the Terai. It is a part of the Gangetic Plain in
the north of India and extends from an altitude
of 60m above the sea level up to 600 meters
high. The width of the region is only 25 km
to 32 km. The region has mostly alluvial soil,
which is suitable for farming. Cash and food
crops are grown here. So, this part is called the
granary of Nepal. This region produces and
supplies food to the entire country and is also
able to export to other countries. The region can be divided into Main Terai, Inner
Terai (doon) and Bhawar Pradesh. Doons are enclosed by the Chure Hills and the
Mahabharata Mountain range. The temperature is hot in summer (30° to 35° C) and
warm in winter (10o to 15o C). It covers 17 percent of the total area of Nepal. Rice,
wheat, mustard seeds, jute, sugarcane, cotton, etc. are the major agro-products of
the region. More than 90% of the industries are also concentrated in the region. The
Eastern Terai receives more rainfall than the western Terai.
2. Hilly Region
This is the middle part of Nepal. There are
high Himalayan Mountains in the north and
plain low land in the south. The Hilly Region
is composed of low and high hill, Tar (plateau-
like structure), V-shaped valleys, and valleys
such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Surkhet.
It begins at the elevation of 600 meters and
reaches up to about 3300 meter in height. The
region covers 68 percent of the total area of
Nepal. It’s width ranges from 80 km to 130
km. The Mahabharata range (1524 to 3159 meters height), Parbat (Lek), Chure Hills
(Siwalik hills) are the main parts of this region. Coniferous evergreen forest is found
in high Mahabharata Lek and deciduous forest in the lower part of the Leks and the
Chure Hills. The temperature of this region rises up to 25°C in summer and falls
below 10°C in winter. In general, the climate remains moderate. Due to suitable
climate, this region is densely populated. This region is suitable for horticulture and
herbal plants.
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3. Himalayan Region
This is the northern belt of Nepal. It covers
about 15 percent of the total area of Nepal
and extends from 25 to 50 km in width. The
region starts from 3300 meters and elevates
to 8848.86 meters in height. The snowline
begins from an altitude of 5000m. The snow-
clad mountains are not only the northern
frontiers of Nepal but there are also low
hills and low lands in the Himalyan Region.
There are beautiful and the world’s highest
peaks, which are the heritage of Nepal. The region boasts of more than 26 Himalayan
ranges. Kanchanjangha, Mahalangur, Rolwaling, Dhawalagiri, Kanjirowa, etc. are
some examples of the Himalayan ranges. The world’s highest peak Sagarmatha lies
in the Mahalangur Himalayan range. Some other major peaks are – Kanchanjangha
(8586m), Makalu (8463 m), Choyu (8201 m), Dhawalagiri (8167 m), Manaslu (8163
m.), Annapurna I (8091 m), Gaurisankar (7134 m), Machhapuchhre (6996 m).
The temperature falls below freezing point in the winter and rises up to 15 degree
celsius in the summer. The inner Himalayas consist of high mountainous valleys
with fast flowing rivers, which have created some of the deepest gorges in the world.
Dana gorge in the Kaligandaki River is one example. The soil is composed of rocky
particles so the land is not fertile. This region is suitable for tourism. People live in
the valleys or river basins. Such places are also called the Bhot Region. Some of the
famous places are Dolpa, Manang, Jumla, and Jomsom.
Process of Formation
According to the geologists there was the geosynclinal sea between the Angaraland (Mid
Siberia) and Gandwanaland (South India) 70 million years ago. It was called the Tethys
Sea. The rivers in the north and the south regions carried stones, sand, soil, plants, etc.
along and such elements got collected at the bottom of the sea. As a result, sedimentary
rocks were formed.
Mountain forming tectonic force came to the south from the north in the middle of the
Tertiary era. That force was stopped by the static land form of the Deccan in South India.
These rocks were raised to form the Greater Himalayas. After sometime similar another
force caused the formation of the Mahabharat range. At the time of formation of such
mountains and hills various valleys and basins were formed as the landforms sank in
different places. As a result, it created a lot of diversity in topography of Nepal.
In the last time of the tertiary era another force was created and formed the Churia hills
from the northern part. There was a collection of coarse matters like stones, pebbles, sand,
etc. Therefore, this is not as compact as the Himalayan and the Mahabharat ranges.
Even after the formation of all the three mountain ranges some parts of the Tethys Sea
remained as the Sea. At the end of the Pleistocene period, matters got collected as the
rivers rapidly flowing from the hilly region brought these matters along. Thereafter the
remaining parts of the Tethys Sea got filled up and the Terai belt and large plain areas of
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India were formed. It has its own special features from the geological point of view as this
region is formed out of the collection of fine particles.
Utilities
The following are the utilities of Nepal's topography:
The mountains and the hills of Nepal are spread from the east to the west. Monsoon
winds with water vapour coming from the Indian Ocean in summer collide with the
mountains and the hills and cause rainfall. If there were no mountains and hills, there
would be no rainfall. These mountains do not allow extremely cold wind blowing from
Mid-Asia in winter. Nepal has all types of climate, i.e. cold, warm and hot as there are
the Himalayas, the mountains, the hills and the Terai. Nepal is rich in watch resources,
forests, mines, attractive natural beauties. It has supported the economic development.
Tourism has flourished. Various places in the mountainous region have copper, coal, iron,
zinc, lead, etc. There are different kinds of vegetation at different altitudes. The mountain
ranges and rivers act as the natural borders of Nepal.
Glossary
alluvial : soil composed of deposits
store of food grains
granary : gathered in one place
forest having trees that shed leaves
concentrated : forest having trees that do not shed leaves
plants / trees with cone-shaped leaves
deciduous :
evergreen :
coniferous :
In-class Activity
Get into small groups and as a group select one of the following situations for your
group topic for discussion:
• Someone is planning to travel from the Hilly region to the Terai Region in
the month of April.
• Someone is planning to travel from the Terai to the Himal in the month of
June.
• Someone is planning to travel from the Himalayan region to the Hilly
region in the month of December.
• Someone is planning to go trekking from the Kathmandu valley to the
Annapurna range.
Once you have selected your topic, discuss and prepare a guideline (instructions)
as to what the person should do as part of the travelling plan. Also explain
why? For example, you may say something like “If you travel to the Terai in
the month of April, you should take summer clothes with you as you expect to
experience extreme hot weather in the Terai.”
164 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is topography? Describe the topography of Nepal.
2. How were Greater Himalayas formed?
3. Why is there more population pressure in the Terai Region than in the Himalayan
Region?
4. Highlight the benefits and difficulties of life in the Himalayan region.
5. Select five areas of human settlement from three geographical regions which are
famous for agriculture, industry, or tourism. Then, write a brief description of
each area.
6. Write short notes on each of the following terms:
Valley, gorge, hill, Siwalik Hills, Chure Hill, Mahabharat range, Himalayan
range, peaks, pass, snow line, the Gangetic Plain, and Terai
7. Write about the formation process of Nepal's topography.
8. What are the utilities of the topography of Nepal. Write in points.
9. Draw a table in which you compare the geographical features of three regions of
Nepal with one region in each column.
10. Look at the representative line map of Nepal below and draw a similar map in
your notebook and divide it into three topographical regions.
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Use clay, sand or granulated soil, peace of sticks, colours (white, green and blue),
and make a model structure of Nepal on a plywood or other plain piece of wood.
Show major rivers with bridges, hills, and valleys. You may put plastic animals
in respective places which add attraction to the model. Put it in a secure and
transparent box and display in a suitable place at your school.
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Lesson
6.3 The Climate of Nepal
Pre-reading Activity
On June 14, the maximum temperature of the following districts was as follows:
Bara 39 degree Celsius
Nepalgunj 40 degree Celsius
Kathmandu 23 degree Celsius
Jumla 12 degree Celsius
Why do you think the temperature varies from one place to another?
Why do you think the temperature tends to decrease as the altitude increases?
What factors do you think are responsible for temperature variations?
Share your thoughts with the class.
Reading
Climate is the average atmospheric condition of a place within a long period of time.
Climate depends on the presence of the sea, distance from the equator, latitude, presence
of desert, altitude, etc. Although a small country, Nepal has diverse climate. Within a
distance of 200 km (north-south), a variety of climates are present. The hot air waves
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(popularly called loo) moves in the Terai in the summer and the cold air waves (known
as Sireto) blow in the high Himalayas in the winter. The Terai region is normally hotter
than the warm Hilly region. In contrast, the Himalyan region is normally a cold region.
Although Dhangadhi and Taplejung lie on the same latitude, they have different climates
due to difference in altitude. Itahari is in the hot climate zone but we find cold climate in
places like Bhedetar of Dhanakuta. It is because in every 165 metres of height, temperature
decreases by 1o celsius.
On an average, Nepal’s climate is monsoon type. In Nepal, monsoon flows from sea to the
land in the summer and land to sea in the winter. The monsoon contains water vapour
and causes rainfall in the summer. Nepal experiences mainly two types of seasons. They
are summer and winter.
Summer season
Summer season starts from April (Chaitra) No rainfall
and ends with the autumn in late August
(Ashoj). At the beginning of the season, it Dry winds
Dry winds
remains windy and dry. The sky is covered Mustang
with dust or mist. Temperature rises day
by day. New leaves and flowers come to
plants. Stormy and short rainfall occurs
towards the end of May and June with
occasional thunderstorms. In the middle of
the summer, the temperature in the Terai
reaches above 35 degree celsius and in
the Himalayan region, above 15 degrees
celsius. The monsoon starts in Nepal from
the eastern part of the country towards the
end of June. Much of the rainfall occurs in
the monsoon season. In summer, the land
mass of the Central Asia heats up, and
the air pressure drops low. To maintain
the pressure, moist air moves from the
Bay of Bengal (a part of the Indian Ocean)
towards the mainland Asia. In Nepal, we
call it monsoon. When the moist air strikes
the High Mountains in the north, rainfall
occurs in Nepal. This type of rainfall is
called “relief” or “orographic” rainfall.
The amount of rainfall gradually decreases
towards the western region. Similarly, the
southern slope receives more rain than the northern one. When the monsoon reaches
the west, it becomes dry and cannot cause much rain. Eastern Nepal receives more than
200 cm, Middle Nepal about 150 cm, and West Nepal less than 100 cm rainfall in average
per year. The leeward (north-faced) places like Manang, Mustang and Dolpa are dry
places because a very little amount of rainfalls there. If we calculate the amount of rainfall
carefully, places on the southern side of hills (wind-ward) receive more rain than leeward.
The rise in temperature and rainfall are the main features of the summer season.
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Winter season
The winter season lasts from
September to March. During
this season, temperature falls
below average across the country,
from the Terai to the Himalayan
region. For example, the average
temperature in the Terai ranges
from 10°-18°C and in Kathmandu
it is 10°C. In the hilly region, the
temperature keeps on decreasing
with increase in altitude and it
reaches far below the zero degree
Celsius in the Himalayan region,
which is covered with snow. The
snow in the Himalayan region is the source of water that flows in the major rivers of
Nepal. Sometimes, the fog covers the Hilly and the Terai regions with occasional cold
waves, specially in the Terai. At this time of the year, the air pressure in the Bay of Bengal
area remains low compared to high air pressure in the Central Asia. As a result, the dry
air moves from Central Asia to the sea to fill in the low air pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
A little amount of rainfall occurs due to the western wind that comes from the Arab Sea
and the Mediterranean Sea. It causes more rainfall in the western than the eastern part
of the country. It is called winter rain. It is very useful for winter crops like wheat, gram,
barley, etc.
Due to the cold climate, leaves of trees fall in the deciduous forest, and the forest looks
nude at the end of the winter season. Similarly, wild animals, reptiles and birds become
inactive compared to the summer. Some of the creatures even stay in hibernation.
Glossary
atmosphere : gaseous envelop of the earth or a planet
imaginary line that divides the earth into northern and southern
equator : hemisphere
a periodic wind in the Indian Ocean
monsoon : without leaves
nude : relating to mountains
orographic :
In-class Activity
• How’s the weather today in your location?
• How’s the climate of the place you live in?
We often hear two words—weather and climate. Discuss among yourselves and ask
your teacher about these words and find out how these words are similar and how
are these different?
168 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is climate? What are the major differences between climate and weather?
2. What is the relation between the temperature and altitude?
3. Why does the temperature in Nepalgunj tend to be higher than in Namche
Bazaar even though both places lie on the same latitude?
4. What sort of climate does a person experience if he moves from Biratnagar to
Namchebazar? Explain.
5. Although Nepalgunj and Taplejung lie at the same latitude they experience
different climates. Give reason.
6. Why does the Hilly region of Nepal receive more rainfall than the Bhot areas on
the northern side of the Himalayas?
7. Why is the western part of Nepal drier than the eastern part? Give reason.
8. Describe the climates of Nepal in brief.
9. How is climate related to topography?
10. If the mountain region of Nepal were in the south and the Terai were in the
north, what kind of climate pattern would Nepal have?
11. Attach a simple laboratory thermometer in a piece of wood and put it on the
wall just above your height. Record the temperature of your classroom and
write how you feel the temperature–hot, warm, or cold at different points in the
thermometer.
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Make a simple rain gauge and measure the amount of rainfall in your locality or
the school area. For it, you should have a flat pot or steel dish with right vertical
edge. Put it just one meter above the ground like while it is raining. Now take a
15 cm scale and carefully remove the extra edge of the scale behind the zero line
so that the edge of the scale would be the zero line. When rainfall stops, dip the
scale on the pot vertically and measure the height of water level in millimetre.
The height of water is the amount of rainfall. Compare the amount of rainfall you
measured with the rainfall announced on TV or Radio weather bulletins.
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Lesson Geographical Diversity
6.4 and Vegetation of Nepal
Pre-reading Activity
Observe the vegetations around your locality. What sort of changes do you experience
every month and every season? Discuss in the class.
Reading
There are various types of climate, vegetation and biodiversity in Nepal owing to
geographical diversity. According to the seasonal climate there is variation in a person's
economic activities and human health and working capacity. There are various types of
climate and vegetation according to the altitude.
1. Subtropical Evergreen Forest
The southern Terai Region (60m-1200m) of
Nepal has subtropical climate where lies
subtropical evergreen forest. It is extremely hot
as there is low altitude. The temperature reaches
45ºc during the summer. There is annual rainfall
of 200cm in the Terai region but the rainfall
decreases from the east to the west. There are
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tall, large, hard-wooded, evergreen trees like SAL, SISAU, catechu (KHAYAR),
KUSUM, JAMUN, etc.
2. Deciduous Seasonal Forest
Warm temperate climate and deciduous forest are
found in the upper part of the Churia, the middle
part and the mid-part of the Mahabharat range
(1200m - 2100m). As the altitude increases the
temperature reaches 240-300C in summer. There
is 100-200 cm of rainfall. The trees here shed off
leaves in winter.
At low altitude there are deciduous trees and mixed forests with deciduous and
coniferous trees. There are trees like SAL, SALLO, CHANP, Walnut (OKHAR),
CHILAUNE, UTTIS, LAKURI, etc.
3. Evergreen Coniferous Forest
There are cool temperate climate and evergreen
coniferous forest in the upper part of the Mahabharat
range and the lower part of the Himalayas (2100m
- 3300m). Summer temperature is 200C whereas
there is 00C in winter. As the climate at high altitude
is cool, trees like SALLO, DHUPI, BHOJPATRA,
GURANS, BANS (bamboo), NIGALO (reeds) and
bushes are found.
4. Alpine Grassland
There is alpine climate in the lower part below
the snowline of the Himalayas and the inner
Himalayas (3,300m - 5,000 m). The temperature
goes below 00C in winter. Precipitation is 50cm in
the form of snow. Therefore, there are grasslands,
coarse bush, rhododendron and herbs. This
region is suitable for animal husbandry.
5. Tundra Vegetation
There is very cold tundra climate above the
snowline (5000m). There is cool desert vegetation as
there is snow all the time. There are lichens, mosses
and little grass in the places where snow cannot get
accumulated.
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Glossary
sub-tropical climate : climate characterized by hot and humid summers
deciduous : characterized by shedding off leaves
coniferous : cone-bearing plants
In-class Activity
Compare the vegetations that are found in your locality with the vegetations that
are found in other regions of Nepal.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. Why are there varied climate and vegetation in Nepal?
2. Name major vegetations of the subtropical evergreen forest.
3. Why do the trees of the deciduous seasonal forest shed off their leaves during
the winter?
4. Why is alpine grassland suitable for animal husbandry?
5. What is an altitude of the snowline? What sorts of vegetations are found around
the snowline?
6. What is the relation between geographical diversity and the vegetation found in
Nepal?
7. Write down the features of the vegetation found in your locality.
8. Write down the major types of vegetation found in Nepal.
172 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Lesson Geographical Diversity
6.5 and Lifestyle
Pre-reading Activity
You may have often heard the word “lifestyle.” Have you ever thought what it
means? What constitutes a lifestyle? Make a list of things that you consider to be part
of a lifestyle. Then, think of the things that define lifestyle related to various factors
such as geography, climate, available resources of the place one lives in.
Reading
Nepal is a beautiful country of both
geographical and cultural diversites.
There are plains, hills, mountains, valleys,
gorges, and river basins. The climate also
varies across the country as we move from
the Terai to the Himalayas. We know that
climate depends on topography, altitude,
and distance from the sea. So, the climate
of Nepal is highly influenced by its varied
altitudes. Similarly, people’s lifestyle
also depends upon the climate and the
geography of a place. It is because social
and economic activities are related to
the climate and the structure of land. If we go northward from the south, the altitude
increases and temperature decreases. In the similar way, people’s lifestyle and economic
activities also change.
There is bio-diversity in the country due to the variation in climate and altitude as well.
In general, we have hot and humid summer and cold and dry winter. The Terai region
consists of thick forests covered with tall trees; the Hilly region has deciduous forests; in
the Himalayan region, we can find coniferous and alpine forests. Saal, sisoo, catechu,
spruce, cedar, pine, and fur are commonly found trees in Nepal. We also have many more
non-timber plants.
The main occupation of people is agriculture; however, tourism, industry, services, foreign
employment are other prominent sectors of employment. About three million hectares of
land is arable and only 25 percent of the land has irrigation facility. The Terai and the river
basins of the hilly region have irrigation facility. The rest of arable land must depend on
occasional rainfall. Due to the lack of year-round irrigation facility, farmers have no work
throughout the season. As a result, farmers remain semi-employed. Nepal suffers from
deluge during the rainy season and from drought during the winter and summer seasons.
So, Nepal hasn't fully taken the advantage of agriculture as it should have.
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Lifestyle in the Himalayan Region
Due to extreme cold climate and difficult terrain, only 6.73% of the total population live
in this region according to the census of 2068 B.S. With varieties of climate, the lifestyle of
people also varies. Cultures, traditions, custums, and food habits are different in different
areas. The Sherpas, the Lholmos, the Thakalis, the Dolpos, the Bhotes, etc. are the major
inhabitants of the Himalayan region. The people living in the Himalayan region put on
thick woollen clothes, eat more meat items and drink homemade beverage. Potato is
the major crop of this region. Barley, uwa, buckwheat and apples are grown in a small
quantity. They also shift their settlements to river basins or city areas during the winter to
protect themselves from severe cold and snow storms. They keep a large number of cattle
and use animals as a means of transportation. So this region is very suitable for animal
husbandry.
Lifestyle in the Hilly Region
The Hilly region has moderate climate. 43% of the
total population reside in this region according to
the census of 2068 B.S. The Brahmins, the Chhetris,
the Rais, the Limbus, the Magars, the Gurungs, the
Tamangs, the Newars are the major inhabitants of
this region. People living in this region put on clothes
according to the temperature. The main occupation
is agriculture. Because of the warm climate, farmers
can grow crops twice a year. The land in the river
basin yields crops three times a year as well. The low-
lying areas of this region are more developed with large modern cities. People eat rice
and bread; paddy, corn, and wheat are the staple crops. Cardamom, tea, coffee, ginger,
orange, sweet orange, etc. are the major cash crops of this region. The Kathmandu valley,
Pokhara, Dhanakuta, Tansen, Silgadi, and Doti are some famous places of this region.
Lifestyle in the Terai Region
50.27% of the total population reside in the Terai
region of Nepal according to the census of 2068
B.S. The Yadavs, the Tharus, the Muslims, the
Brahmins, the Telis, the Kushwahas, the Kurmis,
the Chamars, the Mushars, and other Madhesis
are the major inhabitants of this region. Due to the
proximity to India, people’s lifestyle in the Terai
region is very close to people living in the northen
part of India. Modern tools and technologies are
used in daily life. The main means of transportation
is automobile; however, bull carts and bicycles are
also used widely. Rice and wheat are the major staple grains in this region. People eat
rice, meat, bread as their major food. Jute, tobacco, sugarcane, oilseeds, cotton, fruits and
vegetables are the major cash crops of the region. The region is more industrialized than
other regions in the country due to the availability of market and plain land structure.
Geographical and social diversity of Nepal is a great potentiality for development. We
can attract tourists due to this diversity. The varied lifestyle, cultures and geography not
174 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
only help develop tourism but also grow different types of food crops, wild products or
animals. For the development, the concerned agencies should publicize the social and
natural diversity of Nepal. It will help forge national unity, social harmony and economic
development.
extreme Glossary
timber
arable : very great in degree
beverage : trees that are grown to be used in building or making things
: productive and appropriate for growing crops
: any type of drink except water
In-class Activity
Briefly explain the lifestyle of people living in your area. Then, choose a different
geographic region as your favourite destination. What kind of lifestyle do you
expect there? What specific lifestyle such as dress-up, food habit, daily activities
would you have to change if you migrated to the place of your destination? Share
your ideas with the class.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What are the reasons for the diversity of climate in a small country like Nepal?
2. What is the relationship between geographical diversity and climate variation in
Nepal?
3. Why is the Terai region of Nepal called "Granary of Nepal"?
4. Name the major crops of the Himalayan region.
5. Name the major inhabitants of the Terai region.
6. People’s occupation in Nepal is determined by climate and geographical
structure. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why?
7. Different crops are produced in different regions. Collect names of crops that are
grown in three regions. Offer reasons as to why certain crops grow in that region.
8. The monsoon rainfall has both advantages and disadvantages. Justify.
9. Which region is more suitable for the rapid growth of flora and fauna in Nepal?
10. Give geographic reasons for the following statements:
a) The Himalayan region is suitable for cattle raising.
b) The Hilly region is suitable for horticulture.
c) The Terai region is suitable for agriculture.
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Visit a farm and make a list of crops that are grown in the farm. Ask the farmer
about the available facilities and difficulties for farming in that locality. Compare
your findings with your friend’s.
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Lesson Nepal’s Water Resource
6.6 and Its Utility
Pre-reading Activity
What is the condition of water sources, electricity and water supply in your locality?
Discuss in the class.
Reading
The condition of water resource in Nepal and its use
The natural resource plays an important role in economic development of a country. Nepal
is rich in terms of natural resources. Water, forest, minerals, soil, etc. are the resources that
are present in abundant amount. Among these resources, water is much talked natural
resource.
Nepal is one of the richest countries with high prospect in inland water resource. The
water has two important sources: surface or direct source and underground or indirect
source. Surface source appears at any site naturally and includes rivers, streams, lakes,
reservoirs, etc. Underground water that is below the ground surface includes open wells,
tube wells, artesian wells, infiltration wells, infiltration gallery, etc. Nepal has more than
six thousand rivers and more than one thousand rivers are more than 11 km long. The
rivers of Nepal have the water storage capacity of 202,000 million cubic metres. The Koshi,
the Gandaki and the Karnali are the major rivers of Nepal. These rivers occupy 47 percent
of the total water storage capacity. The total hydropower of Nepal is estimated at 83,000
MW of which 42,000 MW is considered to be technically and economically viable.
On the basis of speed, water capacity and utility the rivers of Nepal can be kept into three
grades.
176 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
1. First Grade Rivers
These types of rivers originate from the snowcapped Himalayan Range. They are perennial
in nature. The Koshi, the Karnali and the Gandaki are its examples. These rivers are useful
for bigger hydropower and irrigation projects.
2. Second Grade Rivers
The rivers which originate from the Mahabharat range come under these types of rivers.
The level of water of these types of rivers rises during monsoon season and gets down
during dry season. The Mechi, the Kankai, the Biring, the Triyuga, the Kamala, the
Bagmati, the Banganga, the Tinau, the Rapti, the Babai, the Mohana, etc. are the examples
of this sort of rivers. These types of rivers are also useful for micro-hydropower, drinking
water and irrigation purpose.
3. Third Grade Rivers
These types of rivers originate from the Siwalik (Chure) range. These rivers have high
volume and great speed of water during monsoon and have low volume or no water on
the surface during dry season. Hence, they are temporary in nature. The Sirsia, the Tiloy,
the Jamuni, the Hardinath, the Dunduwa, the Ratuwa, the Aruwa, the Khatiya, etc. are its
examples.
Utility of water resource, water-induced disaster and its management
The rivers of Nepal possess high potential to generate hydroelectricity but it has not crossed
even 1000 MW till date. Pharping Hydropower Project and Sundarijal Hydropower are
the first and the second hydropower projects of Nepal. They were established during
the Rana Rule. Kaligandaki 'A' hydroelectric power station situated in Syanja district of
Nepal with an installed capacity of 144 MW is the largest power plant of Nepal.
Currently, there are about 30 hydropower projects in Nepal that include bigger or smaller
projects. There are many micro hydropower plants at rural level which promote renewable
energy sources to provide reliable, low-cost electricity to rural communities in Nepal.
Due to lack of enough hydropower, many industries haven't run properly in Nepal. We
need to increase the hydropower production for the economic progress of Nepal.
Irrigation is the second important sector where water resources can be used for the
development of agriculture. Nepal is an agricultural country and irrigation is of utmost
importance. The construction of modern irrigation system started in Nepal in 1922 during
the Rana Rule with the Chandra Nahar (canal) in the Triyuga River in Saptari and the
Juddha Nahar in the Manorama River in Rautahat. But many channels were constructed
in the Kathmandu valley long before them. By the end of the First Three Year Plan (2066-
067) a total of 12,52,476 hectares of land was irrigated which is less than 50% of the total
cultivable land. Sarada (Kailali, Kanchanpur: 6800 hectare), Bagmati (Bara, Rautahat,
Sarlahi:50,200 hectares), Rapti (Banke: 3,000 hectare), Kankai (Jhapa: 8,000 hectares), Sikta
(Banke: 36,000 hectares), Koshi (Saptari: 22,000 hectares), Gandaki (Bara, Parsa, Rautahat,
Nawalparasi: 51,000 hectare) and Babai (Bardia: 13,000 hectares) are Nepal's major
irrigation projects. Besides these, shallow tubewell irrigation projects have been located
in some places like Rupandehi, Kapibastu, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Siraha, etc.
The first grade rivers of Nepal are famous worldwide for rafting. Unfortunately, water
resource of Nepal faces a host of serious threats, all caused primarily by human activity.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 177
They include pollution, urbanization, deforestation, population growth, etc. The impact
is directly seen in our lives. Annually hundreds of people lose their lives due to natural
disasters like flood, landslide and waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera,
jaundice, etc. Many people have become homeless. We all need to be aware of this fact.
Government, NGOs, INGOs, communities and concerned stakeholders should play an
important role in the preservation and management of water resource.
Glossary
artesian well : well from which water flows under the natural pressure
without pumping
infiltration well : well on the surface of the ground made for rainwater to seep
into the ground
infiltration gallery : horizontal drain made from open jointed or perforated pipes,
which is laid below the water table and collects groundwater
channel : waterway between two landmasses that lie close to each other
In-class Activity
Make a list of the tributaries of the three major rivers of Nepal.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What do you mean by water resource? Write about the uses of water from
economic point of view.
2. Name three major rivers of Nepal. How are they boon to Nepal?
3. What is total hydropower capacity of Nepal from technical and economic
perspective? Why have we not been able to use it in full-fledged form?
4. Into how many categories can the rivers of Nepal be kept on the basis of their
origin and water storage capacity?
5. Write any four uses of rivers of Nepal.
6. Though there is great prospect of hydroelectricity in Nepal, it hasn't been able to
meet half of the total demand. Give reasons behind it.
7. What do you mean by water-induced disaster? What can be done for its
management? Write in points.
8. Write any four ways to keep the water free from pollution.
9. Write a letter to your friend explaining the way to conserve the water resources.
178 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Lesson
6.7 Cartography: Map Work
Pre-reading Activity
Imagine that you are throwing a birthday party tomorrow. You want to invite your
classmates at your birthday party at home. None of your friends know where exactly
your home is. Now, draw a line map to hand it over to your friends so that they can
easily find your home. Make sure to mention important landmarks on the way and to
indicate directions such as North, East, West, and South. After giving them the map,
ask if they can reach there or if they would need more information.
Reading
In geographical study, a map is an important source of information. A map is a drawing
of the earth surface or a part of surface showing any place, country, or town on a smooth
surface. Maps help find places and people. So, to draw a proper map, one needs expertise.
Similarly, to study and understand a map, we need a technical or cartographical knowledge.
To understand a map, first we must understand its scale and symbols. These days satellite
and computer technology have made the map work easier. However, an expert is needed
for the map work. According to the need, photos of earth are taken from the space from
a height of 700 to 1700 km and a map is drawn with the help of a computer. Nowadays,
a new subject has been introduced, called Geographical Information System (GIS), which
gives more accurate and clear information about any place or the entire earth.
Scale in maps
While drawing a map, the concept of scale is important. To draw a map that is as large as
a country or a place is impossible. It must be reduced in a proper size. Therefore, there
must be a relation between the size of the map and the actual distance or area of the
land. A scale is a ratio of distance on the map to the distance of actual land or objects. For
example, if we are drawing a map of land with the length of 5 km, then we can take 1cm
(or inch) line in paper for 5 km. It means 1cm (or inch) length of map represents 5 km of
actual land or place. In this measurement, the scale is 1 cm:5 km (or 1:500000).
How to draw a map of Nepal?
Step 1:
Draw a rectangle of 20× 12 square centimeters and divide it into 4cm, 6cm, 6cm and
4cm parts vertically, again divide it into 4cm, 4cm and 4cm horizontally.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 179
Step 2:
Draw the figure shown below on the graph from left to right.
Step 3:
You can use the numbers as shown in the figure to remember the parts of Nepal; like:
1 represents Mt. Api, 2 for Mt. Changla, 3 for Mt. Mustang, 4 for Mt. Ganesh, 5 for
Mt. Langtang, 6 for Mt. Gaurishankar, 7 for Mt. Everest, 8 for Mt. Kanchanjangha, 9
for Mahendranagar, 10 for Nepalgunj, 11 for Lumbini, 12 for Chitwan National Park,
13 for Birgunj, 14 for Janakpur, 15 for Koshi River and 16 for Jhapa.
Step 4:
After drawing the map of 1 2 3
Nepal, put the northline on 9
top of the figure, give suitable 10 4 56 7
title, indicate the scale at the 11 8
bottom of map (i.e. 10cm = 16
40km), put the boundaryline on
all the sides of map and draw
borderline to make it attractive.
Types of map 12 14 15
13
1. Physical map
This map shows the physical condition or structure of land or a country such as
rivers, hills, plains, water, forest, and climate indicated by different colours. You can
consult an atlas for more information about the physical map.
2. Political map
This map shows the political or administrative division of a country or the world.
It shows the borders between countries or districts or Rural Municipalities/
Municipalities within a country. Generally, one type of lines are used for the borders
of a unit or an administrative area. For example, the International Border Line is
drawn bolder than a district border.
3. Distributional map
This map gives the information about the distribution of natural or human-made
things such as forests, minerals, schools, residential areas, factories, mines, etc.
Certain types of symbols are used to show the distribution.
Use of symbols in a map
A map should be understandable. So, there should be common or shared symbols to
represent certain things. In general practice, the following conventional symbols are used
for the following things. Or, we can indicate the meaning of symbols within the map.
180 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Things Symbol
Forest
Mountain range
Mountain peak
Airport
Temple
Lake
River
Bridge
Road
Grassland
Pass
Railways
Ropeways
City/Town
Glossary
cartography : the art or process of drawing maps
expert : a person with special knowledge
indication : a remark or sign that shows
conventional : traditional
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 181
In-class Activity
Draw or trace a map of Nepal and show the following items using symbols in the
right place.
Rara Lake, Sagarmatha, Prithvi Highway, Koshi Tapu Wildlife Reserve,
Himalayan range, and Koshi River
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What is a map? How does it differ from the globe?
2. What is scale in a map? How is it used in a map?
3. How is a map drawn? List the main methods used in drawing maps.
4. What is the relationship between the scale and the distance of actual place?
5. With the help of your atlas, find the distance between Tansen and Dhankuta;
Chandragadhi and Dhangadhi; New York and Tokyo.
6. Draw a figure of your school or classroom using certain scale. Discuss the use
and advantages of scale in the mapwork.
7. Draw a map of Nepal using a grid or graph. Practise it many times so that you
can draw a good map of Nepal with free hand.
8. Why are certain symbols used in maps? Draw symbols for the following things:
river, road, railways, bridge, jungle, tree, mountain range, temple, school or
university, airport, lake, capital, house, and grassland
B. Offer long answer to the following question.
Draw the map of Nepal and insert the following items in it:
Lake Rara, Siddhartha Highway, River Kaligandaki, River Tamor, Mt. Api, Mt.
Gaurishankar, B.P. Highway, Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve, Tansen, tea production
area
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Draw a map of Nepal in 3 x 5 feet paper and allocate 7 provinces. Now paste
appropriate seeds on related area of the map to indicate major crops grown in
that area. For example, paste tea in Illam, lentil in eastern Terai, mustard seeds in
Chitwan area, etc.
182 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Lesson Knowledge about
Distance
6.8
Pre-reading Activity
Draw an outline map of your locality and mark all the important places on it.
Reading Scale 1:100
Way to sketch by using scale
We cannot give the map an exact size of the object on a
sheet of paper. Hence, we need scale to show them. Scale
helps us to show the actual distance of any point on the
surface of the earth on a sheet of paper by enlarging or
reducing in the form of a map. With the help of scale we
can show 1m long table equal to 1cm on a sheet of a paper.
Scale can be expressed in three different ways.
1. Statement (verbal scale)
This is the easiest method or way of describing a map scale. In this scale, the map distance
is normally expressed as a unit length to the corresponding ground distance, Ex. 1cm= 20
metre, 1inch= 100 miles
2. Representative fraction scale or Numeric Ratio
Here, the map scale is expressed as a numeric ratio. Here, the numerator of fraction depicts
the map distance (expressed as a unit) and the denominator depicts the corresponding
ground distance.
eg. 1: 1000, ie., 1cm =1000cm
3. Graphical scale or linear scale or bar scale
Map scales that are often represented by means of a line or linear graphs of various
kinds are called graphical scale. Graphical scales remain true when maps are shrunk or
magnified. Here, the straight line representing the linear scale is divided into a number of
equal parts and is marked to show what these divisions represent on the actual ground.
0 5 10 20 30 40
Miles Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 183
Sketched maps at different scales
Maps are described as either large scale or small scale. Large scale maps show a smaller
portion of area with more details whereas small scale maps show a larger geographic area
with a few details on them.
In the pictures given below we can see some parts of the Kathmandu valley. In a map if
we use large scale (ex. 1cm = 20km), it covers larger area but doesn't give a clear picture
of all the places. Now if we use small scale (ex. 1cm = 0.5 km), it covers smaller area but
gives clear facts of the place.
Scale 1 c.m. = 0.5 k.m. Scale 1 c.m. = 20 k.m.
1 : 50,000 1 : 2,000
Measuring distance
Obviously, we have discussed the scale in a map. If the scale is represented exactly, we
can find the distance between any two places with the help of a ruler. Suppose the map
of Nepal is drawn with the scale ratio of 1 cm :100 km and we have to find the actual
distance between Dhanakuta and Tansen. Now, measure the distance between Tansen
and Dhanakuta. If the length is 5 cm and we have the scale ratio 1cm: 100 km, then the
actual distance between these two places is 5 x 100 km = 500 km. Similarly, we can find the
distance between different places in an atlas using the map scale. Now, can you find the
distance between Tokyo and New York, London and Paris, Kathmandu and New Delhi
with the help of your atlas?
184 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
shrunk Glossary
: made smaller in size
In-class Activity
Stand on your school's playground facing your school. Now, write down all places
or things that you see in all the directions.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following question.
1. Write short notes on different types of scales.
Self-Discovery: Project Work
List out the major places of your community and observe them in google map.
Make a sketch of the map observed through google and share with your family
members.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 185
Lesson Physical Structure
of Asia
6.9
Pre-reading Activity
Read some fun facts about Asia below and write a one-paragraph introduction to
Asia.
Fun Facts about Asia
• Asia contains around 30% of the world's land area and 60% of the world's
population.
• The highest point on earth, Mt. Everest, is in Asia. The lowest point on land,
the Dead Sea, is also in Asia.
• Asia is the only continent that shares borders with two other continents;
Africa and Europe.
• Asia is home to two of the three largest economies in the world: China (2nd
largest) and Japan (3rd largest).
• China and India are the two largest countries in the world by population.
China is number one with over 1.3 billion people. India is number two with
over 1.2 billion.
Reading
Size and location
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Asia is the largest continent in the world. It has an area of 4,36,08,000 sq.km. It extends
from 9, 650 km east-west to 6440 km north-south. It stretches between 100S to 800N and
250 to 1800 E longitude. Ural Mountain separates Asia from Europe. Asia is bordered with
Ural Mountain and the Black Sea in the west. The Suez Canal and the Red Sea separate
it from Africa in the south west. The Bering Strait separates Russia from Alaska of the
United States in the north-east. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Indian
Ocean to the south, and the Arctic Ocean to the north.
Asia and its diversity
Asia is a continent of diversity. It contains the hottest area, coldest area, highest peak,
deepest gorge, deepest valley, and areas with the highest and the lowest population
density. Therefore, Asia is also called the continent of contrast. The temperature decreases
from the equator to northwards, and the polar zone is the coldest area. The rainfall moves
to Asia from the Bay of Bengal in the summer and from the Arabian sea in the winter.
Tropical, Deciduous, Coniferous, Alpine, and Tundra vegetations are common forests
found in the continent.
Most of the Asian countries are the least developed or underdeveloped. But, Japan, South
Koria, Singapore, etc. are developed nations. The Middle East nations are rich in petroleum
product. Most of the South Asian nations are poor and East Asian nations are developed.
Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong are called newly industrialized
nations. Russia and China are two big countries; India is the third largest country in Asia.
On the basis of population, China is the largest country, followed by India and Indonesia.
Climate and vegetation
Climate of Asia is not even across the regions. The southern part has tropical climate and
the temperature gradually decreases toward the north. South East Asia is on the equatorial
region and has tropical climate. Temperatures remain hot and humid. The daily rainfall
round the year is quite common in this area. South Asia has the tropical climate. Because
of the presence of desert in South-west Asia, there is tropical desert climate as well.
There is vast biodiversity in Asia as there is variation in climate. In the equatorial region,
there is thick evergreen forest. In north East Asia (Japan, China, Korea and some part of
Russia) there is temperate deciduous forest. In the northern region, there is coniferous
forest, and it is evergreen in nature. Similarly, there is scant vegetation in South-west Asia
(Arab countries).
Geographical structure
On the basis of geographical structure, Asia can be divided into six regions.
I. Northern Plain: In the northern part of Asia, there lies the Great Siberian Region
which is extremely cold. In winter the temperature falls below–300C. Coniferous
pine trees are extensively found in the region.
II. Mid-Asia Mountain Range and High Plateau Area: The mid-Asia is extended
from the Mediterranean Sea to the Eastern Pacific Ocean where lies the world
famous mountain ranges. The Himalayan Mountain Range that lies in China, India
and Nepal is the major range. The world's highest peak, Mt. Everest, also falls in
the same region. Other mountain ranges include Karakoram, Suleman, Hindkush,
Elbrus, etc. As the middle Asia lies in rain shadow area and is far away from the sea,
it is semi-desert.
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III. Southern Plateau: In the southern part are Deccan
plateau of India, Arabian Plateau, Yunani Plateau
and other areas. The Tibetan Plateau nicknamed
with the Roof of the World lies to the north of the
Himalayan. These parts are made up of old and
hard rocks.
IV. Great River Valley and Plains: There are great river valleys and plains in Asia. As
the valleys have great fertile soil, the population density is very high. These fertile
areas are formed by rivers like the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus, the Ganga, the
Brahmaputra, the Mecon, etc. The great human civilization developed at the bank
of these rivers.
V. South-east Island: To the south and east of Asia lie many islands and archipelagos
like Japan, the Maldives, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The climate here is either
tropical or sub-tropical monsoon.
VI. Western Desert: There lies the dry area in the
south-west of Asia. There are many tropical
deserts like middle East and Thar Desert. This
region has tropical desert climate.
bordered Glossary
diversity
gorge : has the border touching with
equatorial : having varied structures; cultures and traditions
tropical : deep narrow valley
tundra : related to equator; close to equator
: related to tropics (one of the two imaginary lines drawn)
: large flat Arctic region
In-class Activity
Get into small groups and prepare your own “fun facts” about Asia. Include
information that stands out as being interesting and new. You may also research
to include information not mentioned in the lesson. Now, design flash cards using
the fun facts and display them in the class.
188 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. Mention the area, location and borders of Asia.
2. Why is Asia called the continent of contrast? Explain.
3. Find out the Karakorum Mountain range, deserts, bays, and major rivers of Asia
in an atlas or on a map.
4. Nepal receives rainfall from the Bay of Bengal in the summer and the Arabian
sea in the winter. What are its reasons?
5. Describe the physical division of Asia with examples.
6. Write down the names of places that receive the most and the least amount of
rainfall.
7. Give geographical reasons for the following statements:
a. Central Asia receives least amount of rainfall in Asia.
b. Western Asia receives more rainfall in the winter season.
c. Eastern Island is suitable for rubber production.
d. There is high population density in southern Asia.
B. Offer a long answer to the following question.
Take an outline map of Asia and fill in the following items:
Tundra, Lake Baikal, Caspian Sea, Dead Sea, Bay of Bengal, Yangtze River, Ural
Mountain, Arabian Desert, Tigris River, Gobi Desert, Himalayan range, Kathmandu
Valley, Maldives, Tibetan plateau, Indian Ocean, Borneo Island, Sumatra, Tokyo, and
petroleum Production Areas, Thar Desert, Steppes
Self- Discovery: Project Work
A large number of Nepalese go to different Asian countries for employment. Find
four to five such countries in the map and show air routes to those countries from
Kathmandu, using the red colour thread. Also, calculate the approximate distance
with the help of the map scale. You can do this in a map or an outline map of Asia.
If you use an outline map, you may need to fill up the countries.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 189
Lesson Economic and Social
6.10
Life in Asia
Pre-reading Activity
If you were to travel to any location or a country in Asia, which one would it be?
Write some suitable reasons to explain your choice and share it with your class.
Reading
The continent of Asia is unique in its geography and climate. It stretches from the
equatorial region to the North Pole. So there are different climatic zones, land structures.
Due to this diversity in climate and geography, social life, economic condition, level of
development vary across the region. On the basis of economic and social life, Asia can be
divided into five major regions.
North Asia
Most areas in this region have cold climate,
and northern most part is covered with snow.
The main countries of this region are Russia,
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, northern
China, etc. The life is difficult because of the cold
climate. In winter season, the temperature falls
below 0o celsius. Few countries having favourable
economic condition are developed; whereras
others are underdeveloped. The main occupation
in this region is cattle raising, agriculture, and
industry. Taiga forest is the major source of income of this region. Coal, Nickel, Gold, Oil,
etc. are found in abundant.
South-west Asia or the Middle East
Most of this region is desert and the climate is
tropical desert type with high temperature. So
life is difficult. The camel is the main animal of
this region and it is also called the ship of desert
due to its usefulness in this region. It is the source
of meat and milk, and means of transportation
as well. Due to the presence of petroleum wells,
most Gulf countries are rich. United Arab
Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq, Iran,
etc. are in this region. Iran and Iraq are bigger
countries. At present, Iraq is facing political instability and social unrest due to conflict.
Stern nationalism and religious clashes are some of the issues Iraq and Iran are facing.
190 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
They export petroleum products and import readymade goods for their daily use. Many
cities have been established in desert due to the high ability to invest in infrastructures.
Most of the people follow Islam. Many foreign workers, including Nepalese, go there
for employment. There is the high level of development and industrial activities in this
region. The pace of development and urbanization is increasing day by day.
South Asia
This region is in the Indian sub-continent. There is very
high population density. Most people are involved in
agriculture. The nations of these regions are developing or
underdeveloped. Nepal, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, and Afganistan are in this region. The region is
the centre of ancient cultures and civilization. The early Vedic
civilization was developed in the Sindhu valley. The majority
of people follow Hinduism and Islam. Agriculture is still in
traditional from. Industrialization and urbanization have
started in recent years. India is the biggest country of this region and a leading economy.
South East Asia
This region is on the coastal area. Thailand, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Indonesia are major countries of this region.
Most of the countries in this region are either developed or
developing. So, they are called new industrialized nations.
There is high rate of development and industrialization.
The region has a high population density. Industry, services,
and agriculture, and tourism are major economic sectors
providing employment to the populace.
East Asia
Economically, this region is very important in Asia and
in the world. There is high population density. Most of
the nations are developed and industrialized. Japan,
Korea, China, Hong Kong are the major countries of the
region. Industry and agriculture are the main economic
activities. Unlike other regions, agriculture in this area
is highly modernized. Like South Asia, the civilization
of this region dates back to ancient period. Most of the
modern civilizations were developed in this region.
Glossary
instability : lack of peace and order
population density : average number of people living in an area
populace : people living in an area
civilization : way of life, including language, culture, art, and literature
coastal area : areas close to sea
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 191
In-class Activity
Choose an Asian country, other than South Asian, and make a list of goods and
services that might be imported from and exported to. Explain how Nepal can
benefit from trade relations with this country.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. Which region of Asia is highly developed? Give reasons.
2. Asia is the largest producer of rice in the world. Give reasons.
3. Compare the major economic activities of five regions of Asia.
4. Although most of the south-west part of Asia is desert, the countries of this
region are economically rich. What might be its reasons?
5. Which areas of Asia do the following pictures represent ?
12 3
45
6. The population density in the coastal area and the southern part of Asia is higher
than in the northern parts. Why?
B. Offer a long answer to the following question.
Indicate the following items in the outline map of Asia:
Tea production area, Seoul, Red Sea, rubber production area, wheat production
area, a world famous tourist destination, one landlocked country, iron mine, coal
mine, petroleum production area, two most populated cities, a country where
fishery is the main occupation
192 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Fill up the following table. You may use other books for information.
Region Countries Climate Vegetation Agriculture Mines/ Race and Population
Industry lifestyle size and
density
West Asia
North Asia
South Asia
South East Asia
East Asia
Asia: Physical
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 193
Asia: Political
194 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
Lesson Physical Structure of
Europe
6.11
Pre-reading Activity
Read the facts about Europe below and add five more facts in the list.
Europe at a Glance: Facts
• Total population: 696 million
• Number of countries: 51
• Largest country: Russian Federation (European section) 1,527,341 sq miles
(3,955,818 sq km)
• Smallest country: Vatican City, 0.17 sq miles (0.44 sq km)
• Largest population: Russian Federation (whole country) 143 million
• Largest lake: Ladoga, Russian Federation 7,100 sq miles (18,390 sq km)
• Longest river: Volga, Russian Federation 2,290 miles (3,688 km)
• Highest point: El’brus, Caucasus Mountains, Russian Federation 18,510 ft (5,642 m)
Reading
Size and location
Europe is one of the seven continents that entirely lies in the northern hemisphere. It is the
western most peninsula of Eurasia in the west of Asia.
Europe borders the Arctic Ocean on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the
Mediterranean Sea on the south, and the Caucasus Mountains on the southeast. To the
east, Europe is generally divided from Asia by the Ural Mountains, Ural River, Black Sea
and Caspian Sea. It lies between 20° W to 65° E longitudes and 39o to 71o N latitudes. The
area of Europe is 1,04,98,000 sq. km. with the population of 710 millions; it is about 11
percent of the world’s population. Its average east-west length is 6400 km and north-south
width is 4800 km. Out of Europe’s 51 countries, Russia (only the part that is in Europe) is
the largest country in terms of area and population, while the Vatican City is the smallest
one. Within Europe there are many peninsulas like Norway, Sweden, Spain, Portugal,
Italy and Greece. Hence Europe is also called a peninsula of peninsulas. Europe has an
irregular coastline. It has very few landlocked nations. The rivers of Europe are not long
but they provide irrigation and inland water routes.
Physical structure
This continent has longer coastal area. So, there are a very few landlocked countries in
Europe. Geographically, Europe can be divided into three regions.
1. Northwest Highland: It is the oldest relief feature of Europe that is composed of
ancient hard rocks. An arc of uplands also exists along the north-western seaboard,
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 195
which begins in the western part of the islands of Britain and Ireland, and then
continues toward the north. This highland is also called Scandinavia. Countries in
this region are Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, etc.
2. The Central Plain: It is also called the Russian Plate or the Great European plain.
It extends from the Ural Mountain of the eastern Europe to the coast of Atlantic
Ocean. This region is made up of very old metamorphic rock. The great region of
Russia, Poland, Germany, Northern France, Belgium, etc. fall under this area. River
Volga, the largest river of Europe and River Denube flow through the Great Central
Plain.
3. The Southern Mountain Region: This region is contemporary mountain range of
the Himalayan region of Asia. The form and altitude of this mountain range is not
uniform. Alps, Caucasus, Pyrenees, and Carpathian are the major mountain ranges
of this region. Mt. Elbrus (5,633 m) situated at Caucasus Mountain Range is the
highest peak of Europe.
Climate and vegetation
The continent experiences four types of climates. The north of Europe has extremely cold
climate called tundra. The temperature reaches above 0° Celsius only in the summer for
about two months. In the remaining reasons, the temperature falls far below the freezing
point. Coastal region has temperate climate. It is humid and causes rainfall or snowfall.
The southern part has Mediterranean climate which is dry in summer and cold and humid
in winter. Similarly, the central region remains cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
196 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
From the central part to the east, the climate is extreme and shows the nature of desert
type and land is semi-desert. There is the Mediterranean type of forest in the southern
part, temperate deciduous forest in the North-West and Central Europe; coniferous forest
which is called taiga is found in the northern side. The grassland of eastern Europe is
called steppes.
In-class Activity Glossary
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activities, and social and cultural life. Then, present the profile in the class.
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. Study the physical map of Europe and find the climate belts, mountain range,
plains and western coastal area.
2. Describe the physical divisions of Europe with examples.
3. What are the factors that affect the climate in Europe?
4. Why does Europe have longer coastal area and sufficient number of harbours
and ports even though it is a small continent?
5. What types of mountains and rivers are there in Europe? Write two features of
each type.
6. Give geographical reasons to the following statements:
a) Year round rainfall occurs in north-west Europe.
b) Rivers of Europe are useful for transportation.
c) Finland is called the country of thousand lakes.
d) There is extreme type of climate in East Europe.
e) Western European coastal seas are suitable for transportation.
B. Offer a long answer to the following question.
Fill up an outline map of Europe with the following items:
Strait of Gibraltar, Baltic Sea, the Alps mountain, River Danube and Volga, London,
Paris, Moscow, the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, Lake Onega, Taiga, semi
desert area, Scandinavia, Ural Mountain, Steppes, Mt. Elbrus, Caucasus, Carpathian
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Study the landlocked countries of Europe and compare their economic condition with
that of Asian landlocked countries. Offer your reasons why European landlocked
countries are richer and more developed than the Asian landlocked countries.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 197
Lesson Economic and Social Life
6.12
in Europe
Pre-reading Activity
Read the following facts about European Union:
• The European Union is an international organization made up of about 30
European countries.
• It governs common economic, social and security policies of its member states.
• According the EU website, the objectives of the EU are to establish European
citizenship, ensure freedom, justice and security, promote economic and social
progress, and assert Europe's role in the world.
• Membership is open to any country with a democratic government, a good
human rights record, and sound economic policies.
• The member states delegate sovereignty to the EU institutions to represent the
interests of the European Union as a whole.
• Decisions and procedures stem from treaties ratified by the member states.
• The capital of the European Union is Brussels, Belgium.
Can you add more information about European economy?
Reading
Europe is the most developed continent
in the world. The economy of Europe is
currently the third largest in the world.
Countries in the west and coastal areas are
richer compared to countries located in the
east. Modern industrial economy began
in Europe; the Industrial Revolution took
place in Britain. A large number of people
are involved in industries and service
sectors; only 10 percent people depend on
agriculture. The industrial development
in Europe has reached its climax. Europe
has advanced in technology. Technology
is used in every sector of economy and life, including industry, agriculture, and cattle
farming. Agriculture is modernized with technology, use of chemical fertilizer, and
improved seeds. So, Europe is able to export agro-products to the rest of the world.
Another major economic activity is fishing as it has long coastal area. Service and banking
sectors as well as trade and commerce are other important sources of employment in
Europe. Since the Industrial Revolution, Europe has searched for new markets. In search
of markets, Europeans have travelled to different parts of the world and found new areas,
198 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9
like America, India, and China. They found not only markets for their products but also
collected information about new places, people, and cultures. In the course, European
powers such as Britain, France, and Portugal colonized many countries politically and
economically and hence they collected a large amount of wealth from around the world.
Europe also witnessed great wars such as
the First and the Second World Wars. Such
wars began due to many contentious issues,
including control of markets and resources.
At present, Europe has become the centre of
world markets, industry and the chief exporter
of goods to the world. It exports readymade
goods, capital goods, automobiles, electronic
goods, etc. to the rest of the world. There are
coal mines, and other fossils and fuel mines
that historically supported the European
economy.
Most of the people are Christians. They
are Caucasoid and speak English, French,
Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and German. Europeans tend to be active, laborious, and
courageous. These days, most people with low income have to work hard to meet their
daily necessities.
The average per capita income of Europe is very high as compared to Asian or African
countries. Luxembourg has the highest per capita income ($65000) in Europe as well as in
the world. Europe is also developed in terms of art, literature and culture. France is rich in
art and Britain is rich in literature. Similarly, important scientific theories and other social
science theories were laid down in Europe. The United Kingdom is considered the centre
of modern democracy. Europe has nearly 100 percent literacy rate. The education sector
is highly developed. School level education is free in most of the countries and in a few
countries education is free up to higher level. Because of the development of technology,
economy, and science, Europe has influenced many other countries in the world.
Glossary
colonization : rule of a country over another without annexing to its
territory
witness :
experience; see
industrial revolution :
revolution that introduced machinery and modern
contentious : equipment in factories
disputable; controversial
In-class Activity
Choose a European country as your dream destination. Then, make a list of things
you expect to see and have once you reach there.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9 199
Exercise
A. Offer short answer to the following questions.
1. What are the major economic activities of the people of Europe?
2. What does Europe mainly import and export?
3. 'Europe is the hub of ancient culture.' Justify the statement.
4. Give geographical reasons to the following statements:
a. Europe is rich in natural resources.
b. More Europeans are involved in industry than agriculture.
c. A large amount of fruits grows in Europe.
d. Modern development started from Europe.
e. Western European countries are more developed than eastern European
ones.
5. Study the map of Europe and indicate arable land, mountain ranges, and
countries.
6. Why is the living standard of European people highest in the world? Explain
B. Offer a long answer to the following question.
Mark up the following items in the outline map of Europe:
coal mines, wheat fields, densely populated areas, iron mines, oldest industrial
countries, major sea ports, famous tourist cities, petroleum production area
Self- Discovery: Project Work
Collect information about four major countries that colonized other countries.
Discuss in class as to why such things as colonization and World Wars happened
in Europe.
200 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 9