Class 7 Geography Question Answers - Human Environment Interactions - The Tropical and Subtropical Region

Q1. Describe the situation and location of the Amazon Basin.
Ans: Situation and Location of the Amazon Basin:

• Look at the world map (on page 56 of the textbook), the Amazon Basin lies very close to the equator, between 10°N to 10°S.
• This region is known as the equatorial region.
• The river Amazon flows through this region.

It flows from the mountains in the west and reaches the Atlantic Ocean in the east.

• Numerous tributaries join in the Amazon river and they together form the Amazon Basin.
• The river basin drains portions of Brazil, parts of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia and a small part of Venezuela.

Q2. Discuss briefly about the Amazon Basin.

Ans: The Amazon Basin can be briefed as follows:

• The Amazon Basin is a region in the continent of South America 
• It is formed by the drainage of the Amazon River and its tributaries.
• It is characterized by thick forests and sunlight is rarely able to penetrate the ground. 
• The Amazon basin experiences hot and wet weather throughout the year. Both day and night experience a hot and humid atmosphere. Rainfall can take place anytime in the Amazon basin. In the daytime, the temperature rises, and at night the temperature falls rapidly.
• This region is also highly enriched with wildlife.  Birds like macaws, toucans, hummingbirds, animals like monkeys, sloths, snakes, and reptiles like anacondas, pythons, crocodiles, and fish species like the Piranha are common here. 

Q3. What do the people of the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin mainly do?

Ans: The people of the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin are mainly engaged in the following things:

• People in the Ganga and Brahmaputra basin mainly do agriculture. The crops produced in this basin are paddy, wheat, gram, millets, and maize. Cash crops like jute, sugarcane are also produced. In hilly areas, crops are grown on terraces.
• Sericulture (rearing of silkworms) and production of silk is also done by many people in this basin.
• The towns and cities have industries where people are engaged in different works.
• The tourism sector is also very active here and has employed a lot of people.

Q4. How is tourism an important activity in the Ganga Brahmaputra plain?

Ans: Tourism is an important activity in the Ganga Brahmaputra plain due to the 

The Ganga-Brahmaputra plain is rich in natural resources. This region has seen the evolution of humans and from past to present major cities have developed in these basins. Due to the development of major cities, there are many such sites which have become famous for some reasons and are now famous tourist attractions. Some of such places include —

• Historical and ancient sites like the Taj Mahal of Agra, Buddhists stupas in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Imambara in Lucknow, etc.
• There are hilly areas of the Ganga Brahmaputra basin rich with scenic places. Mountains and waterfalls are the most scenic places to visit in these areas. For example, many tourists visit the hilly tracts of Arunachal Pradesh to witness its rich tribal culture. 
• There are many forested areas rich in wildlife. For example, the Manas and Kaziranga wildlife sanctuaries of Assam. 
• There are many holy and cultural sites here where people visit. Example – Varanasi. 

These famous tourist destinations have made tourism an important activity in the Ganga Brahmaputra plain.

Q5. Discuss about the people living in the rainforests.

Ans: The life of people living in rainforests can be elaborated as follows:

• The people living in the rainforest live a very miserable life as compared to the people living in other places. 
• People grow their crops in very small areas by clearing the trees of the rainforest.
• The women practice ‘slash and burn agriculture’ agriculture to grow crops like pineapple, sweet potato, tapioca, and cash crops such as maize, coffee, cocoa. 
• The men are mainly engaged in hunting.
• The staple food of these people is manioc which is a potato-like crop that grows inside the earth.
• Queen ants and their eggs are also eaten by them. 
• Some people live in thatched houses while some people reside in large houses called ‘maloca’.
• With the increasing accessibility of the rainforests by outside people, the lives of these indigenous people have become more difficult. They are pushed out from their native areas and have migrated to new surrounding areas. 

Q6. Name the countries of the basin through which the equator passes.
Ans: The countries of the basin through which the equator passes are
South America:

• Ecuador
• Columbia
• Brazil

Africa:

• Yabon
• Dem.Rep of Congo
• Uganda
• Kenya

Asia:

• Indonesia

Q7. Give an account of the climate of Amazon Basin.
Ans:
Climate of Amazon Basin:

• Amazon basin stretches directly on the Equator.
• It has hot and wet climate throughout the year.
• Both day and nights are almost equally hot and humid.
• Skin feels sticky.
• It rains almost every day.
• It rains without much warning.
• The day temperatures are high with high humidity.
• At night the temperature goes down but humidity is high.

Q8. Give an account of rain forests and wild life of Amazon Basin.
Ans:
Rainforests of Amazon Basin:

• In Amazon basin, it rains heavily.
• Thick forests grow here.

They are in fact so thick and dense that “roof* created by leaves and branches do not allow the sunlight to reach the ground.

• The ground remains dark and damp.
• Only shade tolerant vegetation grows here.
• Orchids, bromeliads grow as plant parasites.

Wild Life of Amazon Basin

• The rainforests are rich in fauna.
• Birds like toucans, humming birds, birds of paradise with their brilliantly coloured plumage, oversized bills for eating make them different from birds found in India.
• These birds also make loud sound in the forests.
• Animals like monkeys, sloth and ant-eating tapirs are found here.
• Various species of reptiles and snakes are also found in these jungles.
• Crocodiles, snakes, pythons abound.
• Anaconda and Boa constrictor are some of the species.
• Amazon basin is also the home of thousands of species of insects.
• Several species of fish like the flesh-eating Piranha fish is also found in the river.
• Amazon basin is actually extraordinarily rich in the variety of life found there.

Q9. What changes have occurred with life of the people of Amazon Basin in recent times?
Ans:
Life of the people of the Amazon basin is slowly changing.
In the early days, to reach the heart of the forest, river was the only means of transport.

• In modem times means of transport have developed considerably. In 1970 the Trans Amazon highway made all parts of the rainforest accessible.
• Aircrafts and helicopters are also used for reaching various places.
• The aborigines (indigenous) population was pushed out.
• Diverse rain forests are being destroyed with long term consequences.

Q10. Give an account of Slash and Burn Agriculture.
Ans:
Slash and Bum Agriculture:

• It is a way of cultivating land where farmers clear a piece of land by slashing or cutting down trees and bushes.
• These are then burnt, which release the nutrients into soil.
• New crops are grown in this cleared field for a few years.

After repeatedly using the patch of land, the soil loses its nutrients.

• So it is abandoned.
• Then they clear another plot of land to plant.

In the meantime young trees grow in the old field.

• In this way soil fertility is restarted (restored).
• People then return to it.
• They start cultivating again by repeating the process.

Q11. Explain the physiography of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin.
Ans:
Physiography of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin:
The tributaries of river Ganga and Brahmaputra together form the Ganga- Brahmaputra basin in the Indian subcontinent.

• It lies in the sub-tropical region.
• It is located between 10°N and 30°N latitudes.

The tributaries of the River Ganga like the Ghagra, the Son, the Chambal, the Gandak, the Kosi and the tributaries of Brahmaputra drain it.

Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin

• Some of the tributaries of the river Brahmaputra are:
• Dihang, Dibang. Lohit and Dhansiri.

The main physiographical features of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin are:

• Mountains and foothills of the Himalayas
• Sundarbans delta
• Ox-bow lakes dot the plain area.

Q12. How does environment play a dominant role in the distribution of population in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin?
Ans:
Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin:

• Ganga-Brahmaputra basin has varied topography.
• The environment plays a dominant role in the distribution of the population here.
• The mountain areas with steep slopes have inhospitable terrain.
• Hence less number of people live in the mountain area of the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin.
• The plain area provides the most suitable land for human habitation.
• The soil is fertile.
• Agriculture is the main occupation of the people.
• The density of population is very high.
• Since cultivation of paddy requires sufficient water, it is grown in the areas where the amount of rainfall is high or enough water is available.