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ICSE Class 8 Geography Question 1 of 12

Asia: Climate, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife — Question 1

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Question 1

Describe the factors that affect the climate of Asia.

Answer

The factors that affect the climate of Asia are-

  1. Latitudes — The vast extent of Asia covering 10°S to 80°N latitudes experiences all the types of climate ranging from hot and wet Equatorial type in the south to dry and cold Tundra type in the north.
  2. Distance from the sea — Places close to the sea experience moderate climate, whereas places in the interior experience extremes of climate.
  3. Monsoon winds — During summer, the southwest monsoon winds blow onshore. They pick up moisture from the Arabian sea and give heavy rainfall. During winter, they blow offshore as dry northeast monsoons and do not give any rainfall.
  4. Direction of the mountain ranges — The east west trend of Himalayas in South Asia, prevents the cold winds from Central Asia to enter the subcontinent in winter. They force the monsoon winds to shed their moisture in the south during the rainy season.
  5. Ocean currents — The cold and warm ocean currents affect the climate of a region. For example, the cold Oyashio current, which comes from the north and washes the western coast of Japan, affects the climate of Japan by making it extremely cold, whereas the east coast of Japan is washed by the warm Kuroshio current that makes the winter milder.
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ICSE Class VIII | Academic Year 2026-2027
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Geography | Chapter 3: Natural VegetationWeb Content

Natural Vegetation — Interactive Study Guide

Vegetation Types — Memory Card

Remember: “Every Mother Drives To Mountain”

(Evergreen, Moist Deciduous, Dry Deciduous, Thorn, Mountain) — in decreasing order of rainfall

TypeRainfallKey TreesWhere in India
Tropical Evergreen>200 cmMahogany, ebony, rosewoodWestern Ghats, NE India, Andaman
Moist Deciduous100–200 cmTeak, sal, bambooEastern Western Ghats, NE plains
Dry Deciduous70–100 cmNeem, peepal, palasCentral India
Thorn & Scrub<75 cmBabool, cactus, khejriRajasthan, Gujarat
MangroveCoastal tidalSundari, rhizophoraSundarbans, Gujarat coast
Mountain/AlpineVariesDeodar, pine, firHimalayas

Himalayan Vegetation Zones

As you go UP the Himalayas, vegetation changes:

  1. Up to 1000 m: Tropical Deciduous (teak, sal)
  2. 1000–2000 m: Wet Temperate (oak, chestnut)
  3. 2000–3000 m: Coniferous (deodar, pine, fir)
  4. 3000–4000 m: Alpine Meadows (grasses, flowers)
  5. Above 4000 m: Tundra → permanent snow

Conservation Quick Facts

Protected AreaStateFamous For
Jim Corbett NPUttarakhandFirst national park (1936); Bengal Tiger
Kaziranga NPAssamOne-horned Rhinoceros
Gir NPGujaratOnly home of Asiatic Lion
Sundarbans NPWest BengalRoyal Bengal Tiger; largest mangrove

Key Conservation Movements

  • Chipko Movement (1973): Uttarakhand; villagers hugged trees to prevent cutting
  • Van Mahotsav: Tree planting festival in first week of July every year
  • Project Tiger (1973): Launched to protect Bengal tigers

Test Yourself

  1. Why do evergreen forests remain green throughout the year? Answer: Because they receive over 200 cm rainfall and trees shed leaves at different times (not all at once), so the forest always appears green.
  2. What are pneumatophores? Answer: Breathing roots of mangrove trees that stick up above the waterlogged soil to absorb oxygen.
  3. Why are deciduous forests commercially more important than evergreen forests? Answer: Because they have fewer species mixed together, making it easier to harvest commercially valuable trees like teak and sal.
  4. What percentage of India should be under forests according to the National Forest Policy? Answer: 33%

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