Human Environment Interactions – The Tropical and the Subtropical Region

The Amazon Basin (Tropical Region)

• Location: River Amazon in Brazil, South America.
• Climate: Hot and wet throughout the year; heavy rainfall; high humidity.
• Vegetation: Dense evergreen forests (rosewood, mahogany, rubber). Called “lungs of the Earth”.
• Wildlife: Monkeys, snakes, jaguars, piranha fish, anacondas, crocodiles, toucans.
• Human life:
• Indigenous tribes (use shifting cultivation, hunting, fishing).
• Modern changes: deforestation, mining, farming, industries, cities like Manaus.

The Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin (Subtropical Region)

• Location: India & Bangladesh – along rivers Ganga & Brahmaputra.
• Climate: Subtropical; hot summers, cool winters, heavy monsoon rains.
• Vegetation: Tropical deciduous forests, mangroves (Sundarbans). Crops: rice, wheat, jute, sugarcane, tea.
• Wildlife: Elephants, tigers (Royal Bengal tiger in Sundarbans), crocodiles, freshwater dolphins, migratory birds.
• Human life:
• Very dense population.
• Agriculture is main occupation.
• Cities like Kolkata, Guwahati, Dhaka.
• Transport: waterways (rivers), railways, roadways.

Comparison of Amazon & Ganga-Brahmaputra Basins

• Amazon Basin → sparsely populated, tribal lifestyle, covered by dense forests.
• Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin → densely populated, developed agriculture, large cities.

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