Describe either the Tropical Monsoon or the Cool Temperate Western Margin (British type) climatic region under the following headings (a) Climate (b) Vegeta...

The Tropical Monsoon climatic region

(a) Climate

• High temperatures all year (about 24-30°C), with the hottest period just before the rains break.
• A marked wet and dry season controlled by reversing monsoon winds: the on-shore south-west monsoon in summer brings very heavy rain, while the off-shore north-east winds in winter give a dry season.
• Very heavy annual rainfall (often over 2000 mm), concentrated in the summer months, sometimes with relief rainfall on windward coasts.

(b) Vegetation

• Monsoon (tropical deciduous) forest: trees shed their leaves in the dry season to reduce water loss, unlike the evergreen equatorial forest.
• Valuable hardwoods such as teak and sal, with bamboo thickets; the forest is less dense and more open than equatorial rainforest.
• Where rainfall is lower it grades into tall grassland with scattered trees.

(c) Human activities

• Intensive wet-rice cultivation on the plains and deltas, which support dense farming populations.
• Growing of other crops such as cotton, jute, sugar cane, tea and spices, and rearing of cattle.
• Lumbering of teak and other hardwoods, and processing/industries based on the farm and forest products; fishing along the coasts.

(Alternatively, the Cool Temperate Western Margin (British type) may be described: mild winters and cool summers, rain all year with a winter/autumn maximum from westerlies and depressions; natural deciduous woodland (oak, beech, ash); mixed farming, dairying, fishing, industry and dense urban settlement.)