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

Answer Details

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.)