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Groundwater Development and Management pp 1–18Cite as

Problems and Challenges for Groundwater Management in South Asia

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Abstract

South Asia represents the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate, which rises above sea level as Nepal and northern parts of India situated south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. South Asia is bounded on the south by the Indian Ocean and on land by West Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. South Asia covers about 5.1 million km2, which is 11.51% of the Asian continent or 3.4% of the world’s land surface area. The region is home to about 39.5% of Asia’s population and over 24% of the world’s population, making it both the most populous and the most densely populated geographical region in the world. The important rivers of South Asia are Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra. These rivers have contributed to the rise and prosperity of some of the earliest civilizations in history and today are the source of livelihood for millions. The South Asian river basins, most of which have their source in the Himalayas, support rich ecosystems and irrigate millions of hectares of fields, thereby supporting some of the highest population densities in the world.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata, India

    Pradip K. Sikdar

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    Pradip K. Sikdar

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Sikdar, P.K. (2019). Problems and Challenges for Groundwater Management in South Asia. In: Sikdar, P. (eds) Groundwater Development and Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75115-3_1

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