Geography of the Ganges River By Amanda Briney Updated August 03, 2015. The Ganges River, also called Ganga, is a river located in northern India that flows toward the border with Bangladesh ( map ). It is the longest river in India and flows for around 1,569 miles (2,525 km) from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of Bengal. The river has the second greatest water discharge in the world and its basin is the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million people living in the basin. The Ganges River is extremely important to the people of India as most of the people living on its banks use it for daily needs such as bathing and fishing. It is also significant to Hindus as they consider it their most sacred river. Course of the Ganges River The headwaters of the Ganges River begin high in the Himalayan Mountains where the Bhagirathi River flows out of the Gangotri Glacier in India's Uttarakhand state. The glacier sits at an elevation of 12,769 feet (3,892 m).

The Ganges River proper begins farther downstream where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance As the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas it creates a narrow, rugged canyon. The Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas at the town of Rishikesh where it begins to flow onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This area, also called the North Indian River Plain, is a very large, relatively flat, fertile plain that makes up most of the northern and eastern parts of India as well as parts of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh . In addition to entering the Indo-Gangetic Plain at this area, part of the Ganges River is also diverted toward the Ganges Canal for irrigation in the Uttar Pradesh state. As the Ganges River then flows farther downstream it changes its direction several times and is joined by many other tributary rivers such as the Ramganga, Tamsa and Gandaki rivers to name a few. There are also several cities and towns that the Ganges River passes through on its way downstream. Some of these include Chunar, Kolkata, Mirzapur, and Varanasi.

Many Hindus visit the Ganges River in Varanasi as that city is considered the holiest of cities. As such, the city's culture is also closely tied into the river as it is the most sacred river in Hinduism. Once the Ganges River flows out of India and into Bangladesh its main branch is known as the Padma River. The Padma River is joined downstream by large rivers like the Jamuna and Meghna rivers. After joining the Meghna it takes on that name before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Prior to entering the Bay of Bengal however, the river creates the world's largest delta, Ganges Delta. This region is a highly fertile sediment laden area that covers 23,000 square miles (59,000 sq km). It should be noted that the course of the Ganges River described in the above paragraphs is a general description of the river's route from its source where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join to its outlet at the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges has a very complicated hydrology and there are several different descriptions of its overall length and the size of its drainage basin based on what tributary rivers are included.

The most widely accepted length of the Ganges River is 1,569 miles (2,525 km) and its drainage basin is estimated to be about 416,990 square miles (1,080,000 sq km). Population of the Ganges River The Ganges River basin has been inhabited by humans since ancient times. The first people in the region were of the Harappan civilization. They moved into the Ganges River basin from the Indus River basin around the 2nd millennium B.C.E. Later the Gangetic Plain became the center of the Maurya Empire and then the Mughal Empire. The first European to discuss the Ganges River was Megasthenes in his work Indica. In modern times the Ganges River has become a source of life for the nearly 400 million people living in its basin. They rely on the river for their daily needs such as drinking water supplies and food and for irrigation and manufacturing. Today the Ganges River basin is the most populated river basin in the world. It has a population density of about 1,000 people per square mile (390 per sq km).

Significance of the Ganges River Aside from providing drinking water and irrigating fields, the Ganges River is extremely important to India's Hindu population for religious reasons as well. The Ganges River is considered their most sacred river and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga Ma or "Mother Ganges" ( About.com ). According to the Myth of the Ganges the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the waters of the Ganges River to protect, purify and bring to heaven those who touch it. Devout Hindus visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga. They also drink the water and bathe in the river to cleanse and purify their sins. In addition, Hindus believe that upon death the waters of the Ganges River are needed to reach the World of the Ancestors, Pitriloka. As a result, Hindus bring their dead to the river for cremation along its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the river. In some cases corpses are also thrown into the river. The city of Varanasi is the holiest of cities along the Ganges River and many Hindus travel there place ashes of their dead in the river.

Along with daily baths in the Ganges River and offerings to the goddess Ganga there are large religious festivals that occur in the river throughout the year where millions of people travel to the river to bathe so that they can be purified of their sins. Pollution of the Ganges River Despite the religious significance and daily importance of the Ganges River for the people of India, it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Pollution of the Ganges is caused by both human and industrial waste due to India's rapid growth as well as religious events. India currently has a population of over one billion people and 400 million of them live in the Ganges River basin. As a result much of their waste, including raw sewage is dumped into the river. In addition, many people bathe and use the river to clean their laundry. Fecal coliform bacteria levels near Varanasi are at least 3,000 times higher than the what is established by the World Health Organization as safe ( Hammer, 2007 ). Industrial practices in India also have little regulation and as the population grows these industries do as well.

There are many tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries and slaughterhouses along the river and many of them dump their untreated and often toxic waste into the river. The water of the Ganges has been tested to contain high levels of things like chromium sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and sulfuric acid (Hammer, 2007). In addition to human and industrial waste some religious activities also increase the pollution of the Ganges. For example, Hindus believe that they must take offerings of food and other items to Ganga and as a result these items are thrown into the river on a regular basis and more so during religious events. Human remains are also often placed into the river. In the late 1980s India's prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi began the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in an effort to clean up the Ganges River. The plan shut down many highly polluting industrial plants along the river and allotted funding for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities but its efforts have fallen short as the plants are not large enough to handle the waste coming from such a large population (Hammer, 2007).

Many of the polluting industrial plants are also still continuing to dump their hazardous waste into the river. Despite this pollution however, the Ganges River remains important to the Indian people as well as different species of plants and animals such as the Ganges River dolphin, a very rare species of freshwater dolphin that is native only to that area. To learn more about the Ganges River, read " A Prayer for the Ganges " from Smithsonian.com. River Ganges | The Water Page Links River Ganges "The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga." - Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India, born in Allahabad on the Ganges. The river known as the Ganges is officially and popularly known by its Hindu name, Ganga. The river has its source in the Himalayas, at Gaumakh in the southern Himalayas on the Indian side of the Tibetan border.

It is 1 560 miles (2 510 km) long and flows through China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The Ganges river basin is one of the most fertile and densely populated in the world and covers an area of 400 000 sq miles (1 000 000 sq km). The river flows through 29 cities with population over 100,000, 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and about 48 towns. The Delta The silt deposits of the delta cover an area of 23 000 sq miles (60 000 sq km). The river courses in the delta are broad and active, carrying a vast amount of water. The rains from June to October cause most of the Bangladeshi delta region to flood, leaving the villages that are built on artificially raised land isolated. On the seaward side of the delta are swamplands and tidal forests called Sunderbans which are protected conservation areas in both Indian and Bangladeshi law. The peat found in the delta is used for fertiliser and fuel.

The water supply to the river depends on the rains brought by the monsoon winds from July to October and the melting snow from the Himalayas during the period from April to June. The delta also experiences strong cyclonic storms before and after the monsoon season which can be devastating. In November 1970, for example, 200 000 - 500 000 people were killed in such storms. The delta used to be densely forested and inhabited by many wild animals. Today, however, it has become intensely cultivated to meet the needs of the growing population and many of the wild animals have disappeared. The Royal Bengal Tiger still lives in the Sunderbans and kills about 30 villagers every year. There remains high fish populations in the rivers which provides an important part of the inhabitants' diet. Bird life in the Ganges basin is also prolific. Top Religious Significance The people of the Ganges basin are of mixed origin. In the west and centre of the region Turks, Mongols, Afghans, Persians and Arabs intermingled with the original Aryans, while in the east and south (the Bengal area) the people originate from a mixture of Tibetan, Burman and hill peoples.

Hindus regard the Ganges as the holiest of rivers. It was named after the goddess Ganga, the daughter of the mountain god Himalaya. Pilgrimage sites are particularly significant along the river. At the confluence of the Ganges and and the Tamuna tributory near Allahabad a bathing festival in January and February attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Other holy pilgrimage sites along the river include Haridwar, the place where the Ganges leaves the Himalayas, and Allahabad, where the mythical Saraswati river is believed to enter the Ganges. Water from the Ganges is used to cleanse any place or object for ritual purposes. Bathing in the river is believed to wash away one's sins. To bathe in the Ganga is a lifelong ambition for Hindus and they congregate in incredible numbers for the Sangam, Sagar Mela and Kumbh Mela festivals. It is believed that any water that mixes with even the smallest amount of Ganges water becomes holy with healing powers. Hindus also cast the ashes of their dead in the river in the belief that this will guide the souls of the deceased straight to paradise. Top Economic Significance The Ganges has been used for irrigation since ancient times.

In the Ganges valley the use of irrigation canals has increased the production of cash crops such as sugarcane, cotton and oilseeds. Before the 19th century much of the Ganges was navigable but this declined with the construction of railroads and the increasing use of water for irrigation. West Bengal and Bangladesh, however, do still use the waterways to transport jute, tea, grain and other agricultural products. The hydroelectric potential of the Ganges is 13 million kilowatts, two fifths of which lies in India and the rest in Nepal. Top Dams & the Farakka Barrage The Haridwar dam diverts melted snow from the Himalayas to the Upper Ganges Canal which was built by the British in 1854. This water is used for irrigation but has greatly diminished the flow of the river and has led to the decay of the Ganges as an inland waterway. The construction of the Farakka Barrage at the head of the delta in West Bengal is a cause of major tension between India and Bangladesh. India claims that the port of Calcutta is being detrimentally effected by deposits of silt and by the intrusion of saline seawater.

To counter these effects fresh water is diverted into the Bhagirathi River via a large canal from the Ganges at Farakka. However, after its construction the salinity of water and soil increased markedly . Also recurring floods caused by siltation and the opening of the Farakkaits Barrage sluice gates during the monsoon season resulted in extensive damage to crops. Soil moisture and groundwater levels continue to decrease and the ecosystems of the region are being damaged. Bangladesh claims that the Farakka Barrage deprives the country of a valuable source of water on which it depends because the Ganges waters are vital to irrigation, navigation and prevention of saline incursions in the Bangladesh Ganges delta region. Bangladesh holds that there should be joint control between India and Bangladesh over the waters of the Ganges as an international river. In 1980 the Ganges Barrage Project was set up by the Bangladeshi government in an attempt to maintain the ecological balance and save crops and property from the recurring floods and droughts.

Interim agreements have been reached between India and Bangladesh on this issue - the "Treaty Between the government of the Republic of India and the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on Sharing of the Ganga/Ganges Waters at Farakka" signed on December 12, 1996, but a permanent settlement has not yet been attained. See the Treaty . Top Pollution Pollution of the Ganges has become so serious that bathing in and drinking its water has become very dangerous. The major polluting industry along the Ganges is the leather industry especially near Kanpur, from which Chromium and other chemicals leak into the river. Another huge source of pollution is that of the nearly 1 billion litres of mostly untreated raw sewage that enters the river every day. Inadequate cremation procedures result in partially burnt or unburnt corpses floating in the river. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was set up in 1985 by the Indian government with British and Dutch support to build a number of waste treatment facilities. Under the GAP sewage is intercepted and water is diverted for treatment and several electrical crematoria have been built. The project is now in its second phase - GAP II.

Top The Ganges River Dolphin The Ganges river dolphin (platanista gangetia) is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, in the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Meghna, Karnaphuli and Hoogli river systems. The river water is so muddy that vision is useless and so these dolphins are blind and their eyes have no lenses. They use a sophisticated echolocation system to navigate and find food. They eat shrimp and fish from the mud in river bottoms. They are solitary creatures and are only found in fresh water. The Ganges river dolphin is an endangered species as a result of a number of factors. These factors include the damming of rivers for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, and the increase in boat traffic, fishing and pollution. They are also hunted by humans for meat and oil. There are only approximately 4000 - 6000 individuals left. Bibliography WWD Continents Contributed by Professor James Coleman, LSU. From: Coleman and Huh, 2004 . The Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers are one of the largest river systems on the earth. The river channels drain some of the highest mountains present on the planet, the Himalayans.

The Ganges River originates near the Tibet/India border, and then flows southeast across India to combine with the Brahmaputra in the country of Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra River has its source in Tibet along the northern slope of the Himalayas, and flows across Assam into Bangladesh. The drainage basin covers an area of 1,664,700 sq km (Figure 42) and the combined length of the two major rivers exceeds 3,900 km. As can be seen the drainage network is exceedingly complicated and highly dense (tributary density = 0.24 km stream length per 500 sq km), one of the highest densities for a large drainage basin. The average elevation in the basin is 1,923 m, with maximum and minimum being 6,033 m and 180 m, respectively. The combined rivers drain both slopes of the Himalayan mountain chain. Paleozoic and Mesozoic, with scattered outcrops of Pre-Cambrian rocks make up the vast majority of the drainage basin. The headwaters are in the West Indian Shield and the Central Himalayan Foreland basins.

In the northern part of the basin, mountain grasslands and alpine meadows are the dominant vegetation, while remainder of the basin is covered by deciduous forests and tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests. Average annual rainfall in the basin is relatively high (1,474 mm) with a maximum of 2,265 mm and a minimum of 341 mm. The rainy months range from June through September when monthly rainfall exceeds 100 mm. The dry months have average rainfall between 20 and 60 mm. The Ganges is primarily a meandering river, while the Brahmaputra is primarily a braided channel. 10-i07 is a satellite image of the intersection of the two major rivers, the Ganges on the west and the Brahmaputra on the east. Their average annual combined discharge into the Bay of Bengal is approximately 29,692 m3/sec, with a maximum during flood of 80,984 m3/sec and 6,041 m3/sec during low water periods. The major floods occur during the months from June through September.

The image shown in Figure 43 was taken during low water period; during flood season, most of the channel islands are inundated with flood waters. The channels of both rivers are extremely unstable and bank lines can migrate as much as 400 m in a single season (Coleman, 1969). Sediment load is extremely high, with suspended sediment load during flood stage reaching as high as 13 million tons per day (Coleman, 1969). Bedload has never been measured, but is obviously extremely high and consists of fine and medium grained sand. Most of the land in the alluvial valley is cultivated in rice and jute and population density is quite high, with 100 to 500 people per one-half degree area. The delta, one of the largest in the world, covers some 105,640 sq km and has one of the highest population densities of all deltas. Throughout Pleistocene times, the site of active deltaic sedimentation has switched.

Today, the Ganges merges with the Brahmaputra, and the site of active sedimentation lies to the east (Plate 10), where large bell-shaped distributaries can be discerned. The major area of abandoned deltaic plain lies to the west and is the site of one of the largest mangrove regions in the world, the Sunderbands. The abandoned delta is approximately 1.6 times the size of the active delta plain. Numerous abandoned channel scars dominate the surface morphology of the abandoned delta plain. These scars are apparently remnants of former courses of the Ganges River and many of its distributaries. Most of the scars indicate that a meandering channel was dominant, now extensively modified by man. Channel scars are of similar size to channels presently active along the Ganges and its distributaries. Many of these former riverine channels are now tidally dominated ( 10-i01 ). The larger tidal channels form bell-shaped estuaries that are quite deep, and many of them serve as major transport arteries. Inland, the estuarine channels display highly sinuous channel patterns, but appear to be stable rather than migratory.

Comparison of old maps and aerial photographs with present- day imagery indicates that some major channel patterns have not changed in tens of years. The tidal range varies considerably along this coast, mean tidal range is 3.6 m. Wave energy is relatively low, wave power being 0.585 x 107 ergs/sec/m coastline and the root mean square wave height is 1.4 m. As a result of the low wave energy, few beaches are present along the shoreline and muddy tidal flats are common. The coastline is extremely irregular as a result of the large number of tidal channels that dissect the coast. Broad mud and silt flats border the coast. At low tide, many of these flats are exposed as fluid mud banks. Most of the banks display elongated patterns, aligned in an onshore- offshore direction. This type of subaqueous morphology is common along many high tidal estuaries, and these shoals have been called "tidal ridges." The few beach deposits that exist are most commonly composed of reworked shell debris and fine sand. These types of beach ridges have been referred to as cheniers on other delta coasts.

The offshore slope fronting the delta is extremely low, averaging 0.011 degrees. The ratio of the subaerial to subaqueous delta is 2.42, the subaerial delta being nearly 2.4 times the size of the subaqueous delta. Offshore of the delta is a large submarine canyon, the Swatch of No Ground. This submarine feature is a broad canyon that was formed during Pleistocene low sea levels, feeding fluvial sediment to one of the largest submarine fans in the worldï¿½s oceans. The influence of humankind. The inland part of the tidal plain has been diked, and the former saline lands have been converted to various agricultural and marine farming practices. This reclaimed land has retained some of the general morphology of the original deltaic channel scars, but it has been modified by tidal drainage networks. Originally, the entire surface of the abandoned delta formed an extreme expanse of mangrove forests. The only remaining large expanse of tidally dominated mangrove forests is shown on the image by the dark-green color and here dense stands of many species of mangrove exist. The mangrove swamp is dissected by an intricate network of tidal drainage channels.

Georegistered satellite images from 1989 and 2001 were compared to detect changes to the delta plain during this 12 year period. Because of the size of this delta, only a single satellite image was analyzed and is shown in Plate 10A. Note that this image is inland from the river mouth and does not include much of the coastal delta plain of the delta. The wetland area included in this image is 33,405 sq km (8,254,555 acres). Analysis of the 1989 image indicated that a total of 1,080,991 acres of open water existed in this image. By 2001, a total of 1,201,952 acres of open water was present and thus some 120,961 acres of new water was present in only this small portion of the delta plain. The Ganges-Brahmaputra River is a highly actively migratory river channel (Coleman, 1969) and most of the new open water was the result of natural migration of the river channel and formation of new channels.

Plate 10A illustrates the changes detected. Note the major changes in the position of the main river channel shown in Plate 10A Note also, that some of the changes in open water is associated with enlargement of small lakes that are found throughout the delta. Thus in a 12 year period, an increase in open water was nearly 2 percent. The Ganges-Brahmaputra delta is one of the highest populated delta plains in the world. Plate 10B illustrates the primarily agricultural land use (colored green in Plate 10A) as determined on the 1989 image. A total of 1,975,207 acres (or 24%) of the original wetlands had been converted to agricultural use. Some 12 years later, a total of 2,523,100 of agriculture was analyzed on the 2001 image. This is an increase of 547,893 acres of wetlands that had been converted to agricultural land in the 12 year period or an increase of 22 percent during this time. These changes are shown in Plate 10B.

Enlargement of the original high resolution geo-registered image indicates that a high percentage of the agricultural land is divided into small family parcels, generally on the scale of a few acres at most. By 1989, some 3,056,198 acres of the original wetlands in this image scene along had been converted from a delta plain wetland to agricultural use. This represents approximately 37 percent loss. By 2001, some 3,725,052 acres of the original wetlands had been converted to open water or agricultural use, approximately a 45 percent loss. The average annual rate of wetland loss by natural causes and manï¿½s modifications is 55,738 acres/year. Although this is but a single scene, browse images of the entire delta show a similar use of the delta plain. The only area in which agricultural expansion has not taken place in those areas where saline tidal waters intrude into the delta plain. The largest such area is the main mangrove covered tidal plain referred to as the Sunderbands.

Examination of browse images show, however, that even in a short period of time, agricultural land is expanding into this region by construction of levees to prevent salt water intrusion. Ganges delta | region, India and Bangladesh | Britannica.com region, India and Bangladesh Pearl River Delta Ganges delta, orGanges-Brahmaputra delta, Region in West Bengal state, India , and Bangladesh . An area of about 220 mi (355 km) wide along the Bay of Bengal , it is covered by the network of streams forming the mouths of the Ganges (Ganga) and Brahmaputra rivers. In Bangladesh the Brahmaputra is joined by the Tista River and, from there to its junction with the Ganges, is known as the Jamuna River. The main streams, the Ganges and the Jamuna, unite to form the Padma River . The river farthest west that enters the Bay of Bengal is the Hugli River . Many smaller streams of the delta form a swamp region for about 160 miles (260 km) along the coast, known as the Sundarbans. The delta was struck in 1970 by one of history’s most devastating cyclones.

Learn More in these related articles: West Bengal state of India, located in the eastern part of the country. It is bounded to the north by the state of Sikkim and the country of Bhutan, to the northeast by the state of Assam, to the east by the country of Bangladesh, to the south by the Bay of Bengal, to the southwest by the state of Odisha, to... Bay of Bengal large but relatively shallow embayment of the northeastern Indian Ocean, occupying an area of about 839,000 square miles (2,173,000 square km). It lies roughly between latitudes 5° and 22° N and longitudes 80° and 90° E. It is bordered by Sri Lanka and India to the west,... Ganges River great river of the plains of the northern Indian subcontinent. Although officially as well as popularly called the Ganga in Hindi and in other Indian languages, internationally it is known by its conventional name, the Ganges. From time immemorial it has been the holy river of Hinduism. For most of... Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback.

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Please try again later. Close Date Published: April 01, 2013 URL: Access Date: January 19, 2017 Share Sea-Level Rise in Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, Bangladesh | Global Warming Effects People (Water use) Rice is a staple food in Bangladesh, and rice farming is vital to the nation's economy. Sea-level rise could threaten the food security of more than 3 million people in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta by the middle of the century, by making the water and soil too salty to grow rice. 1 Key Facts The Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh and India is home to more than 100 million people. 5 Accelerated sea-level rise caused by global warming 6 is putting added stress on land, water, and food in this already at-risk region. 3 , 4 , 5 Bangladesh, the world's seventh-most-populous country 10 , is highly vulnerable to the effects of sea-level rise—including increased salinity of ground and surface waters. 3 , 4 , 11 Local sea-level rise of as much as 1 inch (25 millimeters) per year has been recorded in parts of the delta.

5 , 2 By 2050, scientists estimate that sea-level rise in the delta could directly affect more than 3 million people. 5 Bangladesh could lose nearly one-quarter of the land area it had in 1989 by the end of this century, in a worst-case scenario. 5 Details The Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta—which encompasses nearly 33,707 square miles (87,300 square kilometers) in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India—is Asia's largest delta. 3 , 5 It is also the world's most populated delta, 4 home to some 111 million people. 5 The residents of this region are particularly at risk from accelerated global sea-level rise linked to climate change. 5 , 6 Sea-level rise is projected to increase the salinity of the water and soil of this now-fertile region, endangering crops and food security. 3 , 4 During the twentieth century, global mean sea level rose at an average of 0.07 inches (1.8 millimeters) per year.

7 But from 1993 to 2003, that rate increased to 0.12 inches (3.1 millimeters) per year. 8 Scientists attribute rising sea levels to expansion of the oceans as they warm, as well as to the melting of mountain glaciers and the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. 7 , 9 Bangladesh, one of the world's most populous countries, 10 is highly vulnerable to the effects of sea-level rise—including more salinization of both ground and surface waters. 3 , 4 , 11 The deltaic plains of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers compose most of the country's land area, 4 and the vast majority of the coastal zone is at an elevation of less than 16 feet (5 meters). 12 Local sea-level rise of as much as 1 inch (25 millimeters) per year has been recorded in sections of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. 5 , 2 Most deltas experience natural sinking and settling of land (subsidence), which can increase relative, or local, sea-level rise.

4 Human interventions such as extraction of groundwater can speed up subsidence, as has been the case in the Ganges-Brahmaputra basin. 4 , 5 Local sinking and groundwater extraction can allow seawater to creep inland, displacing coastal plant and animal communities that depend on brackish or freshwater. 4 Encroaching seawater and salty groundwater may also increase soil salinity, which can hinder growth of crops. 13 For example, increased salinity inhibits rice growth and can lower rice yield. 14 What the Future Holds By mid-century, more than 3 million people stand to be directly affected by sea-level rise in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta. 5 In a worst-case scenario, Bangladesh could lose nearly 25 percent of its 1989 land area by around 2100. 5 Climate change is projected to cause further sea-level rise during this century and beyond. 15 , 16 If we do nothing to reduce our heat-trapping emissions, 17 global sea level is projected to increase some 23 inches (59 centimeters) over recent average levels by the end of this century.

18 However, if we make significant efforts to reduce emissions, 17 sea-level rise could be limited to about 15 inches (38 centimeters) by the end of this century. 18 Recent evidence of higher rates of global sea-level rise suggests that these projections may be low. 6 , 7 , 9 And regional variations in sea-level rise are expected to continue. 9 In Bangladesh, the impact of sea-level rise may be worsened by other effects of global warming, such as variable precipitation, more frequent droughts and floods, and shrinking of the glaciers that supply water to the rivers of the delta. 19 Reduced rainfall during the dry season, for example, can increase the salinity of rivers through encroaching seawater that moves upstream during periods of low flow. 12 Human activities such as shrimp farming and damming of rivers are also expected to intensify the effects of sea-level rise. Dams can retain sediment that would otherwise replenish eroded or subsided land in the river delta. 4 More dams are planned in Asia, which are likely to increase erosion as well as relative sea-level rise, and might worsen water shortages and extend the area affected by salinity during the dry months.

3 , 4 , 5 With the added pressure of rising air temperatures, rice production in Bangladesh could drop by 8 percent, and wheat production by 32 percent, by the middle of this century. 3 , 20 Unless we act now to cut our heat-trapping emissions, and take steps to prepare for the warming already projected to occur in the coming decades, the food and freshwater supply of millions of people in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta is likely to be in danger. The Ganges River, Indus River and oceans surrounding India. The Ganges and Indian Bodies of Water The Ganges River is the most famous of India's important river systems and bodies of water. It's the longest river that originates in India and it forms the North Indian River Plain, an area that includes most of Northern and Eastern India, parts of Pakistan, Nepal and all of Bangladesh! It also flows east through the Gangetic region (which is named after the river itself) of the North Indian River Plain. The river rises in the western Himalayan Mountain Range, and drains into the Sunderbans Delta, located in the Bay of Bengal.

Its depth averages at about 52 ft, but it's about 100 ft deep in some areas. The Ganges River Basin drains 39,400 square miles and supplies water to one of the world's most densely populated countries. Hindus consider the Ganges to be a holy river and many consider it to be India's National River. It was named after the Hindu Goddess Ganga, due to its life sustaining importance. India is mostly surrounded by bodies of water. The Southwestern side of India borders the Arabian Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. It has India to the east, Pakistan to the north and Iran on its western side. The surface area of the Arabian Sea is approximately 1,500,000 miles and it gets to be 15,262 ft deep. The Indus River is also really important to India because it was the birthplace of the Indus Vally Civilization , which was the first Indian civilization, and one of mankind's first civilizations. The Indus River is the largest in Pakistan, and flows directly into the Arabian Sea.

Additional rivers in India include the Netravathi, Sharavathi, Narmada, Tapti and Mahi Rivers. Many rivers of the state of Kerala, India also flow into the Arabian Sea. Kerala's coast along central India is called the the Konkan Coast, and its coast along southern India is called the Malabar Coast. The Indian Ocean is enormous! It's the world's third largest ocean and makes up about twenty percent of Earth's water. It lies directly at India's southernmost tip and is the only ocean that was ever named after a country. To its north is South Asia, on its west side is Africa, east of it is Indochina and Australia, and to its south is the Southern Ocean, near Antarctica. The Indian Ocean is more than 6,000 miles wide from the tips of Africa and Australia, and it covers an enormous area of over 28,000 square miles. India's lower east side meets with the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal is considered the most northeastern point of the Indian Ocean.

The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the entire world and Its borders are defined by Bangladesh to the north, India and Sri Lanka to the west and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands and Burma to the east. These bodies of water and river systems of India make it possible for the country to sustain the world's, soon-to-be, largest population! Ganges Delta , India Ganges Delta , India Subscribe to Free E-Magazine on Reference The Ganges Delta is also called the Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta. The Delta of River Ganges is one of the largest river deltas in the South Asia region of Bengal, comprising Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, India. It is the world's largest delta, and flows into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges delta is also one of the most fertile regions in the world and is thus called The Green Delta. The delta, also known as the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, since it extends from the Hoogli River on the west to the Meghna River on the east. The length of this delta is approximately 220 miles or 350 km across at the Bay of Bengal.

Kolkata and Haldia in India and Mongla in Bangladesh are the major seaports on the delta. The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of Padma or the Lower Ganges, Jamuna or Lower Brahmaputra and Meghna. The Shape and composition of Ganges Delta - The Ganges delta resembles the shape of a triangle, and is considered to be an "arcuate" delta or the arc-shaped one. The delta covers more than 105,000 kmÂ², and although the delta lies mostly in Bangladesh and India, majority of the rivers from Bhutan, China, India and Nepal flow into it from the north. Approximately two-thirds of the delta lies in Bangladesh. Most of the delta is made up of alluvial soils, with red and red-yellow leterite soils. The concentration of leterite soil gets higher as one heads farther east. The soil, minerals and nutrients are good for agriculture. The Ganges delta is composed of a maze of waterways, lakes, swamps and flood plain sediments, called the Chars. The Ganges delta is divided into two parts, namely the eastern or the active region and the western or the less active part.

The Ganges delta is populated between 125 and 143 million inhabitants. These people live on the delta, in spite of risks from floods caused by monsoons, heavy overflow from the melting snows of the Himalayas, and tropical cyclones. A large portion of the nation of Bangladesh lies in the Ganges Delta, and most of the country's people depend on the delta for their survival. It is believed that more than 300 million people lives and earns in the Ganges Delta and approximately 400 million people permanently reside in the Ganges River Basin, making it the most densely inhabited river basin in the world. Most of the Ganges Delta has a population density of more than 520 people per square mile. Thus the River Ganges delta is considered as one of the most densely populated area on earth. Agriculture and fishing in Ganges Delta - Roughly, two-thirds of the Bangladesh population work in the sector of agriculture, and grow crops on the fertile floodplains of the Ganga delta. The major crops that are grown in the Ganges Delta include tea, jute and rice.

Fishing is also a significant activity in the delta region, where fish is a major source of food for many of the people in the region. Cyclones and flooding dangers in Ganga Delta - In November 1970, the most dangerous tropical cyclone of the 20th century hit the Ganges Delta region. The 1970 Bhola cyclone was the most disastrous one, killing almost 500,000 people with another 100,000 missing. The Guinness Book of World Records anticipated the total loss of human life from the Bhola cyclone to be around 1,000,000. There was another cyclone hit in the delta of 1991 that killed about 138,000 people. This cyclone was popularly known as the 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone. Since then, the people have been careful while building houses or any other construction on the river delta. The severe flooding is also a problem in the delta. In 1998, the Ganges flooded the delta and killed about 1,000 people, leaving more than 30 million people destitute.

The Bangladesh government asked for an aid of around $900 million to help supply the people of the region, as the entire rice crop was demolished. Climate of Ganges Delta - The climate of Ganges Delta is the tropical wet climate type and receives between 60 and 80 inches (1.5 to 2 m) of rainfall every year in the western part. Around 80-120 inches (2 to 3 m) rainfall is received in the eastern part. The coolest month of the year is usually January, with April and May being the warmest months among others. Average temperatures in January usually range from 14 to 25 Â°C and average temperatures in April range from 77 to 95 Â°F (25 to 35 Â°C). July is the wettest month in the Ganges delta on average, when over 13 inches of rain falls on the delta and the temperature averages from the zone of Kolkata. Flora and fauna of Ganges Delta Three terrestrial eco zones encompass the delta region of Ganga. The Lower Gangetic plains feature the moist deciduous forests and the eco region covers most of the Gangetic delta region.

However, most of the forests have mostly been cleared for agriculture and only small enclaves remain. Thick grove of tall grass, known as canebrakes, grows in wetter zones of the delta. The Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests or the Ecoregions lies very close to the Bay of Bengal. This Ecoregions is often flooded with faintly salty water during the dry season and fresh water during the monsoon season. These forests are often used for intensive agriculture, with only 130 kmÂ² of the eco-region's 14,600 kmÂ² protected. Here the delta meets the Bay of Bengal; Sundarbans mangroves form the world's largest Mangrove eco-region, this area covering an area of 20,400 kmÂ² in a long chain of 54 islands. These islands derive their name from the principal mangrove species, Heritiera fomes, which are known locally as sundri or sundari plant. Trees found in the delta include sundari, bamboo, garyan, mangrove palm (Nypa fruticans), and mangrove date palm or the Phoenix paludosa.

Animals in the delta are of diverse nature and include the rare Bengal tiger, the Indian python, Asian elephant, Clouded leopard and crocodiles, which live in the Sundarbans. Approximately 1,020 Bengal tigers dwell in the Sundarbans. It was once estimated that 30,000 spotted deer inhabits the Sundarbans part of the delta. Birds found in the delta are the kingfishers, eagles, swamp partridges, woodpeckers, shaliks, and the doel or the magpie robin. Two species of dolphins can also be found in the delta: the Irrawaddy dolphin, and the Ganges River Dolphin. The Irrawaddy dolphin is not actually a river dolphin, but enters the delta from the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges River Dolphin is an extremely rare, true river dolphin. The people living on the Ganges Delta may face in coming years, the threat of rising sea levels because mostly by submergence in the region and partly by climate change. An increase of half a meter of the water level could result in around six million people losing their homes in Bangladesh.

Higher temperatures related to climate change can also bring about harsher flooding of the delta, due to increased melting of snow and glaciers in the Himalayas. Important gas reserves have been exposed in the delta, which could play a vital role in the future of the region, and hopefully help to lift many of the poor people living in the delta amidst poverty. Several major oil companies have invested in developing the Ganges delta region. (Last Updated on : 05/10/2010)

Question: What country contains most of the Ganges river delta?
Answer: Bangladesh