Geography (AKU-GEO)
Topic 1 of 7Aga Khan Board

Physical Geography

Earth's physical features and processes

The Earth's outer shell is broken into tectonic plates. There are three types of plate boundaries:

  • Convergent — plates move toward each other. Creates mountains (Himalayas formed this way).
  • Divergent — plates move apart, creating rift valleys or mid-ocean ridges.
  • Transform — plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes.

  • Weather is the short-term atmospheric condition. Climate is the long-term average over 30+ years. Karachi has a hot arid climate.


    Pakistan's major rivers: Indus River — longest, originates in Tibet, flows through Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, and Sindh. Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej — the five rivers of Punjab.


    Pakistan's geographic regions:

  • Northern Mountains — Karakoram, Himalayas, Hindukush
  • Western Highlands — Balochistan plateau
  • Indus Plain — fertile agricultural heartland
  • Balochistan Plateau — arid, mineral-rich
  • Coastal Areas — Makran Coast, Karachi
  • Key Points to Remember

    • 1Plate tectonics
    • 2Weather and climate
    • 3River systems
    • 4Pakistan's geography

    Pakistan Example

    Why Pakistan Has Earthquakes — Tectonic Plates at Work

    Pakistan sits where the Indian Plate collides with the Eurasian Plate. This created the Himalayas and Karakoram, and makes northern Pakistan earthquake-prone. The 2005 Kashmir earthquake (7.6 magnitude) killed over 80,000 people — a direct result of this tectonic collision.

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