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Africa
Asia
Corals
Oceans and seas
Southeast asiaMOre thAn One billiOn peOple live in
the countries that fringe the indian Ocean and
on some of the 5,000 islands that are scattered
across its surface. the world’s third-largest ocean
provides a major link between europe and Asia.
the monsoon winds, which bring heavy rainfall
to many of the countries surrounding the ocean,
also have an impact on the currents, which reverse
direction completely between March and August.
early navigators used the winds and currents to
carry them from Arabia to southern india and
indonesia, bringing the islamic religion and
culture with them. Malays and indonesians took
the journey westward, settling in Madagascar. Most
of the islands of the indian Ocean are small and
uninhabited. however, many tourists are drawn
to their beautiful palm-fringed beaches,
and in some places tourism is beginning
to supplement traditional ways of life
based on fishing and farming.SeyChelleS
the island republic of the
Seychelles consists of 40 scattered
mountainous islands. these are
surrounded by over 70 coral islands,
which are low-lying and sparsely
populated. the main islands are
outstandingly beautiful; their
hillsides are blanketed with tropical
vegetation, fringed by silvery-white
beaches. temperatures are constant
throughout the year, reaching a
daytime high of 86°F (30°C). the
Seychelles attract year-round visitors
from the northern hemisphere.the indian Ocean is bounded
by Africa to the west, india and
Australia to the east, and Asia to the
north. in the south, it merges with
the Antarctic Ocean. in the north,
the Suez Canal gives access, via the
red Sea, to the Mediterranean.Stilt FiSherMen
there are fewer areas of shallow water,
where fish breed, in the indian Ocean than
in the pacific or the Atlantic. For this reason
large-scale fishing, using trawlers and factory
ships, has not developed in the region. Most
fishing takes place on a local basis, near
island coastlines. tuna is the most valuable
catch. in Sri lanka, fishermen—precariously
perched on stilts—use poles and lines to
catch their fish.Indian Ocean 272-
MAdAgASCAn VillAge
Most Madagascans are descendants of Malays
and indonesians who crossed the indian
Ocean in the 7th century ce. these
villagers come from the southeastern
coast. the east coast is densely
populated and poor. Most of
Madagascar’s ruling class come
from the central plateau.MOnSOOn
the lands around the indian
Ocean are dependent on monsoon
rainfall. Monsoons are seasonal winds,
blowing from the southwest in the
summer and northeast in the winter,
that bring torrential downpours. Very
heavy monsoon rains swell rivers,
causing disastrous flooding often
accompanied by diseases such as
cholera. the bay of bengal is
especially vulnerable to flooding.MAdAgASCAr
the world’s fourth-largest
island lies off Africa’s eastern
coast. Most of the population is
concentrated in the narrow strip of
fertile land along the east coast, which
has a humid, tropical climate. Farming
dominates the economy. rice and cassava
are the main crops, while coffee and
vanilla are grown for export. poultry,
sheep, pigs, and goats are all kept on a
small scale. the government’s attempts to
modernize livestock farming have
not been successful.US_272_Indian_Ocean_1.indd 272 21/01/16 5:01 pm