Question

Give a brief description of the Indus river system.

Answer 1

• The Indus is one of the few rivers in the world to exhibit a tidal bore.
  
• The Indus system is largely fed by the snows and glaciers of the Himalayas, Karakoram and the Hindu Kush ranges of Tibet, the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan.
  
• The Indus River originates near the Mansarovar Lake in the Tibetan plateau, on the northern slopes of the Kailash Mountain Range. Regardless of the fact that almost two thirds of the itinerary of the river is flowing through Pakistan, it has its presence on the Indian soil.
  
• The Indus River features a total catchment basin of more than 1,165,000 square km (450,000 sq miles). The approximate yearly discharge of the river figures at approximately 207 cubic kilometers, making it the 21st biggest river in the world in terms of yearly discharge.
  
• The Indus supplies the major water resources for the development of the economy of Pakistan - particularly the Breadbasket of Punjab province, which represents the lion's share of the farming production of the country, and Sindh.