Hindustan, historically, the northern Indian subcontinent—in contrast to theDeccan, the southern portion of theIndian subcontinent. This area can be defined more particularly as thebasin of the five Punjab rivers and the upperIndo-Gangetic Plain. As a mostly fertile and well-populated corridor situated between walls of mountain, desert, and sea, Hindustan has been regarded as the principal seat of power inSouth Asia, containing the bulk of wealth and physical energy. The name Hindustan is sometimes used to indicate the lands “north of theVindhya Range.” It is also occasionally used as a synonym for the entire Indian subcontinent.