The term monsoon was first used in Indian subcontinent to refer to the rainfall from the prevailing seasonal winds. Monsoon rainfall as defined in Hydrology occurs in any region that receives the majority of its rainfall during a particular season. This allows certain regions of North America, South America, Sub-Sahara Africa, Australia and East-Asia as monsoon regions.

The Tibetan Plateau uplifted some 50 million years ago with the collision of India and Asia. As a result the monsoon in India started some 8 million years ago.