South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern By Western convention, the bottom side of a map is south; the southern direction has azimuth or bearing of 180° region Region is most commonly a geographical term that is used in various ways among the different branches of geography. In general, a region may be seen as a collection of smaller units or as one part of a larger whole (as in "the New England region of the United States"). Regions can be defined by physical characteristics, human of the Asian Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population. During the 20th century Asia's population nearly quadrupled continent A continent is one of several large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents – they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia, which comprises the sub-Himalayan The Himalaya Range (Sanskrit: literally, "abode of snow", Hindi/Sanskrit: हिमालय, IPA: /hɪˈmɑːləj/), or the Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of a massive mountain system that includes the Karakoram, the Hindu countries and, for some authorities (see below), also includes the adjoining countries on the west and the east. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate The India or Indian Plate is a tectonic plate that was originally a part of the ancient continent of Gondwanaland from which it split off, eventually becoming a major plate. About 50 to 55 million years ago, it fused with the adjacent Australian Plate. It is today part of the major Indo-Australian Plate, and includes the subcontinent of India and, which rises above sea level as the Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent and other terms, is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate south of the Himalayas, forming a land mass which extends southward into the Indian Ocean south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush The Hindu Kush is a 500-mile mountain range stretching between north-western Pakistan and eastern and central Afghanistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. South Asia is surrounded (clockwise, from west West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography) by Western Asia Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East - which describes geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than location within Asia. Due to this perceived Eurocentrism, international organizations such as, Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. It is also sometimes known as Middle Asia or Inner Asia, and is within the scope of the wider Eurasian continent, Eastern Asia East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. Geographically and geo-politically, it covers about 12,000,000 km2 (4,600,000 sq mi), or about 28 percent of the Asian continent, about 15 percent bigger than the area of Europe, Southeastern Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity and the Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian subcontinent; on the west by East Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean . It is the only ocean to be named.

South Asia is home to well over one fifth of the world's population, making it both the most populous and most densely populated geographical region The United Nations geoscheme, created by the United Nations Statistics Division, divides the world into 'macro-geographical regions' and sub-regions in the world.[2]. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organization: almost 1.5 billion people, the combined population of its member states.[citation needed] It was established on December 8, 1 is an economic cooperation organization in the region.

Contents

Definitions

Various definitions of South Asia. UN Subregion The United Nations geoscheme, created by the United Nations Statistics Division, divides the world into 'macro-geographical regions' and sub-regions of Southern Asia.

Along with a number of core countries, South Asia differs in inclusion by different clubbing of countries, though essentially it mostly encompasses countries that were part of the former British Indian Empire The British Raj is the name given to the period of British colonial rule in South Asia between 1858 and 1947; it can also refer to the dominion itself, and even the region under the rule. The region, commonly called India in contemporary usage, included areas directly administered by Britain, as well as the princely states ruled by individual,[3] including the current territories of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the core, but also including Ceylon Sri Lanka , officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and known as Ceylon (/sɪˈlɒn/) before 1972, is an island country in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India (now Sri Lanka), Burma Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in Indochina . The country is bordered by People's Republic of China on the north-east, Laos on the east, Thailand on the south-east, Bangladesh on the west, India on the north-west and the Bay of Bengal to the south-west with the Andaman Sea defining its southern (officially Myanmar) and Sikkim Sikkim (Limbu: Sikkim , Tibetan: འབྲས་ལྗོངས་, 'bras ljongs; Denzong; "Demojongs i.e. the Goodly Region, or Shikim, Shikimpati or Sikkim of the English and Indians....") is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. It is the least populous state in India and the second-smallest state after Goa. This thumb- (now a state of India).[4] The Aden Colony, British Somaliland British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. Its territory is now Somaliland, a de facto independent republic which is recognized as a part of Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, the Ogaden, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied and Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres north of the equator, in the Southeast Asian region of the Asian continent. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north, and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. A, though administered at various times under the Raj have not been proposed as any part of South Asia.[5]

The Raj also encompassed the 562 protected princely states A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entity of British rule in India that was not directly administered by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy. There were as many as 568 states in India before independence.[citation needed] that were not directly ruled by the Raj,[6] some of which joined the Union of India The Union of India, sometimes also known as the Dominion of India, was an independent state congruent to modern-day India that existed between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950. Although succeeded by the Republic of India, the term "Union of India" is still used by the Indian judicial system to refer to the Indian government (as opposed (including Hyderabad State Hyderābād state pronunciation (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు, Urdu: حیدر آباد) was the largest princely state in the erstwhile British Indian Empire. It was located in the south-central region of the Indian subcontinent, and was ruled, from 1724 until 1948, by a hereditary Nizam. The Berar region of the state was merged with the, Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore (1399–1947 AD) was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire. With the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire (circa 1565), the, Baroda Vadodara (Gujarati: વડોદરા ,Marathi:बडोदे , Vaḍodǎrā), formerly Baroda (Gujarati: બરોડા Baroḍā), is the third most-populated city in the Indian state of Gujarat after Ahmedabad and Surat. It is one of four cities in the state with a population of over 1 million, the other being Rajkot and the two cities, Gwalior Gwalior (Hindi: ग्वालियर pronunciation ) (Marathi: ग्वाल्हेर), is a city in Madhya Pradesh in India. It lies 76 miles (122 km) south of Agra and has a population of over 1.2 million. Gwalior was the capital city of Great Maratha Sardar (Knight) & Warrior Maharaja Shrimant Madhavraoji Shinde - Sawstant Gwalior and a part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir Kashmir and Jammu was, from 1846 until 1947, a princely state in the British Empire in India, and was ruled by a Maharaja. The state was created in 1846 when, after its victory in the First Anglo-Sikh War, the East India Company annexed the Kashmir valley and immediately sold it to the Dogra ruler of Jammu under the Treaty of Amritsar. According), while some joined the Dominion of Pakistan The Dominion of Pakistan was a federal country in South Asia that was established in 1947 as a result of the partition of British India into two sovereign dominions: the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The Dominion of Pakistan, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the Muslims of the (including Bahawalpur, Kalat, Khayrpur, Swat Swat was a princely state and is now part of Pakistan. Swat was part of the Mughal Empire ruled by local rulers known as Akhwand. From 1926 until 1947, Swat was a princely state in British Raj, and in 1947 it acceded to Pakistan. It lay to the north of the modern North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan until it was dissolved in 1969. It and parts of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ).[7][8] Sikkim Sikkim (Limbu: Sikkim , Tibetan: འབྲས་ལྗོངས་, 'bras ljongs; Denzong; "Demojongs i.e. the Goodly Region, or Shikim, Shikimpati or Sikkim of the English and Indians....") is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas. It is the least populous state in India and the second-smallest state after Goa. This thumb- joined India in 1975.[9] One part Aksai Chin, also Aksayqin, Akesaiqin or Akesai Qin , is a disputed region located in the northwestern region of the Tibetan Plateau north of the western Kunlun Mountains. It is entirely administered by the People's Republic of China as a part of Hotan County in the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region. It is, however, claimed by India as of Jammu and Kashmir became a part of China.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organization: almost 1.5 billion people, the combined population of its member states.[citation needed] It was established on December 8, 1 (SAARC), a contiguous block of countries, started in with seven countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — when it was established in 1985, but was extended to include Afghanistan The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south-central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast. In addition; India claims a border with Afghanistan at the Wakhan corridor as part of its claim on the Gilgit- as an eight member in 2006.[10] The World Bank World Bank is a term used to describe an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to developing countries for capital programs. The World Bank has a stated goal of reducing poverty grouping includes only the original seven members of SAARC, and leaves Afghanistan out.[11] This bloc of countries include three independent countries that were not under the British rule - Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan. The South Asia Free Trade Agreement The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organization: almost 1.5 billion people, the combined population of its member states.[citation needed] It was established on December 8, 1 endorsed by SAARC has been signed by the seven original members of the organization, though it has a special provision for the Maldives.[12]

The United Nations The United Nations Organization or simply United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace. The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Population Information Network (POPIN) includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Iran Iran (Persian: ایران [ʔiˈɾɒn] ), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use in the Western world in 1935, before which the country was widely known as Persia. Both Persia and Iran are used interchangeably in cultural contexts;, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as part of South Asia, while Maldives, in view of its characteristics, was admitted as a member country of the Pacific POPIN subregional network in principle.[13] Culturally, though not politically, Tibet Tibet is a plateau region in Asia and a disputed territory, north of the Himalayas. It is home to the indigenous Tibetan people, and to some other ethnic groups such as Monpas and Lhobas, and is inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people. Tibet is the highest region on earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft). It has been identified as a part of South Asia,[14] while the British Indian Ocean Territory The British Indian Ocean Territory or Chagos Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia. The territory comprises the six atolls of the Chagos Archipelago (Phehandweep फेहंद्वीप in Hindi and other North Indian languages, Paeikaana Theevukal பேகா has been connected to the region for security considerations.[15] The United Nations scheme of sub-regions include all eight members of the SAARC as part of Southern Asia, along with Iran,[16] while the Hirschmann-Herfindahl Index of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific for the region includes only the original seven signatories of SAARC.[17]

Afghanistan is otherwise considered as Central Asian Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. It is also sometimes known as Middle Asia or Inner Asia, and is within the scope of the wider Eurasian continent or Middle-Eastern The Middle East is a region that encompasses southwestern Asia and Egypt. In some contexts, the term has recently been expanded in usage to sometimes include Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and North Africa. It's often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East. The corresponding adjective is Middle-Eastern, Burma as Southeast Asian Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity, and Tibet is otherwise considered Central Asian Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. It is also sometimes known as Middle Asia or Inner Asia, and is within the scope of the wider Eurasian continent or East Asian East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. Geographically and geo-politically, it covers about 12,000,000 km2 (4,600,000 sq mi), or about 28 percent of the Asian continent, about 15 percent bigger than the area of Europe.[18] A lack of coherent definition for South Asia has resulted in not only a lack of academic studies, but also in a lack interest for such studies.[19] Identification with a South Asian identity was also found to be significantly low among respondents in a two-year survey across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.[20]

See also: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. In terms of population, its sphere of influence is the largest of any regional organization: almost 1.5 billion people, the combined population of its member states.[citation needed] It was established on December 8, 1 and South Asian Economic Union South Asian leaders called for setting up for SAEU at end of the 14th SAARC summit in New Delhi, 2007

Indian subcontinent

Main article: Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent and other terms, is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate south of the Himalayas, forming a land mass which extends southward into the Indian Ocean The "Indian subcontinent" is a geographical term referring to the large, self-contained landmass which covers most of South Asia.

The term "Indian subcontinent" refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically separated from the rest of the Asian continent.[21] Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably.[21][22][23] Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent",[24] the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",[25] or simply "South Asia"[26] or "the Subcontinent" over the term "Indian subcontinent". According to some academics, the term "South Asia" is in more common use in Europe and North America, rather than the terms "Subcontinent" or the "Indian Subcontinent".[27][28] Indologist Ronald B. Inden argues that the usage of the term "South Asia" is getting more widespread since it clearly distinguishes the region from East Asia.[29] However, this opinion is not shared by all.[30]

By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,[31] or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."[32] It may be noted that geophysically the Tsang Po river in Tibet is situated at the outside of the border of the Subcontinental structure, while the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan is situated inside that border.[33]

According to one clubbing of countries, it includes most parts of South Asia, including those on the continental crust (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan), an island country on the continental shelf (Sri Lanka), and an island country rising above the oceanic crust (the Maldives).[34] Another clubbing includes only Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the mainstay of the British Raj, as the Subcontinent.[35]

This version also includes the disputed territory of Aksai Chin, which was part of British Indian princely state Jammu and Kashmir, but is now administered as a part of Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang. A booklet published by the United States Department of State in 1959 includes Afghanistan, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Nepal, and Pakistan as part of the "Subcontinent of South Asia".[36] When the term Indian Subcontinent is used to mean South Asia, the islands countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives are sometimes not included,[37] while Tibet and Nepal are included[38] and excluded[39] intermittently, depending on the context.

Definition by South Asian Studies programs

See also: Indology

When the Centre of South Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge established in 1964, it was primarily responsible for promoting within the University the study of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Himalayan Kingdoms (Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim[40]), and Burma (now officially Myanmar). But, over the years it has also extended its activities to include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong.[41] The Centers for South Asian Studies at both University of Michigan and University of Virginia list Tibet along with seven members of SAARC as a South Asian country, leaving the Maldives out.[42][43] The South Asian Studies Program of Rutgers University and the University of California, Berkeley Center for South Asia Studies do the same without leaving out the Maldives,[44][45] while the South Asian Studies Program of Brandeis University defines the region as comprising "India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and in certain contexts Afghanistan, Burma, Maldives and Tibet".[46] The similar program of Columbia University also includes Tibet, but leaves out both Afghanistan and the Maldives.[47]

Geography

United Nations geoscheme for Asia: North Asia Central Asia Southwest Asia South Asia East Asia Southeast Asia

While the South Asia had never been a coherent geopolitical region, it has a distinct geographical identity.[48] The boundaries of South Asia vary based on how South Asia is defined. South Asia's north, east, and west boundaries vary based on definitions used. South Asia's southern border is the Indian Ocean. The UN subregion of Southern Asia's northern boundary would be the Himalayas, its western boundary would be made up of the Iraq-Iran border, Turkey-Iran border, Armenia-Iran border, and the Azerbaijan-Iran border. Its eastern boundary would be the India-Burma border and the Bangladesh-Burma border.

Most of this region is a subcontinent resting on the Indian Plate (the northerly portion of the Indo-Australian Plate) separated from the rest of Eurasia. It was once a small continent before colliding with the Eurasian Plate about 50-55 million years ago and giving birth to the Himalayan range and the Tibetan plateau. It is the peninsular region south of the Himalayas and Kuen Lun mountain ranges and east of the Indus River and the Iranian Plateau, extending southward into the Indian Ocean between the Arabian Sea (to the southwest) and the Bay of Bengal (to the southeast).

Natural vegetation zones of South Asia, loosely based on a Grolier map[49]

The region is home to an astounding variety of geographical features, such as glaciers, rainforests, valleys, deserts, and grasslands that are typical of much larger continents. It is surrounded by three water bodies — the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The climate of this vast region varies considerably from area to area from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north. The variety is influenced by not only the altitude, but also by factors such as proximity to the sea coast and the seasonal impact of the monsoons.

Southern parts are mostly hot in summers and receive rain during monsoon period(s). The northern belt of Indo-Gangetic plains also is hot in summer, but cooler in winter. The mountainous north is colder and receives snowfall at higher altitudes of Himalyan ranges. As the Himalayas block the north-Asian bitter cold winds, the temperatures are considerably moderate in the plains down below. For most part, the climate of the region is called the Monsoon climate, which keeps the region humid during summer and dry during winter, and favors the cultivation of jute, tea, rice, and various vegetables in this region.

History

Further information: History of South Asia Map of South Asia illustrating stability and historical permanency of the regional cultural frontiers and areas.

The remote pre-history of South Asia culminates in the Indus Valley Civilization, which is followed by the legends of ancient Vedic period and the sketchy references to the rise and fall of Mahajanapadas - the precursors of regional kingdoms and later ancient empires - ending in the historical accounts of medieval empires and the arrival of European traders who later became the rulers.

Almost all South Asian countries were under direct or indirect European Colonial subjugation at some point. Much of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar were gradually occupied by Great Britain - starting from 1757, reaching their zenith in 1857 and ruling till 1947. Nepal and Bhutan were to some extent protectorates of Great Britain until after World War II. In the millennia long history of South Asia, this European occupation period is rather short, but its proximity to the present and its lasting impact on the region make it prominent.

The network of means of transportation and communication as well as banking and training of requisite workforce, and also the existing rail, post, telegraph, and education facilities have evolved out of the base established in the colonial era, often called the British Raj. As an aftermath of World War II, most of the region gained independence from Europe by the late 1940s.

Tibet at times has governed itself as an independent state and at other times has had various levels of association with China[50][51], it came under Chinese control in the 18th century[51][52][53][54] in spite of British efforts to seize possession of this Chinese protectorate at the beginning of the 20th century.[55] Tibetan and Chinese views on the Sino-Tibetan relation vary significantly. The Tibetans saw the Dalai Lama's relation with the Manchu emperor in more of a religious light than what would be considered political.[53]

Since 1947, most South Asian countries have achieved tremendous progress in all spheres.[citation needed] Most notable achievements are in the fields of education; industry; health care; information technology and other services based on its applications; research in the fields of cutting edge sciences and technologies; defence related self-reliance projects; international/global trade and business enterprises and outsourcing of human resources. Areas of difficulty remain, however, including religious extremism, high levels of corruption, disagreements on political boundaries, and inequitable distribution of wealth.

Territory and region data

2009 referenced population figures except where noted.

Core countries

This region covers about 4,480,000 km² (1,729,738 mi²) or 10 percent of the Asian continent, and accounting for about 40 percent of Asia's population.

country Area (km²) Population(2009) density (/km²) GDP(nominal) (2009) per capita (2009) Capital Currency Government Official languages Coat of Arms
Bangladesh 147,570 162,221,000[56] 1,099 $94,507 million $573 Dhaka Taka Parliamentary republic Bengali
Bhutan 38,394 697,000[56] 18 $1,269 million $1,880 Thimphu Ngultrum, Indian rupee Constitutional monarchy Dzongkha
India 3,287,240 1,198,003,000[56] 365 $1,235,975 million $1,030 New Delhi Indian rupee Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy 22 official languages
Maldives 298 396,334[56] 1,330 $1,357 million $3,932 Malé Rufiyaa Republic Dhivehi
Nepal 147,181 29,331,000[56] 200 $12,615 million $451 Kathmandu Nepalese rupee Democratic Republic Nepali
Pakistan 803,940 180,808,000[56] 225 $166,515 million $1,016 Islamabad Pakistani rupee Islamic Republic Urdu, English, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi[57]
Sri Lanka 65,610 20,238,000[56] 309 $41,323 million $2,041 Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Sri Lankan rupee Democratic Socialist Republic Sinhala, Tamil, English

Countries and territories from extended definitions

Afghanistan is included in the list of countries of South Asia more often than others in this group.

country or region Area (km²) Population density (per km²) GDP(nominal) (2009) per capita (2009) Capital Currency Government Official languages Coat of Arms
Afghanistan 647,500 33,609,937[56] 52 $14,044 million $486 Kabul Afghan afghani Islamic republic Dari (Persian), Pashto [1]
British Indian Ocean Territory 60 3,500 59 N/A N/A Diego Garcia US Dollar British Overseas Territory English
Burma 676,578 48,137,141[56][58] 71 $27,553 million $459 Yangon Myanma kyat Military Junta Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Burma's Autonomous States.)
Iran 1,648,195 70,495,782 (2006 Census)[59][60] 40 $330,461 million $4,459 Tehran Iranian rial Islamic republic Persian, Constitutional status for regional languages [61]
PRC - Tibet Autonomous Region 1,228,400 2,740,000 2 $6,458 million $2,357 Lhasa Chinese yuan Autonomous region of China Mandarin Chinese, Tibetan

Regional groups of countries

Name of country/region, with flag Area (km²) Population* Population density (per km²) Capital or Secretariat Currency Countries included Official languages Coat of Arms
UN subregion of South Asia 6,285,724 1,653,457,908 263.04 N/A N/A Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka N/A N/A
SAARC 3,989,969 1,549,348,689 388.31 Kathmandu N/A Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka None

Demographics

Ethnic groups

Main article: South Asian ethnic groups Map of South Asia in native languages.

South Asia, which consists of the nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is ethnically diverse, with more than 2,000 ethnic entities with populations ranging from hundreds of millions to small tribal groups. South Asia has been invaded and settled by many ethnic groups over the centuries - including various Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups - and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture.

Other ethnic groups, successively streaming in later mainly from Central Asia and Iran, e.g. Sakas, Kushans, Huns etc. influenced pre-existing South Asian cultures. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. Ethnic Englishmen and other Britons are now practically absent after their two centuries long colonial presence, although they have left an imprint of western culture in the elite society.

Languages

See also: Languages of South Asia

The largest spoken language in this region is now Hindi, its speakers numbering almost 422 million[62]; the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers [63]. Urdu is also a major language spoken in the subcontinent, especially in Pakistan and India, and is similar linguistically to Hindi; Hindi and Urdu together make up Hindustānī. Hindi is spoken is some states of India, and is similar linguistically to Urdu. Many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. Other languages of this region fall into a few major linguistic groups: the Dravidian languages and the Indo-Aryan languages, a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages.

The other great sub-branch of Indo-Iranian, the Iranian languages, also have significant minority representation in South Asia, with Pashtu and Baluchi being widely spoken along the northwestern fringes of the region, in modern-day Pakistan. Many Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, who are speakers of their language-group, are found in northeast India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Other small groups, speaking Austro-Asiatic languages, are also present in South Asia. English is another language which dominates South Asia, especially as a medium of advanced education and government administration.

Most of South Asia writes using various abugidas of Brāhmī origin while languages such as Urdu, Pashto, and Sindhi use derivatives of the Perso-Arabic script. Not all languages in South Asia follow this strict dichotomy though. For example, Kashmiri is written in both the Perso-Arabic script and in the Devanagari script. The same can be said for Punjabi, which is written in both Shahmukhi and Gurmukhī. Dhivehi is written in a script called Tāna that shows characteristics of both the Arabic alphabet and of an abugida.

Religions

Further information: Religion in Bangladesh, Religion in Bhutan, Religion in India, Religion in Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka

In South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people.

Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism and much later to Sikhism, when Sufi tradition of Islam also significantly influenced the nascent Sikhism and its holiest scripture. As a consequence, these four religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions.

Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.

Afghanistan[1] Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim (19%), other (1%)
Bangladesh[64] Muslim (90%), Hindu (9%), Christian (.5%), Buddhist (.5%), Believers in tribal faiths (0.1%)
British Indian Ocean Territory[65] Christian (45.55%), Hindu (38.55%), Muslim (9.25%), Non-Religious (6.50%), Atheist (0.10%), Other (0.05%)
Bhutan[66] Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)
Burma[67] Theravada Buddhism (89%), Muslim (4%), Christian (4%) (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Animist (1%), others (including Hinduism) (2%)
India[68][69] Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.8%), Jain (0.4%), Others (0.6%)
Iran[70] Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)
Maldives[71] Sunni Muslim (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[72][73])
Nepal[74] Hindu (80.6%), Buddhist (10.7%), Muslim (4.2%), Kirat (3.6%)
Pakistan[75] Muslim (96.28%), Hindu (1.85%), Christian (1.59%), Ahmadi (0.22%)
Sri Lanka[76] Theravada Buddhist (70.42%), Hindu (10.89%), Muslim (8.78%), Catholic (7.77%), Other Christian (1.96%), Other (0.13%)
Tibet Tibetan Buddhism, Bön, Others

Economy

Further information: Economy of Bangladesh, Economy of India, Economy of Nepal, Economy of Pakistan, and Economy of Sri Lanka

South Asia is the poorest region on the earth as well as Sub-Saharan Africa, and it has the lowest GDP per capita. Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of world bank, there was more than 40% of the population in this region lived on less than $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa [77].

Bhutan has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Nepal has the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region; it is the world's 11th largest or 4th largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has the next largest economy and the 5th highest GDP per capita in the region[78], followed by Bangladesh. If Iran is counted, it is the richest economy and the second largest in region. According to a World Bank report in 2007, South Asia is the least integrated region in the world; trade between South Asian states is only 2% of the region's combined GDP, compared to 20% in East Asia.[79]

Politics

India is the dominant political power in the region.[80] It is contributed by the fact that it is by far the largest country in the covering around three-fourths the land area of the subcontinent.[81] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[82] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[83] and is a nuclear power. The second largest country in the subcontinent area-wise and population-wise is Pakistan and has traditionally maintained the balance of power in the region due to its strategic relationships with Arab states[84] and neighbouring China [85]. Pakistan is the 6th[86] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power.

Health and nutrition

According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asia's poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood.[87] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world.[88] In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million.[89] As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index.[90] The 2006 report stated that "the low status of women in South Asian countries and their lack of nutritional knowledge are important determinants of high prevalence of underweight children in the region". Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has "inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children".[91].

See also

SAARC portal

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. December 13, 2007. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html#People.
  2. ^ http://www.sardeg.org/marketana.asp
  3. ^ Bertram Hughes Farmer, An Introduction to South Asia, pages 1, Routledge, 1993, ISBN 0-415-05695-0
  4. ^ Arthur Berriedale Keith, A Constitutional History of India: 1600-1935, pages 440-444, Methuen & Co, 1936
  5. ^ United Nations, Yearbook of the United Nations, pages 297, Office of Public Information, 1947, United Nations
  6. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge (volume 4), pages 177, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 1947
  7. ^ Ian Copland, The Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire: 1917-1947, pages 263, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-521-89436-0
  8. ^ http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakistan_princes.html
  9. ^ "History of Sikkim". Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Sikkim. 2005-09-29. http://www.sikkimipr.org/GENERAL/HISTORY/history_of_sikkim.htm. Retrieved 2006-10-12.
  10. ^ International Relations And Security Network, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich
  11. ^ South Asia: Data, Projects and Research, The World Bank
  12. ^ Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area, SAARC Secretariat, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
  13. ^ Asia-Pacific POPIN Consultative Workshop Report, Asia-Pacific POPIN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1995), pages 7-11
  14. ^ Sheldon I. Pollock, Literary cultures in history, pages 748-749, University of California Press, 2003, ISBN 0-520-22821-9
  15. ^ Territories (British Indian Ocean Territory), Jane's Information Group
  16. ^ Geographical region and composition, Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings, United Nations
  17. ^ Mapping and Analysis of Agricultural Trade Liberalization in South Asia, Trade and Investment Division (TID), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
  18. ^ Aziz-ul-Haque,South and Central Asia: Building Economic and Political Linkages, Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Pakistan, ISBN 978-969-8020-20-0
  19. ^ Vernon Marston Hewitt, The international politics of South Asia, page xi, Manchester University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-7190-3392-6
  20. ^ Kishore C. Dash, Regionalism in South Asia, pages 172-175, Routledge, 2008, ISBN 0-415-43117-4
  21. ^ a b The history of India - By John McLeod
  22. ^ Milton Walter Meyer, South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent, pages 1, Adams Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 0-8226-0034-X
  23. ^ Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, The Third World: states of mind and being, pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0-04-910121-8
  24. ^ Lucian W. Pye & Mary W. Pye, Asian Power and Politics, pages 133, Harvard University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-674-04979-9
  25. ^ Mark Juergensmeyer, The Oxford handbook of global religions, pages 465, Oxford University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0-19-513798-1
  26. ^ Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal, Modern South Asia, pages 3, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0-415-30787-2
  27. ^ Judith Schott & Alix Henley, Culture, Religion, and Childbearing in a Multiracial Society, pages 274, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN 0-7506-2050-1
  28. ^ Raj S. Bhopal, Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies, pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ISBN 0-19-856817-7
  29. ^ Imagining India - By Ronald B. Inden
  30. ^ Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper
  31. ^ Oxford English Dictionary 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989
  32. ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, Merriam-Webster, 2002, retrieved 11 March 2007
  33. ^ Valentin Semenovich Burtman & Peter Hale Molnar, Geological and Geophysical Evidence for Deep Subduction of Continental Crust Beneath the Pamir, pages 10, Geological Society of America, 1993, ISBN 0-8137-2281-0
  34. ^ Stephen Adolphe Wurm, Peter Mühlhäusler & Darrell T. Tryon, Atlas of languages of intercultural communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas, pages 787, International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies, Published by Walter de Gruyter, 1996, ISBN 3-11-013417-9
  35. ^ After partition: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, BBC, 2007-08-08
  36. ^ Superintendent of Documents, United States Government Printing Office, The Subcontinent of South Asia: Afghanistan, Ceylon, India, Nepal and Pakistan, United States Department of State, Public Services Division, 1959
  37. ^ John McLeod, The history of India, pages 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, ISBN 0-313-31459-4
  38. ^ James C. Harle, The art and architecture of the Indian subcontinent, pages 214, Yale University Press, 1994, ISBN 0-300-06217-6
  39. ^ Joseph Hackin & Paul Louis Couchoud, The Mythologies of the East: Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Nepal and Tibet, Indo-China and Java, pages 1, Aryan Books International, 1996, ISBN 81-7305-018-X
  40. ^ Grolier Incorporated, The Encyclopedia Americana (volume 14), pages 201, Grolier, 1988, ISBN 0-7172-0119-8
  41. ^ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge
  42. ^ About CSAS, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Michigan
  43. ^ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Virginia
  44. ^ South Asian Studies Program, Rutgers University
  45. ^ Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley
  46. ^ South Asian Studies, Brandeis University
  47. ^ Liberal Studies M.A. Program: South Asian Studies, Columbia University
  48. ^ Saul Bernard Cohen, Geopolitics of the world system, pages 304, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003, ISBN 0-8476-9907-2
  49. ^ Asian Vegetation Zones, Grolier Online, Scholastic Inc.
  50. ^ MSN Encarta - Tibet
  51. ^ a b Encyclopedia Britannica - "China, Asia", 1911, read in part: "CHINA, a country of eastern Asia, the principal division of the Chinese empire. In addition to China proper the Chinese Empire includes Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet and Sin-kiang (East Turkestan, Kulja, Dzungaria, &c., i.e. all the Chinese dependencies lying between. Mongolia on the north and Tibet on the south)."
  52. ^ In the Heart of Tibet, New York Times, 1903
  53. ^ a b Goldstein, M.C., A History of Modern Tibet: The Demise of the Lamaist State, University of California Press, 1989, p44: "While the ancient relationships between Tibet and China are complex and beyond the scope of this study, there can be no question regarding the subordination of Tibet to Manchu-ruled China following the chaotic era of the 6th and 7th Dalai Lamas in the first decades of the eighteenth century....Sino-Tibetan relations are further complicated by Tibetan political theory, which conceived of the linkage with China as chöyön, a term that refers to the symbiotic relationship between a religious figure and a lay patron....Thus for the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama and the Manchu emperor stood respectively as spiritual teacher and a lay patron rather than subject and lord"
  54. ^ Petech L.,China and Tibet in the Early XVIIIth Century: History of the Establishment of Chinese Protectorate in Tibet, 1972, p260: "In 1751 the organization of the protectorate took its final shape, which it maintained, except for some modifications in 1792, till its end in 1912. The ambans were given rights of control and supervision and since 1792 also a direct participation in the Tibetan government."
  55. ^ Gernet, J., Foster, J.R. & Hartman C., A History of Chinese Civilization, Cambridge University Press, 1982, p481, reads in part: "From 1751 onwards Chinese control over Tibet became permanent and remained so more or less ever after, in spite of British efforts to seize possession of this Chinese protectorate at the beginning of the twentieth century."
  56. ^ a b c d e f g h i USCensusBureau:Countries ranked by population, 2009
  57. ^ "Population by Mother Tongue" (PDF). Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan. http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_mother_tongue.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  58. ^ Burma hasn't had a census in a many decades, figures are mostly guesswork.
  59. ^ Statistical Centre of Iran
  60. ^ Iran's Census 2006 count figures are higher than 2009 Census Bureau estimated figures, despite 2006 Census reporting that half its citizens are under 25, therefore considered more accurate.
  61. ^ ICL - Iran - Constitution
  62. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.htm
  63. ^ "Languages Spoken by More Than 10 Million People". MSN Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500404/Languages_Spoken_by_More_Than_10_Million_People.html. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  64. ^ Bangladesh : AT A GLANCE
  65. ^ The Association of Religion Data Archives | National Profiles
  66. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  67. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Burma
  68. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  69. ^ Indian Census
  70. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  71. ^ Maldives - maldives religion
  72. ^ Maldives
  73. ^ Maldives - Religion, countrystudies.us
  74. ^ NEPAL
  75. ^ Population by religions, Statistics Division of the Government of Pakistan
  76. ^ [1]
  77. ^ http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/povDuplic.html world bank data
  78. ^ http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,pagePK:158889~piPK:146815~theSitePK:223547,00.html
  79. ^ A special report on India: India elsewhere: An awkward neighbour in a troublesome neighbourhood December 11th 2008 The Economist
  80. ^ [2]
  81. ^ mrdowling.com: Subcontinent
  82. ^ Infoplease: Area and Population of Countries (mid-2006 estimates)
  83. ^ United Nations Population Division Department of Economic and Social Affairs
  84. ^ http://www.jubileeresearch.org/worldnews/asia/saudi_oil_pakistan.htm
  85. ^ http://www.cfr.org/publication/10070
  86. ^ List of countries by population
  87. ^ "Agriculture in South Asia". World Bank. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/EXTSAREGTOPAGRI/0,,contentMDK:20750711~menuPK:452772~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:452766,00.html.
  88. ^ "2008 Global Hunger Index Key Findings & Facts". 2008. http://www.ifpri.org/media/200610GHI/GHIFindings.asp.
  89. ^ http://ibnlive.in.com/news/child-mortality-rate-highest-in-india-unicef/57174-17.html
  90. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Hunger_Index
  91. ^ "'Hunger critical' in South Asia". BBC. 2006-10-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6046718.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-04.

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