Cannabis Indica

thcscience_admin
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
sanity restored
→‎Definitions and usage: reeverting back yo gibberish never improves readability
Line 41: Line 41:
[[Image:South Asia (ed)update.PNG|left|thumb|200px|Various definitions of South Asia.]]
[[Image:South Asia (ed)update.PNG|left|thumb|200px|Various definitions of South Asia.]]
[[Image:South Asia (ed).PNG|left|thumb|200px|[[United Nations geoscheme|UN Subregion]] of Southern Asia.]]
[[Image:South Asia (ed).PNG|left|thumb|200px|[[United Nations geoscheme|UN Subregion]] of Southern Asia.]]
[[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]],<ref name="BhuCIA">[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html CIA - The World Factbook]</ref><ref name="WorldBank">South Asia: Data, Projects, and Research [http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,menuPK:158937~pagePK:158889~piPK:146815~theSitePK:223547,00.html]</ref><ref name="USGS">MAPS SHOWING GEOLOGY, OIL AND GAS FIELDS AND GEOLOGICAL PROVINCES OF SOUTH ASIA [http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/ofr-97-470/OF97-470C/asiaGmap.html] Includes Afghanistan and Bhutan</ref> [[India]], [[Maldives]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Sri Lanka]] are currently members of a regional cooperation group, the [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation]] (SAARC), which they jointly formed, while [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], the country which has sovereignty over the [[British Indian Ocean Territory]] is an observer member of SAARC. The [[People's Republic of China]] and [[Iran]] are also observer members of [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|SAARC]])
[[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]],<ref name="BhuCIA">[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html CIA - The World Factbook]</ref><ref name="WorldBank">South Asia: Data, Projects, and Research [http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,menuPK:158937~pagePK:158889~piPK:146815~theSitePK:223547,00.html]</ref><ref name="USGS">MAPS SHOWING GEOLOGY, OIL AND GAS FIELDS AND GEOLOGICAL PROVINCES OF SOUTH ASIA [http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/ofr-97-470/OF97-470C/asiaGmap.html] Includes Afghanistan and Bhutan</ref> [[India]], [[Maldives]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Sri Lanka]] are currently members of a regional cooperation group, the [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation]] (SAARC), which they jointly formed, while [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]]. [[British Indian Ocean Territory]] is not reprsented, but the country which has sovereignty over it - [[United Kingdom]] - is an observer member of SAARC. The [[People's Republic of China]] and [[Iran]] are also observer members of the organization.


Some academic and/or cultural institutions from the [[United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]]{{who}} also classify more countries and territories as South Asian. These include [[Afghanistan]]<ref name="AfgCIA">CIA world factbook, [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html#Geo Afghanistan - Geography (Location: Southern Asia)]</ref><ref name=Berkeley>Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley [http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/southasia/aboutus.html]; Archive.org [http://web.archive.org/web/20080213145516/http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/southasia/aboutus.html] (site under reconstruction)</ref><ref name="Madison">Center for South Asia Outreach UW-Madison [http://www.southasiaoutreach.wisc.edu/countries.htm]</ref><ref name="UPenn">Department of South Asia Studies: University of Pennsylvania [http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/sas_pages/language_studies.html]</ref><ref name="WorldBank" /><ref name="USGS" /><ref name="statedept">Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge Links Central, South Asia [http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=August&x=20070829160347saikceinawz0.2609064] Refers to Afghanistan as South Asian and Tajikistan as Central Asian</ref><ref name="uw">University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies: The South Asia Center http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/soasia-b.html</ref><ref name="syra">Syracruse University: The South Asia Center http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/programs/sac/</ref><ref name="umich">[http://www.ii.umich.edu/csas/aboutus/contactus Center for South Asian Studies]</ref><ref name="brandeis">http://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/catalog/one-subject.php?subject_id=6550 this sources admits in certain contexts that Tibet and Afghanistan are South Asian</ref><ref name="britac">http://www.basas.org.uk/Tibetan and Afghan flag shown</ref><ref name="Virginia">[http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/soasia/about/index.html]</ref><ref name="hawaii">[http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/sasia/sawebsites.htm University of Hawaii at Manoa | South Asia Collection]</ref><ref name="rutgers">[http://southasia.rutgers.edu/ Rutgers, SAS South Asian Studies: - Home]</ref>(Otherwise considered Central Asian or Middle-Eastern<ref name="AfgAlte">[http://web.utah.edu/meca/2007Conf/2007%20MECA-%20Final%20Program.pdf ''The 2007 Middle East & Central Asia Politics, Economics,and Society Conference'' University of Utah] [http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2006/eng/01/mreo0506.pdf "Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East & Central Asia" May 2006, International Monetary Fund] [http://menic.utexas.edu/Countries_and_Regions/Afghanistan/ Middle East Network Information Center (MENIC), University of Texas at Austin] [http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_afghanistan.html ''Afghanistan Profile''], National Geographic (accessed 20 January 2006) [http://www.mideasti.org/country/afghanistan ''Afghanistan''], Middle East Institute (accessed 20 January 2006)</ref>, now a member of [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|SAARC]]), [[Myanmar]], "especially in the period when Burma was under British colonial rule"<ref>http://www.international.ucla.edu/idps/southasia/ UCLA South Asian Studies</ref> (Prior to 1 April 1937, for nearly a century, it was part of the [[British Raj]] region of South Asia proper. Otherwise considered part of [[Southeast Asia]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.international.ucla.edu/idps/seasia/ | title=Southeast Asian Studies Major and Minor | accessdate=2009-01-01}}</ref>), and [[Tibet]]<ref name="Berkeley" /><ref name="Madison" /><ref name="umich" /><ref name="brandeis" /><ref name="britac" /><ref name="Virginia" /><ref name="rutgers" /><ref name="emory">[http://www.asianstudies.emory.edu/sa/languages.htm South Asian Studies at Emory]</ref><ref name="Columbia">http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/departments/south-asian-studies/department.html</ref> (Otherwise considered Central Asian<ref name="Britannica">[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9117343/Tibet Tibet - Britannica Online Encyclopedia]</ref> or East Asian<ref>[http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/surface-of-the-earth/plateaus-article.html Plateaus], [[National Geographic Society]]</ref><ref>[http://www.ndl.go.jp/jp/service/kansai/asia/directory/language_east.html アジア情報機関ダイレクトリー : 所蔵資料の言語から探す : 東アジア言語], [[National Diet Library]] of [[Japan]]</ref>). The [[United Nations]] also includes Iran (Otherwise considered [[Southwest Asia]]) and Afghanistan, but not Tibet or Burma, as part of ''Southern Asia'':<ref>[http://millenniumindicators.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#asia Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings], United Nations website</ref>
Some academic and/or cultural institutions from the [[United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]]{{who}} also classify more countries and territories as South Asian. These include [[Afghanistan]]<ref name="AfgCIA">CIA world factbook, [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html#Geo Afghanistan - Geography (Location: Southern Asia)]</ref><ref name=Berkeley>Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley [http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/southasia/aboutus.html]; Archive.org [http://web.archive.org/web/20080213145516/http://www.ias.berkeley.edu/southasia/aboutus.html] (site under reconstruction)</ref><ref name="Madison">Center for South Asia Outreach UW-Madison [http://www.southasiaoutreach.wisc.edu/countries.htm]</ref><ref name="UPenn">Department of South Asia Studies: University of Pennsylvania [http://www.southasia.upenn.edu/sas_pages/language_studies.html]</ref><ref name="WorldBank" /><ref name="USGS" /><ref name="statedept">Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge Links Central, South Asia [http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=August&x=20070829160347saikceinawz0.2609064] Refers to Afghanistan as South Asian and Tajikistan as Central Asian</ref><ref name="uw">University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies: The South Asia Center http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/soasia-b.html</ref><ref name="syra">Syracruse University: The South Asia Center http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/programs/sac/</ref><ref name="umich">[http://www.ii.umich.edu/csas/aboutus/contactus Center for South Asian Studies]</ref><ref name="brandeis">http://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/catalog/one-subject.php?subject_id=6550 this sources admits in certain contexts that Tibet and Afghanistan are South Asian</ref><ref name="britac">http://www.basas.org.uk/Tibetan and Afghan flag shown</ref><ref name="Virginia">[http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/soasia/about/index.html]</ref><ref name="hawaii">[http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/sasia/sawebsites.htm University of Hawaii at Manoa | South Asia Collection]</ref><ref name="rutgers">[http://southasia.rutgers.edu/ Rutgers, SAS South Asian Studies: - Home]</ref>(otherwise considered Central Asian or Middle-Eastern,<ref name="AfgAlte">[http://web.utah.edu/meca/2007Conf/2007%20MECA-%20Final%20Program.pdf ''The 2007 Middle East & Central Asia Politics, Economics,and Society Conference'' University of Utah]</ref><ref>[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2006/eng/01/mreo0506.pdf "Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East & Central Asia" May 2006, International Monetary Fund]</ref><ref>[http://menic.utexas.edu/Countries_and_Regions/Afghanistan/ Middle East Network Information Center (MENIC), University of Texas at Austin]</ref><ref>[http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_afghanistan.html ''Afghanistan Profile''], National Geographic (accessed 20 January 2006)</ref><ref>[http://www.mideasti.org/country/afghanistan ''Afghanistan''], Middle East Institute (accessed 20 January 2006)</ref>, now a member of [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|SAARC]]), [[Myanmar]] (otherwise considered part of [[Southeast Asia]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.international.ucla.edu/idps/seasia/ | title=Southeast Asian Studies Major and Minor | accessdate=2009-01-01}}</ref> but for nearly a century prior to 1 April 1937, it was part of the [[British Raj]]<ref>http://www.international.ucla.edu/idps/southasia/ UCLA South Asian Studies</ref> region of South Asia proper), and [[Tibet]]<ref name="Berkeley" /><ref name="Madison" /><ref name="umich" /><ref name="brandeis" /><ref name="britac" /><ref name="Virginia" /><ref name="rutgers" /><ref name="emory">[http://www.asianstudies.emory.edu/sa/languages.htm South Asian Studies at Emory]</ref><ref name="Columbia">http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/departments/south-asian-studies/department.html</ref> (Otherwise considered Central Asian<ref name="Britannica">[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9117343/Tibet Tibet - Britannica Online Encyclopedia]</ref> or East Asian<ref>[http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/surface-of-the-earth/plateaus-article.html Plateaus], [[National Geographic Society]]</ref><ref>[http://www.ndl.go.jp/jp/service/kansai/asia/directory/language_east.html アジア情報機関ダイレクトリー : 所蔵資料の言語から探す : 東アジア言語], [[National Diet Library]] of [[Japan]]</ref>). The [[United Nations]] also includes Iran (otherwise considered [[Southwest Asia]]) and Afghanistan, but not Tibet or Burma, as part of ''Southern Asia'':<ref>[http://millenniumindicators.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#asia Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings], United Nations website</ref>


== Geography ==
== Geography ==

Revision as of 11:28, 14 March 2009

This article deals with the region in Asia. For geophysical treatments, see Indian subcontinent.

South Asia

Map of South Asia
Countries 7 to 10 (see page)
Territories 1 or 2 (see page)
GDP
GDP per capita
Languages Assamese/Asomiya, Bengali, Bodo, Burmese, Dari[1], Dhivehi, Dogri, Dzongkha, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Pashto, Persian, Punjabi, Urdu, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Sinhala, Siraiki, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, and others
Time Zones UTC +8:00 (Tibet) to UTC +3:30 (Iran)
Largest Cities Colombo, Dhaka, Diego Garcia, Kabul, Karachi, Kathmandu, Lhasa, Malé, Mumbai, Tehran, Thimpu, and Yangon

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities (see below), also includes the adjoining countries on the west and the east. It is surrounded (clockwise, from west to east) by Western Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, and Southeastern Asia.

South Asia typically consists of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and British Indian Ocean Territory. Some definitions may also include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Tibet, and Iran.

South Asia is home to well over a fifth of world population, and using the UN subregion definition, is the most populous and densest in the world. The region has often seen conflicts and political instability, including wars between the region's two nuclear-armed states, Pakistan and India. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation an economic cooperation organization in the region.

Definitions and usage

Various definitions of South Asia.
UN Subregion of Southern Asia.

Bangladesh, Bhutan,[2][3][4] India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are currently members of a regional cooperation group, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which they jointly formed, while Great Britain. British Indian Ocean Territory is not reprsented, but the country which has sovereignty over it - United Kingdom - is an observer member of SAARC. The People's Republic of China and Iran are also observer members of the organization.

Some academic and/or cultural institutions from the United States and the United Kingdom[who?] also classify more countries and territories as South Asian. These include Afghanistan[1][5][6][7][3][4][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16](otherwise considered Central Asian or Middle-Eastern,[17][18][19][20][21], now a member of SAARC), Myanmar (otherwise considered part of Southeast Asia,[22] but for nearly a century prior to 1 April 1937, it was part of the British Raj[23] region of South Asia proper), and Tibet[5][6][11][12][13][14][16][24][25] (Otherwise considered Central Asian[26] or East Asian[27][28]). The United Nations also includes Iran (otherwise considered Southwest Asia) and Afghanistan, but not Tibet or Burma, as part of Southern Asia:[29]

Geography

Boundaries

-

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-Myanmar border and the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

The Indian subcontinent is a large section of the region consisting of the land lying substantially on the Indian tectonic plate. The subcontinent includes parts of various countries in South Asia, including those on the continental crust (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan), an island country on the continental shelf (Sri Lanka), and an island country rising above the oceanic crust (the Maldives).

Climate

The climate of this vast region varies considerably from area to area and 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.

The climate of the region is called the Monsoon climate. It is quite opposite of the Mediterranean climate. For the monsoon climate, the weather in this region remains humid during summer and dry during winter. Instead of four seasons, it basically has two main seasons, the wet and dry. The monsoon climate favors the cultivation of jute, tea, rice, and various vegetables in this region. South Asia's climate varies from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north.

Economy

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

Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Nepal, Afghanistan, and Burma have the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region; it is the world's 12th largest or 4th largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has next largest economy, 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.[30]

According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has the highest child malnutrition rate of world's regions.[31] India contributes to about 5.6 million child deaths every year, more than half the world's total.[32] The 2006 report mentioned 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" and was concerned that South Asia has "inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children".[32]

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.[33]

History

Further information: History of South Asia
Map of Indian subcontinent 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 a protectorate of Great Britain until after World War II. 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. 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[34][35], it became under Chinese control in the 18th century[36][37][38][35] in spite of British efforts to seize possession of this Chinese protectorate at the beginning of the 20th century. [39] 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.[37]

Since 1947, most South Asian countries have achieved tremendous progress in all spheres. Most notable achievements are in the fields of education; industry; health care; information technology and 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.

Demographics

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups of South Asia
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. The amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and local tribal cultures over the centuries created common culture, traditions and beliefs. The Vedic Sanskrit language and Vedic religion combined Indo-Aryan, Dravidian and local tribal beliefs to give rise to the ancient South Asian religions of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and also Sikhism, even though Sufi tradition of Islam had also significantly influenced nascent Sikhism and its holiest scripture. As a consequence, they share many similar cultural practices, festivals, and traditions. Throughout time, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions, such as South Indian culture in earlier times. 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. The last of these new arrivals were the Turks and Pathans, who brought in much cultural influence and the Abrahamic religion of Islam to the western and northern parts of South Asia - the Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun, Baloch and Kashmiri people in areas principally located in the northern highlands and the Balochistan plateau in Pakistan and the Indo-Gangetic plains in Pakistan and India - and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indic-Persian-Turkic-Arabic heritage, which is widely spoken today.

Languages

See also: Languages of South Asia

The largest spoken language in this region is now Hindi, its speakers numbering almost 422 million[40]; the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with 240 million[citation needed] speakers. 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. 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. 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; 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.

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 Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka
Afghanistan[1] Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim (19%), other (1%)
Bangladesh[41] Muslim (89.8%), Hindu (9.2%), Buddhist (1.6%), Christian (1.3%),Believers in tribal faiths (0.1%)
British Indian Ocean Territory[42] Christian (45.55%), Hindu (38.55%), Muslim (9.25%), Non-Religious (6.50%), Atheist (0.10%), Other (0.05%)
Bhutan[2] Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)
India[43][44] Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.8%), Jain (0.4%), Others (0.6%)
Iran[45] Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)
Maldives[46] Sunni Muslim (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[47][48])
Myanmar[49] Theravada Buddhism (89%), Muslim (4%), Christian (4%) (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Animist (1%), others (including Hinduism) (2%)
Nepal[50] Hindu (80.6%), Buddhist (10.7%), Muslim (4.2%), Kirat (3.6%)
Pakistan[51] Muslim (96.28%), Hindu (1.85%), Christian (1.59%), Ahmadi (0.22%)
Sri Lanka[52] 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

Territory and region data

Name of country/region, with flag Area
(km²) 		Population* Population density
(per km²) 		Capital or Secretariat Currency Government/Common Market Official languages Coat of Arms
 Bangladesh 144,000 156,050,883[53] 1083.68 Dhaka Taka Parliamentary republic Bengali
 British Indian Ocean Territory 60 3,500 58.3 Diego Garcia Pound sterling British Overseas Territory English File:British Indian Ocean Territory coat of arms.svg
 Bhutan 47,000 691,141[53] 14.7 Thimphu Ngultrum, Indian rupee Constitutional monarchy Dzongkha
 India 3,287,590 1,166,079,217[53] 354.7 New Delhi Indian rupee Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy Hindi, English and 20 other official languages
 Maldives 298 396,334[53] 1,329.9 Malé Rufiyaa Republic Dhivehi
   Nepal 147,181 28,563,377[53] 194 Kathmandu Nepalese rupee Interim government Nepali
 Pakistan 880,940 176,242,949[53] 200.0 Islamabad Pakistani rupee Islamic Republic Urdu, English, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi[54]
 Sri Lanka 65,610 21,324,791[53] 325 Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Sri Lankan rupee Democratic Socialist Republic Sinhala, Tamil
 Afghanistan (see above) 647,500 33,609,937[53] 51.9 Kabul Afghan afghani Islamic republic Dari (Persian), Pashto [1]
 Iran (see above) 1,648,195 70,495,782 (2006 Census)[55] 40.3 Tehran Iranian rial Islamic republic Persian, Constitutional status for regional languages [56]
 Myanmar (see above) 676,578 48,137,141[53]* 71.1 Yangon Myanmar kyat Military Junta Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Myanmar's Autonomous States.)
 PRC - Tibet Autonomous Region (see above) 1,228,400 2,740,000 2.2 Lhasa Chinese yuan Autonomous region of China Tibetan, Mandarin Chinese
  • Note: 2009 referenced population figures except where noted. Myanmar hasn't had a census in a many decades, figures are mostly guesswork. 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.
Name of country/region, with flag Area
(km²) 		Population* Population density
(per km²) 		Capital or Secretariat Currency Government/Common Market Official languages Coat of Arms
UN subregion of "South Asia" 6,285,724 1,653,457,908 263.04
General definition of "South Asia" 3,989,969 1,549,348,689 388.31 Kathmandu No common currency for SAFTA SAARC, includes Afghanistan; BIOT is not a member of SAARC English or Hindi/Urdu as lingua franca File:Flag of SAARC.svg

Politics

India is the dominant political power in the region.[57] 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.[58] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[59] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[60] and is a nuclear power.

The second largest country in the subcontinent area-wise and population-wise is Pakistan. Pakistan is the 6th[61] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power.

See also

Other subregions in Asia

Notes and References

  1. ^ a b c d "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. December 13, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "AfgCIA" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b CIA - The World Factbook
  3. ^ a b South Asia: Data, Projects, and Research [1]
  4. ^ a b MAPS SHOWING GEOLOGY, OIL AND GAS FIELDS AND GEOLOGICAL PROVINCES OF SOUTH ASIA [2] Includes Afghanistan and Bhutan
  5. ^ a b Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley [3]; Archive.org [4] (site under reconstruction)
  6. ^ a b Center for South Asia Outreach UW-Madison [5]
  7. ^ Department of South Asia Studies: University of Pennsylvania [6]
  8. ^ Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge Links Central, South Asia [7] Refers to Afghanistan as South Asian and Tajikistan as Central Asian
  9. ^ University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies: The South Asia Center http://jsis.washington.edu/advise/catalog/soasia-b.html
  10. ^ Syracruse University: The South Asia Center http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/programs/sac/
  11. ^ a b Center for South Asian Studies
  12. ^ a b http://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/catalog/one-subject.php?subject_id=6550 this sources admits in certain contexts that Tibet and Afghanistan are South Asian
  13. ^ a b http://www.basas.org.uk/Tibetan and Afghan flag shown
  14. ^ a b [8]
  15. ^ University of Hawaii at Manoa | South Asia Collection
  16. ^ a b Rutgers, SAS South Asian Studies: - Home
  17. ^ The 2007 Middle East & Central Asia Politics, Economics,and Society Conference University of Utah
  18. ^ "Regional Economic Outlook: Middle East & Central Asia" May 2006, International Monetary Fund
  19. ^ Middle East Network Information Center (MENIC), University of Texas at Austin
  20. ^ Afghanistan Profile, National Geographic (accessed 20 January 2006)
  21. ^ Afghanistan, Middle East Institute (accessed 20 January 2006)
  22. ^ "Southeast Asian Studies Major and Minor". Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  23. ^ http://www.international.ucla.edu/idps/southasia/ UCLA South Asian Studies
  24. ^ South Asian Studies at Emory
  25. ^ http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gsas/departments/south-asian-studies/department.html
  26. ^ Tibet - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  27. ^ Plateaus, National Geographic Society
  28. ^ アジア情報機関ダイレクトリー : 所蔵資料の言語から探す : 東アジア言語, National Diet Library of Japan
  29. ^ Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings, United Nations website
  30. ^ A special report on India: India elsewhere: An awkward neighbour in a troublesome neighbourhood Dec 11th 2008 The Economist
  31. ^ "2008 Global Hunger Index Key Findings & Facts". 2008.
  32. ^ a b "'Hunger critical' in South Asia". BBC. 2006.
  33. ^ "Agriculture in South Asia". World Bank.
  34. ^ MSN Encarta - Tibet
  35. ^ 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)."
  36. ^ In the Heart of Tibet, New York Times, 1903
  37. ^ 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"
  38. ^ 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."
  39. ^ 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."
  40. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.htm
  41. ^ Bangladesh : AT A GLANCE
  42. ^ The Association of Religion Data Archives | National Profiles
  43. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  44. ^ Indian Census
  45. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  46. ^ Maldives - maldives religion
  47. ^ Maldives
  48. ^ Maldives - Religion, countrystudies.us
  49. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Burma
  50. ^ NEPAL
  51. ^ Population by religions, Statistics Division of the Government of Pakistan
  52. ^ [9]
  53. ^ a b c d e f g h i USCensusBureau:Countries ranked by population, 2009
  54. ^ "Population by Mother Tongue" (PDF). Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  55. ^ Statistical Centre of Iran
  56. ^ ICL - Iran - Constitution
  57. ^ European Parliament Fact Sheets: The Countries of South Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
  58. ^ mrdowling.com: Subcontinent
  59. ^ Infoplease: Area and Population of Countries (mid-2006 estimates
  60. ^ United Nations Population Division Department of Economic and Social Affairs
  61. ^ List of countries by population

External links

Template:Countries of South Asia

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Asia&diff=277163452&oldid=277162553

Leave a Reply