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{{see also|South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|South Asian Economic Union}}
{{see also|South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|South Asian Economic Union}}


===Indian Subcontinent===
===The Subcontinent===
{{see also|Subcontinent}}
{{see also|Subcontinent}}
[[File:Indian subcontinent.JPG|thumb|The "Indian subcontinent" is a geographical term referring to the large, self-contained landmass which covers most of South Asia.]]
[[File:Indian subcontinent.JPG|thumb|The "Indian subcontinent" is a geographical term referring to the large, self-contained landmass which covers most of South Asia.]]


The term "Indian subcontinent", also "South Asian subcontinent", refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically and culturally separated from the rest of the Asian continent.<ref name=McLeod>[http://books.google.com/books?id=Y8Y3MH3dj6MC&pg=PA1&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a The history of India - By John McLeod]</ref> Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably.<ref name=McLeod/><ref>Milton Walter Meyer, ''South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent'', pages 1, Adams Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 082260034X</ref><ref>Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, ''The Third World: states of mind and being'',‎ pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0049101218</ref> Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent"<ref>Lucian W. Pye & Mary W. Pye, ''Asian Power and Politics'', pages 133, Harvard University Press, 1985, ISBN 0674049799</ref> or the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",<ref>Mark Juergensmeyer, ''The Oxford handbook of global religions'', pages 465, Oxford University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0195137981</ref> or simply "South Asia"<ref>Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal, ''Modern South Asia'', pages 3, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0415307872</ref> 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".<ref>Judith Schott & Alix Henley, ''Culture, Religion, and Childbearing in a Multiracial Society'', pages 274, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN 0750620501</ref><ref>Raj S. Bhopal, ''Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies'', pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ISBN 0198568177</ref> [[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]].<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=JxSSdU8btwIC&pg=PA51&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Imagining India - By Ronald B. Inden]</ref> However, this opinion is not shared by all.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=c46i9jr9mhgC&pg=PA344&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper]</ref>
The term "Indian subcontinent" or "South Asian subcontinent" refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically and culturally separated from the rest of the Asian continent.<ref name=McLeod>[http://books.google.com/books?id=Y8Y3MH3dj6MC&pg=PA1&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a The history of India - By John McLeod]</ref> Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably.<ref name=McLeod/><ref>Milton Walter Meyer, ''South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent'', pages 1, Adams Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 082260034X</ref><ref>Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, ''The Third World: states of mind and being'',‎ pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0049101218</ref> Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent"<ref>Lucian W. Pye & Mary W. Pye, ''Asian Power and Politics'', pages 133, Harvard University Press, 1985, ISBN 0674049799</ref> or the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",<ref>Mark Juergensmeyer, ''The Oxford handbook of global religions'', pages 465, Oxford University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0195137981</ref> or simply "South Asia"<ref>Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal, ''Modern South Asia'', pages 3, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0415307872</ref> 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".<ref>Judith Schott & Alix Henley, ''Culture, Religion, and Childbearing in a Multiracial Society'', pages 274, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN 0750620501</ref><ref>Raj S. Bhopal, ''Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies'', pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ISBN 0198568177</ref> [[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]].<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=JxSSdU8btwIC&pg=PA51&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&lr=&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Imagining India - By Ronald B. Inden]</ref> However, this opinion is not shared by all.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=c46i9jr9mhgC&pg=PA344&dq=indian+subcontinent+asia+continent&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper]</ref>


By dictionary entries, the term [[subcontinent]] signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989</ref> or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."<ref>''[http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged]'', Merriam-Webster, 2002, retrieved 11 March 2007</ref> It may be noted that [[Geophysics|geophysically]] the [[Yarlung Zangbo River|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.<ref>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 0813722810</ref>
By dictionary entries, the term [[subcontinent]] signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989</ref> or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."<ref>''[http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged]'', Merriam-Webster, 2002, retrieved 11 March 2007</ref> It may be noted that [[Geophysics|geophysically]] the [[Yarlung Zangbo River|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.<ref>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 0813722810</ref>

Revision as of 01:17, 13 August 2009

South Asia

Map of South Asia
Countries 6 to 10 (see page)
Territories 0, 1, or 2 (see page)
GDP (PPP) $4.02 trillion
GDP per capita (PPP) $2,762
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, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Sinhala, Siraiki, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu, and others
Time Zones UTC +8:00 (Tibet) to UTC +3:30 (Iran)
Largest Cities Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Calcutta,Chennai, Cochin, Colombo, Dhaka, Delhi, Diego Garcia, Hydrabad, Islamabad, Lahore, Kabul, Karachi, Kathmandu, Lhasa, Malé, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, 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, Southeastern Asia and the Indian ocean.

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

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 in the world.[citation needed] 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 is an economic cooperation organization in the region.

Definitions

Various definitions of South Asia.
UN Subregion 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,[2] including the current territories of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the core, but also including Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Burma (officially Myanmar) and Sikkim.[3] The Aden Colony, British Somaliland and Singapore, though administered at various times under the Raj have not been proposed as any part of South Asia.[4] The Raj also encompassed the 562 protected princely states that were not directly ruled by the Raj,[5] some of which joined the Union of India (including Hyderabad State, Kingdom of Mysore, Baroda, Gwalior and a part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir), while some joined the Dominion of Pakistan (including Bahawalpur, Kalat, Khayrpur, Swat and the remaining parts of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ).[6][7] Sikkim joined India in 1975.[8]

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (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 as an eight member in 2006.[9] The World Bank grouping includes only the original seven members of SAARC, and leaves Afghanistan out.[10] 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 endorsed by SAARC has been signed by the seven original members of the organization, though it has a special provision for the Maldives.[11]

The United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN) includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Myanmar, 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.[12] Culturally, though not politically, Tibet has been identified as a part of South Asia,[13] while the British Indian Ocean Territory has been connected to the region for security considerations.[14] The United Nations scheme of sub-regions include all eight members of the SAARC as part of Southern Asia, along with Iran,[15] 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.[16]

Afghanistan is otherwise considered as Central Asian or Middle-Eastern, Myanmar as Southeast Asian, and Tibet is otherwise considered Central Asian or East Asian.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19]

See also: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and South Asian Economic Union

The Subcontinent

See also: Subcontinent
The "Indian subcontinent" is a geographical term referring to the large, self-contained landmass which covers most of South Asia.

The term "Indian subcontinent" or "South Asian subcontinent" refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically and culturally separated from the rest of the Asian continent.[20] Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably.[20][21][22] Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent"[23] or the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",[24] or simply "South Asia"[25] 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".[26][27] 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.[28] However, this opinion is not shared by all.[29]

By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,[30] or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."[31] 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.[32]

According to one clubbing of countries, it includes most parts of the 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).[33] Another clubbing includes only Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the mainstay of the British Raj, as the Subcontinent.[34] 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".[35] When the term Indian Subcontinent is used to mean the South Asia, the islands countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives are sometimes not included,[36] while Tibet and Nepal are included[37] and excluded[38] 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[39]), 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.[40] 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.[41][42] 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,[43][44] 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, Maldives, Myanmar, and Tibet".[45] The similar program of Columbia University also includes Tibet, but leaves out both Afghanistan and the Maldives.[46]

Geography

Natural vegetation zones of South Asia, loosely based on a Grolier map[47]

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-Myanmar border and the Bangladesh-Myanmar 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).

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 a protectorate of Great Britain until after World War II. In the millenia 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[49][50], it became under Chinese control in the 18th century[50][51][52][53] in spite of British efforts to seize possession of this Chinese protectorate at the beginning of the 20th century. [54] 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.[52]

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 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.

See also: Islamic conquest of South Asia

Territory and region data

2009 referenced population figures except where noted.

The core countries

This club of countries 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.

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 147,570 156,050,883[55] 1057 Dhaka Taka Parliamentary republic Bengali
 Bhutan 38,394 691,141[55] 18 Thimphu Ngultrum, Indian rupee Constitutional monarchy Dzongkha
 India 3,287,240 1,166,079,217[55] 355 New Delhi Indian rupee Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy Hindi, English and 20 other official languages
   Nepal 147,181 28,563,377[55] 194 Kathmandu Nepalese rupee Democratic Republic Nepali
 Pakistan 803,940 176,242,949[55] 219 Islamabad Pakistani rupee Islamic Republic Urdu, English, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi[56]
 Sri Lanka 65,610 21,324,791[55] 325 Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Sri Lankan rupee Democratic Socialist Republic Sinhala, Tamil, English

Countries and territories from extended definitions

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

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
 Afghanistan 647,500 33,609,937[55] 51.9 Kabul Afghan afghani Islamic republic Dari (Persian), Pashto [1]
 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
 Iran 1,648,195 70,495,782 (2006 Census)[57][58] 40.3 Tehran Iranian rial Islamic republic Persian, Constitutional status for regional languages [59]
 Maldives 298 396,334[55] 1,329.9 Malé Rufiyaa Republic Dhivehi
 Myanmar 676,578 48,137,141[55][60] 71.1 Yangon Myanmar kyat Military Junta Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Myanmar's Autonomous States.)
 PRC - Tibet Autonomous Region 1,228,400 2,740,000 2.2 Lhasa Chinese yuan Autonomous region of China Tibetan, Mandarin Chinese

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 English or Hindi/Urdu as lingua franca

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 Arabs, Turks and Pashtuns, however Arab influence was very limited in comparison to the Turks and Pashtuns; who brought in much cultural influence and furthered 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 Baluchistan 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[61]; the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers [62]. 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. 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; 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 Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka
Afghanistan[1] Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim (19%), other (1%)
Bangladesh[63] Muslim (90%), Hindu (9%), Christian (.5%), Buddhist (.5%), Believers in tribal faiths (0.1%)
British Indian Ocean Territory[64] Christian (45.55%), Hindu (38.55%), Muslim (9.25%), Non-Religious (6.50%), Atheist (0.10%), Other (0.05%)
Bhutan[65] Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)
India[66][67] Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.8%), Jain (0.4%), Others (0.6%)
Iran[68] Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)
Maldives[69] Sunni Muslim (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[70][71])
Myanmar[72] Theravada Buddhism (89%), Muslim (4%), Christian (4%) (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Animist (1%), others (including Hinduism) (2%)
Nepal[73] Hindu (80.6%), Buddhist (10.7%), Muslim (4.2%), Kirat (3.6%)
Pakistan[74] Muslim (96.28%), Hindu (1.85%), Christian (1.59%), Ahmadi (0.22%)
Sri Lanka[75] 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

Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Nepal, Afghanistan, and Myanmar 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 the next largest economy and the second highest GDP per capita in the region, 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.[76]

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.[77] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has the highest child malnutrition rate of world's regions.[78] India contributes to about 5.6 million child deaths every year, more than half the world's total.[79] 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".[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.

See also

Notes and References

  1. ^ a b c "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. ^ Bertram Hughes Farmer, An Introduction to South Asia, pages 1, Routledge, 1993, ISBN 0415056950
  3. ^ Arthur Berriedale Keith, A Constitutional History of India: 1600-1935, pages 440-444, Methuen & Co, 1936
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  5. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge (volume 4), pages 177, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 1947
  6. ^ Ian Copland, The Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire: 1917-1947,‎ pages 263, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0521894360
  7. ^ http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakistan_princes.html
  8. ^ "History of Sikkim". Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Sikkim. 2005-09-29. Retrieved 2006-10-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ International Relations And Security Network, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich
  10. ^ South Asia: Data, Projects and Research, The World Bank
  11. ^ Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area, SAARC Secretariat, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
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  13. ^ Sheldon I. Pollock, Literary cultures in history, pages 748-749, University of California Press, 2003, ISBN 0520228219
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  15. ^ Geographical region and composition, Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings, United Nations
  16. ^ 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
  17. ^ Aziz-ul-Haque,South and Central Asia: Building Economic and Political Linkages, Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Pakistan, ISBN 978-969-8020-20-0
  18. ^ Vernon Marston Hewitt, The international politics of South Asia, page xi, Manchester University Press, 1992, ISBN 0719033926
  19. ^ Kishore C. Dash, Regionalism in South Asia, pages 172-175, Routledge, 2008, ISBN 0415431174
  20. ^ a b The history of India - By John McLeod
  21. ^ Milton Walter Meyer, South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent, pages 1, Adams Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 082260034X
  22. ^ Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, The Third World: states of mind and being,‎ pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0049101218
  23. ^ Lucian W. Pye & Mary W. Pye, Asian Power and Politics, pages 133, Harvard University Press, 1985, ISBN 0674049799
  24. ^ Mark Juergensmeyer, The Oxford handbook of global religions, pages 465, Oxford University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0195137981
  25. ^ Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal, Modern South Asia, pages 3, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0415307872
  26. ^ Judith Schott & Alix Henley, Culture, Religion, and Childbearing in a Multiracial Society, pages 274, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN 0750620501
  27. ^ Raj S. Bhopal, Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies, pages 33, Oxford University Press, 2007, ISBN 0198568177
  28. ^ Imagining India - By Ronald B. Inden
  29. ^ Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper
  30. ^ Oxford English Dictionary 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989
  31. ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, Merriam-Webster, 2002, retrieved 11 March 2007
  32. ^ 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 0813722810
  33. ^ 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 3110134179
  34. ^ After partition: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, BBC, 2007-08-08
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  37. ^ James C. Harle, The art and architecture of the Indian subcontinent, pages 214, Yale University Press, 1994, ISBN 0300062176
  38. ^ 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 817305018X
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  40. ^ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge
  41. ^ About CSAS, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Michigan
  42. ^ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Virginia
  43. ^ South Asian Studies Program, Rutgers University
  44. ^ Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley [1]
  45. ^ South Asian Studies, Brandeis University
  46. ^ Liberal Studies M.A. Program: South Asian Studies, Columbia University
  47. ^ Asian Vegetation Zones, Grolier Online, Scholastic Inc.
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  50. ^ 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)."
  51. ^ In the Heart of Tibet, New York Times, 1903
  52. ^ 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"
  53. ^ 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."
  54. ^ 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."
  55. ^ a b c d e f g h i USCensusBureau:Countries ranked by population, 2009
  56. ^ "Population by Mother Tongue" (PDF). Population Census Organization, Government of Pakistan. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  57. ^ Statistical Centre of Iran
  58. ^ 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.
  59. ^ ICL - Iran - Constitution
  60. ^ Myanmar hasn't had a census in a many decades, figures are mostly guesswork.
  61. ^ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.htm
  62. ^ "Languages Spoken by More Than 10 Million People". MSN Encarta. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  63. ^ Bangladesh : AT A GLANCE
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  66. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  67. ^ Indian Census
  68. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
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  70. ^ Maldives
  71. ^ Maldives - Religion, countrystudies.us
  72. ^ CIA - The World Factbook - Burma
  73. ^ NEPAL
  74. ^ Population by religions, Statistics Division of the Government of Pakistan
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  77. ^ "Agriculture in South Asia". World Bank.
  78. ^ "2008 Global Hunger Index Key Findings & Facts". 2008.
  79. ^ a b "'Hunger critical' in South Asia". BBC. 2006.
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  81. ^ mrdowling.com: Subcontinent
  82. ^ Infoplease: Area and Population of Countries (mid-2006 estimates
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  84. ^ http://www.jubileeresearch.org/worldnews/asia/saudi_oil_pakistan.htm
  85. ^ http://www.cfr.org/publication/10070
  86. ^ List of countries by population

External links

Template:Countries of South Asia

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Asia&diff=307664997&oldid=307659264

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