Chapter 19South Asia

South Asia

Separated from Asia by the Himalayas in the North

Bigger than a peninsula and smaller than a continent– called a Subcontinent

Has strongest Monsoon winds in the world- due to Himalayas

India is the dominant country and major influence in the area

William Carey was the first modern missionary to the region- translated the Bible into many native languages

I. India

Largest country in South AsiaSecond largest in population in the world

Overtake China in 2050World’s largest democracy

Federal Republic, 25 states and 6 territoriesSpeak Hindi officially, but use EnglishLargest cities: Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata

(formerly Calcutta)

I. IndiaMajor Geographic Features

Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, Arabian SeaHimalayas- highest mountain range on earth,

included Mt. Everest- highest mountain in the world

Ganges River- one of world’s longest, most important river in India, supplies water for irrigation, significant in Hindu religion

I. IndiaMajor Geographic Features

Great Indian Desert- south of the Indus riverDeccan Plateau- heart of Indian peninsula, dry

climate Mumbai is located in the North- largest city New Delhi is the capital

Disputed Border Regions Mahatma Gandhi- tried to make peace with the

Muslims in India, assassinated by a Hindu in 1948 Kashmir- claimed by both India and Pakistan, in the

East

I. IndiaReligions

Hinduism- 80% of population 2 of most sacred things: cattle and Ganges river Castes, no upward mobility

Brahmins- highest class, priests and teachers Vaisyas- middle class- merchants, skilled craftsmen and farmers Untouchables- lowest level

Reincarnation- cycle of birth, death and rebirth- ultimate goal: become part of Brahman- the world spirit Karma- total affects of a person’s actions Not one leader or one book- gurus attract followers based on their own

teachingsIslam- second largest religion in IndiaChristianity- today about 2.3% of population professes some form of

Christianity– many movements can be traced to William CareySikhism- combine the teachings of Islam and HinduismJainism- related to Buddhism and Hinduism, cannot be violent

against any life form

I. IndiaGovernment and Economy

British involvement- since the British East India company was established, the British had influence in India, after WWI granted India more representation in government and full independence in 1947 Benefits- English language spread among the educated,

railroad systems were put in place, strong administrative tradition

Growing economy despite poverty and natural disasters

Read Rupees and Rajas pg. 483

II. Pakistan and BangladeshUsed to be part of India until 1947Separated due to religious differences, split

Muslim region from HinduPakistan then split into East and West

sections, then in 1971 East Pakistan became Bangladesh at India’s encouragement

PakistanPhysical Features- Indus River valley makes

up most of the land, most people live along the river, rest of the area is part of the Great Indian Desert, many Afghan refugees crossed the Khyber Pass into Pakistan

97% are MuslimGovernment- officially a federal republic

but in reality it is a military dictatorship

Bangladesh

Natural Disasters- location makes typhoons and tsunamis a constant threat

Poor. Overpopulated. Ill-governed. Poorest country in the world.

Society- rely on donated food, medical care is scarce, most people rely on agriculture for livelihood but the destructive weather patterns often ruin crops

Government- corrupt and lazy officials in a Parliamentary Democracy

Economy- is growing slowly, produces Jute

IV. NepalPhysical Features

Has 8 of the world’s 10 highest peaksHome to Mt. EverestVery prone to natural disasters

Society- people are a mix of Tibetan and Indian, most widely spoken language: Nepali

Only official Hindu state in the worldSherpas- famous as guidesGovernment and Economy: constitutional monarchy,

very poor economy- 80% of people work in agricultureCapital: Kathmandu

V. BhutanPhysical Features- climate ranges from

severe cold to tropical due to the HimalayasName means “Land of the Thunder

Dragon”Society- mainly a Buddhist society, very few

women receive an educationGovernment and Economy:

very closely linked to India ruled by a king who promises to move towards

democracy no diplomatic relations with the US

VI. Sri LankaPhysical Features- lies 20 miles off the

coast of IndiaClimate is tropical, monsoons are common,

rain forests are the natural vegetationHit by tsunami in 2004, left 31,000 dead,

6,300 missing, and 443,000 homelessSociety- conflict between Sinhalese

(Buddhist) and Tamils (Hindu) have been going on for decades

Government and Economy- republican form of governmentTea is major export, very famous commodity

Capital: Colombo

VII. MaldivesPhysical Features

Smallest nation in Asia1,190 coral islands- 200 are inhabited, 80 are tourist destinationsHighest point- only about 8 feet of elevation

SocietyAmazingly literate compared to nearby nations, 99% literate,

education is not mandatoryGovernment and Economy- influenced by Dutch and then

British, government follows secular Muslim law one president since 1978Economy dominated by fishing and tourism

Capital: Male (mahlee)