South Asia

IndiaIndia

PakistanPakistan

BangladeshBangladesh

MaldivesMaldives

Sri LankaSri Lanka

NepalNepal BhutanBhutan

HinduHindu

IslamIslam

BuddhismBuddhism

South Asia by majority religion

Introduction Geopolitical tension religious division

Hindu (India) Muslim (Pakistan)

Demographic concerns high natural growth High population density Limited resource bases

Less connected to the global economy Slow economic growth Inward orientation

Environmental Geography

Diverse Landscapes, from Tropical Islands to Mountain Rim

The Four Subregions of South Asia

Peninsular IndiaPeninsular India

The Southern IslandsThe Southern Islands

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra LowlandsIndus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Lowlands

Mountains of the NorthMountains of the North

Mountains of the North

Includes the world’s highest mountainIncludes the world’s highest mountain Produced by the collision between tectonic platesProduced by the collision between tectonic plates

seismically activeseismically active

Mt. EverestMt. Everest

Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Lowlands

Indus R.Indus R. Ganges R.Ganges R.

Brahmaputra R.Brahmaputra R.

Created by three major river systemsCreated by three major river systems Population core areas Population core areas

Peninsular India

Deccan PlDeccan Plateauateau

Western G

hats

Western G

hats Easter

n G

hats

Easter

n G

hats

Continuous Western Ghats Continuous Western Ghats narrow western coastal plains narrow western coastal plains Discontinuous Eastern Ghats Discontinuous Eastern Ghats broad eastern coastal plains broad eastern coastal plains

high population densities high population densities

The Southern Islands

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka: Mountains in the southern interiorMountains in the southern interior

ringed by extensive coastal plainsringed by extensive coastal plainsMaldives: Maldives: Flat and low coral atollsFlat and low coral atolls

Monsoon rain – June in Mumbai

During the summer monsoon, Mumbai receives more than 70 inches of rain in just three months

South Asia’s Climates

Most of South Asia has three distinct seasons June – Oct.: warm and rainy season Nov. – Feb: cool and dry seasonMatch – May: hot period

What is the major factor of this distinct season?Monsoon

(Distinct seasonal change of wind direction)

Monsoons in South AsiaSummer Winter

Southwest monsoon Northeast monsoon

dry wet

Orographic rainfall Orographic rainfall wet wet

Rain-shadow effect Rain-shadow effect dry dry

• Orographic rainfall results from the uplifting and cooliOrographic rainfall results from the uplifting and cooling of moist monsoon winds over high mountainsng of moist monsoon winds over high mountains

451 inches

10 inches

• Rainfall varies greatly from place to place Rainfall varies greatly from place to place Ganges Delta Ganges Delta rice; Punjab rice; Punjab wheat wheat

Flooding in Bangladesh

•High precipitationHigh precipitation

•Low-lying landLow-lying land

•CycloneCyclone

Ganges Delta

Natural conditionNatural condition

Man-made conditionMan-made condition•High population High population densitydensity

•Deforestation in the Deforestation in the river headwaterriver headwater

Population and Settlement

The Demographic Dilemma

Soon will become the world’s most populous region High natural growth

Fertility patterns vary by countries family planning India, Bangladesh vs. Pakistan

One of the least urbanized regions in the world

Population distributionPopulation distribution

Fertile soilsFertile soils

Dependable water suppliesDependable water supplies

Pull factor: rural-to-urban migrationPull factor: rural-to-urban migration Mumbai, Delhi, CalcuttaMumbai, Delhi, Calcutta

Push factor: refugeesPush factor: refugees Afghanistan, Kashmir, Burma, Sri LankaAfghanistan, Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka

Crop zones in South Asia

PunjabPunjab

Rice Rice wet, fertile wet, fertileWheat Wheat semiarid, fertile semiarid, fertileMillet, Sorghum Millet, Sorghum less fertile less fertile

Cattle in India

India has the world’s largest cattle population They don’t produce meat due to Hinduism Rather, produce milk as major sources of protein Also used for plowing and pulling carts

MumbaiMumbai

Major cities in South Asia

DelhiDelhi

CalcuttaCalcuttaDhakaDhaka

IslamabadIslamabad

KarachiKarachi

LahoreLahore

Major cities in South Asia India

Mumbai: financial center and media capital of India Delhi: political capital (former Muslim capital, colonial capital) Calcutta: trading center, declined after partition (1947)

Pakistan Karachi: commercial core Islamabad: forward capital – religious, and geopolitical

Bangladesh Dhaka: global center for clothing, and shoe manufacturing

Overurbanization in South Asia

Mumbai hutmentsMumbai hutments

Cultural Coherence and Diversity

A Common Heritage Rent by Religious Rivalries

Long united by HinduismCaste System

Arrival of IslamReligious rivalries between Hindu and Muslim

British imperialism Use of English due to multilingualism

Historic overview of South Asia

3000 B.C. 800 B.C.

Indus Valley Civilization

Ganges Valley Civilization

1000

Muslim rules

Buddhism Islam

Invasion of Indo-Aryan

2000 B.C. 1600 A.D.

HinduismHinduism

Caste SystemCaste System Sikhism

Jainism

Religious diversity in South Asia Hinduism (1500 B.C.~)

Indus valley civilization + Indo-Aryan religion Persist to present day (eg. Caste System); main religion in India

Buddhism, Jainism (500 B.C.~) Challenge to Hinduism orthodoxy

Islam (1000 A.D.~) Muslim rule in the north or trade network in the south Active conversion from Hindus to Islam particularly in northwest (Paki

stan) and northeast (Bangladesh) Sikhism (1400 A.D. ~)

Hinduism + Islam in Punjab(modern bnd b/w. India and Pakistan)

Hinduism India, S Nepal

Islam Pakistan, Bangladesh, M

aldives 15% of India

Sikhism: Punjab Buddhism

Sri Lanka, Bhutan, NE Kashmir, N Nepal

Jainism: Gujarat Christian: Goa, NE India

Geographies of ReligionGeographies of Religion

SikhisSikhismm

JainisJainismm

Muslim rule

Trade networks of the Arabian Sea

Goa

Northeast tribal area

Linguistic diversity in South Asia Indo-European (north)

IranianBaluchi, Pashtun western Pakistan, Afghanistan

Indo-AryanClosely associated with Indian statesBengali, Punjabi Indian states with Bangladesh, eastern Pa

kistanSinghalese, Divehi Sri Lanka, Maldives

Dravidian (south)Confined to southern India

Geographies of Language

Indo-European north

Dravidian south

Linguistic Dilemmas So many different languages in one country

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka India has 15 official languages with no unified national language

Role of media Hindi is spreading through popular media

Role of English Main integrating language of India

South Asian global diaspora

• British India: settlements in British colonies• Contemporary India: migrated into U.S. and North America

Geopolitical Framework

A Deeply Divided Region

British rule (mid 18c ~ mid 20c) Independence and partition

Separation of Pakistan from India (1947)Separation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan (1971)

Continuing tension between Pakistan and India Intensified by the nuclear capabilities of both

MuslimMuslim

HinduPortuguese

Dutch

Mughal Empire (mid 16c ~ mid 19c)

British Conquest (mid 18c ~ mid 20c)

After Sepoy Rebellion (1856), South Asia was ruled directly by the British government

During chaotic waning years of the Mughal Empire (18c), the British East India Company began to monopolize trade

Independence and Partition

• The British withdrew from South Asia in 1947

• The region was divided into two countries: a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan (1947)

• Bangladesh was separated from East Pakistan (1971)

Conflicts in KashmirConflicts in Kashmir

• Before the partition, this regions of predominantly MusliBefore the partition, this regions of predominantly Muslim population was ruled by a Hindu maharajam population was ruled by a Hindu maharaja

• Some Kashmirs wish to to join Pakistan while others argSome Kashmirs wish to to join Pakistan while others argue for an independent stateue for an independent state

Hostility between Pakistan and IndiaHostility between Pakistan and India

Separatism in Punjab regionSeparatism in Punjab region

Sikh-majority Sikh-majority PunjabPunjab

Hindu-majority Hindu-majority HaryanaHaryana

Sikh temple at Amritsar

Hostility between the Sikh majority Hostility between the Sikh majority and the Indian governmentand the Indian government

• Sikh leaders strived for autonomySikh leaders strived for autonomy

Civil war in Sri LankaCivil war in Sri Lanka

Hindu TamilsHindu Tamils

Buddhist SinghaleseBuddhist Singhalese

Religious and linguistic differencesReligious and linguistic differences

: support political autonomy

: favor unitary government

Global implication of the tension between India and Pakistan

During Cold War Pakistan – U.S. India –? Soviet Union

After 1991 Pakistan – China India

China’s animosity toward India

Pakistan – Taliban Afghanistan

After 9/11 Pakistan – U.S. Taliban Afghanistan

But anti-Americanism in Pakistan needs to be addressed

Economic and Social Development

Burdened by Poverty

South Asian Poverty Disparity between social classes

World-class scientific and technological accomplishments

Largest undernourished and malnourished people

Developmental contradictions in economic historyLand of great riches until the early modern periodExploitation by external forces

Central Asian, the British

The poorest world region along with Sub-Saharan Africa Pessimism: undercut by large and growing population Optimism: globally interconnected IT industry

The Himalayan countries

Disadvantaged by their rugged terrain and remote locations

Bhutan Isolationist policy

NepalClosely integrated with the Indian economyRelies heavily on international tourism

Bangladesh Bad news

Burdened by massive population, environmental degradation, and colonial legacy

Devastating effect of partition (1947) Increasingly uncompetitive Jute market

Good news Competitive in textile manufacture low wage rate Falling birthrate economic growth begins to catch up with its

population growth

Pakistan Current potential

Productive agricultural sector (eg. Punjab) Large textile industry huge cotton crop Export of surgical implements legacy of sword-making center

Future potential Burdened by high level of defense spending Powerful landlord class with no benefit for economy Failure to develop IT industry (cf. India)

Sri Lanka and the Maldives

Sri LankaSpecialization in textiles and teaPerennial civil war overshadows potentials such as

strategic location, and high levels of education

MaldivesRevenues from fishing and international tourism

Economic division in IndiaLesser developed areas

Centers of economic growthGreen Revolution

Merchants Remittance

India’s economic India’s economic pacesetterpacesetter

High-tech sectorHigh-tech sector

Subsistence economy

Social conservatism

Political corruption

Socialist economic policy

Major industrial areas

Economic policy after independence Mixed socialist-capitalist system by the 1980s

Economic nationalismSelf-sufficiency policy

Liberalization of economy since the early 1990sPrivatization of state-owned industriesDeregulation Internationalization

Global linkages

High levels of social welfare in the south Sri Lanka, Maldives, southwestern India

Low levels of social welfare in the north Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, northern India

The status of women Women has a very low social position in both the Hindu a

nd Muslim traditions

Women in the Hindu tradition Excluded from inheriting land, early marriage, dowry, not allow

ed to remarry

Women has a high social position in southern India and Sri Lanka Inheritance through the female line in Kerala