World Regional GeographyWorld Regional Geography

April 21, 2010April 21, 2010

Reading: Marston Chapter 10

pages 472-503, 506-508

Goode’s World Atlaspages 189-199, 201-213

(East, Southeast, and South Asia)

Takstang Monastery, Bhutan

South AsiaSouth Asia

1. Political BoundariesA. Physiographic Regions

2. HistoryA. EmpiresB. British ImperialismC. Independence & PartitionD. Afghanistan, Nepal, &

BhutanE. Geopolitical Hotspots

3. Population Characteristics4. Environmental History

and Issues 5. Culture and Ethnicity6. Economic Development

NASA Satellite Imagery

Political BoundariesPolitical Boundaries

Physiographic RegionsPhysiographic Regions

• Peninsular Highlands• Deccan Plateau

• The Mountain Rim• Fertile valleys & isolated

villages

• The Plains• Most densely populated• Major rivers systems• Agriculturally productive

• The Coastal Fringe• Includes island nations• Number of large cities

HistoryHistory• Mauryan Empire (320 – 125 BC)

• Emperor Asoka introduced Buddhist principles of vegetarianism and nonviolence.

• Gupta Empire (320 – 480 AD)• Classical period of Hindu development• Advancements in science, art, and trade.

Mughal India (1504-1707)Mughal India (1504-1707)

• Turks moving east to evade Mongols

• Islamic rule

• Further advances in art, science, and architecture.

• Collapse of Mughal Empire left South Asia open for European colonialism.

British ImperialismBritish Imperialism

• 1690s – Europeans establish trading posts.

• British East India Co.• Portuguese forced out• 1773 - administrative

control of India

• The Raj – British Rule• Emerged in reaction to

revolts of 1857.• Social reform• Infrastructure • Universities• Plantations

** Nepal and Bhutan remained independent

History: Independence & PartitionHistory: Independence & Partition

• British India divided along ethnic and religious lines.

• India (Hindu)• East and West Pakistan (Islamic)• Islamic Kashmir joined India.

• Largest refugee movement ever recorded.

• Ceylon achieves independence in 1948.

• The Maldives achieve independence in 1968.

• East & West Pakistan split in 1971• Pakistan• Bangladesh

Afghanistan, Nepal, & BhutanAfghanistan, Nepal, & Bhutan• Afghanistan

• Founded in 1747 by Pashtun tribal leaders (Durrani Empire)

• 19th Century: British influence• 1919: Full independence from Britain following 3rd

Anglo-Afghan War• Cold War Politics

• 1978: Communist government reforms, Rural Islamic militants

• 1979: Soviets invade to support communist government, US supports Afghan mujahideen.

• 1989: Soviets withdraw

• 1996: Taliban takes control

Afghanistan, Nepal, & BhutanAfghanistan, Nepal, & Bhutan• Nepal

• United in 1768 (formerly 3 separate kingdoms)• 1768-1951 Monarchy• 1996-2006 Civil War (Maoists rebels)

• Bhutan• United in 1907 under a single Monarch• In previous centuries minor Bhutanese fiefdoms

repelled Tibetan and Mongol invaders.• Democracy emerged in the last 10 years• Last nation on earth to introduce television

(1999).

Festival of Tihar (Nepal)Festival of Tihar (Nepal)

The Festival of Tihar (The festival of Lights) honors the Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. The second day of the festival is called “Kukar Tihar” (dogs day), during which dogs are honored for the role they play in society.

http://www.nepalhomepage.com/society/festivals/tihar.html

Ethnicity & NationalismEthnicity & Nationalism

• Areas of Political Tension• The Punjab

• Sikh separatists

• Kashmir• Pakistan

• Mohajir Quami Movement

• Bhutan• Nepali immigrants

• Sri Lanka• Tamil tigers

• India• Ethnic separatist

movements

Jammu and KashmirJammu and Kashmir• 1947 Independence from Britain

• 77% Muslim• Maharaja attempted to achieve independence• India helped repel Pakistani invasion

• Chinese claim• Border agreements

• Afghanistan• Great Britain• Tibet• USSR

• Mao did not agree

• Current concerns• Nuclear capabilities

• Plains regions

• Coastal cities

• Bangladesh• Ganges delta

Population DensityPopulation Density

Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics

RegionRegionPopulationPopulation

(Millions)(Millions)Birth Birth RateRate

Death Death RateRate

Natural Natural IncreaseIncrease

(%)(%)

Net Net Migration Migration

RateRate

Projected Projected Pop. Change Pop. Change

(2050)(2050)

South AsiaSouth Asia 1,5341,534 2424 77 1.71.7 00 +53%+53%

RegionRegion IMRIMR TFRTFR % Pop % Pop <15<15

% Pop% Pop

>65>65Life Life

ExpectancyExpectancy MaleMale FemalFemalee

South AsiaSouth Asia 5757 2.92.9 3333 55 6464 6363 65

RegionRegion HIV/AIDS %HIV/AIDS % % Urban% UrbanGNI PPPGNI PPP

(US$)(US$)

South AsiaSouth Asia 0.250.25 29%29% 2,7702,770

• 2nd largest regional population – fastest growing• 50 cities of 1 million+ population (yet mostly rural)• Afghanistan is an outlier

• Life Expectancy = 44, Infant Mortality = 155/10000

Population PoliciesPopulation Policies

• Fear of food and water shortages, mass starvation, and food riots due to:• Rural poverty• Rapidly growing cities• High fertility rates

• India implemented several unsuccessful population policies beginning in 1952. • Relied on punishments• People distrustful of family planning programs

• Newer policies place emphasis on educating women• Improvement in status and wealth• Linked to lower birth rates

South Asian DiasporaSouth Asian Diaspora• 5 to 6 million South Asians live in Europe, Africa, and North America

• British abolition of slavery led to need for cheap labor.• Brain drain

• Britain, North America• Students remaining in U.S. and Europe

Environmental History & IssuesEnvironmental History & Issues

• Monsoons• Torrential seasonal rainfall (79–158 inches)• Flooding, especially in Bangladesh

• Population Pressure• Deforestation

• Fuel• Room for agriculture

• Overuse of water

• Pollution• Water pollution

• Poor sanitation• Air pollution

• Major cities

Culture & EthnicityCulture & Ethnicity• Language

• 1,600 different languages

• Four Major Families• Indo-European

• India: Hindi• Pakistan: Punjabi • Bangladesh: Bengali

• Munda • Tribal tongue spoken in

remote peninsular hill regions

• Dravidian• Southern India, Sri Lanka

• Tibeto-Burmese• Scattered across the

Himalayan region

Culture & EthnicityCulture & Ethnicity

• Religion• Hinduism

• India• Nepal

• Islam• Afghanistan • Pakistan• Bangladesh• Maldives

• Buddhism• Bhutan• Sri Lanka

• Jain• Sikh

CultureCulture• The Caste System (India)

• Kinship Grouping• Language, region, and occupation• Born into caste• Marriage within same caste• Norms of interaction between classes• Brahmins (religious leaders) at the top• Untouchables at the bottom

• Contemporary Culture• Large middle class• Bollywood

• Worldwide impact• Mysticism and yoga• Food - curry

Economic DevelopmentEconomic Development

• India: World’s largest democracy• 10th largest industrial sector• 1992 instituted reforms to open up economy• Rapid middle class growth

• 200 million: well-educated, sophisticated consumers

• 1992: Structural Economic Reforms• Increase in manufacturing• Increase in foreign investment• Uneven economic development

• Development in urban areas• Rural areas continue to decline

• Shift in agriculture to lucrative export crops• Local foods more scarce and more expensive

Poverty and InequalityPoverty and Inequality

• Over 400 million live in poverty • Women and children are more vulnerable

• Large populations in shantytowns• Both rural and urban populations at risk• Emerging middle class stands in stark contrast