Culture of South Asia

India

Population Huge population

Over 1.3 billion people

People Ethnically diverse 18 official languages

Most common = Hindi Many Indians identify themselves by religion

Sikh Hindu (most common) Muslim Jain Buddhist Christian

Also identify selves by a jati (group based on social position and occupation)

Cultural Landscape

Taj Mahal

Life in India School is mandatory until age 14 Average literacy rate ~ 63% Controlling once widespread diseases

Malaria

Extended families live together Traditionally, marriages were arranged but that has

changed in recent years

Bollywood

Pakistan & Bangladesh

Population

People Diverse ethnic heritage

Pakistan Punjabis Sindhis Pashtuns Mohajirs Baluchis

Bangladesh Bengali

Main religion is Islam

Life in Pakistan & Bangladesh

Average literacy rate ~ 45% Social/cultural barriers to female education Few children attend school beyond the elementary level Rich history of art

Henna Literature Dance Music

Extended families live together Marriages can be arranged

Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, & Sri

Lanka

People Nepal

Indo-Nepalese Tibeto-Nepalese

Most known group = Sherpas

Bhutan Bhote (bo-tay)

Descendants of Tibetan peoples Northern, central, & western areas of the country

Gurung 35% of population

Maldives Mix of people from S. India, Sri Lanka, E. Africa, & Arab

countries Sri Lanka

Sinhalese (Buddhist) vs. Tamils (Hindu)

Everyday Life Religion

Nepal = Hinduism Bhutan & Sri Lanka = Buddhism Maldives = Islam

Uneven education levels Literacy rates range from 97% (Maldives) to 47%

(Bhutan) School is free through university in Sri Lanka 20% of Bhutan’s children attend school

Reliance on traditional medicine Literature, architecture, and dance

Drawing Connections pt. 2

Take out the drawings you created yesterday Using the book, draw 5 pictures related to culture

(leave some room!) Label and explain why it might be significant to the

region Connect the culture drawings to the landform

drawings with arrows and explanations How do landforms influence culture? Why might this be important to know? Any other connections you can make