South AsiaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search

South Asia

Countries 7 to 10 (see page)

Territories 0, 1, or 2 (see page)

GDP (Nominal)

$1.56 trillion

GDP per capita (Nominal)

$1,079

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, Peshawar, 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. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate, which rises above sea level as the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas and the

Hindu Kush. South Asia 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, Burma, Tibet, and the British Indian Ocean Territories.[2] Iran is also included in the UN subregion of "Southern Asia," although many sources consider Iran as being part of West Asia.[3][4][5][5][6][7][8] Various universities' departments of South Asian Studies also, by and large, reject the idea that Iran is part of South Asia (see below).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.[9] 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.

Contents 1 Definitions

o 1.1 Indian subcontinent o 1.2 Definition by South Asian Studies programs

2 Geography 3 History 4 Territory and region data

o 4.1 The core countries o 4.2 Countries and territories from extended definitions o 4.3 Regional groups of countries

5 Demographics o 5.1 Ethnic groups o 5.2 Languages o 5.3 Religions

6 Economy 7 Politics 8 Health and nutrition 9 See also 10 Notes and references 11 External links

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,[10] including the current territories of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the core, but also including Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Burma (officially Myanmar) and Sikkim.[11] 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.[12]

The Raj also encompassed the 562 protected princely states that were not directly ruled by the Raj,[13] 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 parts of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ).[14][15] Sikkim joined India in 1975.[16] One part of Jammu and Kashmir became a part of China.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.[17] The World Bank grouping includes only the original seven members of SAARC, and leaves Afghanistan out.[18] 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.[19]

The United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN) includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Iran, 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.[20] Culturally, though not politically, Tibet has been identified as a part of South Asia,[21] while the British Indian Ocean Territory has been connected to the region for security considerations.[22] The United Nations scheme of sub-regions include all eight members of the SAARC as part of Southern Asia, along with Iran,[23] 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.[24]

Afghanistan is otherwise considered as Central Asian or Middle-Eastern, Burma as Southeast Asian, and Tibet is otherwise considered Central Asian or East Asian.[25] 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.[26] 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.[27]

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

Indian subcontinentMain article: Indian 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" refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically separated from the rest of the Asian continent.[28] Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably.[28][29][30] Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent",[31] the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",[32] or simply "South Asia"[33] or "the Subcontinent" 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".[34][35] 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.[36] However, this opinion is not shared by all.[37]

By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,[38] or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."[39] 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.[40]

According to one clubbing of countries, it includes most parts of South Asia, including those on the continental crust (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan), an island country on the continental shelf (Sri Lanka), and an island country rising above the oceanic crust (the Maldives).[41] Another clubbing includes only Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the mainstay of the British Raj, as the Subcontinent.[42]

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".[43] When the term Indian Subcontinent is used to mean South Asia,

the islands countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives are sometimes not included,[44] while Tibet and Nepal are included[45] and excluded[46] intermittently, depending on the context.

Definition by South Asian Studies programsSee also: IndologyWhen 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[47]), 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.[48] 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.[49][50] 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,[51][52] 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, Burma, Maldives and Tibet".[53] The similar program of Columbia University also includes Tibet, but leaves out both Afghanistan and the Maldives.[54]

Geography

United Nations geoscheme for Asia:      North Asia      Central Asia      Southwest Asia      South Asia      East Asia      Southeast Asia

While the South Asia had never been a coherent geopolitical region, it has a distinct geographical identity.[55] 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-Burma border and the Bangladesh-Burma 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).

Natural vegetation zones of South Asia, loosely based on a Grolier map[56]

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.

HistoryFurther 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 protectorates of Great Britain until after World War II. In the millennia 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[57][58], it came under Chinese control in the 18th century[58][59][60][61]

in spite of British efforts to seize possession of this Chinese protectorate at the beginning of the 20th century.[62] 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.[60]

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 other 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.

Territory and region data2009 referenced population figures except where noted.

The core countriesThis 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.

countryArea(km²)

Population(2009)

density

(/km²)

GDP(nominal)

(2009)

per capita

(2009)

CapitalCurre

ncyGovern

ment

Official

languages

Coat of

Arms

 Bangladesh

147,570

162,221,000[63]

1,099

$92.1 billion

$600 Dhaka TakaParliamentary republic

Bengali

 Bhutan

38,394 697,000[63] 18$1.5

billion$2,2

00Thimphu

Ngultrum, Indian rupee

Constitutional monarchy

Dzongkha

 India

3,287,240

1,198,003,000[63] 365

$1,243 billion

$1,000

New DelhiIndian rupee

Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy

22 official languages

 Maldives

298 396,334[63] 1,330

$807.5 million

$2,000

MaléRufiyaa

RepublicDhivehi

 Nepal

147,181

29,331,000[63] 200

$12.4 billion

$400 KathmanduNepalese rupee

Democratic Republic

Nepali

 Pakistan

803,940

180,808,000[63] 225

$166.5 billion

$900 IslamabadPakistani rupee

Islamic Republic

Urdu, English, Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi [64]

 Sri Lanka

65,61020,238,00

0[63] 309$41.3

billion$2,0

00

Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte

Sri Lankan rupee

Democratic Socialist Republic

Sinhala, Tamil, English

Countries and territories from extended definitionsAfghanistan is included in the list of countries of South Asia more often than others in this group.

country or

region

Area(km²)

Population

density

(per km²)

GDP(nominal)(2009)

per capita

(2009)

Capital

Currency

Government

Official language

s

Coat of

Arms

 Afghanistan

647,500

33,609,937[63]

52 $13.3 billion

$400

Kabul

Afghan afghan

Islamic republic

Dari (Persian), Pashto [1]

i

 British Indian Ocean Territory

60 3,500 59 N/A N/A

Diego Garcia

Pound sterling

British Overseas Territory

English

 Burma

676,578

48,137,141[63][65] 71

$26.5 billion

$500

Yangon

Myanma kyat

Military Junta

Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Burma's Autonomous States.)

 Iran

1,648,195

70,495,782 (2006

Census)[66]

[67]

40$331.8 billion

$4,500

Tehran

Iranian rial

Islamic republic

Persian, Constitutional status for regional languages [68]

 PRC - Tibet Autonomous Region

1,228,400

2,740,000 2$6.4

billion$2,3

00Lhasa

Chinese yuan

Autonomous region of China

Mandarin Chinese, Tibetan

Regional groups of countries

Name of countr

y/region, with flag

Area(km²)

Population*

Population

density(per km²)

Capital or

Secretariat

Currency

Countries included

Official languag

es

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,

N/A N/A

Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

SAARC3,989,9

691,549,348,6

89388.31

Kathmandu

N/A

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

None

DemographicsEthnic groupsMain article: South Asian ethnic groups

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 - and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture.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. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and

Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. 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.

LanguagesSee also: Languages of South AsiaThe largest spoken language in this region is now Hindi, its speakers numbering almost 422 million[69]; the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers [70]. 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. Hindi is spoken is some states of India, and is similar linguistically to Urdu. Many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. 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.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.

ReligionsFurther information: Religion in Bangladesh, Religion in Bhutan, Religion in India, Religion in Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri LankaIn South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people.Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism and much later to Sikhism, when Sufi tradition of Islam also significantly influenced the nascent Sikhism and its holiest scripture. As a consequence, these four religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions.Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.

Afghanistan [1] Sunni Muslim (80%), Shi'a Muslim (19%), other (1%)

Bangladesh [71] Muslim (90%), Hindu (9%), Christian (.5%), Buddhist (.5%), Believers in tribal faiths (0.1%)

British Indian Ocean Territory [72]

Christian (45.55%), Hindu (38.55%), Muslim (9.25%), Non-Religious (6.50%), Atheist (0.10%), Other (0.05%)

Bhutan [73] Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)

Burma [74] Theravada Buddhism (89%), Muslim (4%), Christian (4%) (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Animist (1%), others (including Hinduism) (2%)

India [75] [76] Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.8%), Jain (0.4%), Others (0.6%)

Iran [77] Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)

Maldives [78] Sunni Muslim (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[79][80])

Nepal [81] Hindu (80.6%), Buddhist (10.7%), Muslim (4.2%), Kirat (3.6%)Pakistan [82] Muslim (96.28%), Hindu (1.85%), Christian (1.59%), Ahmadi (0.22%)

Sri Lanka [83] 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

EconomyFurther information: Economy of Bangladesh, Economy of India, Economy of Nepal, Economy of Pakistan, and Economy of Sri LankaSouth Asia is the poorest region on the earth as well as Sub-Saharan Africa, and it has the lowest GDP per capita. Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of world bank, there was more than 40% of the population in this region lived on less than $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa [84].Bhutan has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Nepal has 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 5th highest GDP per capita in the region[85], 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.[86]

PoliticsIndia is the dominant political power in the region.[87] 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.[88] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[89] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[90] 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 [91] and neighbouring China [92]. Pakistan is the 6th[93] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power.

Health and nutritionAccording 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.[94] According to

the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world.[95] In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million.[96] As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index.[97] The 2006 report stated 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". Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has "inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children".[98].

See alsoSAARC portal

SAARC portal

Greater India Indology South Asian cuisine Indian subcontinent

Notes and references1. ^ a b c "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. December 13,

2007. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html#People. 2. ̂ According to CIA World Fact Book, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, British Indian

ocean territory, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka comprise South Asia. 3. ̂ [1] 4. ̂ [2] 5. ^ a b [3] 6. ̂ [4] 7. ̂ [5] 8. ̂ CIA World Fact Book 9. ̂ http://www.sardeg.org/marketana.asp 10. ̂ Bertram Hughes Farmer, An Introduction to South Asia, pages 1, Routledge, 1993,

ISBN 0-415-05695-0 11. ̂ Arthur Berriedale Keith, A Constitutional History of India: 1600-1935, pages 440-444,

Methuen & Co, 1936 12. ̂ United Nations, Yearbook of the United Nations, pages 297, Office of Public

Information, 1947, United Nations 13. ̂ Encyclopædia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge (volume 4), pages

177, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 1947 14. ̂ Ian Copland, The Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire: 1917-1947, pages 263,

Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-521-89436-0 15. ̂ http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakistan_princes.html 16. ̂ "History of Sikkim". Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of

Sikkim. 2005-09-29.

http://www.sikkimipr.org/GENERAL/HISTORY/history_of_sikkim.htm. Retrieved 2006-10-12.

17. ̂ International Relations And Security Network, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich

18. ̂ South Asia: Data, Projects and Research, The World Bank 19. ̂ Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area, SAARC Secretariat, South Asian

Association for Regional Cooperation 20. ̂ Asia-Pacific POPIN Consultative Workshop Report, Asia-Pacific POPIN Bulletin, Vol.

7, No. 2 (1995), pages 7-11 21. ̂ Sheldon I. Pollock, Literary cultures in history, pages 748-749, University of

California Press, 2003, ISBN 0-520-22821-9 22. ̂ Territories (British Indian Ocean Territory), Jane's Information Group 23. ̂ Geographical region and composition, Composition of macro geographical

(continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings, United Nations

24. ̂ 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

25. ̂ Aziz-ul-Haque,South and Central Asia: Building Economic and Political Linkages, Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Pakistan, ISBN 978-969-8020-20-0

26. ̂ Vernon Marston Hewitt, The international politics of South Asia, page xi, Manchester University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-7190-3392-6

27. ̂ Kishore C. Dash, Regionalism in South Asia, pages 172-175, Routledge, 2008, ISBN 0-415-43117-4

28. ^ a b The history of India - By John McLeod 29. ̂ Milton Walter Meyer, South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent, pages 1, Adams

Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 0-8226-0034-X 30. ̂ Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, The Third World: states of mind and being, pages

209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0-04-910121-8 31. ̂ Lucian W. Pye & Mary W. Pye, Asian Power and Politics, pages 133, Harvard

University Press, 1985, ISBN 0-674-04979-9 32. ̂ Mark Juergensmeyer, The Oxford handbook of global religions, pages 465, Oxford

University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0-19-513798-1 33. ̂ Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal, Modern South Asia, pages 3, Routledge, 2004, ISBN 0-

415-30787-2 34. ̂ Judith Schott & Alix Henley, Culture, Religion, and Childbearing in a Multiracial

Society, pages 274, Elsevier Health Sciences, 1996, ISBN 0-7506-2050-1 35. ̂ Raj S. Bhopal, Ethnicity, race, and health in multicultural societies, pages 33, Oxford

University Press, 2007, ISBN 0-19-856817-7 36. ̂ Imagining India - By Ronald B. Inden 37. ̂ Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper 38. ̂ Oxford English Dictionary 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989 39. ̂ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, Merriam-Webster, 2002,

retrieved 11 March 2007

40. ̂ 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 0-8137-2281-0

41. ̂ 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 3-11-013417-9

42. ̂ After partition: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, BBC, 2007-08-08 43. ̂ Superintendent of Documents, United States Government Printing Office, The

Subcontinent of South Asia: Afghanistan, Ceylon, India, Nepal and Pakistan, United States Department of State, Public Services Division, 1959

44. ̂ John McLeod, The history of India, pages 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, ISBN 0-313-31459-4

45. ̂ James C. Harle, The art and architecture of the Indian subcontinent, pages 214, Yale University Press, 1994, ISBN 0-300-06217-6

46. ̂ 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 81-7305-018-X

47. ̂ Grolier Incorporated, The Encyclopedia Americana (volume 14), pages 201, Grolier, 1988, ISBN 0-7172-0119-8

48. ̂ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge 49. ̂ About CSAS, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Michigan 50. ̂ About Us, Center for South Asian Studies, University of Virginia 51. ̂ South Asian Studies Program, Rutgers University 52. ̂ Center for South Asia Studies: University of California, Berkeley 53. ̂ South Asian Studies, Brandeis University 54. ̂ Liberal Studies M.A. Program: South Asian Studies, Columbia University 55. ̂ Saul Bernard Cohen, Geopolitics of the world system, pages 304, Rowman &

Littlefield, 2003, ISBN 0-8476-9907-2 56. ̂ Asian Vegetation Zones, Grolier Online, Scholastic Inc. 57. ̂ MSN Encarta - Tibet 58. ^ 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)."

59. ̂ In the Heart of Tibet, New York Times, 1903 60. ^ 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"

61. ̂ 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."

62. ̂ 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."

63. ^ a b c d e f g h i USCensusBureau:Countries ranked by population, 2009 64. ̂ "Population by Mother Tongue" (PDF). Population Census Organization, Government

of Pakistan. http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_mother_tongue.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

65. ̂ Burma hasn't had a census in a many decades, figures are mostly guesswork. 66. ̂ Statistical Centre of Iran 67. ̂ 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.

68. ̂ ICL - Iran - Constitution 69. ̂ http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/

Statement1.htm 70. ̂ "Languages Spoken by More Than 10 Million People". MSN Encarta.

http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500404/Languages_Spoken_by_More_Than_10_Million_People.html. Retrieved 2009-06-27.

71. ̂ Bangladesh   : AT A GLANCE 72. ̂ The Association of Religion Data Archives | National Profiles 73. ̂ CIA - The World Factbook 74. ̂ CIA - The World Factbook - Burma 75. ̂ CIA - The World Factbook 76. ̂ Indian Census 77. ̂ CIA - The World Factbook 78. ̂ Maldives - maldives religion 79. ̂ Maldives 80. ̂ Maldives - Religion, countrystudies.us 81. ̂ NEPAL 82. ̂ Population by religions, Statistics Division of the Government of Pakistan 83. ̂ [6] 84. ̂ http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/povDuplic.html world bank data 85. ̂

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/0,,pagePK:158889~piPK:146815~theSitePK:223547,00.html

86. ̂ A special report on India: India elsewhere: An awkward neighbour in a troublesome neighbourhood Dec 11th 2008 The Economist

87. ̂ [7] 88. ̂ mrdowling.com: Subcontinent 89. ̂ Infoplease: Area and Population of Countries (mid-2006 estimates) 90. ̂ United Nations Population Division Department of Economic and Social Affairs 91. ̂ http://www.jubileeresearch.org/worldnews/asia/saudi_oil_pakistan.htm 92. ̂ http://www.cfr.org/publication/10070 93. ̂ List of countries by population 94. ̂ "Agriculture in South Asia". World Bank.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/EXTSAREGTOPAGRI/0,,contentMDK:20750711~menuPK:452772~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:452766,00.html.

95. ̂ "2008 Global Hunger Index Key Findings & Facts". 2008. http://www.ifpri.org/media/200610GHI/GHIFindings.asp.

96. ̂ http://ibnlive.in.com/news/child-mortality-rate-highest-in-india-unicef/57174-17.html 97. ̂ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Hunger_Index 98. ̂ "'Hunger critical' in South Asia". BBC. 2006-10-13.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6046718.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-04.

External links World Bank, South Asia Region BBC News South Asia Birding in South Asia South Asian Awareness Network Conference Website Digital South Asia Library

v • d • e

Regions of the world

AfricaNorthern · Sub-Sahara (Central · Southern · Western · Eastern)

Oceania

Australasia · Melanesia · Micronesia · Polynesia

AmericasNorth (Northern • Middle •

Central • Caribbean) · South · Anglo · Latin

Polar Arctic · Antarctic

AsiaCentral · Eastern · Northern · Southeastern · Southern · Western

OceansWorld · Arctic · Atlantic · Indian · Pacific · Southern

EuropeCentral · Eastern · Northern · Southeastern · Southern · Western

See also Continents of the world

v • d • e

Geography of South Asia

Mountains and Plateaus

Himalayas · Western Ghats · Eastern Ghats · Aravalli Range · The Nilgiris · Vindhya Range · Satpura Range · Garo Hills · Shivalik Hills · Khasi Hills · Annamalai Hills · Cardamom Hills · Sulaiman Mountains · Toba Kakar Range · Karakoram · Hindu Kush · Chittagong Hill Tracts · Deccan Plateau · Thar Desert · Makran · Chota Nagpur · Naga Hills · Mysore Plateau · Ladakh Plateau

Lowlands and Islands

Indo-Gangetic plain · Indus River Delta · Ganga basin · Ganges Delta · Atolls of Maldives · Coromandel Coast · Konkan · Lakshadweep · Andaman and Nicobar Islands · Sundarbans · Greater Rann of Kutch · Little Rann of Kutch · Protected areas in Tamil Nadu

CountriesIndia · Pakistan · Nepal · Bhutan · Tibet · Sri Lanka · Bangladesh · The Maldives · Portal:Himalaya region

v • d • e

Countries and Territories of South AsiaCountries Bangladesh · Bhutan · India · Maldives · Nepal · Pakistan · Sri Lanka

Territories and regions

British Indian Ocean Territory

Sometimes included

Afghanistan · Burma · Iran · Tibet(PRC)

v • d • e

Languages of South Asia

Main articlesLanguages of India (list by number of speakers - scheduled) · Languages of Pakistan · Languages of Bangladesh · Languages of Nepal · Languages of Sri Lanka

Contemporary languages

Austronesian: Sri Lanka Malay • Dravidian: Brahui · Kannada · Malayalam · Tamil · Telugu · Tulu • Indo-Aryan: Angika · Assamese · Bhojpuri · Bengali · Dhivehi · Dogri · Gujarati · Hindi · Hindko · Kashmiri · Konkani · Magahi · Mahal · Maithili · Marathi · Nepali · Oriya · Punjabi · Saraiki · Sindhi · Sinhala · Urdu • Iranian: Balochi · Pashto · Persian · Wakhi • Isolates: Great Andamanese · Burushaski · Nihali · Kusunda • Mon-Khmer: Khasi · Nicobarese • Munda: Ho · Korku · Mundari · Santali · Sora • Ongan: Önge · Jarawa • Tibeto-Burman: Ao · Bodo · Garo · Kokborok · Meitei · Mizo · Nepal Bhasa · Sikkimese · Tenyidie · Tibetan • European influence: English · French · Portuguese

ScriptsIndus · Brahmi • Brahmic family: Devanagari · Sinhala · Telugu · Tamil · Tulu · Gurmukhi · Bengali · Ranjana · Oriya · Malayalam · Kannada · Gujarati • Arabic: Arwi · Nasta'liq · Shahmukhi

Language activism

Hela Havula · Bengali Language Movement · Sanskrit revival · Pure Tamil movement · Nepal Bhasa movement · Madras anti-Hindi agitation of 1965 · Urdu movement

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