H UMAN G EOGRAPHY Unit 7: South Asia

I NDIA

H ISTORY AND G OVERNMENT India and its primary religion, Hinduism, have a rigid social structure based on the social position in which a person is born, called a caste or jati. Muslim invaders arrived in the 700s, culminating in a Muslim dynasty led by the Moguls, during which time many Indians converted to Islam. Britain’s imperialist policy resulted in its taking direct control of India until India won independence in 1947 and became Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. India is the world’s most populous democracy.

P OPULATION P ATTERNS India is second only to China in population, and is likely to surpass China in the next 20 years. Most Indians belong to two ethnic groups, though many self-identify according to religious affiliations. India’s cities are some of the world’s most populated, but most of its people live in rural areas. Growing numbers have been migrating to cities for better opportunities, straining resources

S OCIETY AND C ULTURE T ODAY Indians speak more than 1,000 languages with Hindi the most widely spoken. Nearly 80 percent are Hindu and identify themselves by jati, only 13 percent are Muslim. In rural India, those in higher jatis live in the village center, while those in lower jatis live in the surrounding areas. Nearly all Indians marry, have children, and live in extended families, but many marriages are arranged according to jati.

E CONOMIC A CTIVITIES Governmental deregulation of many industries sparked economic growth, but also contributed to economic inequality. Half the population works in agriculture, and farmers still rely on labor-intensive methods. India has many well educated people working in the fields of high technology and engineering. India’s energy consumption increases every year, as more people buy cars and use more electricity.

P AKISTAN & B AGLADESH

H ISTORY AND G OVERNMENT Pakistan and Bangladesh share a similar history of Muslim influence, British colonialism, and the pursuit of independence. Independence in Pakistan has been marked by instability, violence, and continuous struggle with India over the Kashmir region. Ethnically different from Pakistan, the Bengali people of Bangladesh gained independence with help from India, although rivalries have made stable rule difficult.

P OPULATION P ATTERNS Both countries have high populations, a third of whom are under the age of 15. Most Pakistanis live in rural areas along the Indus River, though more people are migrating to cities. Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in South Asia, but the total fertility rate, or average number of children a women has in her lifetime, is dropping. Pakistan’s population continues to rapidly expand at an annual growth rate of two percent

S OCIETY AND C ULTURE T ODAY Islam is the predominant religion in both countries. Literacy rates in both countries are very low, with the male rates exceeding the female rates. Extended families often live in the same home, and marriages are often arranged, with the wife going to live with her husband’s family. Literature and dance are important in Bangladesh, just as music and literature take precedence in Pakistan.

E CONOMIC A CTIVITIES Poverty in both nations is widespread. Both rely on agriculture and textiles, although the service sector is growing in Pakistan. In Pakistan, the railway is the primary mode of transport. Most Bangladeshis are sharecroppers, and rice is the major crop. Bangladesh is also a leading producer in the field of aquaculture.

B HUTAN, M ALDIVES, N EPAL, & S RI L ANKA

H ISTORY AND G OVERNMENT In 1600s Bhutan, a Tibetan lama, or Buddhist monk, consolidated religious and political power; however, today it is a constitutional monarchy. Historically ruled by many smaller kingdoms, modern Nepal has wavered between representative government and rule by the king. Under European control for centuries, Maldives became a republic in Sri Lanka adopted a parliamentary government after independence from Britain in 1948.

P OPULATION P ATTERNS Nepal is the most populous country of the region, with 30.9 million people. Bhutan’s 700,000 people live in pockets across the rugged terrain. Sri Lanka has a population of 21.2 million people, with most living near the capital, Colombo. The city of Male is the most populous settlement in Maldives, with a third of the country’s 300,000 people.

S OCIETY AND C ULTURE T ODAY Nepal’s population is mostly Hindu, with the remaining ten percent Buddhist. The Bhote in Bhutan are descendants of Tibetan peoples, and most are Buddhist. Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese population is Buddhist, and the Tamil minority is Hindu. Maldives is a mix of Sinhalese, East African, and Arabic peoples. Women often have second-class status in these societies.

E CONOMIC A CTIVITIES These countries are not very economically developed because they have relatively few resources and are remote. Nearly 75 percent of Nepalese are engaged in agriculture and herding, with farmers practicing terracing to make the most use of the land. Tourism is an important part of the economy in the region, with hiking, rafting, and touring religious sites being popular in Bhutan and Nepal, while in Sri Lanka and Maldives, people enjoy the beaches.