South Asia Culture

iNDIA Capital New Dehli

People Population 1.22 billion Second most populous country in the world 17.3% of the world’s population Median age is 25 Doubling in growth since 1947 Huge population growth strain on environment Urbanization has taken place Millions of people have moved to cities in search of job China is the first most populous country in the world Urbanization the increase in the percentage of people who live in cities

People 7 out of every 10 people live rural areas Languages Hindi English Southern states Tamil United states is opposite 7 out of 10 live in Urban(cities)

Economy Agriculture plays major role in economy Fresh water-has influenced location of wheat production Monsoons benefit India by providing fresh water For irrigation and drinking water Economy is characterized as a service-oriented business due to the large labor pool GDP places among the worlds top 5 industrial countries However per capita GDP is only $3900 millions of Indians live in poverty One of India’s largest industries is the movie making industry Bollywood

Religion Plays key role in daily life Religious celebrations important part of life Diwali-festival of lights Vaisakhi-originated as a harvest festival in Punjab Marks Sikhs new year Most practice Hinduism Buddhism Sikhism Jainism Rangoli-Traditional Art people have created for thousands of years Used to celebrate Indian Religious traditions

Important People Mohandas Gandhi

Government 1947 Gained independence which has strengthened the government and economy World’s largest democracy- The most similar to the United States government Strongest nation in Asia- has had some stability and has strengthened the government and economy unlike Pakistan Current issues is the struggle to continue to provide for the growing population Resolving issues with Pakistan Both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons

Government Has taken steps to reduce poverty Green Revolution-Modification Program that encouraged farmers to adopt modern agriculture methods Help to produce more food

Pakistan Capital: Islamabad

pEOPLE Population 190 million people World’s sixth largest country Rapid growth has been a challenge Religion-Muslim 95 percent of the Pakistani population is Muslim, two food customs that are followed almost universally. One is that Muslims do not eat pork (therefore beef, chicken, lamb, and fish are the basic foods) the other is that during the month of Ramadan, fasting is a daily activity. Language-Urdu and English

gOVERNMENT Lack government stability Since creation in 1947 Pakistan has suffered rebellions and assassinations of government officials 2001 General Pervez Musharraf came to power 2008 protestors calling for a democracy Musharraf resigned Pakistanis then elected Asif Ali Zardari as President

Government Struggles to manage resources and to reduce poverty Since separation India and Pakistan have clashed over the territory of Kashmir

Nepal

pEOPLE Rapid growth has doubled in last 30 years Majority of the people are subsistence farmers With the population continuing to grow they cut down trees to create more land for farming Deforestation has caused an environmental threat Soil erosion and harming the wild life Religion-Hinduism and Buddhism Language-Nepali is an Indo-European language derived from Sanskrit

gOVERNMENT In 1990, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (People's Movement) initiated a series of popular demonstrations for democratic reforms Eventually forcing the king to abolish the panchayat system and institute a multiparty democracy. government is plagued by corruption, and officials often rely on bribes to supplement their income.

Economy Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. This poverty can be attributed to scarce natural resources, a difficult terrain, landlocked geography, and a weak infrastructure Also to feudal land tenure systems, government corruption, and the ineffectiveness of development efforts.

Bhutan Capital: Thimphu

pEOPLE Language-Dzongkha. Most of the schools conduct classes in English Buddhism, which was introduced in the seventh century, is the official religion of Bhutan Because of the ethnic diversity of the people, there is a certain ethnic diversity in the food. Northern Indian cuisine is often mixed with the chilies of the Tibetan area in daily dishes. Mushrooms, apricots, asparagus, a variety of chilies and numerous spices are grown in abundance in nearly all the valleys

gOVERNMENT Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a hereditary king, "Druk Gyalpo," who governs with the aid of a Royal Cabinet and a National Assembly Government limits the number of visitors to Bhutan to protect the environment legal system is based on English common law and Indian law Citizens have the right to practice any religion and have the duty to respect the religion of local community

Economy Agriculture and forestry provides the livelihoods for 90 percent of the population. Agriculture is primarily subsistence farming and animal husbandry. The economy of Bhutan is aligned with that of India through strong trade and monetary links.

Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka

pEOPLE Population 160 million Capital: Dhaka largest city home to more than 13 million people One of the world’s most densely populated countries Primary language is Bangla, called Bengali by most nonnatives, an Indo-European language spoken not just by Bangladeshis, but also by people who are culturally Bengali Most significant social divide is between Muslims and Hindus Symbols and sounds of Islam, such as the call to prayer, punctuate daily life. Bangladeshis conceptualize themselves and others fundamentally through their religious heritage

GOVERNMENT The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy includes a president, a prime minister, and a unicameral parliament

Economy Flooding is Bangladesh’s biggest challenge-caused by Monsoons Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world. The only significant natural resource is natural gas. Approximately 75 percent of the workforce is involved in agriculture 15 percent and 10 percent are employed in the service and industrial sectors

Sri LANKA Capital: Kotte

pEOPLE Close location to India has been a huge influence Two largest ethnic groups, are descended from Indian settlers Tamil Sinahalese Three official languages in Sri Lanka: Sinhala, Tamil, and English. Sinhala, the language of the majority Tamil, spoken by Muslims as well as ethnic Tamils, are the primary languages of the island Buddhism, the religion of the majority of people in Sri Lanka, is given a place of preference in the national constitution and public life, Although Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity are also practiced by significant portions of the population

gOVERNMENT Conflict between the two ethnic groups cause Sri Lanka to be divided Tamil minority has fought for years to create a separate state 2009 Tamil leader was killed and the government troops declared an end to fighting Sri Lanka is governed by a democratically elected president and a 225-member parliament

Economy By the mid-1990s, roughly one-quarter of the population was employed as skilled workers in agriculture, fishing, or animal husbandry 2004 Tsunami in Indian Ocean killed thousands and more than 500,000 left homeless Ag and fishing industries were damaged and they are still struggling to rebuild Sri Lanka's economy is shifting away from its traditional agricultural base to include production for an international market Adaptation Modification

Adaptation or Modification? Stilt fishermen in the waters near Weligama, Sri Lanka. Fish are a large part of the Sri Lankan diet.

mALDIVES

pEOPLE Dhivehi, which is spoken in all parts of the country, is not spoken in any other part of the world. English is the second language and is widely used in commerce and in many government schools. population consists of a mix of people who trace their descent from Sri Lanka, India, Arab countries, and Africa Religion-Islam Rice and fish are the staple foods

gOVERNMENT multiparty republic with one legislative house Legislative assembly known as the Majlis is composed of fifty members: two from Malé, two from each of the twenty administrative atolls, and eight appointed by the president. The constitution of the Maldives was adopted in 2008

Economy One of the poorest countries in the world, Maldives has a developing economy based on fishing, tourism, boatbuilding, and boat repairing Basic food commodities such as rice, sugar, and flour are imported. There are over seventy resort islands near the capital.