1. South Asia

2. Afghanistan Won independence from Britain 1919
Communists took over USSR invaded in 1979 to help Commies stay in control (w/drew in 1989)
Series of civil wars ended in 1996 w/ the Taliban taking over; toppled by US in 2001
Today - Pres Hamid Karzai

3. Afghanistan slightly smaller than TX Landlocked; rugged mountains
Population-32.7 million
99% Muslim
28% literacy rate
Capital- Kabul
Extremely poor
Currency- Afghani

4. India People first settled in India c1500BC
Brit colony from 1800s-1947
Has nuclear weapons
1/3 size of US
Population 1.1 Billion
81% Hindu; 13% Muslim
English widely spoken but Hindi is the nat’l language

5. India Capital- New Delhi Federal Republic- Pres Pratibha Patil
Diverse economy
Currency- Indian rupee

6. Pakistan Part of India until 1947 Has nuclear weapons 2xs CA
Population million
97% Muslim
Federal Republic- Pres Pervez Musharaff
Capital- Islamabad
Impoverished and underdeveloped
Currency- Pakistani rupee

7. Nepal Slightly larger than AR Landlocked Mt Everest located there
Population million
Hindu is official religion
Const Monarchy
Capital- Kathmandu
One of poorest and least developed countries in the world
Agriculture and tourism
Nepalese Rupee

8. Bhutan ½ the size of IN Landlocked Population- 682,321 Const Monarchy
Capital- Thimphu
75% Buddhist
Currency- ngultrum

9. Bangladesh Part of India until 1947; part of Pakistan until 1971
Smaller than IA
Population million
83% Muslim
Parliamentary Democracy
Capital- Dhaka
Poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently governed
Currency- taka

10. Sri Lanka Brit colony from 1815-1948; known as Ceylon
Island off coast of India
Population million
69% Hindu
Republic
Capital- Colombo
2004 tsunami killed 31,000 and destroyed a lot of the economy
Currency- Sri Lankan rupee