1. CHAPTER 27: BHUTAN, MALDIVES, NEPAL, AND SRI LANKA

2. HIMALAYA
Created from collision of Indian subcontinent into Eurasian plate
Spread c miles through Nepal and Bhutan
Divided into 3 ranges:
1) Greater Himalaya (north)
2) Lesser Himalaya (center)
3) Outer Himalaya (south)
Mt. Everest is in Nepal (GH)

3. MALDIVES C. 1200 islands grouped into 13 atolls with barrier reefs
Most islands were coral reefs formed at the edges of volcanoes
Highest point is 8 ft above sea level
No island is larger than 5 sq. mi.
Only 200 islands are inhabited

4. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

5. BHUTAN Little record before 800 A.D.
A.D. 800s: Buddhist monks flee Tibet
1600s: Tibetan Lama (Buddhist monk) named Ngawang Lopsang Gyatso merged religious and political power
1907: Ugyen Wangchuck proclaimed king
Adopted British policies and practiced isolationism

6. BHUTAN CONTINUED
1972: King Jigme Singye Wangchuck begins to modernize country
Favors Buddhism---angers Nepalese Hindus---violent protests
Wangchuck institutes democratic reforms
2006: Wangchuck abdicates the throne
2008: 1st general elections held; becomes a constitutional monarchy

7. NEPAL
Founded in Prithvi Narayan Shah conquers area and declares a dynasty
Stayed isolated
1950s: Narayan descendants overthrown
1990: King allows elections of parliament---gives rise to communist protests
2008: Abolishes monarchy— still unable to agree on a constitution

8. MALDIVES Settled by Buddhists from South Asia
12th century: Muslims arrive
1500s: Portuguese then Dutch control it
1887: British control
1965: Independence
Becomes a republic
2008: adopts democratic government

9. SRI LANKA 400s B.C.: Sinhalese people arrive from India
Tamil people follow shortly
Have been rivals ever since
1500s: Portuguese then Dutch control
1815: British take control
1948: Britain gives independence to Sri Lanka
Adopted parliamentary govt
1972: changed name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka

10. CULTURE

11. NEPAL 2 main ethnic groups:
1) Indo-Napalese: ancestors migrated from India
2) Tibeto-Nepalese: ancestors from Tibet
Nepali is the language
Most are Hindu; 10% Buddhist (Buddha was born here)

12. BHUTAN Bhote people make up ½ the pop.
Mostly Buddhist---thousands of stupas (shrines) and dzongs (monasteries)
Dzongka is the official language

13. BHUTAN CONTINUED Home to c. 4500 Buddhist monks
1000s of stupas: shrines
Many dzongs: fortified monasteries

14. SRI LANKA 2 main ethnic groups:
1) Sinhalese: majority; located mostly in the SW; Buddhist
2) Tamils: minority; located mostly in the north; Hindu