South Asia Today

India and Its Neighbors

India’s Culture• second most populated

country (over 1.1 billion people)

• Most Indians live…– in rural areas.– in the North.– along the coast.– in extended families.– in castes.

• Hindi and English are official languages.

• Most Indians practice Hinduism.

India’s Government

• World’s largest democracy (federal republic)• Government structure:– Prime Minister (runs the country)

– President (little power)– Parliament

India’s Economy• Although India is one

of the world’s highest GDPs, many of its people live in poverty.

• Most Indians work in agriculture.

• There is an increasing numbersof high tech and industrial jobs.

• Currency is the rupee.

Issues and Challenges Facing India

• Urbanization:– high population

density (overcrowded)– poverty– educational inequality• caste system• gender inequality

– environmental issues• deforestation• Asian Brown Cloud• water pollution

So What’s the Deal with Pakistan?

• Although Hinduism is the major religion , India has a large Muslim (Islam) population.

• During British colonization of India, conflict between Hindus and Muslims escalated.

• As the British were ending their colonial rule of India in 1947, India was partitioned (divided) into two separate nations:– India stayed a predominantly a Hindu nation.– Pakistan became a predominantly Muslim nation.

• The partition caused mass chaos with over 15 million Indians moving from one region to another and riots taking place in protest of the division.

India’s Partition

India & Pakistan Today

• The partition of India originally left both countries devastated.

• Since their division, two wars have been fought between the countries.

• conflict over the area of Kashmir

• terrorism and nuclear weapons