South Asia
IndiaIndia
PakistanPakistan
BangladeshBangladesh
MaldivesMaldives
Sri LankaSri Lanka
NepalNepal BhutanBhutan
HinduHindu
IslamIslam
BuddhismBuddhism
South Asia by majority religion
Introduction Geopolitical tension religious division
Hindu (India) Muslim (Pakistan)
Demographic concerns high natural growth High population density Limited resource bases
Less connected to the global economy Slow economic growth Inward orientation
Environmental Geography
Diverse Landscapes, from Tropical Islands to Mountain Rim
The Four Subregions of South Asia
Peninsular IndiaPeninsular India
The Southern IslandsThe Southern Islands
Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra LowlandsIndus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Lowlands
Mountains of the NorthMountains of the North
Mountains of the North
Includes the world’s highest mountainIncludes the world’s highest mountain Produced by the collision between tectonic platesProduced by the collision between tectonic plates
seismically activeseismically active
Mt. EverestMt. Everest
Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Lowlands
Indus R.Indus R. Ganges R.Ganges R.
Brahmaputra R.Brahmaputra R.
Created by three major river systemsCreated by three major river systems Population core areas Population core areas
Peninsular India
Deccan PlDeccan Plateauateau
Western G
hats
Western G
hats Easter
n G
hats
Easter
n G
hats
Continuous Western Ghats Continuous Western Ghats narrow western coastal plains narrow western coastal plains Discontinuous Eastern Ghats Discontinuous Eastern Ghats broad eastern coastal plains broad eastern coastal plains
high population densities high population densities
The Southern Islands
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka: Mountains in the southern interiorMountains in the southern interior
ringed by extensive coastal plainsringed by extensive coastal plainsMaldives: Maldives: Flat and low coral atollsFlat and low coral atolls
Monsoon rain – June in Mumbai
During the summer monsoon, Mumbai receives more than 70 inches of rain in just three months
South Asia’s Climates
Most of South Asia has three distinct seasons June – Oct.: warm and rainy season Nov. – Feb: cool and dry seasonMatch – May: hot period
What is the major factor of this distinct season?Monsoon
(Distinct seasonal change of wind direction)
Monsoons in South AsiaSummer Winter
Southwest monsoon Northeast monsoon
dry wet
Orographic rainfall Orographic rainfall wet wet
Rain-shadow effect Rain-shadow effect dry dry
• Orographic rainfall results from the uplifting and cooliOrographic rainfall results from the uplifting and cooling of moist monsoon winds over high mountainsng of moist monsoon winds over high mountains
451 inches
10 inches
• Rainfall varies greatly from place to place Rainfall varies greatly from place to place Ganges Delta Ganges Delta rice; Punjab rice; Punjab wheat wheat
Flooding in Bangladesh
•High precipitationHigh precipitation
•Low-lying landLow-lying land
•CycloneCyclone
Ganges Delta
Natural conditionNatural condition
Man-made conditionMan-made condition•High population High population densitydensity
•Deforestation in the Deforestation in the river headwaterriver headwater
Population and Settlement
The Demographic Dilemma
Soon will become the world’s most populous region High natural growth
Fertility patterns vary by countries family planning India, Bangladesh vs. Pakistan
One of the least urbanized regions in the world
Population distributionPopulation distribution
Fertile soilsFertile soils
Dependable water suppliesDependable water supplies
Pull factor: rural-to-urban migrationPull factor: rural-to-urban migration Mumbai, Delhi, CalcuttaMumbai, Delhi, Calcutta
Push factor: refugeesPush factor: refugees Afghanistan, Kashmir, Burma, Sri LankaAfghanistan, Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka
Crop zones in South Asia
PunjabPunjab
Rice Rice wet, fertile wet, fertileWheat Wheat semiarid, fertile semiarid, fertileMillet, Sorghum Millet, Sorghum less fertile less fertile
Cattle in India
India has the world’s largest cattle population They don’t produce meat due to Hinduism Rather, produce milk as major sources of protein Also used for plowing and pulling carts
MumbaiMumbai
Major cities in South Asia
DelhiDelhi
CalcuttaCalcuttaDhakaDhaka
IslamabadIslamabad
KarachiKarachi
LahoreLahore
Major cities in South Asia India
Mumbai: financial center and media capital of India Delhi: political capital (former Muslim capital, colonial capital) Calcutta: trading center, declined after partition (1947)
Pakistan Karachi: commercial core Islamabad: forward capital – religious, and geopolitical
Bangladesh Dhaka: global center for clothing, and shoe manufacturing
Overurbanization in South Asia
Mumbai hutmentsMumbai hutments
Cultural Coherence and Diversity
A Common Heritage Rent by Religious Rivalries
Long united by HinduismCaste System
Arrival of IslamReligious rivalries between Hindu and Muslim
British imperialism Use of English due to multilingualism
Historic overview of South Asia
3000 B.C. 800 B.C.
Indus Valley Civilization
Ganges Valley Civilization
1000
Muslim rules
Buddhism Islam
Invasion of Indo-Aryan
2000 B.C. 1600 A.D.
HinduismHinduism
Caste SystemCaste System Sikhism
Jainism
Religious diversity in South Asia Hinduism (1500 B.C.~)
Indus valley civilization + Indo-Aryan religion Persist to present day (eg. Caste System); main religion in India
Buddhism, Jainism (500 B.C.~) Challenge to Hinduism orthodoxy
Islam (1000 A.D.~) Muslim rule in the north or trade network in the south Active conversion from Hindus to Islam particularly in northwest (Paki
stan) and northeast (Bangladesh) Sikhism (1400 A.D. ~)
Hinduism + Islam in Punjab(modern bnd b/w. India and Pakistan)
Hinduism India, S Nepal
Islam Pakistan, Bangladesh, M
aldives 15% of India
Sikhism: Punjab Buddhism
Sri Lanka, Bhutan, NE Kashmir, N Nepal
Jainism: Gujarat Christian: Goa, NE India
Geographies of ReligionGeographies of Religion
SikhisSikhismm
JainisJainismm
Muslim rule
Trade networks of the Arabian Sea
Goa
Northeast tribal area
Linguistic diversity in South Asia Indo-European (north)
IranianBaluchi, Pashtun western Pakistan, Afghanistan
Indo-AryanClosely associated with Indian statesBengali, Punjabi Indian states with Bangladesh, eastern Pa
kistanSinghalese, Divehi Sri Lanka, Maldives
Dravidian (south)Confined to southern India
Geographies of Language
Indo-European north
Dravidian south
Linguistic Dilemmas So many different languages in one country
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka India has 15 official languages with no unified national language
Role of media Hindi is spreading through popular media
Role of English Main integrating language of India
South Asian global diaspora
• British India: settlements in British colonies• Contemporary India: migrated into U.S. and North America
Geopolitical Framework
A Deeply Divided Region
British rule (mid 18c ~ mid 20c) Independence and partition
Separation of Pakistan from India (1947)Separation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan (1971)
Continuing tension between Pakistan and India Intensified by the nuclear capabilities of both
MuslimMuslim
HinduPortuguese
Dutch
Mughal Empire (mid 16c ~ mid 19c)
British Conquest (mid 18c ~ mid 20c)
After Sepoy Rebellion (1856), South Asia was ruled directly by the British government
During chaotic waning years of the Mughal Empire (18c), the British East India Company began to monopolize trade
Independence and Partition
• The British withdrew from South Asia in 1947
• The region was divided into two countries: a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan (1947)
• Bangladesh was separated from East Pakistan (1971)
Conflicts in KashmirConflicts in Kashmir
• Before the partition, this regions of predominantly MusliBefore the partition, this regions of predominantly Muslim population was ruled by a Hindu maharajam population was ruled by a Hindu maharaja
• Some Kashmirs wish to to join Pakistan while others argSome Kashmirs wish to to join Pakistan while others argue for an independent stateue for an independent state
Hostility between Pakistan and IndiaHostility between Pakistan and India
Separatism in Punjab regionSeparatism in Punjab region
Sikh-majority Sikh-majority PunjabPunjab
Hindu-majority Hindu-majority HaryanaHaryana
Sikh temple at Amritsar
Hostility between the Sikh majority Hostility between the Sikh majority and the Indian governmentand the Indian government
• Sikh leaders strived for autonomySikh leaders strived for autonomy
Civil war in Sri LankaCivil war in Sri Lanka
Hindu TamilsHindu Tamils
Buddhist SinghaleseBuddhist Singhalese
Religious and linguistic differencesReligious and linguistic differences
: support political autonomy
: favor unitary government
Global implication of the tension between India and Pakistan
During Cold War Pakistan – U.S. India –? Soviet Union
After 1991 Pakistan – China India
China’s animosity toward India
Pakistan – Taliban Afghanistan
After 9/11 Pakistan – U.S. Taliban Afghanistan
But anti-Americanism in Pakistan needs to be addressed
Economic and Social Development
Burdened by Poverty
South Asian Poverty Disparity between social classes
World-class scientific and technological accomplishments
Largest undernourished and malnourished people
Developmental contradictions in economic historyLand of great riches until the early modern periodExploitation by external forces
Central Asian, the British
The poorest world region along with Sub-Saharan Africa Pessimism: undercut by large and growing population Optimism: globally interconnected IT industry
The Himalayan countries
Disadvantaged by their rugged terrain and remote locations
Bhutan Isolationist policy
NepalClosely integrated with the Indian economyRelies heavily on international tourism
Bangladesh Bad news
Burdened by massive population, environmental degradation, and colonial legacy
Devastating effect of partition (1947) Increasingly uncompetitive Jute market
Good news Competitive in textile manufacture low wage rate Falling birthrate economic growth begins to catch up with its
population growth
Pakistan Current potential
Productive agricultural sector (eg. Punjab) Large textile industry huge cotton crop Export of surgical implements legacy of sword-making center
Future potential Burdened by high level of defense spending Powerful landlord class with no benefit for economy Failure to develop IT industry (cf. India)
Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Sri LankaSpecialization in textiles and teaPerennial civil war overshadows potentials such as
strategic location, and high levels of education
MaldivesRevenues from fishing and international tourism
Economic division in IndiaLesser developed areas
Centers of economic growthGreen Revolution
Merchants Remittance
India’s economic India’s economic pacesetterpacesetter
High-tech sectorHigh-tech sector
Subsistence economy
Social conservatism
Political corruption
Socialist economic policy
Major industrial areas
Economic policy after independence Mixed socialist-capitalist system by the 1980s
Economic nationalismSelf-sufficiency policy
Liberalization of economy since the early 1990sPrivatization of state-owned industriesDeregulation Internationalization
Global linkages
High levels of social welfare in the south Sri Lanka, Maldives, southwestern India
Low levels of social welfare in the north Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, northern India
The status of women Women has a very low social position in both the Hindu a
nd Muslim traditions
Women in the Hindu tradition Excluded from inheriting land, early marriage, dowry, not allow
ed to remarry
Women has a high social position in southern India and Sri Lanka Inheritance through the female line in Kerala
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