South Asia

Welcome to India Since the mid-1700s, Britain controlled India Changes that benefitted India

Ending slavery, improving schools, building railroads

Changes that hurt India Imported the Indian cotton for their own profit Only British officials in power positions

Mohandas Gandhi – led India to independence Believed in nonviolent resistance such as boycotts British eventually agreed to establish provinces in

1935 that were governed entirely by Indians

Indian Independence

Hindus vs. Muslims

Muslims generally poorer workers Hindus often landowners

Britain agreed to give independence to India Created mostly Hindu Republic of India Northern part formed nation of Pakistan where most

Muslims lived Violent Partition

Hindus in the north moved south, Muslims in the south moved north to Pakistan

India and Pakistan have had 3 wars since independence

India Pakistan Border

Religious Conflict

Newly independent Pakistan had two regions,

West and East Pakistan West – different ethnic groups, spoke Urdu East – Bengali ethnic group

West Pakistan contained factories while East Pakistan was mostly agricultural East Pakistan felt that they were being treated

unfairly Fighting between East and West started and

India joined the side of the East Pakistanis East Pakistan became the country of Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Majority of people practice Hinduism The Caste System – social hierarchy

People can improve their position in the next life by carrying out their duties

Religion of India

About 70% of Indians live in villages and farm Rural Housing

The quality of house depends on your status Food – Indians follow a mostly vegetarian diet

Hindus don’t eat meat, Muslims do not eat pork Clothing – light and loose clothing because so

humid Some Indian women cover their faces

Family Life – Families in India are generally large Signs of Change – Most villages have electricity

Television reaches 75% of all Indians Indian film industry is very big

Village Life

Life in Towns

Most people live in small or medium-sized towns

Life in Cities Mumbai (Bombay) is the country’s busiest port,

financial center, and more crowded than NYC Mumbai Chennai and Kolkata are east coast centers of

commerce and shipping industry New Delhi is India’s capital

Urbanization

Advances in Farming

India’s main goal is to feed its growing population Better farming methods, increased irrigation, and

higher quality seeds have helped Expanded Industry

One of the world’s leading industrial nations Education

Literacy rate has continued to increase Children fail to complete school to help in the fields

Health Care Many Indians cannot afford basic medical care Unhealthy water is a problem in rural areas

Economic Improvements

Irrigation and Electricity

Indus River basin contains most of the country’s agricultural areas and hydroelectric power stations

Tarbela Dam built to control Indus River National Challenges

Most Pakistanis speak Punjabi but the official language is Urdu

Pakistan has been involved in recent conflicts Allowed U.S. troops to use Pakistan as a base Pakistan

Pakistan

Ethnic Diversity

Many different ethnic groups with conflicting opinions about Islamic beliefs and practices

Buffer State Britain and Russia failed to conquer Afghanistan It became a buffer state between these two powers

Terrorism and War Soviets withdrew in 1989, Taliban began its control Post 9-11, U.S. launches attack that removes

Taliban Tried to establish a democratic government Aftermath of Afghanistan War

Afghanistan

Challenging Climate – primarily tropical wet

Pros – abundant water supply and fertile soil enable farmers to plant and harvest year round

Cons – rivers overflow, fierce tropical storms sweep in and submerge the land

Overpopulation Top 10 in terms of population As many people as Mexico and Canada

combined Because of the overpopulation and natural

disasters, hunger has been an issue Preparing for Disasters

Bangladesh

Nepal

Mount Everest is located in Nepal Southern lowlands are hot and humid Tropical crops flourish – citrus fruits, sugar cane, rice 90% Hindu Allows tourists to come climb its mountains Mount Everest

Bhutan Climate similar to Nepal 75% Buddhist Stricter on who they allow into their country Bhutan

Nepal and Bhutan

Referred to as “a tear dropped off the subcontinent of

India” – means Magnificent Island Environmental Change – tropical climate

Heaviest rains fall in the SW part Major crop is tea, Sri Lanka produces about 1/8 of the

world’s tea Much of the rain forest has been removed for farming

and development Social Unrest

¾ of Sri Lankans are Sinhalese, rest Tamils Religion and language split the groups Sinhalese practice Buddhism, Tamils practice Hinduism Sri Lankan Civil War

Sri Lanka