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South Asia
Location of South Asia
Countries7 to 10 (see text)
Territories0, 1, or 2 (see text)
GDP (Nominal)$1.854 trillion (2009)
GDP per capita (Nominal)$1,079 (2009)
LanguagesAssamese/Asomiya, Balochi, Bengali, Bodo, Burmese, Dari,[1] Dhivehi, Dogri, Dzongkha, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Hindko, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Pahari, Pashto, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Sinhala, Saraiki, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu, and others
Time ZonesUTC +6:30 (Burma) to UTC +3:30 (Iran)
Largest CitiesAhmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chittagong, Chennai, Cochin, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Jaipur, Kanpur, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lahore, Lhasa, Lucknow, Malé, Multan, Mumbai, Patna, Peshawar, Pune, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Surat, Thimpu, Thiruvanathapuram, Visakhapatnam and Yangon

South Asia or Southern Asia is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities, also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate, which rises above sea level as the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. South Asia is bounded on the south by the Indian Ocean and on land (clockwise, from west) by West Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Different sources vary in their statements of which nations are part of the region. For example, according to the United Nations geographical region classification,[2] Southern Asia comprises the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. However, the United Nations notes that the "assignment of countries or areas to specific groupings is for statistical convenience and does not imply any assumption regarding political or other affiliation of countries or territories."[3] By some definitions, some of those nations are not part of the region, and by some definitions, Burma and Tibet are also included in the region (see below).

South Asia is home to well over one fifth of the world's population, making it both the most populous and the most densely populated geographical region in the world.[4] The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic cooperation organization in the region.

Definitions

See also: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and South Asian Free Trade Area
Various definitions of South Asia.

Although there's a distinct core of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire, there is much variation as to which (if any) other countries are included.[5] The current territories of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh form the core, but Sri Lanka and Burma are often added.[6] The Aden Colony, British Somaliland and Singapore, though administered at various times under the Raj have not been proposed as any part of South Asia.[7]

The Raj also encompassed the 562 protected princely states that were not directly ruled by the Raj,[8] some of which joined the Union of India while some joined the Dominion of Pakistan.[9][10]

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a contiguous block of countries, started in 1985 with seven countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — but was extended to include Afghanistan as an eighth member in 2006.[11][12] The World Bank grouping includes only the original seven members of SAARC, and leaves Afghanistan out.[13] This bloc of countries include three independent countries that were not under the British rule - Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan. The South Asia Free Trade Agreement endorsed by SAARC has been signed by the seven original members of the organization, though it has a special provision for the Maldives.[14]

The United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN) includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as part of South Asia, while Maldives, in view of its characteristics, was admitted as a member country of the Pacific POPIN subregional network in principle.[15] The British Indian Ocean Territory is connected to the region by a publication of Jane's for security considerations.[16] The United Nations scheme of sub-regions include all eight members of the SAARC as part of Southern Asia, along with Iran,[17] while the Hirschmann-Herfindahl Index of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific for the region includes only the original seven signatories of SAARC.[18]

A lack of coherent definition for South Asia has resulted in not only a lack of academic studies, but also in a lack interest for such studies.[19] Identification with a South Asian identity was also found to be significantly low among respondents in a two-year survey across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.[20]

Indian subcontinent

Main article: Indian subcontinent
The "Indian subcontinent" is a semantic term referring to the large, self-contained landmass which covers most of South Asia.

By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent,[21] or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent."[22] The terms "Indian subcontinent" and "South Asia" are used interchangeably.[23][24][25][26][27] Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent",[28][28][29] the "Indo-Pak-Bangladesh Subcontinent",[30] the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent",[31] "the Subcontinent", or simply "South Asia"[32] over the term "Indian subcontinent". According to historians Sugata Bose and Ayesha Jalal, Indian Subcontinent has come to be known as South Asia "in more recent and neutral parlance."[32] Indologist Ronald B. Inden argues that the usage of the term "South Asia" is getting more widespread since it clearly distinguishes the region from East Asia;[33] some academics hold that the term "South Asia" is in more common use in Europe and North America, rather than the terms "Subcontinent" or the "Indian Subcontinent".[34][35]

Like "South Asia", the definition of the geographical extent of the Indian subcontinent varies. Physiographically, it is a peninsular region in south-central Asia, rather resembling a diamond which is delineated by the Himalayas in the north, the Hindu Kush in the west, and the Arakanese in the east,[36] and extending southward into the Indian Ocean. Geopolitically, it has historically formed the whole territory of Greater India, and now it generally comprises the countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh;[37] prior to 1947, the three nations were historically combined and constituted British India. It almost always also includes Nepal, Bhutan, and the island country of Sri Lanka[38] and may also include Afghanistan and the island country of Maldives.[23][39][40] The region may also include the disputed territory of Aksai Chin, which was part of the British Indian princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, but is now administered as part of the Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang.[41] A booklet published by the United States Department of State in 1959 includes Afghanistan, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Nepal, and Pakistan (including East Pakistan, now Bangladesh) as part of the "Subcontinent of South Asia".[42] When the term Indian subcontinent is used to mean South Asia, the islands countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives may sometimes not be included,[23] while Tibet and Nepal may be included[43] or excluded[44] intermittently, depending on the context.

Definition by South Asian Studies programs

See also: Indology

When the Centre for South Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge was established, in 1964, it was primarily responsible for promoting within the university the study of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Himalayan Kingdoms (Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim[45]), and Burma (now officially Myanmar). However, it has since extended its activities to include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong.[46]

The Centers for South Asian Studies at both the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia include Tibet along with seven members of SAARC in their research programs, but leave the Maldives out.[47][48] The South Asian Studies Program of Rutgers University and the University of California, Berkeley Center for South Asia Studies do the same without leaving out the Maldives,[49][50] while the South Asian Studies Program of Brandeis University defines the region as comprising "India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and in certain contexts Afghanistan, Burma, Maldives and Tibet".[51] The similar program of Columbia University also includes Tibet, but leaves out both Afghanistan and the Maldives.[52]

Geography

See also: Geography of India, Geography of Pakistan, Geography of Bangladesh, Geography of Bhutan, Geography of Sri Lanka, Geography of Nepal, and Geography of the Maldives
United Nations geoscheme for Asia:
  North Asia
  Central Asia
  Western Asia
  South Asia
  East Asia
  Southeast Asia
Natural vegetation zones of South Asia, loosely based on a Grolier map[53]

While South Asia had never been a coherent geopolitical region, it has a distinct geographical identity.[54] The boundaries of South Asia vary based on how the region is defined. South Asia's northern, eastern, and western boundaries vary based on definitions used, while the Indian Ocean is the southern periphery. Most of this region rests on the Indian Plate and is isolated from the rest of Asia by mountain barriers.[55][56] The Indian Plate includes most of South Asia, forming a land mass which extends from the Himalayas into a portion of the basin under the Indian Ocean, including parts of South China and Eastern Indonesia, as well as Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges,[57][58][59] and extending up to but not including Ladakh, Kohistan, the Hindu Kush range and Balochistan.[60][61][62] It may be noted that geophysically the Yarlung Tsangpo River river in Tibet is situated at the outside of the border of the Subcontinental structure, while the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan are situated inside that border.[63]

Much of the region consists of a peninsula in south-central Asia, rather resembling a diamond which is delineated by the Himalayas on the north, the Hindu Kush in the west, and the Arakanese in the east,[64] and which extends southward into the Indian Ocean with the Arabian Sea to the southwest and the Bay of Bengal to the southeast.[23][37]

Per the UN, the wider subregion's northern frontier is the Himalayas and southerly post-Soviet states of Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, bordering northern Afghanistan and Iran), its western boundary is the westerly border of Iran (with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq), and its eastern boundary is the westerly border of Burma (with India and Bangladesh).

Most of this region is a subcontinent resting on the Indian Plate (the northerly portion of the Indo-Australian Plate) separated from the rest of the Eurasian Plate. It was once a small continent before colliding with the Eurasian Plate about 50-55 million years ago and giving birth to the Himalayan range and the Tibetan plateau. It is the peninsular region south of the Himalayas and Kuen Lun mountain ranges and east of the Indus River and the Iranian Plateau, extending southward into the Indian Ocean between the Arabian Sea (to the southwest) and the Bay of Bengal (to the southeast).

The region is home to a variety of geographical features, such as glaciers, rainforests, valleys, deserts, and grasslands that are typical of much larger continents. It is surrounded by three water bodies — the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The climate of this vast region varies considerably from area to area from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north. The variety is influenced by not only the altitude, but also by factors such as proximity to the sea coast and the seasonal impact of the monsoons.

Southern parts are mostly hot in summers and receive rain during monsoon period(s). The northern belt of Indo-Gangetic plains also is hot in summer, but cooler in winter. The mountainous north is colder and receives snowfall at higher altitudes of Himalyan ranges.

As the Himalayas block the north-Asian bitter cold winds, the temperatures are considerably moderate in the plains down below. For most part, the climate of the region is called the Monsoon climate, which keeps the region humid during summer and dry during winter, and favors the cultivation of jute, tea, rice, and various vegetables in this region.

History

Further information: History of South Asia
Map of South Asia illustrating stability and historical permanency of the regional cultural frontiers and areas.

The pre-history of South Asia culminates in the Indus Valley Civilization, which is followed by the legends of ancient Vedic period and the sketchy references to the rise and fall of Mahajanapadas - the precursors of regional kingdoms and later ancient empires. Proto-Indo-Europeans migrated from Eastern Europe and Central Asia 3,000–8,000 years ago.[65][66]

Almost all South Asian countries were under direct or indirect Muslim rule. From the late 18th century the region saw beginning of European Colonial occupation. Parts of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Burma were occupied by Great Britain starting from 1773, when East India Company appointed first representative in Bengal and reaching their zenith in 1886 after the 3rd Anglo-Burma war, ruling till 1947. Nepal, Bhutan & Maldives were protectorates of Great Britain until World War II. In the millennia long history of South Asia, the European colonization period is rather short, but its proximity to the present and its lasting impact on the region make it prominent.

The network of means of transportation and communication as well as banking and training of requisite workforce, and also the existing rail, post, telegraph, and education facilities have evolved out of the base established in the colonial era, often called the British Raj. As an aftermath of World War II, most of the region gained independence from Europe by the late 1940s.

Since 1947, most South Asian countries have achieved tremendous progress in all spheres.[citation needed] Most notable achievements are in the fields of education; industry; health care; information technology and other services based on its applications; research in the fields of cutting edge sciences and technologies; defence related self-reliance projects; international/global trade and business enterprises and outsourcing of human resources. Areas of difficulty remain, however, including religious extremism, high levels of corruption, disagreements on political boundaries, and inequitable distribution of wealth.

Territory and region data

2009 referenced population figures except where noted.

Core countries

With the core seven countries, the area covers about 4.48 million km² (1.7 million mi²), which is 10% of the Asian continent or 2.4% of the world's land surface area.[67][68][69] They account for about 34% of Asia's population (or over 16.5% of the world's population) and are home to a vast array of peoples.[67][68][69]

country Area
(km²) 		Population(2009-2012) density
(/km²) 		GDP(nominal)
(2009/2012) 		GDP per capita(nominal)
(2011) 		Capital Currency Government Official languages Coat of Arms
 Bangladesh 147,570 152,518,015[70] 1,099 $115,002 million [2011] $678 Dhaka Taka Parliamentary democracy Bengali
 Bhutan 38,394 697,000[70] 18 $1,269 million $2,121 Thimphu Ngultrum, Indian rupee Constitutional monarchy Dzongkha
 India 3,287,240 1,210,193,422[71] 382[71] $1,848,966 million[72] $1,542 New Delhi Indian rupee Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Oriya, Marathi, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, English
 Maldives 298 396,334[70] 1,330 $1,357 million $5,973 Malé Rufiyaa Republic Dhivehi
   Nepal 147,181 26,620,080[70] 200 $22,615 million $850 Kathmandu Nepalese rupee Democratic Republic Nepali
 Pakistan 796,095 180,440,000[70] 225 $210,566 million $1,201 Islamabad Pakistani rupee Islamic Republic Urdu, English[73]
 Sri Lanka 65,610 20,277,597[70] 309 $59,095 million $2,877 Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Sri Lankan rupee Democratic Socialist Republic Sinhala, Tamil

Countries and territories from extended definitions

country or region Area
(km²) 		Population
(2009) 		density
(per km²) 		GDP(nominal)
(2009) 		GDP per capita
(2011) 		Capital Currency Government Official languages Coat of Arms
 Afghanistan 652,230 28,150,000[74] 52 $14,044 million $585 Kabul Afghani Islamic republic Pashto, Persian
 British Indian Ocean Territory 60 3,500 59 N/A N/A Diego Garcia US Dollar British Overseas Territory English File:Coat of arms of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Shield).svg
 Burma 676,578 48,137,141 71 $27,553 million $832 Naypyidaw Myanma kyat Military Junta Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Burma's Autonomous States.)
 Iran 1,648,195 75,149,665 71 $331,553 million $6,360 Tehran Rial Islamic republic Persian
 China - Tibet Autonomous Region 1,228,400 2,740,000 2 $6,458 million $3,108 Lhasa Chinese yuan Autonomous region of China Tibetan, Mandarin Chinese

Regional groups of countries

Name of country/region, with flag Area
(km²) 		Population* Population density
(per km²) 		Capital or Secretariat Currency Countries included Official languages Coat of Arms
Core Definition (above) of South Asia 4,482,388 1,596,000,000 400.1 N/A N/A Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka N/A N/A
UN subregion of South Asia 6,778,083 1,702,000,000 270.77 N/A N/A Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka N/A N/A
SAARC 4,637,469 1,626,000,000 350.6 Kathmandu N/A Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, None N/A

Demographics

Total population of South Asia is about 1.70 billion.[75]

Ethnic groups

Main article: South Asian ethnic groups
Map of South Asia in native languages.

South Asia, which consists of the nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is ethnically diverse, with more than 2,000 ethnic entities with populations ranging from hundreds of millions to small tribal groups. South Asia has been invaded and settled by many ethnic groups over the centuries - including various Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups - and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture.

Other ethnic groups, successively streaming in later mainly from Central Asia e.g. Sakas, Kushans, Huns etc. influenced pre-existing South Asian cultures. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. Ethnic Englishmen and other Britons are now practically absent after their two centuries long colonial presence, although they have left an imprint of western culture in the elite society.

Languages

See also: Languages of South Asia

The largest spoken language in this region is now Hindustānī, its speakers numbering almost 422 million;[76] the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers.[77] Urdu is also a major language spoken in the subcontinent, especially in Pakistan and India, and is similar linguistically to Hindi; Hindi and Urdu together make up Hindustānī. Although Hindi is spoken in some states of India, many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. Other languages of this region fall into a few major linguistic groups: the Dravidian languages and the Indo-Aryan languages, a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages.

The other great sub-branch of Indo-Iranian, the Iranian languages, also have significant minority representation in South Asia, with Pashto and Balochi being widely spoken along the northwestern fringes of the region, in modern-day Pakistan. Many Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, who are speakers of their language-group, are found in northeast India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Other small groups, speaking Austroasiatic languages, are also present in South Asia. English is another language which dominates South Asia, especially as a medium of advanced education and government administration.

Most of South Asia writes using various abugidas of Brāhmī origin while languages such as Urdu, Pashto, and Sindhi use derivatives of the Perso-Arabic script. Not all languages in South Asia follow this strict dichotomy though. For example, Kashmiri is written in both the Perso-Arabic script and in the Devanagari script. The same can be said for Punjabi, which is written in both Shahmukhi and Gurmukhī. Dhivehi is written in a script called Tāna that shows characteristics of both the Arabic alphabet and of an abugida.

Religions

Further information: Religion in Bangladesh, Religion in Bhutan, Religion in India, Religion in Nepal, Religion in Pakistan, and Religion in Sri Lanka
Hindu priest saluting the sun in the Ganges, Varanasi, India
Jama Masjid, the main mosque in Delhi, India.

About 64% of the South Asia population is Hindu, 33% is Muslim, 2% is Buddhist and 1% is Christians.[citation needed]

In South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people.[citation needed]

Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism and Jainism. As a consequence, these two religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions.

Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala, Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.

Afghanistan[1] Islam (99%), Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity (1%)
Bangladesh[78] Islam (89.5%), Hinduism (9.5%), Buddhism (0.7%), Christianity (0.32%)
British Indian Ocean Territory[79] Christianity (45.55%), Hinduism (38.55%), Islam (9.25%), Others (6.65%)
Bhutan[80] Buddhism (75%), Hinduism (25%)
Burma[81] Theravada Buddhism (89%), Islam (4%), Christianity (Baptist and Roman Catholic) (4%), Animism (1%), Others (including Hinduism) (2%)
India[80][82] Hinduism (80.5%), Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%), Jainism (0.4%), Others (0.6%)
Maldives[83] Sunni Islam (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives[84][85])
Nepal[86] Hinduism (80.6%), Buddhism (10.7%), Islam (4.2%), Kirat (1.5%)
Pakistan[87] Islam (96.28%), Hinduism (1.85%), Christianity (1.59%), Ahmaddiyya (0.22%)
Sri Lanka[88] Theravada Buddhism (70.19%), Hinduism (12.61%), ), Islam (9.71%), Christianity ( 7.45%).

Economy

Further information: Economy of Bangladesh, Economy of India, Economy of Nepal, Economy of Pakistan, and Economy of Sri Lanka

South Asia is the poorest region in the world after Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the UN's Multidimensional Poverty Index, just over a quarter of the world's MPI poor people live in Africa, while a half live in South Asia. The study also found there are more poor people in eight Indian states than in the 26 poorest African countries.[89] According to the index, 55 per cent of people in South Asia are MPI-poor and in sub-Saharan Africa, 64.5 per cent of people are MPI-poor.[89] And according to the poverty data of World Bank, more than 40% of the population in the region lived on less than the International Poverty Line of $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.[90]

Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Afghanistan has the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region (US$ 1.97 trillion) and makes up almost 82% of the South Asian economy; it is the world's 10th largest in nominal terms and 3rd largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has the next largest economy and the 5th highest GDP per capita in the region,[91] followed by Bangladesh and then by Sri Lanka which has the 2nd highest per capita and is the 4th largest economy in the region. According to a World Bank report in 2007, South Asia is the least integrated region in the world; trade between South Asian states is only 2% of the region's combined GDP, compared to 20% in East Asia. The Economist has blamed this on Indian neglect of its neighbors.[92]

Governance

India[93] and Pakistan[94][95] are the dominant political powers in the region. India is by far the largest country in the area covering around three-fourths the land area of the subcontinent.[96] It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent.[97] India is also the most populous democracy in the world[98] and is a nuclear weapons state.

The second largest country in the subcontinent in terms of area and population is Pakistan and has traditionally maintained the balance of power in the region due to its strategic relationships with nearby Arab states[99] and neighboring China.[100] Pakistan is the 6th[101] most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power. Bangladesh is the third largest populous country in the region. The single largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations is Pakistan.[102]

Diplomacy among the countries of South Asia has been mainly driven by populist politics, with the center stage taken by India-Pakistan conflict ever since their independence in 1947, and then the creation of Bangladesh under tense circumstances in 1971. While the elite rulers of Pakistan chose the USA led bloc during the cold war era, India formed the Non-Aligned Movement.

The political situation in Sri Lanka has been dominated by an increasingly assertive Sinhalese nationalism, and the emergence of a Tamil separatist movement under LTTE, which was suppressed recently. Burma's politics is dominated by a military Junta, which has sidelined the democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Health and nutrition

There are 421 million MPI-poor people in eight Indian states alone - Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal - while there are 410 million in the 26 poorest African countries combined.[103] Roughly 42% of Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition.[104]

According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asia's poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood.[105] According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world.[106] In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million.[107] As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index.[citation needed]

The 2006 report stated that "the low status of women in South Asian countries and their lack of nutritional knowledge are important determinants of high prevalence of underweight children in the region". Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has "inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children".[108]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. December 13, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "AfgCIA" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ "United Nations geoscheme". Millenniumindicators.un.org. 2011-09-20. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  3. ^ "Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use". Millenniumindicators.un.org. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ Bertram Hughes Farmer, An Introduction to South Asia, pages 1, Routledge, 1993, ISBN 0-415-05695-0
  6. ^ Arthur Berriedale Keith, A Constitutional History of India: 1600-1935, pages 440-444, Methuen & Co, 1936
  7. ^ United Nations, Yearbook of the United Nations, pages 297, Office of Public Information, 1947, United Nations
  8. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge (volume 4), pages 177, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 1947
  9. ^ Ian Copland, The Princes of India in the Endgame of Empire: 1917-1947, pages 263, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-521-89436-0
  10. ^ Ben Cahoon. "Pakistan Princely States". Worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  11. ^ Sarkar, Sudeshna (16 May 2007). "SAARC: Afghanistan comes in from the cold". Current Affairs - Security Watch. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  12. ^ "South Asian Organisation for Regional Cooperation (official website)". SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  13. ^ South Asia: Data, Projects and Research, The World Bank
  14. ^ Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area[dead link], SAARC Secretariat, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
  15. ^ Asia-Pacific POPIN Consultative Workshop Report, Asia-Pacific POPIN Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1995), pages 7-11
  16. ^ Territories (British Indian Ocean Territory), Jane's Information Group
  17. ^ Geographical region and composition, Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings, United Nations
  18. ^ Mapping and Analysis of Agricultural Trade Liberalization in South Asia, Trade and Investment Division (TID), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
  19. ^ Vernon Marston Hewitt, The international politics of South Asia, page xi, Manchester University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-7190-3392-6
  20. ^ Kishore C. Dash, Regionalism in South Asia, pages 172-175, Routledge, 2008, ISBN 0-415-43117-4
  21. ^ Oxford English Dictionary 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1989
  22. ^ Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, Merriam-Webster, 2002. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
  23. ^ a b c d John McLeod, The history of India, pages 1, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, ISBN 0-313-31459-4 Cite error: The named reference "McLeod" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  24. ^ Milton Walter Meyer, South Asia: A Short History of the Subcontinent, pages 1, Adams Littlefield, 1976, ISBN 0-8226-0034-X
  25. ^ Jim Norwine & Alfonso González, The Third World: states of mind and being, pages 209, Taylor & Francis, 1988, ISBN 0-04-910121-8
  26. ^ Boniface, Brian G. (2005). Worldwide destinations - By Brian G. Boniface, Christopher P. Cooper Worldwide destinations: the geography of travel and tourism. Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-7506-5997-0. {{cite book}}: Check |url= value (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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