Chapter 25 Notes

Human Geography of South Asia: A Region of Contrasts

Section 1: India

India- ancient culture, over 4,000 years oldBlending of many different cultures & traditionsMany invaders & empires came to power in the region

Section 1: India

By the 1500’s Europeans were trading with India for spices & cloth.Great Britain began to dominate this trade, through its company the British East India Company.

East India Company Flag

Section 1: IndiaBy 1857 Great Britain controlled all of India. This period is known as the Raj (lasted for 90 years)

Section 1: IndiaEventually Indians began to resist the British occupation. (struggle for independence, 1916-1945)They were led by Mohandas GandhiAdvocate of mass nonviolent resistance-•Protest movement that does not use violence to achieve its goals

Section 1: IndiaGandhi cont.-Advocated an end to the Caste systemBritish educated lawyerMade own clothes (why?)Imprisoned many timesCommonly used hunger fasts as a resistance toolForced the British from India in August, 1947•Inspiration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tactics in the Civil Rights movement

Republic of India

•28 states and 7 union territoriesState- local government

Union Territory- run directly by national government

Section 1: IndiaIndia is the world’s largest democracy

�͌ 1.1 billion peopleStrongly Hindu country butOver 150 million Muslims •Source of conflict?One of the new 7

wonders of the world- Taj Mahal

Section 1: IndiaLand Reform- more balanced distribution of land among farmersProposal to redistribute land. 1990s 25% of farmland was in the hands of powerful 5% of farm families

Section 1: IndiaGreen Revolution- increasing of crop yields by introducing higher-yielding grain varieties & teaching better farming techniques to farmers. Introduced in late 1960’s & early 1970’sDramatically improved the amount of food available for the poor.

Section 1: IndiaModern Life-

Most marriages are arrangedDivorce is rareVery common for extended family to all live under one roof. Most are vegetariansHas largest film industry in the world.Public affection is discouraged

Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest centers of film production in the world.

Aishwarya Rai

Section 1: IndiaLanguages of India18 major languagesMore than 1,000 are spokenEnglish is common in business areas. Hindi is the official language

Section 1: IndiaHinduism80% of populationReincarnationKarma- moral consequences of a person’s actions (help to determine how a person is reincarnated)

Section 1: IndiaCaste system- system of social classes

Born into a specific casteOnly marry within your casteOnly move to a different caste through reincarnation

RELIGION

Section 2: Pakistan & BangladeshIndus Valley Civilization- largest of the world’s first civilizationsBegan around 2500 B.C. Fell around 1500 B.C.•Aryans invaded soon after (from north of Iran)

Mauryan, Gupta, Mughal empire rule territory later on

West PakistanEast Pakistan

India

PAKISTAN (AT PARTITION)

Independence & Division-Britain divided up India into a Hindu nation (India) and a Muslim nation (East & West Pakistan)

Section 2: Pakistan & BangladeshPartition- division of British IndiaLed to much violence between Hindu’s & Muslims1 million died10 million moved to new areasBy 1971 a civil war broke out and the new nation of Bangladesh was formed.

Section 2: Pakistan & BangladeshKashmir- small territory in northern India that both Pakistan & India claim as there own

Muslim population but had Hindu Maharaja at time of partitionJoined India3 Wars over the territoryBoth sides have nuclear weapons

Section 2: Pakistan & Bangladesh

Microcredit- very small loans that are made available to entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur- people who start & build a businessEffective way of getting poor workers out of poverty

Section 2: Pakistan & BangladeshPakistan & Bangladesh- most are MuslimKey parts of Muslim Mughal EmpireRamadan- month-long period of fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Section 3: Nepal & BhutanNepal & Bhutan-Geographically isolated, because of their mountainous terrainDifficult to conquer &/or visit in its history

Section 3: Nepal & BhutanNepal & BhutanBoth are Constitutional Monarchies-•Kingdom in which the ruler’s powers are limited by a constitution

•Both are very poor & have limited resources

Section 3: Nepal & Bhutan

Sherpas- people of Nepal of Tibetan ancestryRenowned mtn. climbers & pack carriers

Section 3: Nepal & BhutanSiddhartha Gautama (Buddha)- born on the borders of Nepal & India in the 6th centuryFounder of Buddhism

Section 3: Nepal & Bhutan

Buddhists in Bhutan use Mandalas-Geometric designs that are symbols of the universe & aid in meditation.

Section 4: Sri Lanka & the MaldivesSinhalese- Buddhist people from India that settled in Sri Lanka (majority)Tamils- Dravidian Hindu people from southern India that settled in Sri Lanka (minority)Civil War has been taking place on & off since the 1980’s between these groups

Section 4: Sri Lanka & the Maldives

The Maldives- Population of only about 300,000 on over 1200 islandsRuled by Sultans-Muslim Rulers