Transcript 2012 South Asia for internet - Humble Independent School District

Regions
of Asia
• Asia is the largest continent in
area and population.
• China and India alone make
up over 1/3 the world’s
population
• Southwest Asia – Middle East
• Central Asia – Stan Lands
• South Asia – Subcontinent
• East Asia – What most
Americans think of when they
think “Asia”
• Southeast Asia – maritime
countries (Indochina and
islands)
Most of South Asia
forms a peninsula. It is
surrounded by the Indian
Ocean, Bay of Bengal
and Arabian Sea, and cut
off from the rest of Asia by
mountains. South Asia is
a Subcontinent – a large
landmass that is part of a
continent, but still distinct
from it.
World’s tallest mountains: The Himalaya – 24 of them soar to
above 25,000 feet – including Mount Everest at 29,035 feet above
sea level is the tallest in the world.
The mountains limited contact with the rest of Asia. However,
mountain passes- such as the Khyber Pass – from Central Asia
into South Asia allowed invaders and traders to enter the
subcontinent.
In southern India, two chains of eroded mountains – Ghats &
the Vindhya Range -form a triangle that border the Deccan
Plateau. The southern part of the Deccan Plateau is the
Karnataka Plateau where wild elephants roam. The mountains
can block the monsoon winds and make the area very arid.
Mt. Everest
Himalayas
•The Indus River runs through Pakistan.
Waters from the river waters orchards of
apples and peaches. The river empties
into the Arabian Sea and is known as the
“Cradle of Ancient India”
•The Brahmaputra River runs east through
the Himalayas then west where it joins the
Ganges and empties into the Bay of
Bengal at the Ganges River Delta. The
Brahmaputra is a major inland waterway.
•The Ganges River runs east from the
Himalaya and keeps it size even during the
dry season. Monsoons can cause huge
floods. Hindus consider the waters of the
Ganges as sacred. On the Indo-Gangetic
Plain (Ganges Plain), rice, sesame, sugar,
jute, and beans are grown here. The
world’s largest alluvial plain – floodplain on
which rivers have deposited rich soil. Most
densely populated area in the world where
1/10 of the world’s people live.
• The Vindhya Range divides India into
Northern India and Southern India.
Each region has distinct cultures with
different cuisine, architecture, and
religious practices.
•The island of Sri Lanka is a teardrop
shaped island off the south eastern tip
of India.
•The Maldives are an archipelago –
(chain of islands) that cover 38,000
miles, but makes up only 115 total
square miles of land. Most of the
islands are atolls.
There are 3 seasons – hot, cool, and wet. The rains
blow from the north and northeast to produce cool, dry
season, and from the south and southwest to produce
the rainy season.
Monsoons that blow over the Ganges-Brahmaputra
Delta hit the Himalayas which block the wind and rain
from progressing north. As a result, the rains move west
to the Ganges Plain.
Floods are a serious problem. When the rainy seasons
are inconsistent, drought can set in. Without the
monsoons, most of South Asia would be desert.
• 1.3 billion people – 1/5 of the world live in South Asia
• Population density is seven times the world average.
• The population of South Asia is expected to double by 2025
•Hundreds of languages – 19 major languages.
•Most in Northern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan speak Indo-European
languages.
•Hindi is spoken by half of India’s population.
•Urdu is the main language in Pakistan
•Bengali is the main language in Bangladesh
•The ancient Sanskrit –classical Aryan languages is still used for religion.
•India – Most Indians are Hindu.
•Pakistan – Most Pakistanis are Muslim
•Bangladesh – Most Bangladeshis are Muslim. This country was once called
East Pakistan
•Sri Lanka – Buddhist Sinhalese are the majority, but Hindu Tamils have been
fighting for independence since the early 1980’s.
•Bhutan and Nepal – most of the people are Buddhist.
•India – World’s largest democracy. Socialist (central planning until recently)
•Pakistan – democracy, but since 1971 military rule.
•Bangladesh – democracy.
•Sri Lanka – democracy, but Tamils claim discrimination and want
independence.
•Bhutan and Nepal – monarchies.
•Country was created from the British Raj – Hindu word for empire, for the
Hindu majority and granted independence in 1947.
•Upon independence, tried to reduce outside influence and dependence.
Recently has realized must compete globally and is moving to market economy.
•Largest part of the population are descendants of Aryans and Dravidians.
•Most Indians define themselves by religion and jati– a social group that defines
a family’s occupation and social standing.
•Indians focus on light industry – especially known for textiles (fabric) – cotton,
silk, and wool.
•COTTAGE INDUSTRY – business that employs workers in homes, and small
factories (less than 100 people) are common.
•BOLLYWOOD – nickname for the world’s largest film industry that produces
about 800 full-length films a year. It is centered in Mumbai.
• The countries were created out of the British Raj for the Muslim majority.
•East and West Pakistan were divided by India.
•In 1971, East Pakistan revolted against West Pakistan and established the
country of Bangladesh.
• Granted independence from Britain in 1948.
•The Sinhalese Buddhists control the government and make up 80% of the population.
•Since 1980’s the Hindu Tamil minority (20%) have been fighting for independence.
•Between 1984-2009 over 100,000 Sri Lankans were killed or disappeared.
•Officially war ended in 2009 when Sinhalese government declared victory after wiping out most of
the Tamil leadership.
•Remained independent of European control.
•Mountains have protected these countries from outside
influence.
•Most people are descendants of a group from Mongolia.
•There are two ethnic groups in Bhutan – Bhote and
Tibetans.
•There are many ethnic groups in Nepal, but most
famous is the Sherpas – Tenzing Norgay was first to top
of Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953.
•Most people of South Asia are rural. They live in villages and farm, life has changed
little for hundreds of years. Farms are divided among children, so every
generation the farms are smaller. Most farms are less than an acre.
•60% are subsistence farmers.
•Farming is low-tech and labor intensive – many people, human power.
•Nepal & Bhutan – terrace farming uses up all available arable land.
•Pakistan – fruit orchards in highland valleys.
•North India & Bangladesh – water above knees – grow rice. Second (China #1)
•Sri Lanka –huge tea, rubber, and coconut plantations set up by the British & Dutch use
high-tech methods. When colonists left, kept plantation system 75% of Sri Lanka is
cash crops – crops for sale or trade rather than food to feed people.
•Challenge is how to balance cash crops with needs of the people.
•Key cash crops are tea, cotton, spices and jute – fiber for making string and cloth.
•Food crops – major food crop of South Asia is rice. Wheat, millet, corn, and peanuts
are also grown.
• Education and government efforts have increased
productivity.
•Since 1960’s, crops have diversified and yield has increased,
but irrigation and fertilizers are expensive.
•Carefully manages irrigation, fertilizers, and high yielding
variety of crops.
•Animals: Religions of the area promote respect for all living
things. Some animals: elephants, water buffalo, monkeys,
crocodiles, Bengal tigers, blue sheep, and snow leopards have
all been or are on the endangered species list. Many are in
danger from deforestation and loss of habitat. Animal reserves
have been set up, along with laws controlling hunting and
logging, but poaching – illegal hunting is still an issue.
•Lack of clean water is another serious issue. India (the most
developed nation in the region) still has 80% of its people
without access to sanitation.
•Deforestation – has caused serious soil erosion problems, so
reforestation efforts are widespread across South Asia.
Indus River Valley – arose around 2500 BC.
Writing, built cities (maybe the first) with plumbing and sanitation, strong central
government, and had overseas trade
The Aryans – about 1600 BC
Vedas – sacred writings about religion and social structure. 4 groups of people:
priests & warriors – (nobles), artisans, farmers, and enslaved people – developed into a
class system (caste system). Caste system outlawed in 1947.
Mauryan Empire – 320-180 BC
Invaded through Khyber Pass controlled all but very southern tip of India.
Buddhist and non-violent.
Gupta Empire around 320 AD
Very advanced. Science, technology and art flourished under this Hindu
civilization. This group probably developed the numbers we use today.
Muslim forces conquered northern India – Mogul Empire. Many South Asians converted
to Islam.
1500’s Europeans arrived by sea. Trade was established. Portugal first.
1700’s – Britain becomes the major European power in South Asia. Introduced English
language, built railroads, developed a civil service, and revised the school system,
abolished the Caste System.
Mohandas K. Gandhi inspired Indians to protest British rule non-violently through boycott
of British goods and peaceful demonstrations. He promoted local industry. He worked
to end the social system. He was known as Mahatma or “Great Soul”
British India gained independence in 1947, but divided along religious lines. Areas with
majority Hindu – India. Areas with majority Muslim – Pakistan. Split many families.
Hundreds of thousands of Hindus in Pakistan moved to India and Muslims in India to
Pakistan. Violence erupted along the border.
Kashmir & Jammu:
The area of Kashmir is 65% administered by
India and 35% by Pakistan. The state is
predominately Muslim & Sikh. Both India and
Pakistan have nuclear weapons and tensions
are high between the two nations. The area
is also close to Afghanistan’s badlands
where al-Qaeda operatives train. US thought
Osama bin Laden was hiding there. Islamic
fundamentalists active in Afghanistan would
like to spread their influence into this area.
India has cracked down on the insurgency
that may be backed by Pakistan
Both Pakistan and India have had nuclear weapons since 1998.
For 40 years after independence, India was led by the Nehru family. Mohandas,
Indira and Rajiv Gandhi were all assassinated due to ethnic unrest in India.
Outsourcing – moving parts of a company’s operation to another location. When
US says outsourcing we usually refer to moving operations overseas. India and
Pakistan have benefited from English as a second language. Many IT support jobs
and telephone call centers are located in South Asia. Textiles and machine parts
have also relocated. India is a NIC – Newly Industrialized Country – main
economic activity is manufacturing. Main factor – cheaper labor. It is cheaper to
ship raw cotton from the USA to south and southeast Asia to make jeans and ship
them back than it is to make them here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2HPSzz2IfA
Pakistan:
Pakistan formed in 1947 when British India split into Hindu India and Muslim
Pakistan. Pakistan has been under military rule for most of its history. December
2007, the opposition leader, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was
assassinated. The 2008 elections brought an end to military rule, but the military
is struggling to regain power. The new government has tried to fight against
Islamist militants who want Sharia (Islamic law). The current president is Bhutto’s
husband, Asif Ali Zardari. The move toward democracy has been difficult, but
Pakistan has allowed US drone planes to fly into Afghanistan and is helping fight
against al-Qaeda. On May 2, 2011 Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Special
Forces in Abbotabad, Pakistan. The US has given of $20 billion in aid in return for
Pakistan’s role in the War on Terror (since 2001). Relations are strained between
the countries. US feels Pakistan probably knew of Bin Laden’s hideout. NATO
bombed two Pakistan border posts killing 24 Pakistani soldiers. NATO claims
they were targeting Taliban forces.
India – Naxalite (Maoist Uprising)
Large sections of central and eastern India have been controlled by
Maoist communists. The government has called them the “single biggest
internal security challenge faced by our country.” Many of the poor
support the Maoists for promises of land rights and more job
opportunities. The Maoists are well trained and leaders are ex-military.
Over 6,000 people have died in the last 10 years. The government has
started a program to flush out the Maoists, but the Maoists have retaliated
and violence is escalating.
Balochistan
The Balochistan conflict is an
ongoing conflict between Baloch
nationalists and the Governments of
Pakistan & Iran over issues ranging
from human rights abuses, more
autonomy, more royalties and
secession.
Shortly after Pakistan's creation in
1947, the Pakistan Army invaded
Balochistan which did not want to
become part of Pakistan. Under
British rule they had been
autonomous. Both Pakistan and Iran
have crushed any attempts by
separatists.
Balochistan is one of Pakistan’s
poorest regions although it has vast
natural resources. Many support the
Taliban in Afghanistan.
Architecture
• Taj Mahal – Agra, India.
Built by a Muslim
Emperor as a tomb for his
beloved wife. Islamic
style with Hindu
influences
• Golden Temple – Amritsar
is the holy Sikh temple
• New Delhi – western style
government buildings and
roads. Adjacent to
historic Delhi where there
are mosques, forts, and
bazaars.