1. Chapter 25 Human Geography of South Asia A Region of Contrasts
Objective: Compare features of Human Geography in the Seven countries of South Asia

2. Chapter 25 Section 1 India
Vocabulary: Mughal Empire, Raj, Nonviolent Resistance, Land Reform, Green Revolution, & Caste System
Objective: Define the nature of India’s government & identify some of its challenges

3. Invasions, Empires, & Independence
Indian culture is a blend of many different customs & traditions
Civilization began in the Indus Valley around B.C.
Aryans migrated into the area & played a key role in the development of Indian civilization
Persians & Greeks also occupied the Indus Valley
The Mauryan Empire united most of India
Muslims conquered the region establishing the Mughal Empire

4. Invasions, Empires, & Independence
The British East India Company came to India to obtain spices
Britain established direct rule over India (called the raj)
The British control lasted for 90 years
Mohandas Gandhi began a nonviolent resistance to gain independence
Pakistan & Bangladesh decided to break away from India due to religious differences

5. Governing the World’s Largest Democracy
India adopted a constitution & became a democratic republic in 1950
However, like Britain they have a parliamentary government with the Prime Minister becoming the head of the government
Many different ethnic, cultural, & religious factors influence Indian politics
India is mostly Hindu but they have a Muslim minority
However, they do solve political conflicts peacefully

6. Economic Challenges
2/3’s of India’s people rely on farming for their livelihood
Most farm families struggle to survive
Land Reform (distribution of land) is a proposed solution to the problem
India is now a major producer of iron & steel, chemicals, machinery, & food products
Other cities like Bangalore are becoming high-tech cities

7. Life in Modern India & Indian Culture
Most Indians follow the custom of arranged marriages (divorce is rare)
Indian families are large & very connected
Most Indians ear vegetarian diets & limit meat consumption because of religious practices
The government has placed a high priority on improving public education
Hindi is the official language but English is still widely used
80% of the population practice Hinduism
They believe in reincarnation, karma, & are polytheistic
The caste system is used to place people in social classes

8. Chapter 25 Section 2 Pakistan & Bangladesh
Vocabulary: Indus Valley Civilization, Partition, Kashmir, Microcredit, Entrepreneur, & Ramadan
Objective: Analyze the economies of the two countries

9. New Countries, Ancient Lands
The Indus Valley Civilization (modern-day Pakistan) began around 2500 B.C.
It had well-planned cities containing brick buildings & sophisticated sanitation
The region later was controlled by several different ethnic groups until the arrival of the British
Partition (division) of India came after the end of British rule in with Muslims creating West & East Pakistan
Ethnic differences caused East Pakistan to fight for independence creating Bangladesh

10. Struggling Economies
Most farmers in Pakistan & Bangladesh work small plots of land & struggle to survive
Pakistan is mostly arid which affect agriculture
Bangladesh is affected by seasonal monsoons & cyclones
Neither country is highly industrialized but are trying to improve their industries
They have developed microcredit to provide small loans to entrepreneurs to start their own businesses in hopes to improve their economy

11. One Religion, Many People
Islam has long played an important role in Pakistan & Bangladesh
They observe Islamic customs including daily prayer & Ramadan (month-long period of fasting from sunrise to sunset)
Pakistan is stricter in imposing Islamic law while Bangladesh is less strict
Pakistanis practice purdah (women can’t have contact with men who are not relatives)
Pakistan is also more ethnically diverse than Bangladesh

12. Modern Life & Culture
Like in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh have arrange marriages & large families
Most people live in simple homes but they do have major cities that are crowded
Poetry is a special interest in both Pakistan & Bangladesh
Poets are popular figures & mushairas (poetry readings) draw thousands of people
Music & dance are also important forms of expression in Bangladesh & Pakistan

13. Chapter 25 Section 3 Nepal & Bhutan
Vocabulary: Constitutional Monarchy, Sherpa, Siddhartha Gautama, & Mandala
Objective: Compare the aspects of the economies of Nepal & Bhutan

14. Mountain Kingdoms
The main geographic feature of Nepal & Bhutan is their mountainous landscape
The rugged mountainous landscape of Nepal & Bhutan has isolated the two countries throughout their histories
Nepal & Bhutan remained independent & isolated
Both Nepal & Bhutan are constitutional monarchies (rulers power limited by a constitution)

15. Developing Economies
Nepal & Bhutan are poor countries with economies based mainly on agriculture
Most of the land is not suitable for cultivation
Farmers practice terraced farming to increase the amount of farmland & limit soil loss
The timber industry is very important to both countries
Most trade for both countries is with India
One of the fastest growing industries in Nepal is tourism
However, in Bhutan regulates the tourist industries

16. Rich Cultural Traditions
Various ethnic groups inhabit the Himalayan region
The Sherpas in Nepal are the high Himalayas are the traditional mountain guides of the Everest region
The main ethnic group in Bhutan is the Bhote, who trace their origins to Tibet
Buddhism has deep roots in Nepal since its founder Siddhartha Gautama was born there
Buddhism is the official religion in Bhutan
Folk art & festivals are an important feature of Himalayan culture

17. Chapter 25 Section 4 Sri Lanka & the Maldives
Vocabulary: Sinhalese, Tamils, & Sultan
Objective: Summarize religious, ethnic, & cultural life there

18. History of the Islands
The Sinhalese migrated from India to Sri Lanka, adopting Buddhism & building a irrigation system
The Tamils then migrated to Sri Lanka, bringing a different culture
Britain took control of the Island until they gained independence
Tensions continue between the Sinhalese & Tamils in Sri Lanka
The Maldives were settled by Buddhist & Hindus until being converted to Islam by Arab traders
In 1968, the Maldives declared itself a republic

19. Life in the Islands
Sri Lanka is a diverse mix of ethnic & religious groups with Sinhalese Buddhists making up 75% of the population
18% are Tamil Hindus & 7% are Muslims
Most people in Sri Lanka continue to live in smaller towns & villages
The population of the Maldives are Sinhalese who mixed with Arabs
Art & literature are strongly influenced by their religious traditions

20. Economic Activity in the Islands
Sri Lanka has an economy based on agriculture by producing rice, rubber, & coconuts
They are also a leading tea producing country
Maldives economy is based on fishing & tourism
Warfare in Sri Lanka made their tourist industry collapse