Political Geography of South Asia

Indus Valley Culture Hearth

British Rule • British colonialism (early 1800s to 1947)

– Brits help unify India by:

• Functional Railroad

• Lingua franca

• Create an educated ruling class

• Establish ports/trade

Mohandas Gandhi • Father of Indian independence

Non-violent resistance

Salt March

Boycotts

Indian Independence

1947

Partition

Term refers to the division of British controlled India into three countries:

India

East Pakistan (becomes Bangladesh)

West Pakistan (becomes Pakistan)

Partition

Conflict in Kashmir

• Kashmir

– Land claimed by India and Pakistan

– India owns it

– ¾ pop is Muslim

Conflict in Sri Lanka -Sinhalese (Buddhist) vs. Tamils (Hindus)

-Sinhalese = main ethnic group

- Tamils = minority group seeking independence

Conflict in Nepal

• 2006ish

• Maoist (commie) rebels overthrew monarchy

Nuclear Politics India and Pakistan have nukes

Will they use them?

Could $ be better spent?