Pakistan•2x the size of California•Mostly Muslim – 97%•World’s 2nd largest peak in the world, K2, is in the Karakoram Mountain Range in Pakistan•Kashmir: territory between Pakistan & India and claimed by both countries, mostly due to its vast water resources. It has sparked 3 wars. Both nations have nuclear weapons.

Pakistan’s Government

• parliamentary democracy • The constitution of the Islamic Republic of

Pakistan, 1973 provides for a parliamentary system with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government.

Current Prime Minister: Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Current President: Asif Ali Zardari

Pakistan’s Major Languages:

–Urdu – Official language –Punjabi–Sindi–English

is “hello” In Urdu ہیلو

The People

• 70% live in rural villages• Follow traditional customs • Live in small houses of clay or sundried mud• Some large cities such as the seaport: Karachi

on the Arabian Sea and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

Bangladesh

About the size of the US state of Iowa and surrounded by India.2 major rivers flow through the country: Ganges & Bramaputra Rivers.

After the monsoons, cyclones (intense storms with heavy rain and high winds) often hit this nation.

Deadly tidal waves often come from the Bay of Bengal

Government in Bangladesh

• Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy. The head of the government is Prime Minister and the head of the state is President.

• Zillur Rahman, President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Economy in Bangladesh• If rains come too late in the year, crops die and

people starve. Sometimes floods destroy crops too• Most people are farmers.• Rice is the most important crop – harvested 3

times a year.• Other crops are tea, sugarcane, jute, and wheat• They cannot grow enough food for their people

due to using few modern tools and outdated farming methods.

People of Bangladesh•133.5 million people live here•One of the most densely populated countries in the world•One of the poorest countries in the world•80% of it’s people live in rural areas•Because of floods, people have to build their houses on platforms•Many live in crowded cities such as Dhaka (nation’s capital) and work in factories.•Muslim is the primary religion.•Bengali is the language mostly spoken.

Nepal• About the size of the US state Arkansas• 80% of the land is the Himalayan Mountains• Home to 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world, including

the highest – Mt. Everest• Large tourist industry due to climbers and hikers

Government

• Parliamentary democracy

President (head of state) Prime Minister(head of government)

is Ram Baran Yadav. is Jhalanath Khana

Nepal’s Economy• Large tourist industry due to climbers and hikers• Most of the economy relies on farming rice,

sugarcane, wheat, corn, potatoes – these feed the families of Nepal

• Most farmers have crops growing on mountain slopes

• Lots of flooding due to no erosion from no trees on the slopes anymore

Nepal’s People

• 23.5 million• Sherpa people are known for skill in guiding

mountain climbers• 85% of people live in rural villages• Largest city: Kathmandu (and nation’s capital)• Religions: Both Hindu and Buddhism• Buddha was born in Nepal with the name

Siddartha Gautama

Bhutan

• About ½ the size of theUS state of Indiana

• Large part of land is theHimalayan Mountains

• Bhutan means “land of the thunder dragon” andIs called that due to the violentMountain storms• Mild climate in foothills• Lots of thick forests in the north• Plains & river valleys in the south

Bhutan’s Government

Constitutional Monarchy

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

This country has a new democratic system, which comprises an upper and lower house of elected officials being led by their new king.

About the King:After completing his higher secondary studies from Yangchenphu Higher secondary school, Bhutan, he studied abroad at Phillips Academy, Cushing Acadmy and Wheaton College Massachusetts, United States. before graduating from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Bhutan’s Economy

• 90% of the people are subsistence farmers• Live in mountain valleys and grow oranges rice, corn,

potatoes, and the spice cardamom• Herd cattle and yaks• Road building is difficult with the mountains• There are no railroads• Hydroelectric plants create electricity from rushing

mountain waters• Exports electricity to Inida• Tourism is increasing but is limited by the government to

protect cultural traditions

Bhutan’s People

• 900,000 people• Speak the Dzonkha dialect• Live in rural villages• Thimphu is the capital• Buddhist nation – once called “Hidden Holy

Land” as it is an isolated area• Many dzongs – Buddhist prayer centers exist

Sri Lanka• Island 20 miles off the southern coast of India• A little larger than US West Virginia• There are white beaches, thick forests, & abundant wildlife.• Monsoon winds and heavy rains make it good farmland• Farmers grow rice in thelowlands and in higherelevations, they grow tea, rubber, and coconuts

They are also famous for sapphires, rubies and otherprecious gemstones.

Sri Lanka’s Government

• democratic, socialist republic and a unitary state

• The government is a mixture of the presidential system and the parliamentary system.

• Current President: Mahinda Rajapaksa

Incumbent

Mahinda Rajapaksa

The People of Sri Lanka

• 2 major ethnic groups: Sinhalese & Tamils• Sinhalese: 74% of population, live in the south

and western parts of the island, speak Sinhalese and are mostly Buddhist

• Tamils: 18% of the population, live in the north and eastern parts of the island, speak Tamil, and are mostly Hindu.

• Civil Wars have broken out between these 2 groups