South Asia
Review of South Asia1
• Questions
• South Asia
– Population Geography
• Physiological vs. arithmetic population density
• Demographic transition model
Population Geography
• Spatial view of demography
– Study of population distribution, composition,
rates of growth, and patterns of flow
• Population density
– Arithmetic
– Physiologic
• Key measures
– Rate of natural increase
– Doubling time
Arithmetic vs.Physiologic
Population Densities
• Arithmetic density:
– Population/unit land area)
• Physiologic density:
– Population/unit area of arable land
• Arable land
– Land suitable for plowing and crop production
– Land which can be cultivated
– (does not include grazing land)
Arithmetic vs.Physiological
Population Densities
Country
Canada
Arithmetic
Physiological
density (per mi2) density (per mi2)
8
164
Netherlands
1,029
4,955
Egypt
192
9,638
India
855
1,688
Bangladesh
2,510
3,800
POPULATION GROWTH
Doubling Time
•
•
•
•
The 29th Day
China: 60 years in 1985, now 82 years
India: 31 years in 1985, now 42 years
Family planning
'Simple answer for a healthy family:
The second child should come after three
years'
During the National Emergency
(1975-77), the emphasis on
family planning posters was not
to have more than two children.
This was certainly unpalatable for
the masses.
This poster seems a lot more
democratic in conveying the
underlying message.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION MODEL
PAKISTAN (AT PARTITION)
India
West Pakistan
East Pakistan
(Bangladesh
after 1971)
P
A
K
I
S
T
A
N
Pakistan
• Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Population of 150 million
• Official language:Urdu (Arabic+Farsi+Hindi)
– Urdu is written in Arabic script/Hindi is written in Devanagari
• Capital: Karachi-Islamabad
– Forward capital
• 80% Sunni Muslims; 16% Shia minority
• Subregions:
–
–
–
–
Punjab (2) – 60% of Palistani population – Punjabi
Sind – Hyderabad – 2 too!
Baluchistan
North west frontier
Kashmir
• Independence & partition
– Jammu & Kashmir: Hindu India or Muslim Pakistan?
– Hindu Maharaja but Muslim majority
– Attempts to remain outside both India and Pakistan at Independence
• 1947 – Pakistani tribesmen invade
• January 1949 – U.N. Cease fire
• Kashmir was partitioned
• 1980-88 Muslims continue insurgency
• 1990-95: 10,000 killed
• 1998: Nuclear ‘tests’ by India and Pakistan
INDIA
INDIA
• Federation of 28 STATES, 6 Union
Territories, & National Capital Territory
• Population: 1.27 billion
– Is a billion 109 or 1012 ?
• 28% urbanized
• 14 official languages
– numerous minor languages
– Hindi is official language
– English is lingua franca)
Why has India remained united?
• From a cultural/political standpoint:
• Centripetal forces
– Forces that unite and bind together
– Satisfaction with government
– Sense of justice and shared opportunity
• Centrifugal forces
– Forces that divide and encourage secession
– Religious, racial, linguistic, political divisions
Centrifugal Forces
• 25 separate states
• 14 official languages
• 150 million Muslims
– Largest minority in the world
• 20 million Sikhs
• Thousands of castes
Centripetal Forces
•
•
•
•
Hinduism
Government institutions
Infrastructure
Common opposition to British rule
– Pacifism of Mahatma Ghandi
Economic Development
• GDP: US$450 per capita
• 38% live below the poverty line
• A mixture of traditional village farming and
modern agriculture
• Handicrafts, old and new branches of industry
• Multitude of support services and nuclear
power
• Textiles & clothing
• IT services