ABSTRACT
Geographically, South Asia is easily demarcated. It is bounded on the north, northwest, and the northeast by the Himalayas and its sub-ranges. The vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, with the Arabian Sea to its west and the Bay of Bengal to its east, marks off the region from the rest of the world. The region has one of the largest alluvial soil systems of the world formed by three great rivers, the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra. The eight countries of this region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – share common rivers, mountain systems, oceans, and ecological cycles. Except for narrow water corridors between the subcontinent and Sri Lanka and Maldives, the whole region is a contiguous land mass without any natural barriers between the countries. In addition to geographic contiguity, the eight countries in South Asia share a common colonial past, historical ties, religious and cultural traditions, linguistic affinities, and values and social norms.
