INDIA
Full country name:
Republic of India
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Population:
1,000,848,550 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.68% (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3%
Languages (official):
English for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, & Sanskrit
Religions:
Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5%, other 0.4%
from CIA Fact Book
The Republic of India is a large and diverse country in Southern Asia. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and Pakistan, China, and Nepal to the North. The country has a population of over 1 billion people, the majority of which are of an Indo-Aryan background. There is also a relatively large Dravidian population and a small Mongoloid presence. There are essentially two national languages in India - English (used for national, political, and commercial communication) and Hindi (the primary tongue of about 30% of the population. However, there is a total of about sixteen spoken languages and numerous dialects scattered throughout the country. The primary religion in India is Hinduism, but there are many other religions practiced in the country including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, and various tribal [Animist] traditions. The traditional view regarding the origin of Indian society is that the Aryans, a nomadic group from central Asia, invaded India around 2000-1700 BCE and introduced their culture and religion to the country. However, there is now evidence of an Indus Valley civilization, which flourished around 2750 BCE or earlier and may have had a great influence on the religious and cultural development in India.
The traditional view regarding the origin of Indian society is that the Aryans, a nomadic group from central Asia, invaded India around 2000-1700 BCE and introduced their culture and religion to the country. However, there is now evidence of an Indus Valley civilization, which flourished around 2750 BCE or earlier and may have had a great influence on the religious and cultural development in India.
NEPAL
Kingdom of Nepal
Southern Asia, between China and India
24,302,653 (July 1999 est.)
2.51% (1999 est.)
Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas
Nepali, 20 other languages divided into numerous dialects
Hindu 90%, Buddhist 5%, Muslim 3%, other 2% (1981) note: only official Hindu state in the world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu and Buddhist groups
The Kingdom of Nepal is located in Southern Asia just south of the Himalayas and is bordered by China and Tibet to the North, and India to the south. The country has a population of over 24 million divided into ten ethnic groups Newars, Parbatiya, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magyars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, and Sherpas. The official language is Nepali, but there are many other languages and dialects, including both Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman groups. Nepal is currently the only official Hindu state in the world, but there is also a Buddhist presence in the northern mountain regions, some Muslim groups, and various tribal traditions. The first civilizations in Nepal, which flourished around the 6th century BCE, were confined to the Katmandu Valley where the present-day capital of the same name is located. It was in this region that Prince Siddhartha Gautama, or Sakyamuni, was born c. 563 BCE. Sakyamuni achieved enlightenment and spawned Buddhist belief. Due to the increased influence of India, however, Buddhism gave way to Hinduism. The Hindus introduced the caste system to Nepal, which endures to this day.
The first civilizations in Nepal, which flourished around the 6th century BCE, were confined to the Katmandu Valley where the present-day capital of the same name is located. It was in this region that Prince Siddhartha Gautama, or Sakyamuni, was born c. 563 BCE. Sakyamuni achieved enlightenment and spawned Buddhist belief. Due to the increased influence of India, however, Buddhism gave way to Hinduism. The Hindus introduced the caste system to Nepal, which endures to this day.
SRI LANKA
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
19,144,875 (July 1999 est.)
1.1% (1999 est.)
Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Languages:
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken by about 10% of the population
Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8%
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island located in Southern Asia, just south of India. The country has a population of over 19 million, consisting of about 75% Sinhalese, 20% Tamil, and other groups. The official language is Sinhala, but Tamil is also widely spoken and English is commonly used in the government. The primary religion in Sri Lanka is Buddhism, but there are also many Hindus, Christians, and Muslims in the country. In the third century BCE, a monk named Mahinda, the son of the Indian Mauryan emperor Ashoka, introduced a version of Buddhism called Theravada Buddhism ('Way of the Elders') to Sri Lanka. Indo-Aryans migrated from India around the 5th century BCE and came to form the largest ethnic group on Sri Lanka today, the Sinhalese. Another ethnic group on the island, the Tamils, were originally from southern India. The Tamil minority is primarily Hindu, while the Sinhalese majority is largely Buddhist.
