South Asia: Review and Self-Test

1. Environment: Climate change puts more lives at risk in South Asia than in any other region in the world, primarily due to water-related issues. Over the short term, droughts, floods, and the increased severity of storms imperil many urban and agricultural areas. Over the longer term, sea level rise may profoundly affect coastal areas and glacial melting poses a threat to rivers and aquifers.

2. Globalization and Development: Globalization benefits some South Asians more than others. Educated and skilled South Asian workers with jobs in export-connected and technology-based industries and services are paid more and sometimes have better working conditions. Less-skilled workers in both urban and rural areas are left with demanding but very low-paying jobs.

3. Power and Politics: India, South Asia’s oldest, largest, and strongest democracy, has shown that the expansion of political freedoms can ameliorate conflict. Across the region, when people have been able to participate in policy-making decisions and implementation—especially at the local level—seemingly intractable conflict has been diffused and combatants have been willing to take part in peaceful political processes.

4. Urbanization: South Asia has two general patterns of urbanization: one for the rich and the middle classes and one for the poor. The areas that the rich and the middle classes occupy include sleek, modern skyscrapers bearing the logos of powerful global companies, universities, upscale shopping districts, and well-appointed apartment buildings. The areas that the urban poor occupy are chaotic, crowded, and violent, with overstressed infrastructures and menial jobs. These two patterns often coexist in very close proximity.

5. Population and Gender: In this most densely populated of world regions, population growth is slowing as the demographic transition takes hold. Birth rates are falling due to rising incomes, urbanization, better access to health care, and the fact that women are finding more opportunities to study and work outside the home, and thus are delaying childbearing and having fewer children. However, a severe gender imbalance is developing in this region due to age-old beliefs that males are more useful to families than are females. As a result, adult males significantly outnumber adult females.