South Asia

Nepal
Bangladesh
Bhutan

Pradeep Sapkota
Southern Arkansas University
WELCOME TO NEPAL
‘NAMASTE’ FROM NEPAL
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
 FACTS ON NEPAL

• Area: 147,181 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than
Arkansas
• Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
• Population:27,676,547 (July 2005 est.)
• Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%,
Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
• Government type: parliamentary democracy
and constitutional monarchy
• Capital: Kathmandu
• Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees per US dollar – 62.75 rupees
(2008) 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003),
HINDU TEMPLES
BUDDHIST MONASTRIES
MOUNTAINS OF NEPAL
MOUNT EVEREST 8850 M.
NEPALESE LANDSCAPES
THRILLS IN NEPAL
NEPALESE HERITAGES
ROYAL FAMILY OF NEPAL
COSTUMES OF NEPAL
NEPALESE SCRIPT
BANGLADESH (The People’s
Republic of Bangladesh)
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
Facts on Bangladesh

• Area: 147570 sq. km (94th) 55,599 sq. miles 

• Capital: Dhaka
• Official Language: Bangla
• Government: Parliamentary Republic
• Independence: March 26, 1971 (From
Pakistan)
• Population: 150,448,340 (2007
estimate)
• Currency: Taka ($1= 67.42 taka)
• Religion: Islam (State Religion)
History
• Shared with that of India
• Aryans arrived in seventh century B.C.
• Shashanka considered first king
• Sufi missionaries introduced Islam (12th
century)
• 1947- East Bengal & Later East Pakistan
(Part of Pakistan)
• 1970 massive cyclone started fire
against Pakistan regime
• March 26, 1971 independence (Indian
Support)
National Symbols
• Animal : Royal Bengal Tiger
• Bird: Oriental Magpie Robin
• Flower: White Water Lily
• Fruit: Jackfruit
• Sport: Kabadi
Foreign Policy
• Member of Commonwealth of
Nations
• Member of UN Security Council
• Member of SAARC (South Asian
Association for Regional
Cooperation)
• Close relation with India due to
‘independence war’ ties
Geography- An insight
Geography: Contd.
• Lies in low-lying Ganges-
Brahmaputra river delta- rich in
alluvial soil
• Rivers finally lead in to Bay of
Bengal
• Highest Elevation: 3451 feet
(Chittgong Hill Tracts)
• Coastline- Marshy jungles
Weather
• Lies in tropic of Cancer- Tropical
summer and mild winter
• Monsoon rain
• Extremely vulnerable to natural
calamities
• September 1998, most severe flooding
in history of mankind (noted).
– 2/3rd country under water
– 1000 people killed
– 30 million made homeless
Costumes
Culture
• Shares with India and Pakistan
• Bengali Language primary language
• Rice and curry traditional food
• Bangladeshi sweetmeats from milk
products unique
• Major festival: Eid but also practice
Hindu festivals (Durga Puja and
Saraswoti Puja) or Buddhist festivals
(Buddha Purnima)
• Popular sports: Cricket, Hockey, Soccer,
Kabadi etc.
Bhutan (Kingdom of Bhutan)
Geographic Location
Facts on Bhutan
• Capital: Thimphu
• Official Language: Dzongkha
• Government: Constitutional
Monarchy
• Area: 18,147 sq. miles
• Population: 672,425 (2005
estimate)
• Currency: Ngultrum or Indian
Currency
• $1 = 39.956 Ngultrum
History and Foreign Affairs
• Called the country of ‘thunder dragon’
• Extremely isolated nation
• Bhutan- means south of Tibet (Sanskrit)
• Country’s history ranges as early as
2000 BCE
• Extremely rich cultural heritage
• Member of SAARC
• Close to India
• Economy growth rate 8% (2005) 14%
(2006)
Geography and Religion
• North- Mountain peaks (~ 7000
meters)
• Gangkhar Puensum (7553m)
tallest unclimbed mountain)
• South- Shiwalik Hills- dense forest

• Population: Mostly Buddhist. Then

Hindus
Topography
Images: Monastery
Currency
National Dress
Thanka- National Treasure
Cumulative Sources
• www.oanda.com
• www.finance.yahoo.com
• www.wikipedia.org
• SAU Magale Library
• www.virtualbangladesh.com
• www.nepalnews.com
• www.artfiles.com
• Textbook
Questions ???