Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri

Lanka

The Cultural Histories

The People

Nepal has a mix of ethnic groups› Indo-Nepalese

Migrated from South› Tibeto-Nepalese

Migrated from North Known for mountaineering skills

Bhutan made up mostly of Bhote Maldives

› Mix of southern India, Sri Lanka, East Africa, and Arabia Sri Lanka has 2 main ethnic groups

› Buddhist Sinhalese Majority and run the government

› Hindu Tamils› Been fighting for independent Tamil since 1980’s.

Over 60,000 Sri Lankans have been killed or disappeared.

Distribution and Density

Nepal and Bhutan› Densities avg. 55 – 447 people/sq. mi. (South)› Decreases as elevation increases (North)

25 people/sq. mi. in Himalayan Highlands› Kathmandu Valley – Nepal’s most dense

Sri Lanka› 778 people / sq. mi.

Maldives› Made up of 1,190 islands› 2,586 people / sq. mi.

History

Licchavi established in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley.› Rulers from India

Conquered by Shah dynasty› Spread to South where

Britain ruled› Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-

1816) Reduced size, but

maintained independence.

History

Bhutan (1600’s)› Tibetan Buddhism spread

from monks fleeing Tibet in 800 A.D.

Sri Lanka› Sinhalese arrived from India (500’s

B.C.)› Developed on sea trade route

Maldives› Settled by Buddhists from South Asia› Islam introduced around 12th century› Portuguese arrived late 1400’s

Religion

Nepal› Hinduism is majority› Buddhism is also practiced

Bhutan and Sri Lanka › Buddhism is dominate religion› Smaller numbers practice Hinduism

Bhutan and Nepal› Colorful prayer flags flown› Prayer wheels on display› Monks chant mantras (repetitive prayers)

Religion Maldives was founded by

Muslim traders as a Islam state.

Language

Nepal › Nepali widely spoken› 12 other languages present

Sri Lanka › Sinhalese

Official language› Tamil

From Dravidians Maldives

› Dhivehi Official language

› English Bhutan

› DzongkaTibetan origin

Education

Maldives› Literacy rate 97%› Teach Quran in traditional

schools› English language schools teach

children through secondary level.

Sri Lanka› Free education from primary

through university Bhutan

› Only 20% elementary aged student attend school.

› Literacy rate 47% Nepal

› Literacy rate 48%

Health Care

Quality and availability is low

Hospitals and health care officials are too few to meet needs of people.› Low life expectancy

Sri Lanka - 73 years is highest› Scarcity of clean water

Waterborne disease (cholera, dysentery)

Maldives› Rely on traditional medicine

Arts

Buddhist stupas (domed shrines)› In Nepal and Sri Lanka

Dzong (Fortified Monasteries) › Bhutan

Dance is popular in Bhutan and Nepal› Tells religious/historical

stories