1) What areas of South Asia have the highest population densities? What areas have the lowest? How do these rates relate spatially to fertility rates in the region—are there any visible correlations? How might you begin to explain these population densities and fertility rates?
Population densities are highest in cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh; Kathmandu in Nepal; Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte in Sri Lanka; and Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Dhaka, Chittagong and Kolkata in India. Population densities are lowest in Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Himachal Pradesh in Northern India; and Western Pakistan regions.
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The fertility rates are highest in the Northern parts of South Asia covering cities such as Delhi, New Delhi, Jaipur and Kanpur in India, which also have among the highest population densities. Regions with lowest population densities in India such as Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu and Kashmir have medium fertility rate of between 2.1 to 3.0 children per woman; and Himachal Pradesh, which has low population density less than 6 people per square kilometer has the lowest fertility are of 1.8 to 2.0 children per woman.
The population density increases with an increase fertility rates and vice versa such that, people living in regions with higher records of fertility rates will multiply and increase at a faster rate while those in areas of low fertility rates with increase at a very low rate.
2) What geopolitical changes have taken place in the region between the years 1700 and 2000? Which European countries were directly involved in these changes? What are the present-day countries that make up the South Asia region, and have their borders changed between 1700 and 2000? If so, how?
The main geopolitical change that has taken place in South Asia is demarcation of the countries to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan among others from a predominantly Mughal empire with a few cities along the coastline in India and Sri Lanka being territories and in possession by the Dutch, Portuguese and English. During the period between 1700 and 2000, in 1900 the South Asia region was divided politically into Indian States, Regions with direct British rule and regions under British protectorate.
The geopolitical changes has occurred due to interaction with Britain, France, Portugal and Netherlands. The countries that make up South Asia include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The border under Mughal Empire representing South Asia in 1700 had changed by the year 2000 such that to the Northeast part of South Asia, the territories forming parts of India and Nepal have increased especially in regions like Pradesh regions. The country Bhutan that was not part of the Mughal Empire was also formed. To the western part of South Asia, the Mughal empire borders reduced to cover the Pakistan border.
3) What major natural resources are found in this region, and where are they located? What are some of the major industrial products produced in the region, and where are they located in relation to natural resources? How might you explain this spatial relationship?
The major natural resources in South Asia include forests located in Parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, oil and gas in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh; coconuts in southern India; rice in India; minerals such as copper and iron in India.
The major industrial products in the region include minerals, coal, oil and gas, agricultural produce such as rice, peanut, wheat, chickpea and millet. The industrial districts are located in parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, which are within the natural deposits of minerals such as iron, manganese, chrome, copper and bauxite; and within regions, which are oil and gas fields. In addition, industrial centers exist in areas which agricultural produce like rice, wheat and chickpeas.
The industries are set up in close proximity to the raw materials, which would be used for their operations. In South Asia, the food processing industries are set up in close proximity to the farms for the agricultural raw material they use as raw materials. The mining and oil industries are also set up in close proximity to the mineral deposits and oil and gas fields to ease costs on transportation and to promote resource development.
