South Asia represents one of the most significant regions in terms of human history. The Indus River system is the location of multiple ancient civilizations and considerable archaeological studies are finding substantial evidence of ancient human communities and landscape modification.

This realm has been critical throughout human history playing the role of a corridor for human migration and settlement. The realm is well-watered and contains many rivers which assist in the movement of people and their belongings and also provide moisture for agriculture.

In more modern history, can you believe that Great Britain ran this large piece of real estate for nearly 100 years? Staggering…

Everything from present-day Pakistan to present-day Bangladesh once fell under control of the British Crown. After World War 2, Britain was too distracted by its own re-construction to be able to manage its overseas territories. Eventually, India was turned loose, on its own, but not after being heavily influenced and directed by Great Britain.

Even India couldn’t hold together its parts for very long. East and West Pakistan were created to help establish countries that essentially recognized the differences between the Hindu and Muslim populations. East and West Pakistan couldn’t keep it together, either, one government managing two different cultures that share one religion, separated by almost 900 miles. In 1973, after a three-month civil war, Pakistan and Bangladesh were born.

This is one of our smaller realms, in terms of size, but not in terms of population. India has population of slightly over 1,000,000,000 (one billion) people and is on pace to become more populous than China in about two decades.

By 2025, the entire sub-continent may become the world’s most populous realm, as well. The realm is a hot-bed of commerce and economic growth (India) and also extremist movements (Pakistan). The Himalayas are a prominent physiographic feature that separates this realm from Central and East Asia.