South Asia is made up of the countries we practiced: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldive Islands.
India is the largest country in this region. India is about 1/3 the size of the United States. However, it has the largest population on earth: 1.4+ billion. Some of its' cities are very crowded. In comparison, the United States has about 330 million people.
The religions most practiced today are Hinduism and Islam.
Lots of people (81%) in India believe in Hinduism. Followers of Hinduism still believe in many gods and goddesses and that the Ganges River is holy. In fact, they like to bathe in the Ganges as often as possible. This is a spiritual bathing like a baptism. They also use cremation when people die and still believe a person can live more than one life.
Unfortunately, people in India deal with many problems. They lack clean drinking water and safe sewer systems. Polluted rivers is a huge problem. As a result many die each year of bacterial infections. A good education is not available for everyone either. Cities are overcrowded and housing is hard to find. They also lack some items we take for granted such as unpaved roads and good technology like internet.
Popular sports are cricket, soccer, and field hockey. Cricket is watched by everyone. When India beats its' rival, Pakistan, there are big celebrations with fireworks, music, and parties. Cricket is kind of like baseball - you can watch the video below that explains how to play. Most people like to watch TV. The movies they make are called "Bollywood" after Hollywood in the United States.
Women in India might wear a sari which is a long length of fabric wrapped in many ways and place a red dot on their forehead which is called a "bindi". This is usually done for special occasions. Meals are spicy and they really like rice, onions, and coconut. Many are vegetarians and do not eat meat. They believe cows are sacred and it is common to see cows wander the streets in India today.
Pakistan, India's neighbor, is a mostly Muslim country. This means most people there believe in the religion of Islam. Pakistan and India have not always gotten along. They have fought over water, religion, and land.
Other countries nearby are very poor. Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan are among the poorest countries in the world. They are struggling to build a good economy and make life better. Most people in these countries live in small villages and are farmers. Some even live without electricity or running water. This means no indoor bathroom or AC.
All of these countries depend on the monsoons just like they did thousands of years ago. Monsoons are seasonal winds that bring rain in the summer. This brings much needed moisture for crops to grow. However, sometimes too much rain causes flooding. Some villages in Nepal and Bangladesh build their houses on stilts due to the monsoons.