Eastern South Asia | |
---|---|
Area | 1,014,872 km2 (391,842 sq mi) (29th) |
Population | 565,662,147 (2022; 3rd) |
Population density | 557/km2 (1,444/sq mi) |
HDI | 0.641 (medium) |
Countries | Bangladesh Bhutan India (East India and Northeast India) Nepal |
Languages | Most common first languages: |
Time zones | UTC+5:30; UTC+5:45; UTC+06:00 |
Internet TLD | .in, .bd, .np, .bt |
Calling code | Zone 8 & 9 |
Largest city | Largest urban areas: |
Religions | Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Irreligion, Tribal, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism Zoroastrianism |
Ethnic groups | Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Kolarian, Khasi |
Eastern South Asia[1][2][3] is a geographical area in South Asia, in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. It includes the countries of Bangladesh (East Bengal), Bhutan, India (specifically East India and Northeast India) and Nepal. Geographically, it lies between the Eastern Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal. Two of the world's largest rivers, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, flow into the sea through the Bengal region. The region includes the world's highest mountainous terrain, the Himalayas, and the world's largest delta, the Ganges Delta, and has a climate ranging from alpine and subalpine to subtropical and tropical. Since Nepal, Bhutan, Northeast India and parts of East India are landlocked, the coastlines of Bangladesh and East India (in West Bengal and Odisha) serve as the principal gateways to the region.
With more than 441 million inhabitants, Eastern South Asia is home to 6% of the world's population and 25% of South Asia's population. The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Initiative promotes economic integration in the region. The four countries are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. Yunnan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Myanmar are historically, economically, and culturally interdependent on Eastern South Asia. The Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar Forum has established an economic corridor in the region.