Map South Asia

Over the last 25 years, South Asian economies that were once weak and slow-growing have begun to develop very quickly. India has one of the largest economies in the world and it’s the second fastest growing economy behind China. Even though constant war has been a challenge to industry, Sri Lanka’s economy is also growing quickly. Major industries in South Asia include agriculture, textiles and manufacturing.

Major industries in South Asia include agriculture, textiles and manufacturing.

Even though South Asian economies are developing quickly overall, there are millions of people who are not benefiting from the growth.

South Asia is the most densely-populated region in the world. The population of India alone makes up about one-sixth of the world population. Even though India’s economy is growing, when you divide the economic output of the country among its people, it is still considered low-income by international groups like the United Nations. South Asian people remain poor as their economies grow rapidly.

A lot of urban South Asians are working in factories, earning just enough to survive. Many of these factory workers are children. In more rural areas, people are farming to feed their families. There is opportunity to find better work in emerging industries like technology, but this kind of work calls for a basic education that most poor South Asians don’t have.