Himalayan States: A Geographical, Demographic Breakdown

The Himalaya Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world. In Sanskrit language, "Himalaya" means "abode of snow". The Himalayas includes 200 more than 6000 meters and 14 peaks more than 8,000 meters high. Thats why, this area is often called "the roof of the world". The Himalayan system, which includes outlying subranges (the Karakoram and the Hindu Kush), stretches across six countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India (include Sikkim), Nepal, and Pakistan. Himalayas is also the origin of many glaciers and important rivers of Asia. The people of Himalaya belongs to Negroids, Mongoloids and Aryans ethnic groups. Most of Himalayan inhabitants are poor and depend heavily on the land and other natural resources. Here is The Six Himalayan States:

The Hindu Kush mountain range (subranges of Himalaya Mountains) located in eastern and central Afghanistan. The mountains of the Afghan Hindukush - Himalayan extend from 4,500 to 6,000 meters. The average altitude of the Afghan Hindukush is 4,500 meters. There are several high passes("kotal") connect the mountain valleys. The most famous passes are Salang (links Kabul and points south to northern Afghanistan). Then, the Khyber Pass (links North Afghanistan and Pakistan),the Khawak pass (at Panjshir valley), the Baroghil/Dorah (links Afghanistan and Chitral, Pakistan) and the Wakhir (links Wakhan into Xinjiang, China). The people of this mountain range are belong to Aryan ethnic groups (Tajik, Pasthun, and Nuristani) and Mongoloids ethnic groups (Hazara, Uzbek and Turkmen). Literacy rate here is only 36%. But, literacy rate is very high among Afghan Ismailis (more than 60%). Afghanistan was one of the world's poorest and least developed. About 67% of the population lives on fewer than 2 US dollars a day.

Pakistan is divided into three major geographic areas: the northern highlands (include parts of the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram Range, and the Himalayas), the Indus River plain, and the Balochistan Plateau. In the northern highlands area there are more than fifty peaks reach above 6,500 meters. Pakistani Himalayan is divided into : North - West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. Most of the Pakistani Himalayan people were belong to Aryan ethnic groups, such as: Pashtun, Dardic people, and Kashmiri. There are also Tibetan people in Baltistan area. Pakistani - Himalayan area is interesting. Not only its geography but also the cultural patterns of these regions are interesting. As we know, Kalash and Hunza tribes lived here. they have typical costumes, folk dances, music and sports like polo and buzkashi. All of them will give the traveller an unforgettable experience.

China-Himalayas (Tibet) lies on the north Himalayan region. China - Himalayas area is very large, roughly the size of France and Germany together. This area is a high-altitude arid steppe interspersed with mountain ranges and large brackish lakes. Several major rivers of Asia have their source here. According to Chinese sources, Tibet's GDP in 2001 was 13.9 billion yuan (USD1.8billion). The Tibetan economy is heavily subsidized by the Central government. Although Chinese goverment claims Tibet has always been and remains an integral part of China, but there are cultural differences between Tibetans and ethnic Han Chinese. Religion is the heart of Tibetan people life. According to census in 2000, the illiterate rate was 32.50% in 2000. Differences in educational level exist among ethnic groups, with the Han majority having a higher education level than Tibetans.

Himalayan range covers the northern part of India. It consist of ten states of India (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura,Assam and West Bengal). The people of this region are belong to Aryan ethnic groups (in the west) and Mongoloids ethnic groups (in the east). This region is very rich in natural vegetation. It possess varieties which are found from the tropical to tundra regions. The region is also responsible for providing water to a large part of the Indian Subcontinent. Despite the abundance of natural resources, much of the Himalayas area is characterized by a very low economic growth rate combined with a high rate of population growth. It contributes to stagnation in the already low level of per capita gross national product. Most of the population is dependent on agriculture, primarily subsistence agriculture.

The Himalayas also cover three fourths of the land in Nepal. Eight of the world's ten highest mountains are located in Nepal: Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu. Nepal has a population of more than 26 million people (made up of over 40 different races and tribes). The two major groups in Nepal are Tibeto-Burmans (Mongoloids from the north), and Indo-Aryans from the south. According to National Planning Commission of Nepal, about 38 % of population living below the nationally defined poverty line in 1999. Feudalism is the main source of Nepal's poverty problems. The Feudal Hindu religion system has rather marginalized social, political, and economic rights of ethnic communities, people of lower Hindu caste and women. Agriculture still remains Nepal's principal economic activity, and employing over 71% of the population. Although only about 25% of the total area of Nepal is cultivable.

In the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains there are The Kingdom of Bhutan. "Bhutan" means "The Land of the Thunder Dragon". Forests cover over 60 % of Bhutan, changing with increasing altitude from subtropical forests at the lowest altitudes to open juniper and rhododendron scrub at 4,000-4,500 m. Bhutan's population can be divided into three broad tribes: the Eastern Bhutanese known as the Sharchops, the Western Bhutanese known as the Ngalungs, and the Southern Bhutanese known as the Lhotshampas. All of them were Mongoloids ethnic group. Around 32% of the Bhutan's population is poor, although the GDP per capita is among the highest in South Asia. There are no railroads, helicopters, domestic airlines, or ATMs, and 70% of the population do not have electricity and depend on firewood for energy. Bhutan's geography and the cultural patterns of Bhutan's people are interesting. Thats why, Bhutan is a trekker's paradise.

Sources :
http://www.nides.bc.ca/Assignments/Scavenge/Peaks.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalaya
http://www.hindukushtrails.com/mountain_ranges/ahp_wakkan_nuristan.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan
http://www.geocities.com/neelamplan/northern_areas_of_pakistan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Himalayan_Region
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal
http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/cradall/docs/Botswana-papers/bistafinal_9.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutan
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/EXTSAREGTOPPOVRED/0,,contentMDK:20574063~menuPK:493447~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:493441,00.html