From the 17,000 islands of Indonesia to snowy Mount Everest—the highest peak on Earth—Southern Asia is home to almost every kind of geographical terrain. A history of political unrest has left much of the region struggling with poverty and instability, while areas rich in natural resources (such as Brunei) enjoy considerable wealth.
There is great religious diversity in this populous part of the world: India is 81 percent Hindu but also has 126 million Muslims. Natural disasters are a regular part of life. Today large portions of Southern Asia are still recovering from the deadly tsunami of December 2004.
