South Asia explained to kids

South Asia is a region of Asia that includes the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives. It is a very populous region with over 1.7 billion people, making it the world's second most populous region after East Asia. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South Asian nations that was founded in 1985. The region is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations, including the Indus Valley Civilization and the civilizations of the Mahajanapadas. South Asia was also the site of several ancient empires, such as the Magadha Empire, the Nanda Empire, the Maurya Empire, the Gupta Empire, the Pala Empire, and the Sri Lankan kingdoms. South Asia is a very diverse region with a wide variety of religions, languages, and cultures. The main religions of South Asia are Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Hindi and English are the most widely spoken languages in the region. The economy of South Asia is the world's seventh largest by nominal GDP and the third largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). The region is home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies, such as India and Bangladesh. South Asia is a very important region in the world. It is home to some of the world's most populous countries and is a nuclear-weapons state. The region is also the site of some of the world's oldest civilizations and has a rich cultural heritage.