Of all these countries India is by far the largest and has both Himalayan as well as marine tourism potential. It also has a vast cultural significance. 

Nepal and Bhutan are Himalayan Kingdoms while Sri Lanka and Maldives are island nations. Pakistan brings up the far west of South Asia and is the gateway to Western and Central Asia. 

Geographically, South Asia has a huge coastline spanning the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Further, it houses the entire Himalayan Hindukush mountain ranges and a giant fresh water reserve which acts as the water resource for the entire South Asia. Bangladesh is carved out of the deposits of silt brought down by the mighty Himalayan fed rivers of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. These unique features of geography combined with its rich history of movement of people and cultures have today given expression to some of the most enduring of cultural heritages. This in itself is good enough to bring millions of visitors to this region annually. However, not to be lost out is the immense diversity of biological species. 

In fact there is little to compare in terms of population and resources as most of the other countries are tiny when it comes to both geographical area and population. However there is good comparison when it comes to attracting tourists. 

It is estimated that the entire South Asia attracts about 5 million tourists with India alone receiving about 2 million. No studies have been done to see whether the same tourist actually visits more than one South Asian country on a single visit - it is fairly logical to think that it must be so. Someone going to Bhutan needs more often than not to come via India. 

South Asia's diversity in offerings of tourism products is well known. However, due to indifferent policy initiatives, the real potential is not realised. Each country is trying to carve out a niche without really taking advantage of contiguity and synergies that may arise. In terms of potential Indian tourists also play an important role - many go to the neighbouring countries and constitute a major portion of the tourists that flow into these countries. In fact this is becoming more important from the point of view of the recent drop in tourist traffic from other western countries due to the global recession and the September 11 attack on New York and Washington.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh emerged as an independent country on 16 December 1971. Its official name is the 'People's Republic of Bangladesh'. Dhaka is the capital of the Republic and Bangla is the state language. The Independence and National Day of Bangladesh is 26 March. The population of the country currently stands at around 126 million. About 80 percent of the people live in rural areas.

Bangladesh has primarily an agrarian economy. Agriculture is the single largest sector in the economy producing about 30 percent of the country's GDP and employing around 60 percent of the total labour force. The country has a considerable number of large, medium and small-sized industries in both the public and private sectors based on both indigenous and imported raw materials. Among them are jute, cotton, textiles, fertilizer, engineering, shipbuilding, steel, oil-refinery, paper, newsprint, sugar, chemicals, cement and leather.

Tourism is being seen as a good foreign exchange earner. However, infrastructure and other bottlenecks continue to dog this nation from attracting high profile tourists. Cultural and nature tourism is being given emphasis. Some private tour operators are offering ecotourism packages.

Bhutan

Bhutan is an extraordinary place, hardly touched by the hands of time. Nestling in the heart of the great Himalaya, it remained in self-imposed isolation for centuries, aloof from the rest of the world. Since its doors were cautiously opened in 1974, visitors have been mesmerised: the environment is pristine, the scenery and architecture are awesome, the people are hospitable and charming, and the culture unique in its purity.

Despite the huge potential of its natural resources, Bhutan emerged as one of Asia's poorest countries, shunning the 'profit at all costs' mentality of the rest of the world. With one foot in the past and one in the future, it strolls confidently towards modernisation, on its own terms, fiercely protecting its ancient culture, its natural resources and its deeply rooted Buddhist way of life.

According to official statements this Himalayan mountain country is bent on getting tourists who can spend. So the numbers are few but they make it expensive. Tourism is not viewed as very important even though the country's second highest foreign exchange earner is the tourism industry. It does not have any policy related to ecotourism.

India

The roots of Indian civilisation stretch back in time to pre-recorded history. The earliest human activity in the Indian subcontinent can be traced back to the Early, Middle and Late Stone Ages. India gained independence from the British on 15 August 1947. The freedom struggle was led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as The Mahatma, who is revered as the Father of the Nation.

India has one of the world's most diverse populations, with most of the major races represented. Today, India has over one billion people. There are eighteen languages recognised by the Indian Constitution and these are spoken in 1600 dialects. Hindi, the fourth most widely spoken language in the world, is the language of 30 percent of the population and the official language of India.

India ranks among the top ten industrial nations of the world and has an increasingly powerful middle class. The Indian economy is potentially very strong with its large industrial output, technological knowledge and extensive reservoir of skilled manpower. Major exports include cotton goods, iron, raw jute and jute products, coffee, electrical goods, leather, handicrafts, diamonds, chemicals and software. The major imports are machinery, petroleum, chemicals, cereals, copper, and zinc.

Tourism is an important industry in the country. The country has 90 million domestic tourists and 2 million foreign tourists who brought India US$ 2,300 million last year. Tourism has been put on the fast track and a new national tourism policy has been announced. Ecotourism is finding place in this document thanks to the initiatives being taken in the States of Sikkim and Kerala.

Maldives

The civilisation of Maldives as far as can be estimated, dates back more than 2000 years. Archeological findings from many ancient sites in Maldives show ruins of old Buddhist structures, some dating back to 3rd and 4th centuries. The evidence shows that at the time of conversion to Islam in 1153 A.D. the population of Maldives was mainly Buddhist.

 Throughout its history, Maldives has remained independent, although the Portuguese occupied the country for 15 years in the 16th century. From 1887, Maldives was a British protectorate until it became fully independent on 26 July 1965.

The archipelago of the Republic of Maldives is made up of a chain of 1190 small and low-lying islands, stretching over 800 kms from north to south. Out of them only 198 islands are inhabited.

The population of Maldives is 270,101 (2000 census). Maldivians comprise a mixed race, unified through sharing a common history, language and religion. Dhivehi is the official language. Islam is the strength and backbone of the country, permeating the entire fabric of the Maldivian culture, polity and civil society.

 The mainstay of the Maldives economy today comprises fisheries and tourism. Nearly 19 percent of the labour force is engaged in the fisheries sector, which accounts for over 6 percent of the GDP. Tourism, which became a major industry since the mid-eighties accounts for 33 percent of the GDP. Industrial activity consists of a traditional and a modern sector. The traditional sector consists of boat building, mat-weaving, rope making, handicrafts and other cottage industries. The activities in the modern sector include fish canning, manufacture of garments, construction of fiberglass boats, production of cleaning fluids and bottling of aerated water.

Nepal

Nepal attracts tourists by promoting its mountains and its people. It is one of the most exciting places and many may come back for more. However, in recent times it has been falling back in this regard due to world economic slowdown as well as its internal strife and Maoist movement, which has put this small Himalayan Kingdom in the watch list of most visitors.

Covering approximately one third of the Himalayan belt, the Kingdom of Nepal is a land of pristine scenery, historic temples, and some of the best walking trails on earth. It's a poor country, but it is rich in scenic splendour and cultural treasures. The kingdom has long exerted a pull on tourists who come mainly from India and the Western world. There is great appreciation of its natural and cultural complexity. It also houses the important secretariat of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). In fact some of the major initiatives comes from the tourism committee of the SAARC.

Nepal is a developing country with an agricultural economy. In recent years, the country's efforts to expand into manufacturing industries and other technological sectors have achieved much progress. Farming is the main economic activity followed by manufacturing, trade and tourism. The chief sources of foreign currency earnings are merchandise export, services, tourism and Gurkha remittances.

The Nepal Tourism Board is the driving force as far as giving a positive image and building of tourism products for Nepal. It is relying on changing the way tourism is developed to make it more focused on eco-tourism and cultural exchange.

Pakisthan

Pakistan is a country with as much diversity as India though smaller in area. It contains some of Asia's most mind-blowing landscapes, extraordinary trekking routes, a multitude of cultures and a long tradition of hospitality. It is the site of some of the earliest human settlements, home to an ancient civilisation rivalling those of Egypt and Mesopotamia, and the crucible of two of the world's major religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. Pakistan receives about 0.5 million tourists annually. However, due to the war in Afghanistan its tourism industry has been severely hit.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan appeared on the world map on 14 August 1947 under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Quaid-e-Azam (the Great Leader), who is revered as the Father of the Nation. Pakistan is divided into four provinces: Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province. Islamabad is the capital of the country.

Pakistan has a federal structure. The Parliament consists of the Lower House (National Assembly) and the Upper House (Senate). The new administration consists of the President, the National Security Council headed by the Chief Executive, and the Cabinet. Governors are the executive heads in all the four Provinces.

Agriculture and related activities engage 46.1 percent of the workforce and accounts for 25 percent of the GDP. The main exports include cotton textiles, cotton yarn and thread, clothing, raw cotton, rice, carpets and rugs, leather, fish and petroleum products. The main imports include machinery, electrical equipment, petroleum products, transportation equipment, metal and metal products, fertilizer and foodstuffs.

Sri Lanka

Lanka means "resplendent" (from the Pali "alankara"). Stone-age implements found on the island date back at least ten millennia, while evidence is available that the domestication of plants may have taken place around 15,000 B.C. Given Sri Lanka's central location on the trade routes of the ancient world and the attraction then of her "products", pearls, timber, gems and ivory, and later spices, the island had become a centre of East-West commerce well before the Christian era. The direct influence of European maritime powers was felt in the beginning of 16th century with the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch and later British. Sri Lanka gained independence from the British rule on 4 February 1948.

The population of Sri Lanka (1998 estimate) is 18.77 million. The country is a multi-ethnic nation. The Sinhalese, of Indo-Aryan origin, comprise 74 percent of the population; the Sri Lankan Tamils, of Dravidian origin, who migrated to the island thereafter: 12.6 percent; the Indian Tamils, descendants of migrant workers from South India recruited in the last century by the British: 5.5 percent; the Moors, descendants from Arab traders who arrived in the island from about the 12^th century AD: 7.1 percent; and others, who include Burghers, descendants of the Dutch and Portuguese: 0.8 percent. Sinhalese and Tamil are official languages while English is the national language. Four major religions are freely practiced in Sri Lanka. Buddhists account for 69.3 percent of the population, Hindus for 15.5 percent, Christians for 7.6 percent and Muslims for 7.5 percent.

Ninety percent of the economy of the country at independence depended on the export of the three plantation crops of tea, rubber and coconut. Since the late 1970s, the economy has been progressively liberalized. Industrial policy has shifted from import substitution to export-oriented production. The service sector now accounts for 52 percent in the sectoral composition of the GDP; the manufacturing sector for 16.5 percent; agriculture for 21.1percent; construction for 7.6 percent; and mining for 1.9 percent.

Colombo is the largest Tea Auction Centre in the world since London auctions ceased to function in June 1998. Other exports include textiles and garments, coconut products, spices, cocoa, coffee, essential oils, gems, fishery products, rubber, machinery, footwear and leather products and petroleum by-products. Major imports include rice, wheat and sugar, fertilizer, crude oil and investment goods such as raw materials, building materials, transport equipment and machinery.