South Asia comprises the countries lying between the Himalaya range and the Indian Ocean (north to south) and between the Ganga and Indus River valleys (east to west): mainly, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Pakistan. The Indian Ocean shoreline is divided between the Arabian Sea (in the west) and the Bay of Bengal (in the east). The extensive, triangular-shaped landmass of South Asia is sometimes referred to as "the South Asian Region", or "the South Asian Peninsula". Main attractions include the Himalayas (especially Mount Everest, Pokhara, the Taj Mahal, Lumbini, and Pashupati Nath. Home to 1.75 billion people, South Asia has the world's tallest mountains such as Mount Everest. It has the origin of some of the world's oldest civilizations and the wellspring of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
