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Ethnic groups in South Asia

Ethnic groups in South Asia are ethnolinguistic groupings within the diverse populations of South Asia, including the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan is variously considered to be a part of both Central Asia and South Asia, which means Afghans are not always included among South Asians, but when they are, South Asia has a total population of about 2.04 billion.

The majority of the population fall within three large linguistic groups: Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, and Iranic. These groups are also further subdivided into numerous sub-groups, castes and tribes. Indo-Aryans form the predominant ethnolinguistic group in India (North India, East India, West India, and Central India), Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Dravidians form the predominant ethnolinguistic group in southern India, the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka and a small pocket of Pakistan. The Iranic peoples also have a significant presence in South Asia, the large majority of whom are located in Afghanistan and the northwestern and western parts of Pakistan.

Minority groups not falling within either large group mostly speak languages belonging to the Austroasiatic and Tibeto-Burman language families, and largely live around Ladakh and Northeast India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The Andamanese (Sentinel, Onge, Jarawa, and Great Andamanese) live in some of the Andaman Islands and speak a language isolate, as do the Kusunda in central Nepal, the Vedda in Sri Lanka, and the Nihali of Central India, who number about 5,000 people. The people of the Hunza Valley in Pakistan are another distinct population; they speak Burushaski, a language isolate.

The traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged, influenced by external cultures, especially in the northwestern parts of South Asia and also in the border regions and busy ports, where there are greater levels of contact with external cultures. There is also a lot of genetic diversity within the region. For example, most of the ethnic groups of the northeastern parts of South Asia are genetically related to peoples of East or Southeast Asia. There are also genetically isolated groups who have not been genetically influenced by other groups, such as the Jarawa people of the Andaman Islands. The largest ethnolinguistic group in South Asia are the Indo-Aryans, numbering around 1 billion, and the largest subgroup are the native speakers of Hindi languages, numbering more than 470 million.

These groups are based solely on a linguistic basis and not on a genetic basis.

List of ethnic groups on the basis of language

Andamanese groups

Great Andamanese of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Jangil of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Jarawa of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Onge of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Sentinelese of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Austroasiatic people

Khasi people
- Pnar/Jaintia
Munda peoples
- Bhumij people
- Bonda people
- Ho people
- Juang people
- Kharia people
- Korku people
- Mahle people
- Munda people
- Santali people
- Sora people
Nicobarese people
Shompen people

Austronesian people

Sri Lankan Malays
Urak Lawoi
Moken

Dravidian people

Badagas
Brahui people
Dongria Kondha
Gondi people
Irulas
Kannadigas
Khonds
Kodava
Kurukh/Oraon
Malayali
Malto people
Sauria Paharia people
Tamil people
- Indian Tamils
  - Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lankan Tamils
Telugu people
Toda people
Tulu people

Indo-Aryan people

Assamese people
Awadhi people
Banjara people
Bhojpuri people
Bengali people
Bhil people
Brokpa people
Chakma people
Chitrali people
Chittagonian people
Deccani people
Dhivehi people
Dogra people
Garhwali people
Gujarati people
Haryanvi people
Indus Kohistani people
Kalash people
Kamrupi people
Kashmiri people
Khas people
Kho people
Konkani people
Kumaoni people
Kutchi people
Maithili people
Maldivian people
Marathi people
Magahi people
Meena people
Nagpuria people
Odia people
Pahari Pothwari
Pahari people (Kashmir)
Pahari people (Nepal)
Parsi people
Punjabi people
- Hazarewal/Hindkowans
Rajbongshi people
Rajasthani people
- Marwaris
Rohingya people
Sindhi people
- Memons
Saraiki people
Saurashtra people
Sinhalese people
Shina people
Sylheti people
Tirahi people
Tharu people
Torwali people

Iranic people

Baloch people
Hazara people
Irani people
Pashtun people
- Rohilla people
Tajiks of Pakistan
Wakhi people
Yidgha-Munji people

Nuristani people

Nuristani people
- Kata people
- Kom people
- Mumo people

Semitic people

Arabs or mixed Arab and Indo-Aryan or Dravidian
- Arabs in Gujarat
- Sri Lankan Moors (trace ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka and native Tamil women)
- Iraqi biradri - a community of Muslims in north India (trace ancestry from Arab tribe of Bani Tamim)
- Labbay Arab traders who settled in South India
- Konkani Muslims trace their ancestry to Arab traders.
- Mappila Muslims trace their ancestry to Arab traders.
- Chaush trace ancestors to traders from Yemen.
- Syrian Malabar Nasranis are descendants of both Brahmin, Nair and Jewish converts to Christianity. (Some mixed later with Persians and Europeans later on)
- Knanaya Syriac Christians who trace their origins to Mesopotamia
- Thangal
Indian Jews
- Cochin Jews (Malayali Jews)
- Bene Israel (Marathi Jews)
- Baghdadi Jews (Arab Jews in Bengal)
- Bnei Menashe (Mizo and Kuki Jews)
- Bene Ephraim (Telugu Jews)
- Paradesi Jews (European Jews in India)

Tai people

Ahom people
Tai Aiton
Tai Phake or Tai Phakial

Tibeto-Burman people

Bodo–Kachari people
- Bodo
- Dimasa
- Garo
- Hajong
- Sonowal
- Sutiya
Chepang
Gurung
Khowa
Kirati people
- Rai
- Limbu
- Yakkha
- Sunuwar
- Jirel
- Hayu
- Dhimal
Lepcha people
Magar people
Memba
Meitei people (Manipuri people)
Naga people
- Anāl people
- Angami Naga
  - Southern Angami
- Ao Naga
- Chakhesang Naga
- Chang Naga
- Chiru Naga
- Chothe people
- Khiamniungan Naga
- Konyak Naga
- Lainong Naga
- Lamkang people
- Lotha Naga
- Mao people
- Maram people
- Maring people
- Monsang people
- Moyon Naga
- Nocte Naga
- Para Naga
- Poumai people
- Phom Naga
- Pochury Naga
- Rengma Naga
- Sangtam Naga
- Sümi Naga
- Tangkhul people
- Tangsa Naga
- Tarao people
- Thangal people
- Tikhir Naga
- Tutsa Naga
- Wancho Naga
- Yimkhiung Naga
  - Chirr Naga
  - Makury Naga
- Zeliangrong
  - Inpui people
  - Liangmai people
  - Rongmei people
  - Zeme Naga
Newar people
Nishi
Tamang
Thakali
Tibetans and Tibetan-speaking peoples
- Tibetan Ladakhis
- Uttarakhandi Bhotiya
- Sikkimese people
  - Bhutias
- Monpa
  - Takpa
  - Tshangla
- Sherpas
- Bhotiyas
- Sherdukpen
- Aka
- Miji
- Tibetan Muslim
  - Burig
  - Baltis
Tripuri
Karbi people or Mikir
Thami
Zo people
- Bawm people
- Chin
- Kuki
  - Halam
  - Hrangkhol
- Mizo

Turkic people

Turks in India
Rowther are alleged descendants of Seljuk Turks in Turko-Persian tradition. They have since become the tradition of Turko-Indian in 12th Century.
Mughal (Moghul) (A Sunni Islamic dynasty of Asia which originated in Central Asia)
- Chughtai Tartars (Those people who originated in Uzbekistan and fought for Chagatai Khan who was son of Genghis Khan).
- Barlas (A Turkified Mongol tribe to which Babur belonged)
- Changezi (Those who were in army of Hulagu Khan)
Turkic people in Pakistan
- Kyrgyz in Pakistan
- Turkmen in Pakistan
- Uyghurs in Pakistan
- Uzbeks in Pakistan

Afro-Asian groups

Chaush
Sheedis/Siddis, an ethnic community of Black African descent, found primarily in Pakistan, Gujarat, and Karnataka.
Sri Lanka Kaffirs

European and Eurasian people

Anglo-Burmese
Anglo-Indian
Bangladeshi-Armenians
Burgher people
French-Indian
Luso-Indian

East Asian people

Chinese

Bangladeshi Chinese
Indian Chinese
Pakistani Chinese
Sri Lankan Chinese

Linguistic isolate groups

Hunza people
Kusunda
Nahali
Vedda

Diaspora

Many South Asian ethnic groups and nationalities have substantial diasporas.

South Asian American
- Bangladeshi American
- Bengali American
- Gujarati American
- Indian American
  - Indo-Caribbean American
  - Indo-Fijian American
- Nepalese American
- Afghan Americans
- Bhutanese Americans
- Maldivian Americans
- Pakistani American
- Punjabi American
- Sindhi American
- Sri Lankan American
- Tamil American
- Telugu American
South Asian Canadian
- Bangladeshi Canadian
- Indo-Canadian
- Nepalese Canadian
- Pakistani Canadian
- Afghan Canadian
- Sri Lankan Canadian
- Tamil Canadian
British Asian
- British Bangladeshi
- British Indian
  - British Indo-Caribbean people
- British Nepalese
- British Pakistani
- British Afghans
- British Tamil
- Sri Lankans in the United Kingdom
- Mauritians in the United Kingdom
- Asian-Scots
South Asian Australian
- Bangladeshi Australian
- Indian Australian
- Nepalese Australian
- Pakistani Australian
- Sri Lankan Australian
Indo Kiwi
Indians in Singapore
Malaysian Indian
- Tamil Malaysians
- Chitty
Nepalis in Singapore
Nepalese people in Malaysia
Indian Indonesian
Indo-Mauritian
- Bihari Mauritian
Indo-Caribbean
- Indians in Barbados
- Indians in Belize
- Indians in the Dominican Republic
- Indians in French Guiana
- Indo-Grenadians
- Indians in Guadeloupe
- Indo-Guyanese
- Indo-Haitians
- Indo-Jamaican
- Indo-Martiniquais
- Indo-Saint Lucian
- Indo-Surinamese
- Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonian
- Indo-Vincentian
Indians in South America
- Indians in Argentina
- Indians in Brazil
- Indians in Panama
- Indians in Venezuela
Burmese Indians
South Asians in Hong Kong
South Asians in the Philippines
Pakistanis in the Netherlands
Indians in the Netherlands
Indians in Germany
Nepalis in Germany
Indian diaspora in Southeast Africa
- Indian South Africans
  - Tamil South Africans
- Indians in Botswana
- Indians in Kenya
- Indians in Madagascar
- Indo-Mauritian
  - Bihari Mauritian
- Indians in Mozambique
- Indo-Réunionnaise
- Indo-Seychellois
- Indians in Tanzania
- Indians in Uganda
- Indians in Zambia
- Indians in Zimbabwe
Indians in Iran
Indians in Thailand
Indians in the United Arab Emirates
Indians in Vietnam
Indians in Panama
Indian diaspora in France
Indians in Israel
Indians in Italy
Indians in Portugal
Indian community in Spain
Indo-Fijian
- South Indians in Fiji
Lhotshampa
Muhajir people

See also Bangladeshi diaspora, Indian diaspora, Nepalese diaspora, Pakistani diaspora, Afghan diaspora, Bihari diaspora, Malayali diaspora, Punjabi diaspora, Sindhi diaspora, Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, Tamil diaspora, and Telugu diaspora.

Two (or possibly three) other people groups have ethnic and linguistic ties with the region:

Dom people
Romani people
Lom people (who speak a language both related to Indo-Aryan and Armenian)

References

16. Vij SB, Webb ML. Culturally competent occupational therapy practice for South Asians in the United States of America: A narrative review. Indian J Occup Ther 2022;54:4-9.

External links

Media related to Ethnic groups in India at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Ethnic groups in Pakistan at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Ethnic groups in Nepal at Wikimedia Commons

Text submitted to CC-BY-SA license. Source: Ethnic groups in South Asia by Wikipedia (Historical)

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