This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. For geopolitical treatments, see South Asia.

Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir)

A subcontinent is a small part of a continent. A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions There is no agreement on what constitutes a subcontinent. Generally, however, a subcontinent is split from the rest of a continent by something like a mountain range or by tectonic plates. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere India is considered a subcontinent because it juts out from Asia by the Himalayan mountains. The phrase the Subcontinent, used on its own in English, commonly means the Indian subcontinent i. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. e. South Asia.

Cultural subcontinents

The term the Indian subcontinent is used also culturally and politically. This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. It includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The region has wide geographical variations like desert, plateau, rainforest, mountains and a myriad of languages, races and religions. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak

Sometimes subregions of continents are dubbed subcontinents because their culture is so different from the rest of the continent, such as Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East.