MV Asia Star is a cruise ship run by Asia Cruises. It has a unique twin-hull/SWATH design and its gross tonnage is 20,050 tonnes. It is stationed in Hong Kong. It was formerly known as the ''Radisson Diamond'', and built in Finland It has 12 decks and 170 guest rooms, displacing over 11,500 tons when fully loaded.

Gallery

External links

Official website

Category:cruise ships

fr:Asia Star zh:亞洲之星

bodyclass	geography
above	South Asia
label1	Countries
data1	7 to 10 (''see text'')
label2	Territories
data2	0, 1, or 2 (''see text'')
label3	GDP (Nominal)
data3	$1.854 trillion (2009)
label4	(Nominal)
data4	$1,079 (2009)
label5	Languages
data5	Assamese/Asomiya, Balochi, Bangla, Bodo, Burmese, Dari, Dhivehi, Dogri, Dzongkha, English, Persian, Gujarati, Hindi, Hindko, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Kurdish, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Pahari, Pashto, Persian, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Sinhala, Siraiki, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Urdu, and others
label6	Time Zones
data6	UTC +6:30 (Burma) to UTC +3:30 (Iran)
label7	Largest Cities
data7	Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chittagong, Chennai, Cochin, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Jaipur, Kabul, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lahore, Lhasa, Lucknow, Malé, Mashhad, Mumbai, Peshawar, Pune, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Surat, Tehran, Thimpu, Thiruvanathapuram and Yangon }}

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities ''(see below)'', also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east. Topographically, it is dominated by the Indian Plate, which rises above sea level as the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush. South Asia is surrounded (clockwise, from west) by Western Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia and the Indian Ocean.

According to the United Nations geographical region classification, Southern Asia comprises the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan, Iran and Sri Lanka. By other definitions and interpretations ''(see below)'', Burma and Tibet are also sometimes included in the region of South Asia.

South Asia is home to well over one fifth of the world's population, making it both the most populous and most densely populated geographical region in the world. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is an economic cooperation organization in the region.

Definitions

Along with a number of core countries, South Asia differs in inclusion by different clubbing of countries, though essentially it mostly encompasses countries that were part of the former British Empire in the region, including the current territories of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh at the core, but also including Sri Lanka, Burma and Sikkim (now a state of India). The Aden Colony, British Somaliland and Singapore, though administered at various times under the Raj have not been proposed as any part of South Asia.

The Raj also encompassed the 562 protected princely states that were not directly ruled by the Raj, some of which joined the Union of India (including Hyderabad State, Kingdom of Mysore, Baroda, Gwalior and a part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir), while some joined the Dominion of Pakistan (including Bahawalpur, Kalat, Khayrpur, Swat and parts of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ). Sikkim joined India in 1975. One part of Jammu and Kashmir became a part of China.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), a contiguous block of countries, started in with seven countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — when it was established in 1985, but was extended to include Afghanistan as an eighth member in 2006. The World Bank grouping includes only the original seven members of SAARC, and leaves Afghanistan out. This bloc of countries include three independent countries that were not under the British rule - Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan. The South Asia Free Trade Agreement endorsed by SAARC has been signed by the seven original members of the organization, though it has a special provision for the Maldives.

The United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN) includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as part of South Asia, while Maldives, in view of its characteristics, was admitted as a member country of the Pacific POPIN subregional network in principle. The British Indian Ocean Territory is connected to the region by a publication of Jane's for security considerations. The United Nations scheme of sub-regions include all eight members of the SAARC as part of Southern Asia, along with Iran, while the Hirschmann-Herfindahl Index of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific for the region includes only the original seven signatories of SAARC.

A lack of coherent definition for South Asia has resulted in not only a lack of academic studies, but also in a lack interest for such studies. Identification with a South Asian identity was also found to be significantly low among respondents in a two-year survey across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Indian subcontinent

The term "Indian subcontinent" refers to a large, self-contained landmass which is geographically separated from the rest of the Asian continent. Due to similar scope, the terms "South Asia" and "Indian subcontinent" are used by some academics interchangeably. Due to political sensitivities, some prefer to use the terms "South Asian Subcontinent", the "Indo-Pak Subcontinent", or simply "South Asia" or "the Subcontinent" over the term "Indian subcontinent". According to some academics, the term "South Asia" is in more common use in Europe and North America, rather than the terms "Subcontinent" or the "Indian Subcontinent". Indologist Ronald B. Inden argues that the usage of the term "South Asia" is getting more widespread since it clearly distinguishes the region from East Asia. However, this opinion is not shared by all.

By dictionary entries, the term subcontinent signifies "having a certain geographical or political independence" from the rest of the continent, or "a vast and more or less self-contained subdivision of a continent." It may be noted that geophysically the Yarlung Zangbo River river in Tibet is situated at the outside of the border of the Subcontinental structure, while the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan are situated inside that border.

According to one clubbing of countries, it includes most parts of South Asia, including those on the continental crust (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan), an island country on the continental shelf (Sri Lanka), and an island country rising above the oceanic crust (the Maldives). Another clubbing includes only Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the mainstay of the British Raj, as the Subcontinent.

This version also includes the disputed territory of Aksai Chin, which, according to India, was part of British Indian princely state Jammu and Kashmir, but is currently administered as a part of Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang. A booklet published by the United States Department of State in 1959 includes Afghanistan, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Nepal, and Pakistan as part of the "Subcontinent of South Asia". When the term Indian Subcontinent is used to mean South Asia, the islands countries of Sri Lanka and the Maldives are sometimes not included, while Tibet and Nepal are included and excluded intermittently, depending on the context.

Definition by South Asian Studies programs

When the Centre of South Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge established in 1964, it was primarily responsible for promoting within the University the study of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Himalayan Kingdoms (Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim), and Burma (now officially Myanmar). But, over the years it has also extended its activities to include Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hong Kong. The Centers for South Asian Studies at both University of Michigan and University of Virginia include Tibet along with seven members of SAARC in their research programs, but leave the Maldives out. The South Asian Studies Program of Rutgers University and the University of California, Berkeley Center for South Asia Studies do the same without leaving out the Maldives, while the South Asian Studies Program of Brandeis University defines the region as comprising "India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and in certain contexts Afghanistan, Burma, Maldives and Tibet". The similar program of Columbia University also includes Tibet, but leaves out both Afghanistan and the Maldives.

Geography

[[Image:Location-Asia-UNsubregions.png|thumb|left|225px|United Nations geoscheme for Asia: ]]

While South Asia had never been a coherent geopolitical region, it has a distinct geographical identity. The boundaries of South Asia vary based on how the region is defined. South Asia's northern, eastern, and western boundaries vary based on definitions used, while the Indian Ocean is the southern periphery. Much of the region comprises a peninsula in south-central Asia, rather resembling a diamond which is delineated by the Himalayas on the north, the Hindu Kush in the west, and the Arakanese in the east, and which extends southward into the Indian Ocean with the Arabian Sea to the southwest and the Bay of Bengal to the southeast. Per the UN, the wider subregion's northern frontier is the Himalayas and southerly post-Soviet states of Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, bordering northern Afghanistan and Iran), its western boundary is the westerly border of Iran (with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq), and its eastern boundary is the westerly border of Burma (with India and Bangladesh).

Most of this region is a subcontinent resting on the Indian Plate (the northerly portion of the Indo-Australian Plate) separated from the rest of the Eurasian Plate. It was once a small continent before colliding with the Eurasian Plate about 50-55 million years ago and giving birth to the Himalayan range and the Tibetan plateau. It is the peninsular region south of the Himalayas and Kuen Lun mountain ranges and east of the Indus River and the Iranian Plateau, extending southward into the Indian Ocean between the Arabian Sea (to the southwest) and the Bay of Bengal (to the southeast).

The region is home to an astounding variety of geographical features, such as glaciers, rainforests, valleys, deserts, and grasslands that are typical of much larger continents. It is surrounded by three water bodies — the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The climate of this vast region varies considerably from area to area from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north. The variety is influenced by not only the altitude, but also by factors such as proximity to the sea coast and the seasonal impact of the monsoons.

Southern parts are mostly hot in summers and receive rain during monsoon period(s). The northern belt of Indo-Gangetic plains also is hot in summer, but cooler in winter. The mountainous north is colder and receives snowfall at higher altitudes of Himalyan ranges. As the Himalayas block the north-Asian bitter cold winds, the temperatures are considerably moderate in the plains down below. For most part, the climate of the region is called the Monsoon climate, which keeps the region humid during summer and dry during winter, and favors the cultivation of jute, tea, rice, and various vegetables in this region.

History

The remote pre-history of South Asia culminates in the Indus Valley Civilization, which is followed by the legends of ancient Vedic period and the sketchy references to the rise and fall of Mahajanapadas - the precursors of regional kingdoms and later ancient empires - ending in the historical accounts of medieval empires and the arrival of European traders who later became the rulers.

Almost all South Asian countries were under direct or indirect European Colonial subjugation at some point. Much of modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma were gradually occupied by Great Britain - starting from 1757, reaching their zenith in 1857 and ruling till 1947. Nepal and Bhutan were to some extent protectorates of Great Britain until after World War II. In the millennia long history of South Asia, this European occupation period is rather short, but its proximity to the present and its lasting impact on the region make it prominent.

The network of means of transportation and communication as well as banking and training of requisite workforce, and also the existing rail, post, telegraph, and education facilities have evolved out of the base established in the colonial era, often called the British Raj. As an aftermath of World War II, most of the region gained independence from Europe by the late 1940s.

Since 1947, most South Asian countries have achieved tremendous progress in all spheres. Most notable achievements are in the fields of education; industry; health care; information technology and other services based on its applications; research in the fields of cutting edge sciences and technologies; defence related self-reliance projects; international/global trade and business enterprises and outsourcing of human resources. Areas of difficulty remain, however, including religious extremism, high levels of corruption, disagreements on political boundaries, and inequitable distribution of wealth.

Territory and region data

2009 referenced population figures except where noted.

Core countries

With the core seven countries, the area covers about 4.4 million km² (1.7 million mi²), which is 10% of the Asian continent or 2.4% of the world's land surface area. They accounts for about 34% of Asia's population (or over 16.5% of the world's population) and is home to a vast array of peoples.

! country	List of countries by area>Area(km²)	List of countries by population>Population(2009)	List of countries by population density>density(/km²)	List of countries by GDP (nominal)>GDP(nominal)(2009)	List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita>per capita(2009)	Capital (political)>Capital	! Currency	! Government	! Official languages	! Coat of Arms
						Dhaka	Taka	Parliamentary democracy
						Thimphu	Ngultrum, Indian rupee	Constitutional monarchy
						New Delhi	Indian rupee	Federal republic, Parliamentary democracy
						Malé	Rufiyaa	Republic
						Kathmandu	Nepalese rupee	Democratic Republic
						Islamabad	Pakistani rupee	Islamic Republic
						Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte	Sri Lankan rupee	Democratic Socialist Republic
! [[country">Sinhala language

Countries and territories from extended definitions

Afghanistan is included in the list of countries of South Asia more often than others in this group.

! [[country or region	List of countries by area>Area(km²)	List of countries by population>Population(2009)	List of countries by population density>density(per km²)	List of countries by GDP (nominal)>GDP(nominal)(2009)	List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita>per capita(2009)	Capital (political)>Capital	! Currency	! Government	! Official languages	! Coat of Arms
						Kabul	Afghan afghani	Islamic republic
						Diego Garcia	US Dollar	British Overseas Territory
						Yangon	Myanma kyat	Military Junta	Burmese; Jingpho, Shan, Karen, Mon, (Spoken in Burma's Autonomous States.)
						Tehran	Iranian rial	Islamic republic
- Tibet Autonomous Region						Lhasa		Autonomous region of China

Regional groups of countries

! Name of country/region, with flag	List of countries by area>Area(km²)	List of countries by population>Population*	List of countries by population density>Population density(per km²)	Capital (political)>Capital or Secretariat	! Currency	! Countries included	! Official languages	! Coat of Arms
Core Definition (above) of South Asia				N/A	N/A	Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka	N/A	N/A
UN subregion of South Asia				N/A	N/A	Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka	N/A	N/A
SAARC				Kathmandu	N/A	Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka	None

Demographics

Ethnic groups

South Asia, which consists of the nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, is ethnically diverse, with more than 2,000 ethnic entities with populations ranging from hundreds of millions to small tribal groups. South Asia has been invaded and settled by many ethnic groups over the centuries - including various Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Iranian groups - and amalgamation of Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and native societies has produced composite cultures with many common traditions and beliefs. But, the traditions of different ethnic groups in South Asia have diverged throughout earlier times, sometimes giving rise to strong local traditions such as the distinct South Indian culture.

Other ethnic groups, successively streaming in later mainly from Central Asia and Iran, e.g. Sakas, Kushans, Huns etc. influenced pre-existing South Asian cultures. Among the last of these new arrivals were the Arabs followed by the Turks, the Pashtuns and the Moghuls. However, Arab influence remained relatively limited in comparison to that of the Turks, Pashtuns and Moghuls, who brought in much cultural influence and contributed to the birth of Urdu, a syncretic language of combined Indo-Persian heritage, which is widely spoken today. Ethnic Englishmen and other Britons are now practically absent after their two centuries long colonial presence, although they have left an imprint of western culture in the elite society.

Languages

The largest spoken language in this region is now Hindustānī, its speakers numbering almost 422 million; the second largest spoken language is Bengali, with about 210 million speakers. Urdu is also a major language spoken in the subcontinent, especially in Pakistan and India, and is similar linguistically to Hindi; Hindi and Urdu together make up Hindustānī. Hindi is spoken is some states of India, and is similar linguistically to Urdu. Many people are not aware of the fact that most of the Indians speak local languages and are not familiar with Hindi. Other languages of this region fall into a few major linguistic groups: the Dravidian languages and the Indo-Aryan languages, a sub-branch of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages.

The other great sub-branch of Indo-Iranian, the Iranian languages, also have significant minority representation in South Asia, with Pashtu and Baluchi being widely spoken along the northwestern fringes of the region, in modern-day Pakistan. Many Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, who are speakers of their language-group, are found in northeast India, Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. Other small groups, speaking Austro-Asiatic languages, are also present in South Asia. English is another language which dominates South Asia, especially as a medium of advanced education and government administration.

Most of South Asia writes using various abugidas of Brāhmī origin while languages such as Urdu, Pashto, and Sindhi use derivatives of the Perso-Arabic script. Not all languages in South Asia follow this strict dichotomy though. For example, Kashmiri is written in both the Perso-Arabic script and in the Devanagari script. The same can be said for Punjabi, which is written in both Shahmukhi and Gurmukhī. Dhivehi is written in a script called Tāna that shows characteristics of both the Arabic alphabet and of an abugida.

Religions

In South Asia Hinduism and Islam and in some of its countries Buddhism are the dominant religions. Other Indian religions and Christianity are practiced by significant number of people.

Historically, fusion of Indo-Aryan Vedic religion with native South Asian non-Vedic Shramana traditions and other Dravidian and local tribal beliefs gave rise to the ancient religions of Hinduism and Jainism. As a consequence, these two religions share many similar cultural practices, festivals and traditions.

Arabs brought the Abrahamic religion of Islam to South Asia, first in the present day Kerala and the Maldive Islands and later in Sindh, Balochistan and much of Punjab. Subsequently, Muslim Turks/Pashtuns/Moghuls furthered it not only among the Punjabi and Kashmiri people but also throughout the Indo-Gangetic plains and farther east, and deep south up to the Deccan.

	Muslim (99%), other (1%)
	Muslim (90%), Hindu (9%), Christian (.5%), Buddhist (.5%), Believers in tribal faiths (0.1%)
British Indian Ocean Territory	Christian (45.55%), Hindu (38.55%), Muslim (9.25%), Non-Religious (6.50%), Atheist (0.10%), Other (0.05%)
	Buddhist (75%), Hindu (25%)
	Theravada Buddhist (89%), Muslim (4%), Christian (4%) (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Animist (1%), others (including Hinduism) (2%)
	Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), Buddhist (0.8%), Jain (0.4%), Others (0.6%)
	Shi'a Muslim (89%), Sunni Muslim (9%), Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i (2%)
	Sunni Muslim (100%) (One must be a Sunni Muslim to be a citizen on the Maldives)
	Muslim (96.28%), Hindu (1.85%), Christian (1.59%), Ahmadi (0.22%)
	Theravada Buddhist (70.42%), Hindu (10.89%), Muslim (8.78%), Catholic (7.77%), Other Christian (1.96%), Other (0.13%)

Genetics

Economy

thumb|alt=The Mumbai Skyline|The Skyline in Mumbai. Mumbai is the city with the highest GDP of any city in South or Central Asia.South Asia is the poorest region on the earth after Sub-Saharan Africa, and it has the lowest GDP per capita with the exception of Sri Lanka . Poverty is commonly spread within this region. According to the poverty data of World Bank, more than 40% of the population in the region lived on less than the International Poverty Line of $1.25 per day in 2005, compared to 50% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sri Lanka has the highest GDP per capita in the region, while Nepal has the lowest. India is the largest economy in the region (US$ 1.54 trillion) and makes up almost 82% of the South Asian Economy; it is the world's 10th largest in nominal terms and 4th largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Pakistan has the next largest economy and the 5th highest GDP per capita in the region, followed by Bangladesh. If Iran is counted, it will become the second largest in terms of region and the economy . According to a World Bank report in 2007, South Asia is the least integrated region in the world; trade between South Asian states is only 2% of the region's combined GDP, compared to 20% in East Asia.

Politics

India is the dominant political power in the region. It is contributed by the fact that it is by far the largest country in the covering around three-fourths the land area of the subcontinent. It also has the largest population of around three times the combined population of the 6 other countries in the subcontinent. India is also the most populous democracy in the world and is a nuclear power.

The second largest country in the subcontinent area-wise and population-wise is Pakistan and has traditionally maintained the balance of power in the region due to its strategic relationships with nearby Arab states and neighboring China. Pakistan is the 6th most populous country in the world and is also a nuclear power. Bangladesh is the third largest populous country in the region and identified, along with Pakistan, as Next Eleven. As of 31 March 2011, the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations is Bangladesh. Pakistan & India catch 2nd & 3rd place respectively, according to the number of troops.

Diplomacy among the countries of South Asia has been mainly driven by populist politics, with the center stage taken by India-Pakistan conflict ever since their independence in 1947, and then the creation of Bangladesh under tense circumstances in 1971. While the elite rulers of Pakistan chose the USA led bloc during the cold war era, India formed the Non-Aligned Movement. Over the years, while a chaotic Indian Democracy crystallized into a stable government, Pakistan degenerated into a puppet state, with no democratically elected government completing it's full term, and repeated coups by the military. On the other hand, Sri Lanka political situation was dominated by a increasingly assertive Sinhalese nationalism, and the emergence of a Tamil separatist movement under LTTE, which was suppressed recently. Burma's politics is dominated by a military Junta, which has sidelined the democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Health and nutrition

According to the World Bank, 70% of the South Asian population and about 75% of South Asia's poor live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture for their livelihood. According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has one of the highest child malnutrition rates in the world. In a latest report published by UNICEF in 2008 on global hunger shows that the actual number of child deaths was around 2.1 million. As of 2008 India is ranked 66th on the global hunger index. The 2006 report stated that "the low status of women in South Asian countries and their lack of nutritional knowledge are important determinants of high prevalence of underweight children in the region". Corruption and the lack of initiative on the part of the government has been one of the major problems associated with nutrition in India. Illiteracy in villages has been found to be one of the major issues that need more government attention. The report mentioned that, although there has been a reduction in malnutrition due to the Green Revolution in South Asia, there is concern that South Asia has "inadequate feeding and caring practices for young children".

See also

Greater India

Indian subcontinent

Indology

''South Asia Disaster Report'' (book)

South Asian cuisine

Notes and references

External links

World Bank, South Asia Region

BBC News South Asia

Birding in South Asia

South Asian Awareness Network Conference Website

Digital South Asia Library

South Asia Environment Portal

Category:Regions of Asia

ace:Asia Seulatan ar:جنوب آسيا bn:দক্ষিণ এশিয়া zh-min-nan:Lâm-a be-x-old:Паўднёвая Азія bs:Južna Azija ca:Àsia Meridional cv:Кăнтăр Ази cs:Jižní Asie da:Sydasien de:Südasien dv:ދެކުނު އޭޝިޔާ nv:Naakaii Dootłizhí Dabikéyah et:Lõuna-Aasia es:Asia del Sur eo:Suda Azio eu:Hegoaldeko Asia fa:آسیای جنوبی hif:South Asia fy:Súd-Aazje gl:Asia Meridional gu:દક્ષિણ એશિયા ko:남아시아 hy:Հարավային Ասիա hi:दक्षिण एशिया hr:Južna Azija id:Asia Selatan is:Suður-Asía it:Asia meridionale he:דרום אסיה jv:Asia Kidul kn:ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಏಷ್ಯಾ ka:სამხრეთი აზია kw:Asi Soth sw:Asia ya Kusini lv:Dienvidāzija lt:Pietų Azija hu:Dél-Ázsia mk:Јужна Азија mr:दक्षिण आशिया ms:Asia Selatan nl:Zuid-Azië ne:दक्षिण एशिया ja:南アジア no:Sør-Asia nn:Sør-Asia oc:Asia del Sud pa:ਦਖਣੀ ਏਸ਼ੀਆ pnb:دکھنی ایشیاء pl:Azja Południowa pt:Ásia Meridional rmy:Sudutni Asiya ru:Южная Азия sah:Соҕуруу Азия sq:Azia Jugore si:දකුණු ආසියාව simple:South Asia sd:ڏکڻ ايشيا sk:Južná Ázia sl:Južna Azija ckb:باشووری ئاسیا sr:Јужна Азија su:Asia Kidul fi:Etelä-Aasia sv:Sydasien tl:Timog Asya ta:தெற்கு ஆசியா tt:Көньяк Азия th:เอเชียใต้ tr:Güney Asya uk:Південна Азія ur:جنوبی ایشیاء vi:Nam Á war:Salatan nga Asya yo:South Asia zh-yue:南亞 zh:南亚

name	Young Divas
background	group_or_band
origin	Sydney, Australia
instrument	Vocals
genre	R&B, dance, disco, pop
years active	2006–2008
label	Sony BMG Australia
past members	Emily WilliamsKate DeAraugoPaulini CuruenavuliJessica MauboyRicki-Lee Coulter }}

Young Divas was an Australian girl group that had consisted of previous ''Australian Idol'' contestants. The original line up consisted of season one finalist Paulini Curuenavuli, season two finalist Ricki-Lee Coulter, season three winner Kate DeAraugo and runner-up Emily Williams. The group were formed in May 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, for a one-off single and national tour to promote all members as solo artists. However, the group's success prompted the release of a debut album, becoming an official group.

Their self-titled debut studio album, ''Young Divas'', was released in November 2006, and debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums Chart, rapidly achieving double platinum certification for sales of 140,000 copies. The album produced two successful singles, "This Time I Know It's for Real" and "Happenin' All Over Again". Despite their commercial success as a group, Coulter parted ways with the group in June 2007, to resume her solo career. She was later replaced by season four ''Idol'' runner-up, Jessica Mauboy. The Young Divas then went on to release their second studio album, ''New Attitude'', which spawned the hit single, "Turn Me Loose". In 2008, the group officially disbanded, with all members resuming their solo careers.

Career

2006-2007: Formation and ''Young Divas''

The Young Divas were formed in May 2006 by Sony BMG Australia, for a 17-date national tour to promote all members as solo artists. The group released a cover version of Donna Summer's single "This Time I Know It's for Real" on 7 May 2006, to attract attention for the tour, where all members would perform their solo material, and songs as a group. The single peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart, and certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for sales in excess of 70,000 copies.

Following the release of the single, the group embarked on the ''Young Divas Live!'' tour across Australia. Originally planned for only a two week period, the tour proved to be successful that extra dates were added and ran for three months to sell out audiences, causing band member Ricki-Lee Coulter to postpone her wedding.

A cover of Lonnie Gordon's "Happenin' All Over Again" was released as the group's second single. The song peaked at number nine on the ARIA Singles Chart, and certified gold. After a strong reception of their second single, Sony BMG decided that the Young Divas would record a full-length album of classic disco and pop covers. Their self-titled debut album, ''Young Divas'', was released on 14 November 2006. The album debuted at number four on the ARIA Albums Chart, and certified double platinum for sales of 140,000 copies. A cover of Hazell Dean's single, "Searchin'", was released as the third and final single from the album on 17 March 2007. The song failed to match the success of the two previous singles, and only reached number forty on the ARIA Singles Chart.

2007-2008: Line-up change, ''New Attitude'' and disbandment

In February 2007, it was announced that the Young Divas had pulled out of their scheduled national tour supporting Irish group, Westlife. The announcement of the cancellation came at a time when rumours were circulating that Coulter was set to leave the group, due to clashes with fellow member, Kate DeAraugo. During this time, Coulter headed overseas to work on her next solo album, and was temporarily replaced by Emily Williams' older sister and former ''Idol'' contestant, Lavina Williams. The rumours were denied by the group's manager, David Champion, who conceded that Coulter would return for the group's national tour in April 2007, and for the recording of their second album. He also stated that her solo commitments was one of the reasons the group pulled out of the tour, but also claimed that their growing popularity meant they were too "successful" to be a support act.

However, on 22 June 2007, it was announced that Coulter had left the group to resume her solo career and to marry her fiance, Jamie Babbington. She told Qconfidential, "I just couldn't do it all – I really had to get back to doing what I love doing, and that's my solo career." Despite the rumours of a clash with DeAraugo, Coulter said "the girls have been great, they understand completely. They know where I'm coming from." During this time, rumours began to circulate that Lavina Williams, season two ''Idol'' winner Casey Donovan and season four runner-up, Jessica Mauboy, would be Coulter's replacement. However, during an ''Australian Idol'' concert at Federation Square in Melbourne on 26 September 2007, it was revealed that Mauboy was the new member. Her management saw the Young Divas as a perfect learning curve about all that was positive and negative in the music industry.

The group released their second studio album, ''New Attitude'', on 26 November 2007. Its lead single, "Turn Me Loose", was released on 3 November 2007. The song was a cover of Canadian rock band Loverboy's 1981 hit of the same name. The Young Diva's version featured New Zealand rapper, Savage. It peaked at number fifteen on the ARIA Singles Chart. The album debuted at number ten on the ARIA Albums Chart, and certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for sales of 35,000 copies.

On 28 March 2008, Sony BMG announced in ''The Daily Telegraph'' that due to the poor sales of "Turn Me Loose", a second single would not be released from ''New Attitude''. It was also stated that the group were not being dropped from the record label and would continue to record music. However, during a visit to Indonesia in June 2008, Mauboy told ''The Jakarta Post'' that she was currently working on her first solo album, and that its first single would be released in August, with the album launch planned for September. Paulini's fan site also reported in July 2008, that Paulini was also working on her next solo album with the production team at PLW studios in Melbourne. On 24 August 2008, a press release from Sony BMG, confirmed that Mauboy and Paulini have left the group to concentrate more solidly on their solo careers. Paulini's manager, Nicole Hart, stated that her decision to leave "is totally amicable with the other girls. She just wants to continue on with her solo career. There is no animosity, there is nothing negative." The group's manager also stated, "the spirit of the Young Divas will live on in a new incarnation with a third album once the new line-up is finalised. Think of the Young Divas not so much as an act but a finishing school for future superstars." However, a second line-up change never occurred, leaving Williams' and DeAraugo to resume their solo careers.

Discography

Studio albums

''Young Divas'' (2006)

''New Attitude'' (2007)

Awards and nominations

Year !! Award ceremony !! Award !! Result
rowspan="2"	2006	rowspan="2"	Fave Song ("This Time I Know It's For Real")
Fave Australian Group

References

External links

Sony BMG, Young Divas Biography

Take40 group profile

Category:Australian pop music groups Category:Australian Idol Category:Girl groups Category:Australian dance music groups

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