Living in Himalaya
Living in valleys of Great Himalayas can be a real high life experience while the view from the front door is quite often above the clouds with 8-thousanders as neighbours. But the daily life for nearly 40 million people being its inhabitants is not easy.
The population, settlement, and economic patterns within the Himalayas have been greatly influenced by the variations in topography and climate, which impose harsh living conditions and tend to restrict movement and communication with porters and animals as common mains of transport. People living in remote, isolated valleys have generally preserved their cultural identities.
The economy of the Himalayas as a whole is poor with low per capita income. Much of the Himalayas area is characterized by a very low economic growth rate combined with a high rate of population growth. Most of the population depends on agriculture while modern industries are lacking. Mineral resources are limited. The Himalayas has major hydroelectric potential, but the development of hydroelectric resources requires outside capital investment. Most of the Himalayan communities face poor health services and education systems.
Since 1950 tourism has emerged as a major growth industry in the Himalayas. Nearly 1 million visitors come each year for mountain trekking, wildlife viewing, and pilgrimages to Hindu and Buddhist sacred places.
