Part one General Survey: Globalization and human development in South Asia / C. Rammanohar Reddy -- Corruption and governance in South Asia / Mushtaq H. Khan - Current security issues in South Asia / Rohan Gunartna -- The religions of South Asia / Geoffrey Parrinder -- Population and environmental issues in South Asia / Gouranga Lal Dasvarma. Part two Country Surveys. -- Part three: Who's who in South Asia. -- Part four: Regional information.

For each country the following information is provided: physical and social geography, history, economy, statistical survery (statistics), and directories of political organizations, diplomatic representation, judicial system, religion, the press, publishers, broadcasting and communictions, finance, trade and industry, transport, tourism, defence and education.