The Partition of India (1947)

By 1947, the British Empire could no longer maintain control of the area due to local resistance and the need to focus on rebuilding Britain after World War II. As the British withdrew, they partitioned British India into India and Pakistan based on their religious differences.

As shown in Figure 8.8, India became the home of the Hindu population, while Pakistan governed the Muslim population. West Pakistan (formerly the northwestern section of India) and East Pakistan (in the far eastern section of India were separated by 1,600 km of Indian territory). West Pakistan administered East Pakistan.