India at a Glance

Introduction

 

Background :
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan . A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh . Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

 

Geography

Location Southern Asia , bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal , between Burma and Pakistan .
Geographic coordinates 20 00 N, 77 00 E

Area
Total 3,287,590 sq km
Land 2,973,190 sq km
Water314,400 sq km

Area - comparative Slightly more than one-third the size of the US .

Land boundaries
Total 14,103 km
Border countries Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km.

 

Coastline 7,000 km

Climate Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north.

 

Terrain Upland plain ( Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges , deserts in west, Himalayas in north.

Land use
Arable land 54.35%
Permanent crops  2.66%
Other 42.99% (1998 est.)

 

Geography - note Dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes.

 

People

Population 1,080,264,388 (July 2005 est.)

Religions Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000).

Literacy
Definition Age 15 and over can read and write
Total population 52%
Male 65.5%
Female 37.7% (1995 est.)

 

Government

Capital New Delhi

Administrative divisions 28 states and 7 union territories

Independence 15 August 1947 (from UK )

National holiday Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution 26 January 1950

Flag description Three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band.