|
|
| |
| 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. |
| |
| 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 |
| Water
: 314,400 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. |
| |
| 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.) |
|
| |
| Capital |
| New
Delhi |
| Administrative
divisions |
| 28
states and 6 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. |
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