India
The Republic of India is the second most populous country in the world and is the world's largest democracy, with over one billion people speaking about 800 distinct languages. The Indian economy is the fourth-largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity and is the world's second fastest growing economy.
Strategically located in Asia, straddling busy trade routes, India shares its borders with Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan.1 Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia are the nearby island nations in the Indian Ocean. One of the most ancient countries in the world, India was most recently ruled by the British for almost 200 years before gaining independence in 1947.
| |||||
| National motto: Satyameva Jayaté | |||||
| |||||
| Official language | Hindi, English (+ 21 other officially recognised languages) | ||||
| Capital | New Delhi | ||||
| Largest City | Mumbai | ||||
| President | Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam | ||||
| Prime Minister | Dr. Manmohan Singh | ||||
| Area - Total |
Ranked 7th 3,287,590 km² | ||||
| Population - Total (2003) |
Ranked 2nd 1,065,070,607 | ||||
| GDP by PPP |
Ranked 4th / 5th (among countries / economies) $3.022 trillion $ | ||||
| Independence | August 15, 1947 | ||||
| Republic | January 26, 1950 | ||||
| Currency Currency Code (ISO 4217) |
Indian Rupee (₨) INR | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +5.30 (IST) | ||||
| National anthem | Jana Gana Mana | ||||
| National song | Vandé Mataram | ||||
| Internet TLD | .IN | ||||
| Calling Code | 91 | ||||
| National game | Field Hockey | ||||
| National animal | Tiger | ||||
| National bird | Peacock | ||||
| National flower | Lotus | ||||
Origin of names
Main article: Origin of India's name
The official name India is derived from Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus and is the most internationally recognisable of the country. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat as the other official name of equal status. Bharat comes from the name of an ancient Hindu king and means seeker of knowledge. The third name is Hindustan, meaning land of the Hindus (where Hindu means one who dwells in Indus) used from the Mughal times onwards. It is unevenly used across the country today due to differing views of its appropriateness as a national signifier.
History
Main articles: History of India, Timeline of Indian history
Like a palimpsest, witness to many distinct layers of cultural history, India has a rich and colourful past. Many disruptive events have shaped its civilisation even as threads of continuity were maintained.
Stone age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh constitute the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago. This indigenous culture developed into the Indus Valley civilisation, which peaked between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. It is one of the earliest known civilisations. Around 1500 BC, Aryans , a group of linguistically and culturally linked tribes from Central Asia (primarily from the area around ancient Iran/Persian), migrated to India and melded with the indigenous culture. This account of early Indian history, a modified form of Max Mueller's inital Aryan Invasion Theory, is accepted in most academic institutions around the world. However, recent theories, held by a minority, deny the claim of ingress and posit continuity.
See also: Aryan Invasion Theory
Classical Hinduism arose from the interaction of Vedic and indigenous culture. Later, Buddhism and Jainism flourished in a flurry of religious reformation, adding to the richness of Indian culture. The first millennium saw many highly developed independent kingdoms, some of which acquired imperial stature, come to the fore. The great Hindu Gupta dynasty oversaw the period which historians refer to as India's "Golden Age" and the Mauryas (including the Buddhist king Ashoka) made great contributions to the cultural landscape. Arts, mathematics, engineering, astrology, religion and philosophy all flourished under the patronage of kings. Most parts of India were ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal dynasty following the Islamic ingress during the second millennia, though a few Hindu kingdoms remained in or subsequently arose to power.
After the arrival of the European traders, the Portuguese, French and English took advantage of the fractured, debilitate kingdoms spread across the subcontinent and colonised India. In 1857, an insurrection amongst the army sepoys ensued in the popular Revolt of 1857 against the powerful British East India Company; this mobilised resistance, though short-lasting, was caused by the widespread resentment against discriminatory policies of the British. After the revolt, the Indian independence movements started demanding complete independence. On August 15th, 1947, India was finally granted independence from British rule and became a secular republic. The joy of independence, however, was marred by the collective trauma of the Partition of India into a separate Muslim state of Pakistan (which was later split again to form Bangladesh).
After independence, India fought four wars over Kashmir, three against archrivals Pakistan and one against China. From 1975 to 1977, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a "State of Emergency in India," thereby freezing civil rights and detaining civilians without trial. The destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992 resulted in religious strife in west India. In the desert town of Pokhran, in 1998, the Indian government exploded five nuclear warheads, confirming India's nuclear status. In 1999, India mobilised its military in Kargil, Kashmir to repel Islamist terrorists that were encroaching upon Indian territory.
Government and politics
Main article: Politics of India
The Republic of India is a democratic republic. It is a Union of states within a federal structure. The head of state is the President and has a largely ceremonial role. The President and Vice-President are elected indirectly through an electoral college for 5 year terms.
The Prime Minister wields the executive power. He or she is assisted by the Council of Ministers (The cabinet) whom the Prime Minister appoints. All ministers are sworn in by the President. The Prime Minister is designated by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority. The President then appoints subordinate ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.
India's bicameral parliament consists of the upper house called 'The Council of States' (Rajya Sabha) and the lower house called 'The House of the People' (Lok Sabha). The Rajya Sabha consists of incumbents elected through an electoral college whereas the Lok Sabha consists of directly elected representatives.
For most of its history, India's union government has been governed by the Indian National Congress Party; it was the only major governing body in pre-Independence India and enjoyed dominance in national politics for over fifty years. The first party to actually overthrow the Congress party from its pedestal was the Jan Sangh party which formed a coalition with other regional parties in the 1970s. However, they did not last their full term. In the early and mid 1990s, the left leaning parties intermittently formed non-Congress governments at the center. However it was in 1999, that the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a political outgrowth of the Jan Sangh, became the first party to hold on to power with the support of regional allies. In the 2004 elections, however, in a surprise result, the Congress returned to power.
See also:
- Indian Administrative Service
- List of political parties in India
- Indian election process
- Election Commission of India
- List of government ministers
.png?lang=en)
Geography and climate
Main article: Geography of India
A land of varied landscape, India has snow-capped peaks, tropical islands, fertile plains and a sandy desert to offer. Occupying most of the Indian subcontinent, India's entire north and northeast states are made up of the Himalayan Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. Towards western India, bordering southeast Pakistan lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian peninsula is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau. The plateau is flanked by two hilly coastal ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
India is home to several major rivers such as the Ganga (Ganges), the Brahmaputra, the Yamuna, the Godavari and the Krishna.
The Indian climate varies from a tropical climate in the south to a more temperate climate in the north. India gets its rains through the monsoons.
See also:
States and Union territories
Main article: States and Territories of India
India is divided into 28 states (which are further sub-divided into districts), 6 Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. States have their own elected government whereas Union Territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the union government .
States:
Union Territories:
National Capital Territory:
India has made no territorial claim in Antarctica but had two scientific bases there — Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri.
See also: List of states of India by population
Economy
Main article: Economy of India
A developing economy, India is the 4th largest in the world and has the second fastest annual growth rate at around 8%. However owing to its huge population, India's per capita income works out to be US$2,540. India's foreign exchange reserves amount to over US$ 120 billion. Mumbai (formerly Bombay), headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India — which controls the economy; and housing the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange, remains the financial capital and nerve centre of the country's economy.
The Indian economy has largely shed its agrarian roots, with agriculture now contributing less than 25% of the GDP. GDP growth is increasingly stable and does not get shocked by fluctuations in the monsoon.
Other important industries are iron and steel, petroleum, jewellery, entertainment, textile, information technology services and handicrafts. Most of India's industries are centered around the major cities. India also has a lot of small-scale industries providing employment to many of its citizens in small towns and villages. India's major trading partners are the United States, Japan and the European Union.
See also: List of Indian companies
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of India
India is the second most populous country in the world, with only China having a larger population. Language, religion, and caste are major determinants of social and political organisation within the highly diverse Indian population today. Its biggest metropolitan agglomerations are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Chennai (formerly Madras).
India's literacy rate is 64.8%. Out of this 53.7% of females are literate. The sex ratio is 933 females for every 1000 males. Although 80.5% of the people are Hindus, India is home to a large population of Muslims (13.4%) giving it the world's third largest Muslim population after Indonesia and Pakistan. Other smaller religious minorities include Christians (2.33%), Sikhs (1.84%), Buddhists (0.76%), Jains (0.40%), Jews, Parsis, Ahmadi and Bahá'í.
India is home to two main language families, the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian derived languages. India's national language is Hindi. English, which is classified as an associate official language, is widely in use in higher echelons, and is seen as the language of social mobility and standing. Two classical languages native to the land are Sanskrit and Tamil.
Twenty one other official languages are recognised by the Constitution for official administrative use by various state governments. The number of living languages in India has been estimated to be as high as 400.
See also:
Society and religion
Main article: Religion in India
A pluralist, multilingual and multicultural society, Indians are largely tolerant and peaceful. Many Indians still follow Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of non-violence and simplicity. Religious practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in society. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum. The traditional Indian family values are highly respected and considered sacred. Some urban families have grown into a nuclear family-system owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system.
Religion in India is very public with many rich and colourful practices imbued with pomp and vitality accompanying their underlying spiritual qualities. A melting pot of many religions, festivals are celebrated by one and all. The most widely-known and popular celebrations include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Holi and Dussera.
See also: List of holidays in India
Culture
Main article: Culture of India
Being one of the earliest of civilisations, India has a rich and unique cultural heritage. It has striven to preserve its established traditions throughout history, though its dynamic nature is manifest in its willingness to respect and tolerate foreign ways and practices.
Indian music is represented by a wide variety of forms. The two main ones in terms of classical music are the Carnatic and Hindustani. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Filmi music; interestingly, Hindu religious bhajans and Urdu ghazals often cross over between the classical and popular realms. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music. Many dance forms exist in India – Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Kathakali and others. While they often have a narrative form, they are also infused with devotional and spiritual elements. Other forms such as street theatre and puppetry are also widespread.
The earliest literary traditions were mostly oral and were later transcribed. Most of these spring from Hindu tradition and are represented by sacred works like the Vedas, the epics of the Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Sangam literature from Tamil Nadu represents some of India's oldest secular traditions. Indian writers in modern times have been the cynosure of wide acclaim, both in Indian languages and English (with Booker Prize winners, Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie). India's only Nobel laureate in Literature was the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore.
India produces the world's highest number of films annually. The most recognisable face is that of Bollywood, based in Mumbai, which produces mainly commercial Hindi films. Cinema in other language bases is particularly strong, with movies regularly produced in well-established Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu industries. India's gift to world cinema was the internationally renowned Bengali director Satyajit Ray.
Rice in the south and wheat in the north are the staple foods in the country. The gastronomy of India is extremely rich and varied as spices and other ingredients vary from region to region. Indians love their famous spicy food as much as their wide variety of sweets. Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles. The Sari and Salwar Kameez are popular among women. Ethnic Indian wear for men is composed of the Dhoti and Kurta.
See also: List of World Heritage sites in India; Indian architecture; Indian family name
Sports
Main article: Sports in India
India's national sport is Field Hockey, although many would assert that Cricket is now the de-facto national game. Football too finds large viewership in almost the entire country. Some traditional indigenous games are Kabaddi and Gilli-danda. Chess, Carrom, Polo and Badminton are some other sports that are said to have originated from India.
India athletes however, do not shine in the international arena in many sports. Many blame the Indian government for not having an active sports policy as well as poor sporting infrastructure, lack of promotion of sports in schools and the perpetual media fixation on Cricket, leading to other sports being sidelined.
Trivia
- Traffic moves on the left side (and cars have Right Hand Drive).
- The Indian English spoken in India is rooted in British English.
- Date format: dd/mm/yyyy
- Number format: 107= 1 crore. 105= 1 lakh. 1,00,00,000 = 1 crore. (See Indian numbering system)
- Postal Code (PIN): 6 digits.
- Official Measurements: Metric (SI)
- Voltage 220V; 50 Hz
- TV signals use PAL
- Financial Year starts on April 1.
- Power plugs — Type C, D & M (CEE 7/16; CEE 7/17; BS 546)
Related topics
External links
- Official
- GOI Directory — Directory of governmental websites
- Prime Minister's Office
- President of India
- Indian Parliament
- Ministry of Defence — Official MOD site
- Indiaimage — National Informatics Center - Basic Portal to Govt. of India Websites
- Census of India — Office of the Census Commissioner
- Indian Postal Service
- Supreme Court of India
- Ministry of External Affairs — Discover India. Definitive site for information and links.
- Central Board of Excise and Customs, India - A direct, no-nonsense site.
- Election Commission of India — India's political watchdog.
- Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) — Indian Export Organisation
- Department of Electronics
- Tourism of India — Ministry of Tourism
- Department of Education, Govt. of India
- Other
- india-picture.com Images from regions, people, and arts of India
- Images of India
- India visa requirements
- Indian Literature
- Indian Literature
References
- Manorama Year Book 2003 — ISBN 81-900461-8-7
- Discovery of India — Jawaharlal Nehru—ISBN 0195623592
- Genetic studies by Bamshad et al 2001
- CIA — The World Factbook -- India — CIA's Factbook on India
- Country Profile: India — BBC's's Country Profile on India
- Travel information at countryguide.com
- Historical Maps of India
- Indian States — Table of Indian states and codes from Statoids
- STD Codes — Citywise STD codes
Template:South Asia 1The government of India recognises the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of India. This state borders a part of Afghanistan. A ceasefire sponsored by the United Nations in 1948 freezes the positions of Indian and Pakistani held territory. As a consequence, the region bordering Afghanistan is in Pakistan administered territory.
India is also the letter I in the NATO phonetic alphabet
[[ru:Индия]]