The Republic of India is a country that occupies a greater part of South Asia. It has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres,Template:Inote borders Pakistan to the west, the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to three island nations – the Maldives to the southwest, Sri Lanka to the south, and Indonesia to the southeast. India also claims a border with Afghanistan to the northwest.Template:Mn
Republic of India भारत गणराज्य Bhārat Gaṇarājya | |
|---|---|
| Motto: "Satyameva Jayate" Sanskrit: सत्यमेव जयते /sətyəmeːvə ɟəjəteː/ ("Truth Alone Triumphs") | |
| Anthem: "Jana Gana Mana" Sanskrit: जन गण मन /ɟənə gəɳə mənə/ | |
| Location of India | |
| Capital | New Delhi |
| Largest city | Mumbai (Bombay) |
| Official languages | Hindi, English, and 21 other languages |
| Government | Federal republic |
| Independence | |
• Water (%) | 9.56 |
| Population | |
• 2006 estimate | 1,192,225,812 (2nd) |
• 2001 census | 1,027,000,000 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate |
• Total | $3.678 trillion (4th) |
• Per capita | $3400 (125th) |
| HDI (2003) | 0.602 medium (127th) |
| Currency | Rupee (Rs.)1 (INR) |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+5:30 (not observed) |
| Calling code | 91 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN |
| Internet TLD | .in |
1 Re. is singular | |
The name India /'ɪndiə/ is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the River Indus (see Origin of India's name). The Constitution of India and common usage also recognise Bharat (Hindi: भारत /bʰɑːrət̪/ ), as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान /hin̪d̪ust̪ɑːn/) (Persian: Land of the Hindus) has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied due to domestic disputes by some over its representation as a national signifier.
India is the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) and the tenth largest in nominal (exchange-rate) terms. With a population of over one billion, it is the second most populous country in the world and the world's largest liberal democracy. India is also seventh largest country by geographical area.
As home to one of the four major ancient civilisations and a center of important trade routes, India has long played a significant role in human history. Famous for its rich religious traditions, four of the major world religions–Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism–all have their origins in India.
A former colony of the British Empire, India gained independence in 1947 as a unified state. The country suffered from stagnation for many decades and was relegated to the status of a leader of the Third World. Since the 1980s, however, India has begun liberalizing its economy and opening its doors to free trade. Today, India's influence, especially in the political and economic spheres, has grown significantly and it is now considered a major power.
History
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in present-day India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago, and gradually developed into the Indus Valley Civilisation, which began around 3300 BCE and peaked between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE. It was followed by the Vedic Civilisation. From around 550 BCE, many independent kingdoms came into being.
In the north, the Maurya dynasty, which included Ashoka, contributed greatly to India's cultural landscape. From 180 BCE, a series of invasions from Central Asia followed. This led to the establishment of the Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian kingdoms in the northern Indian Subcontinent, and finally the Kushan Empire. From the third century BCE, the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient India's "Golden Age". In the south, several dynasties, including the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Pallavas and Pandyas prevailed during different periods. Science, engineering, art, literature, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings.
Following the Islamic invasions from Central Asia and Persia in the seventh to the twelfth centuries, much of north and central India came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal dynasty, who gradually expanded their reign to much of the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms flourished, especially in the relatively sheltered south, like the Vijayanagara Empire. During mid-second millennium, several European countries, including Portugal, Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom, who initially wanted to trade with India, took advantage of the fractured kingdoms fighting each other, to establish colonies in the country. In 1857, an insurrection, known locally as the First War of Indian Independence against the British East India Company failed. This resulted in much of India coming under the direct administrative control of the crown of the British Empire. In the early twentieth century, the prolonged, non-violent struggle for independence was led by Mahatma Gandhi, widely regarded as the "Father of the Nation." The struggle culminated on 15 August, 1947 when India gained full independence from British rule, and became a republic on 26 January, 1950.
As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation, India has had some sectarian violence and insurgencies in various parts of the country, but has stayed together as a vibrant democracy. It has unresolved border disputes with China, which escalated into the brief Sino-Indian War in 1962; and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and in 1999 in Kargil. India is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations. In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test, making it an unofficial member of the "nuclear club". This was followed by a series of five more tests in 1998. Significant economic reforms beginning in 1991 have transformed India into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and added to its global and regional clout.
Government
| Flag | Tiranga | |
| Emblem | Sarnath Lion | |
| Anthem | "Jana Gana Mana" | |
| Song | "Vandē Mātaram" | |
| Animal | Royal Bengal Tiger | |
| Bird | Indian Peacock | |
| Flower | Lotus | |
| Tree | Banyan | |
| Fruit | Mango | |
| Sport | Field Hockey | |
| Calendar | Saka |
India is a soverign, secular liberal democracy and quasi-federal republic with a bicameral parliament operating under the Westminster system. It has three branches of government: the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary. The President is the head of state and the Commander-in-chief of Indian Armed Forces. The president and the Vice-president are elected indirectly by an electoral college for five-year terms.
The Prime Minister is the head of government and has the most executive powers. He or she is elected by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority, and serves a five-year term. The constitution does not explicitly provide for a post of Deputy Prime Minister, but this option has been exercised from time to time. The legislature is the bicameral Indian Parliament, which consists of the upper house (the Rajya Sabha, "Council of States"), and the lower house (the Lok Sabha, "House of the People"). The 245-member Rajya Sabha is chosen indirectly through an electoral college, and has a staggered six-year term. The 545-member Lok Sabha is directly elected by popular vote for a five-year term, and is the determinative constituent of political power and government formation. All Indian citizens above the age of 18 are eligible to vote.
The executive arm consists of the president, vice-president and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet), headed by the prime minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either house of parliament. In the Indian parliamentary system, the executive is subordinate to the legislature. India's independent judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court has both original jurisdiction over disputes between states and the centre, and appellate jurisdiction over the High Courts of India. There are eighteen appellate High Courts, each having jurisdiction over a state or a group of smaller states. Each of these states has a tiered system of lower courts. A conflict between the legislature and the judiciary is referred to the president.
Politics and foreign relations
For most of its independent history, India has been ruled by the Indian National Congress Party (INC). The party enjoyed a parliamentary majority barring two brief periods during the 1970s and late 1980s. Between 1996 and 1998, there was a period of political flux with the government being formed first by the right-wing nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) followed by a left-leaning United Front coalition. In 1998, the BJP formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with smaller regional parties, and became the first non-Congress government to complete a full five-year term. The 2004 Indian elections saw the Congress party winning the largest number of seats to form a coalition government supported by left-parties and those opposed to the BJP.
India has had cordial relationships with most countries over much its independent history. However, much of the years following independence were overshadowed by constant tensions with Pakistan and China over territory in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. During the Cold War, India tried to maintain its neutrality and was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. After the Sino-Indian War of 1962, India's relationship with the Soviet Union warmed at the expense of its ties with the United States and continued to remain so till the end of the Cold War. Recent overtures by the Indian government have strengthened India's relations with United States, China and Pakistan. In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other developing nations of South America, Asia and Africa, especially Brazil and Mexico. India has contributed to UN operations in four continents. Over 55,000 Indian military and police personnel have served in 35 UN peace keeping operations.
States and union territories
India is divided into twenty-eight states (which are further subdivided into districts) and seven union territories. All states and the union territories of Delhi and Pondicherry have elected governments. The remaining five union territories have centrally-appointed administrators.
Geography
India is largely on the Indian subcontinent situated on the Indian Plate, the northerly portion of the Indo-Australian Plate, in southern Asia. India's northern and northeastern states are partially situated in the Himalayan Mountain Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. In the west, bordering southeast Pakistan, lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian Peninsula is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau, which is flanked by two hilly coastal ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
India is home to several major rivers, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, and Krishna. India has three archipelagos – Lakshadweep off the southwest coast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands volcanic island chain to the southeast, and the Sunderbans in the Gangetic Delta in West Bengal State. The Indian climate varies from tropical in the south to more temperate in the north. The Himalayan parts of India have a tundra climate. India gets most of its rains through the monsoons.
Economy
The economy of India is the fourth-largest in the world as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), with a GDP of US $3.36 trillion. Template:Inote When measured in USD exchange-rate terms, it is the tenth largest in the world, with a GDP of US $691.87 billion Template:Inote (2004). India was the second fastest growing major economy in the world, with a GDP growth rate of 8.1% at the end of the first quarter of 2005–2006. Template:Inote However, India's huge population results in a relatively low per capita income of $3,100 at PPP and is classified as a developing nation.
For most of its independent history India has adhered to a socialist-inspired approach, with strict government control over private sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment. Since the early 1990s, India has gradually opened up its markets through economic reforms by reducing government controls on foreign trade and investment. Privatisation of public-owned industries and opening up of certain sectors to private and foreign players has proceeded slowly amid political debate.
India has a labour force of 496.4 million of which agriculture constitutes 60% of it, industry 17%, and services 23%. The unemployment rate is at 9%. Agricultural produce include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry and fish. Major industries include textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum and machinery.
In recent times, India has also capitalised on its large number of highly educated people who are fluent in the English language to become an important location for global companies outsourcing customer service and technical support call centers. It is also a major exporter of skilled workers in software services, financial services, and software engineers. India's most important trading partners are the United States, the European Union, Japan, China, and the United Arab Emirates.Template:Inote
Mumbai (Bombay) serves as the nation's commercial capital, with the headquarters of many financial institutions located within the city.
Demographics
India is the second-most populous country in the world, after China. The main determinants of social and political organisation within the highly diverse population are language, religion and caste. India's largest metropolitan agglomerations are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and Chennai (formerly Madras). India's literacy rate is 64.8% overall, 53.7% for females and 75.3% of males.Template:Inote The gender ratio is 933 females per 1000 males. The Work Participation Rate (WPR; the percentage of workers to total population) is 39.1%, with male WPR at 51.7% and female WPR at 25.6%. Template:Inote India's median age is 24.66, and the population growth rate is 22.32 births per 1,000.Template:Inote
Although 80.5% of the people are Hindus, India is also home to the third-largest population of Muslims in the world (13.4%; see Islam in India), after Indonesia and Pakistan. Other religious groups include Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.84%), Buddhists (0.76%), Jains (0.40%), Jews, Zoroastrians, Ahmadi Muslims, and Bahá'ís.Template:Inote India is home to two major linguistic families: Indo-Aryan (spoken by about 74% of the population) and Dravidian (spoken by about 24%) with a number of other languages from the Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman linguistic families. The constitution recognises 23 official languages[1]. Hindi and English are used by the Central Government for official purposes. Two classical languages native to the land are Sanskrit and Tamil. The number of mother tongues in India is as high as 1,652.Template:Inote
Culture
India has a rich and unique cultural heritage, and has managed to preserve its established traditions throughout history whilst absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders and immigrants. Many cultural practices, languages, customs and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries. Famous monuments, such as the Taj Mahal and other examples of Islamic-inspired architecture have been inherited from the Mughal dynasty. These are the result of a syncretic tradition that combined elements from all parts of the country. Indian society is largely pluralist, multilingual and multicultural.
Indian music is represented in a wide variety of forms. The two main forms of classical music are Carnatic from South India, and Hindustani from North India. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Filmi music. In addition to this are the diverse traditions of folk music from different parts of the country. Many classical dance forms exist, including the Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kathak and Manipuri. They often have a narrative form and are usually infused with devotional and spiritual elements. The earliest literary traditions in India were mostly oral, and were later transcribed. Most of these are represented by sacred works like the Vedas and the epics of the Mahabharatha and Ramayana. Sangam literature from Tamil Nadu represents some of India's oldest traditions. There have been many notable modern Indian writers, both in Indian languages and in English. India's only Nobel laureate in literature was the Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore. India produces the world's largest number of films every year. The most recognisable face is that of cinema production based in Mumbai, which produces mainly commercial Hindi films, often referred to as "Bollywood". There are also strong cinema industries based on the Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu languages.
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. Traditional Indian family values are highly respected, and considered sacred, although urban families have grown to prefer a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Religion in India is a very public affair, with many practices imbued with pomp and vitality accompanying their underlying spiritual qualities. A melting pot of many religions, India has a rich diversity of festivals, many of which are celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. The most widely known and popular celebrations include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Holi, and Dussehra, and the Muslim celebration of Eid.
The cuisine of India is extremely diverse, as ingredients, spices and cooking methods vary from region to region. Rice and wheat are the staple foods in the country. The country is notable for its wide variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian cuisine. Spicy food and sweets are popular in India. Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles, and depend on various factors, including climate. Popular styles of dress include the traditional sari for women and the traditional dhoti for men.
India is the land of multiple faces with languages and traditions governed by culture.
Sports and games
India's national sport is field hockey, although cricket is now the de facto national game due to its success and popularity in recent times. In some states, particularly in the northeast, football (soccer) is the most popular sport and is widely watched even though India ranks outside of the top 100 national teams in the FIFA World Rankings. India is also strongly represented in chess, with several international-level players including Viswanathan Anand who was FIDE World Champion. Other popular sports include cue sports (snooker and billiards) and shooting.
India has had little recent success in the Olympics, with one silver medal and two bronze medals in the last three summer Games. Up to 1980, it had won eight field hockey gold medals. India came fourth in the medals tally at the 2002 Commonwealth Games winning 30 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze medals. India has also seen some success in tennis with several players securing individual titles and Grand Slam doubles wins.
Traditional indigenous sports include Polo, Kabaddi and Gilli-danda, which are played in most parts of the country. Chess, badminton and carom are also said to have originated in India.[citation needed] Snooker and badminton have seen Indians achieve some international success. Formula 1 racing is also increasing in popularity, though its reach is largely limited to urban areas.
Holidays
India has three National Holidays. Other sets of holidays, varying between nine to twelve, pertains to festivals, religious holidays and births of leaders which are legislated by the individual states.
| Date | Holiday | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 26 January | Republic Day | The constitution of India came into effect on this day in the year 1950. |
| 15 August | Independence Day | India gained its independence from the British Empire on this day in 1947. |
| 2 October | Gandhi Jayanti | The Birth Date of Mahatma Gandhi. |
See also
External links
- Official
- Official Service Portal of the Government of India
- GOI Directory — Directory of central and state governmental websites
- Indiaimage National Informatics Centre — Basic Portal to Govt. of India Websites
- Other
References
- "India facts and figures". Embassy of India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Forex reserves up by $1bn". Economic Times. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "India Economy". Travel Document Systems. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Services". India in Business. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Destination India: An Unpolished Diamond". Times of India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "CIA Factbook : India". CIA Factbook. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Provisional Population Totals 2001 Census". Census of India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Debating India & India's literacy rate". Debating India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - India "India – Country profiles". indexmundi.com. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Census of India 2001, Data on Religion". Census of India. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Languages of India". India image. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Foreign Policy of India". Indian Embassy. Retrieved March 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - Matthew, K.M. (2003). Manorama Yearbook 2003. Malaya Manorama. pp. pg 524. ISBN 8190046187.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help)
Notes
- Template:Mnb The Government of India considers 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 Pakistani-administered territory.
- Template:Mnb The black line is the boundary as recognised by the government of India. The northern region of Kashmir is currently administered by India, Pakistan, and China (and coloured in as such). The delimiting of the three administered regions is not the international boundary but a ceasefire line demarcated in red. The boundary separating India and Pakistan is known as the Line of Control, that separating India and China as the 'Line of Actual Control'. Most of the state of Arunachal Pradesh is still claimed by China.
- India is also the letter I in the NATO phonetic alphabet.