Map
Source: CIA World Factbook
Summary Data
| summary data |
|
| Total Area (km2) |
3,287,590 |
| Land (km2) |
2,973,190 |
| Water (km2) |
314,400 |
| Population |
1,147,995,898 |
| Population Density (/km2) |
386 |
| Capital |
New Delhi |
| Religion (%) |
Hindu 80.5%
Muslim 13.4%
Christian 2.3%
Sikh 1.9%
Other 1.8%
Unspecified 0.1%
|
| Time |
GMT +5.3 |
| Climate |
Varies from tropical monsoon
in south to temperate in north. |
Source: CIA World Factbook
Geography
India is located in Southern Asia and borders Pakistan to the
west, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and
Myanmar to the east. With a coastline of over 7000km, India is
bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the
east and the Indian Ocean to the south. With a vast total area of
3,287,590 square kilometres, India's terrain is hugely varied.
Southern India is composed predominantly of a peninsular of upland
plain, known as the Deccan Plateau, which is flanked by two coastal
ranges; the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. The east along the
Ganges largely consists of flat to rolling plains, while in the
west lies miles of desert. India's northern and north-eastern
states lie partially in the Himalayan Mountains. The country has
many great rivers, including the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the
Yamuna, the Godavari and the Kaveri.
Government
India is a federal republic that comprises 28 states and 7 union
territories. The chief of state is currently Pratibha Patil. In the
12th presidential elections of India on 19 July 2007, Pratibha
Patil received 638,116 votes and won over her nearest rival,
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Pratibha Patil will become the first
female President of India. The Vice President Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat has been in office since 19 August 2002.
The head of government is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who
has been in office since 22 May 2004. The next election is to be
held in May 2009. Singh's administration has aimed to reduce
India's fiscal deficit, extend social programs and advance the
pro-industry economic policies that have helped facilitate the
country's major economic expansion since 2002. The administration
has also aimed to continue the peace process with Pakistan and
build stronger relations with the US, China and Europe.
Language
English has the status of a subsidiary official language, but is
the most important language for national, political, and commercial
communication. Hindi is the official national language and primary
tongue of 30% of the people. There are 14 other official languages:
Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam,
Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit.
However, the number of dialects in India is as high as 1,652.
Electricity
Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs can be of two types: the two
round pin type or three round pins arranged in a triangle.
Passports/Visa
Passports valid for at least six months are required by all
foreign visitors.
Visas
Visas are required for all nationals from the UK,USA, Australia,
Canada and the EU. (Other nationals should consult their embassies
for visa requirements.) If you arrive without a visa you will be
refused entry. Those who overstay their visas will be fined,
prosecuted and may be detained and deported.
Tourist visas last for six months for multiple entry. Transit
visas allow for stays of up to 72 hours within 15 days of issue.
Business visas allow for stays of between 3-6 months, or up to two
years for multiple entry.
Certain parts of India have protected or restricted status,
including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh,
Manipur, Sikkim, Port Blair, Mizoram, Nagaland and Mundgod. To
visit these areas, special permits are required, or in some cases,
government permission. Intent to visit a restricted region should
be made clear when applying for a visa.
Passport/Visa Information
High Commission of India in the UK:
India House,
Aldwych,
London, WC2B 4NA.
Tel: (020) 7836 8484 or (020) 7632 3249/52/53
(visa enquiries).
Website: www.hcilondon.net
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1200 (visa enquiries) 0915-1730
(visa applications and collections and telephone enquiries.)
Embassy of India in the US:
Chancery: 2017 Massachusetts Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA.
Consulate: 2536 Massachusetts Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA.
Tel: (020) 939 7000 or 9806 (consular
section)
Website: www.indianembassy.org
Airports and Airlines
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
(BOM)
- Location: The airport is located 35km north of
the city centre.
- Contacts: International terminal: (2A/2C) -
+91 22 26813000
- Transfer between terminals: free coach service
between international and domestic terminals for all
passengers.
- Transfer to the city: Taxis, local bus
services and private coaches are all available, the majority
available from both terminals
- Car rental: Available in both
international terminals and from domestic terminal 1A.
- Facilities: Food, shopping, ATMs, disabled
facilities.
- Parking: Some parking available.
- Website: http://www.csia.in/
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the biggest airport
serving India. Other main international airports are the Indira
Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, the Netaji Subhash
Chandra Base International Airport in Kolkata and the Madras
International Airport in Chennai.
Standard of Living
The standard of living in India is modest, but is improving, In
2007 the GDP per capita (PPP) was US$ 2,700. In 2002 25% of the
population lived below the poverty line, while the National Sample
Survey Organisation (NSSO) estimates that in 2004-2005, 22.15% of
the population was living below the poverty line.
Living standards in India, particularly as far as health in
concerned range hugely from the most basic healthcare in rural
areas, to excellent medical facilities in the commercial
cities.
As the Indian middle class becomes used to a higher standard of
living comparable with the west, conditions should improve. India's
middle class is now growing by 15-20 million people every year and
by 2025 half of the population will be categorised as middle
class.
Principal commercial centres and towns
India's two mega-cities, Delhi and Mumbai, set to become the
world's 2nd and 3rd largest cities by 2015, are the main commercial
centres. New Delhi, within the metropolis of Delhi is also the
capital and main political centre.
| population by city/town 2007 |
|
| Delhi |
13,782,976 |
| Mumbai |
13,662,885 |
| Hyderabad |
9,662,545 |
| Bangalore |
6,200,000 |
| Kolkata |
4,580,544 |
| Chennai |
4,430,000 |
| Ahmedabad |
3,867,336 |
Source: Wikipedia
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