India
Template:India infobox The Republic of India is a large multicultural country in South Asia, with a population of over one billion. 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. India is also the second most populous country in the world and the world's largest democracy. It has grown significantly, in both population and strategic importance, in the last twenty years. India has also emerged as an important regional power, possessing one of the world's largest military forces and a declared nuclear weapons capability. Located in Asia and constituting most of the Indian subcontinent, India straddles many trade routes. It shares its borders with Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan1. Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia are nearby island nations in the Indian Ocean. India is home to some of the most ancient civilizations and has given birth to four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The country was part of the British Empire before gaining independence in 1947.
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. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognize Bharat as an official name of equal status. Bharat was the name of an ancient Hindu king. A third name, Hindustan, or land of the Hindus, was used from Mughal times onwards.
History
Main articles: History of India, Timeline of Indian history
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago and developed into the Indus Valley Civilization, which peaked between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. The civilization was a highly developed, urban civilisation spread across northern /north western India and Pakistan, consisting of settlements of every size from large cities to villages connected by a trade network.
Early Hinduism was Brahmanical and based on the Vedas. The Vedas are the oldest religious scriptures known to mankind, and thought to have been composed around 1800-1500 BC (although the date is speculative and the Vedas could have been possibly composed much earlier). Later, Buddhism and Jainism arose in waves of religious reform. Eventually, Hinduism regained its primacy by interacting with the Vedic and indigenous Dravidian culture. In the first millennium AD, many independent kingdoms came into being. The Hindu Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as India's Golden Age, and the Maurya dynasty, which included the Buddhist king Ashoka, made great contributions to India's cultural landscape. The arts, mathematics, engineering, astrology, religion, and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings. Following the Islamic invasions in the beginning of the second millennium, most parts of India were ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal dynasty, although some Hindu kingdoms remained in or rose to power.
Portuguese, French, and English traders took advantage of the fractured kingdoms to colonize India. The British East India Company became powerful, and their discriminatory policies caused widespread resentment resulting in 1857 in an insurrection popularly known as the Indian Mutiny. After the revolt, India came under the crown of the British Empire. Subsequently, the Indian independence movements began its struggle for independence. On August 15, 1947, India was granted independence from British rule and became a secular republic.
Since its independence, India has fought four wars with its neighbors. In 1974 India became the world's sixth nuclear power, exploding a nuclear device in Pokhran, Rajasthan. 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 much of India. In 1998, the Indian government exploded five nuclear warheads, confirming India's nuclear status. In 1999, India participated in the Kargil War in Kashmir to repel Islamist terrorists.
Government and politics
Main article: Politics of India
India is a democratic republic. It is a federation of states within a federal structure. The head of state is the President, who has a largely ceremonial role. The President and Vice-President are elected indirectly by an electoral college for five-year terms.
The Prime Minister wields the executive power. The Prime Minister is designated by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority. He or she is assisted by the Council of Ministers, or the cabinet, appointed by the Prime Minister. All ministers are sworn in by the President. The President then appoints subordinate ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.
India's bicameral parliament consists of the upper house known as the Council of States, or Rajya Sabha and the lower house known as the House of the People, or Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha is chosen by an electoral college whereas the Lok Sabha is elected directly.
For most of its independent history, India's union government has been ruled by the Indian National Congress Party. Having been the biggest political group in pre-independence India, the Congress enjoyed nearly unchallenged dominance in national politics for over forty years. The first party to end the Congress Party's dominance was Jan Sangh, which formed a coalition with other regional parties in the 1970s. They did not, however, last their full term. In the early and mid-1990s, left-leaning parties intermittently formed non-Congress governments at the center. It was only in 1999 that the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finally became the first non-Congress party to hold on to power with the help of regional allies. In the 2004 elections, in a surprise result, the Congress returned to power, leading a center-left coalition.
See also:
Geography and climate
Main article: Geography of India
A land of varied landscape that occupies most of the Indian subcontinent, India has snow-capped peaks, tropical islands, fertile plains and a sandy desert to offer. 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.
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States and Union territories
Main article: States and Territories of India
India is divided into 28 states (which are further subdivided 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 articles: Economy of India, List of Indian companies
A nation in rapid development, India has an economy ranked as the twelfth largest in the world (in terms of currency conversion) or fourth largest (in terms of Purchasing Power Parity) and recorded the second-fastest annual growth rate at around 8 percent in 2003. However, owing to its huge population, India's per-capita income by purchasing power parity works out to be US$ 2,540. India's foreign exchange reserves amount to over US$120 billion. Mumbai serves as the nation's financial capital and nerve centre; it is home to both the headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India (The Central Bank) and the Bombay Stock Exchange.
While many Indians live in poverty, a large middle class has emerged along with the growth of a promising IT industry.
The Indian economy has shed much of its historical dependence on agriculture, which now contributes to less than 25% of the GDP. Other important industries are mining, petroleum, diamond polishing, films, textiles, information technology services, and handicrafts. Most of India's industrial regions are centred around the major cities. In recent years, India has emerged the global leader in software and business process outsourcing services, raking in revenues of US$12.5 billion in the year that ended March 2004. There are also a lot of small-scale industries that provide steady employment to many of its citizens in small towns and villages. While India receives only around two million foreign visitors a year, its tourism base is still an important aspect of its national income. India's major trading partners are the United States, Japan, and the European Union.
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), and Chennai (formerly Madras).
India's literacy rate is 64.8%, with 53.7% of females being literate. The sex ratio is 933 females for every 1000 males.
Although 80.5% of the people are Hindus, India is also home to the third largest population of Muslims in the world (13.4%). Other smaller religious minorities include Christians (2.33%), Sikhs (1.84%), Buddhists (0.76%), Jains (0.40%), Jews, Parsis, Ahmadi, and Baha'i. 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, India has rich festivals celebrated by one and all. The most widely known and popular noob celebrations include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Holi and Dussera.
India is home to two major linguistic families, those of the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian-derived languages. India's national language is Hindi. English, which is classified as the Language of the Union for official purposes, is seen as the language of social mobility and standing, owing to its centrality in international business. 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 mother tongues in India is as high as 1652.
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Culture
Main article: Culture of India
India has a rich and unique cultural heritage, having striven to preserve its established traditions throughout history; its dynamic nature is manifest in its willingness to respect and tolerate foreign ways and practices.
Living in a pluralist, multilingual and multicultural society, Indians are largely tolerant and peaceful. 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.
Indian music is represented by a wide variety of forms. The two main ones in terms of classical music are Carnatic from South India and Hindustani from the north. 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. They often have a narrative form (based on the Indian epics) and are usually infused with devotional and spiritual elements.
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 and 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. 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 language director Satyajit Ray.
Rice and wheat (in bread forms) 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. Notable is the country's diverse and extensive vegetarian cuisine. 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 styles of dress for women. Traditional accoutrement for men comprises the Kurta and Dhoti.
See also:
- List of World Heritage sites in India
- Indian architecture
- Indian family name
- Holidays in India
- Islam in India
Sports and games
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 due to its success in recent times. Football (soccer) 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 games and sports that are said to have originated in India.
Indian athletes, however, do not shine in the international arena in many sports. Many blame the Indian government for not having an active sports policy and allowing for the breakdown of the sporting infrastructure. Others choose to criticise the perpetual media fixation on cricket as a distraction from other sports.
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
- The financial year starts on April 1.
- Power plugs: Type C, D & M (CEE 7/16; CEE 7/17; BS 546)
See also
Template:Topics related to India
References
- Manorama Year Book 2003 — ISBN 81-900461-8-7
- Discovery of India — Jawaharlal Nehru—ISBN 0195623592
- Ethnologue report on Languages of India
- 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
- Swaveda - A Forum for Indian Studies
External links
- Official
- GOI Directory — Directory of governmental websites
- Prime Minister's Office Official Website
- President of India Official Website
- Indian Parliament Official Website
- 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
- South Asian Music
- Orginal People of India
- india-picture.com Images from regions, people, and arts of India
- Images of India
- Indian Military
- India visa requirements
- Indian Literature The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed.
- Indian Literature DiehardIndian.com
- Travelogs on India
Other uses
India is also the letter I in the NATO phonetic alphabet. Template:South Asia
Footnotes
1 The 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 Pakistani-administered territory.