India

Overview

India is home to some of the world's oldest cities and some of its most rapidly growing new metropolises. It is a nation that has constantly been defined by its ability to change and adapt.

From the ancient cities in the Indus River Valley to its history of conquest and being conquered, it has always been a country that has changed with the world and has changed those who have attempted to conquer it.

India is one of the world's most rapidly growing and developing nations. Today, it is the center of a rapidly-changing culture and seems poised to become one of the dominant economic players of the 21st century.

Do Some Light Reading

Quick Facts about Iceland

• India has over 150,000 post offices, which gives it the largest postal system in the world.
• India's movie industry produces more films than any other country in the world.
• India's India Railways in the largest employer in the world.
• The game that would become chess was originally invented in India.
• The world's first university was established in India around 700 B.C.

Borders

India shares borders with several nations. On its western border is Pakistan, which was split from India during the Partition of India in 1947. Bhutan, China, and Nepal are located to the north of India. Bangladesh and Myanmar are both to the east of India.

To India's south is the Indian Ocean, as well as Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India's island holdings also share maritime borders with the nations of Indonesia and Thailand.

Area

India has a physical area of 1,269,219 square miles, making it the seventh-largest country in the world. In addition to its area on the Indian subcontinent, India also has substantial island holdings. India is also one of the longest countries in the world, stretching 1,997 miles from north to south.

Government

India's government is a parliamentary democracy. In this system, the President functions as the head of state and the Prime Minister functions as the head of the government. The legislature is divided into the Council of States and the House of the People. The highest court of India is the Supreme Court, which retains many feature s from its colonial past.

India is divided into twenty-nine states and seven different territories. State governments deal with most of the pressing issues of daily governance and provide their own internal security. Each state also has its own legislature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What languages are spoken in India?

India is not only home to several languages, but the languages spoken in the country actually cross several large language families. The dominant language in the country is Hindi, but it is only one of twenty-three officially spoken languages in the country.

After Hindi, the largest number of individuals in the country speak English - but not as a first language. While 10.6 percent of all people in India do speak English, more people speak Bengali as a primary language.

Languages in India are highly regional, though - what is spoken in one part of the country is unlikely to be spoken elsewhere. As such, English and Hindi remain useful languages for communication across regional lines.

What is the climate like?

India's climate varies greatly by region. The western Himalayas tend to be extremely cold and snowy, while southeast India tends to be hot and humid. Much of India deals with monsoon season, a time of incredibly heavy rains. Some parts of the country, however, such as central India, avoid the extremes in weather throughout the year.

What currencies are commonly accepted?

The currency of India is the Indian Rupee.

What is the population of Iceland?

The population is approximately 1.34 Billion, making it the second largest nation on Earth in terms of population, second only to China.

What is the capital?

The capital of India is New Delhi, located in the north-central part of the country.

What time is it in New Delhi?

13:24:03, 12/22/2024