Independence Year : 1947
Population : 1013662000
Life Expectancy : 62.5
Capital : 1109
GNP : 447114.00
GNP Old : 430572.00
Local Name : Bharat/India
Government Form : Federal Republic
Location : Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan.
Terrain : varies from Himalayas to flat river valleys.
Climate : Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Ethnic Group : Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid 2%, others
Religions : Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5%.
Official Website :
www.pmindia.nic.in
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General Information - India
Background
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at least 5,000 years.
Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.
Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)
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