Travel Info: Visit India

» India is the tenth largest economy in the world. It is also the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. It is home to some of the most ancient civilizations. Four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism  have originated from 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. It was followed by the Vedic Civilization. From around 500 BC onwards, many independent kingdoms came into being. In the north, the Maurya dynasty, which included the Buddhist king Ashoka, contributed greatly to India 's cultural landscape.

Capital: New Delhi
Offical Language: Hindi-English
Area: 3,287,590  SQ KM
Population: 1,080,264,388
Currency: Indian Rupees
Calling Code: +91

» India is home to several major rivers such as the Ganga (Ganges), the Brahmaputra, the Yamuna, the Godavari, and the Krishna . The rivers are responsible for the fertile plains in northern India which are conducive to farming. The Indian climate varies from a tropical climate in the south to a more temperate climate in the north. Parts of India which lie in the Himalaya have a tundra climate. India gets most of its rains through the monsoons.

» Although 80.5 percent of the people are Hindus, India is also home to the third largest population of Muslims in the world (13.4 percent; see Islam in India ) after Indonesia  and Pakistan . Other smaller religious minorities include Christians (2.33 percent; see Christianity in India ), Sikhs (1.84 percent), Buddhists (0.76 percent), Jains (0.40 percent), Ayyavazhi (0.12 percent), Jews ( see Jews in India ), Parsis, Ahmadi, and Bahais.

» India's Culture, India has a rich and unique cultural heritage, and has managed to preserve its established traditions throughout history. It has always absorbed customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders and immigrants. Many cultural practices, languages, customs and even 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, perhaps India 's most significant. These are the result of a syncretic tradition that combined elements from all parts of the country. Indian music is represented by a wide variety of forms. The two main forms in terms of classical music are the Karnataka Sangeeth (Carnatic) from South India  and Hindustani from the north. Popular forms of music also prevail, the most notable being Filmi music. India produces the world's highest number of films every year. The most recognizable face is that of cinema production based in Mumbai, which produces mainly commercial Hindi films, often referred to as "Bollywood". The cuisine of India  is extremely diverse, as ingredients, spices and cooking methods all vary from region to region. The country is notable for its wide variety of vegetarian . Spicy food and sweets are popular in India . Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles. The sari and the salwar kameez are popular styles of dress for women. Traditional raiments for men are the kurta and dhoti.

» States of India : India is divided into twenty-eight states (which are further subdivided into districts), six 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, though some have elected governments.