India (another name is Bharata) is one of the largest states in the world in terms of territory. In addition, this is a country with such long traditions that it can rightly be called the "cradle of civilization." The achievements of India in the ancient and Middle Ages in the field of medicine, culture, philosophical and religious teachings had a huge impact on the emergence and further development of the civilization of the East.
Some statistics
The area of India is quite vast. The country, with a length of 3214 km from north to south and 2033 km from west to east, is located not only on the territory of the Hindustan peninsula (in South Asia), a triangular wedge protruding into the Indian Ocean, but also occupies islands in the southeast of the Arabian Sea. If we compare the area of India in square meters. km and population, it becomes clear that this is a very densely populated country. It ranks second in the world in terms of population, and only seventh in terms of territory.
Area of India in sq. km - over 3,000,000. Population - 1,220,800,359 people (according to 2013 data). For fans of specific numbers, let's clarify that the area of India for 2014 is 3,287,263 square meters. km. The country is bordered by the followingstates: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Burma and Bangladesh. In addition, sea straits separate India from Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Population
The national composition is diverse. A vast area of India is inhabited by Dravidians, Telugu, Marathas, Hindustanis, Bengalis and many small tribes and nationalities. About 80% of them are Muslims, about 14% are Christians, there are also Sikhs and Buddhists. Of the many languages spoken by the population of India, 18 are recognized as state languages. The official national languages of the country are English and Hindi.
Life expectancy for men in India is an average of 58 years, for women - 59. Since the beginning of the last century, men have consistently slightly outnumbered women (1000 to 929). In the last decades of the twentieth century, thanks to the development of medicine and rising living standards, Indian life expectancy has almost doubled.
At the same time, the country continues to maintain a high birth rate, due to moral and religious norms and a low level of literacy of the population, which leads to tension in the demographic situation.
The state today
Geographically, the entire area of India is divided into states (there are only 28 of them), and there are also 7 union territories. The state division that remained from the time of colonial dependence was reorganized in 1956. The borders of the new states were formed along national and linguistic lines. Despite the gradual improvement in living standards in the country, Indians still mostly live onthe poverty line. 2/3 of the world's people with the lowest incomes live in India. The main occupation of the country's population is agriculture. India is the birthplace and main supplier of many crops to the world agricultural market: sugar cane, rice, cotton. It also plays a leading role in the production of tea, peanuts, etc. In addition, the state is rich in natural resources. The reserves of coal and manganese ore here are among the largest in the world.
Economy
India's light industry is represented by both modern and handicraft enterprises. Indian cotton fabrics, magnificent silk, leather, furs, jewelry are famous all over the world. The leading place in export belongs to products made of precious and semi-precious stones, the beauty of which the country is rightfully proud of.
Each state, city and each locality has its own handicraft production. The Government of India stimulates the development of various industries through the creation of industrial parks - areas with lower taxes and land prices. The currency of the country is the Indian rupee.
A bit of geography
Almost the entire area of India is occupied by the Deccan Plateau. In the northern part of the state is the highest mountain system in the world - the Himalayas. Approximately 3/4 of the territory of the peninsula is made up of plains and plateaus, framed by mountains from the west and east. The main rivers are the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra, their fertile deltas are among the most densely populated areas of the country.
The climate on the peninsula inmostly tropical. During the summer monsoon, 70 to 90% of the total precipitation falls. The Shillong Plateau in India is considered the wettest place on the continents of the globe.
Vegetation is represented by both savannas, steppes and mountain meadows, as well as forests: from coniferous to tropical evergreens, which cover about 1/4 of the entire territory.
The wildlife in India is as diverse as anywhere else in the world. Many representatives of the fauna in the country are revered as sacred, their killing is prohibited, therefore, it is not uncommon to see cows, monkeys, and various birds freely located in cities and on roads.
In the southern forests of the country, herds of wild elephants are still preserved, occasionally there are almost extinct rhinos and even tigers. India is the owner of the largest livestock population in the world (cows, goats, buffaloes, camels). Elephants are also considered sacred animals, which have been trained here since ancient times.
India is a beautiful exotic country, extremely attractive for tourists, each of whom will find something of their own in it.
