Territory - 3.28 million km 2.
Population -1 billion 16 million people
The capital is Delhi.
Geographical location, general information
The Republic of India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India - from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km.
The EGP of India favors the development of the economy: India is located on the sea trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, halfway between the Middle and Far East.
Indian civilization arose in the third millennium BC. e. For almost two centuries India was a colony of England. In 1947, India gained independence, and in 1950 it was proclaimed a republic within the British Commonwealth.
India is a federal republic consisting of 25 states. Each of them has its own legislative assembly and government, but while maintaining a strong central authority.
Natural conditions and resources
The main part of the territory is located within the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the Deccan plateau.
The mineral resources of India are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. Here are the largest iron ore, coal basins, deposits of manganese ore; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industries.
The minerals of South India are diverse - these are bauxites, chromites, magnesites. brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands, ferrous metal ores, coal; in the state of Gujarat and on the continental shelf - oil.
The climate of the country is mainly monsoonal subtropical and tropical, in the south - equatorial. The average annual temperature is about 25°C, only in winter in the mountains it falls below 0°. The distribution of precipitation over the seasons and across the territory is uneven - 80% of them fall in the summer, the eastern and mountainous regions receive the largest amount, and the northwest receives the smallest amount.
Land resources are the natural wealth of the country, since a significant part of the soils has high fertility.
Forests occupy 22% of India's area, but there is not enough forest for economic needs.
The rivers of India have a great energy potential and are also the main source of artificial irrigation.
Population
India is the second country in the world in terms of population (after China). The country has a very high rate of population reproduction. And although the peak of the “population explosion” has already been generally passed, the demographic problem has not yet lost its urgency.
India is the most multiethnic country in the world. Representatives of several hundred nations, nationalities and tribal groups live in it, at different stages of socio-economic development and speaking different languages. They belong to the Caucasoid, Negroid, Australoid races and the Dravidian group.
The peoples of the Indo-European family predominate: Hindustanis, Marathas, Bengalis, Biharis, etc. The official languages in the country are Hindi and English.
More than 80% of the inhabitants of India are Hindus, 11% are Muslims. The complex ethnic and religious composition of the population often leads to conflicts and increased tension.
The distribution of the population of India is very uneven, since from ancient times the fertile lowlands and plains in the valleys and deltas of the rivers, on the sea coasts were first settled. The average population density is 260 people. per 1 km 2. Despite this high figure, there are still sparsely populated and even deserted territories.
The level of urbanization is quite low - 27%, but the number of large cities and millionaire cities is constantly increasing; in terms of the absolute number of citizens (220 million people), India ranks second in the world. But nevertheless, most of the population of India lives in crowded villages.
Industry, energy
India is a developing agro-industrial country with huge resources and human potential. Along with the industries traditional for India (agriculture, light industry), the extractive and manufacturing industries are developing.
At present, 29% of GDP falls on industry, 32% - on agriculture, 30% - on the service sector.
Energy. The creation of an energy base in the country began with the creation of hydroelectric power plants, but among the newly built power plants in recent years, thermal power plants predominate. The main source of energy is coal. Nuclear power is also developing in India - 3 nuclear power plants are operating. The total capacity of India's power plants is 94 thousand MW (1999).
Electricity generation per capita is still very low.
Ferrous metallurgy. This is a growing industry. The current level is 23 million tons of steel (1998). The industry is represented by enterprises located mainly in the east of the country (Kolkata-Damodar industrial belt), as well as in the states of Bihar, Adhra Pradesh, etc.
Non-ferrous metallurgy is also developed in the east. The aluminum industry, based on local bauxites, stands out.
Engineering. India produces a variety of machine tool and transport engineering products (TVs, ships, cars, tractors, airplanes and helicopters). The industry is developing rapidly.
The leading centers of mechanical engineering are Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.
In terms of production of the radio-electronic industry, India has taken second place in overseas Asia. The country produces a variety of radio equipment, color televisions, tape recorders, and communications equipment.
Chemical industry. In a country with such a role of agriculture, the production of mineral fertilizers is of exceptional importance. The importance of petrochemistry is also growing.
Light industry is a traditional sector of the economy, the main areas are cotton and jute, as well as clothing. There are textile factories in all major cities of the country. In India's exports, 25% are products of the textile and clothing industry.
The food industry is also traditional, producing products for the domestic and foreign markets. The most widely known in the world is Indian tea.
Agriculture
India is a country of ancient agricultural culture, one of the most important agricultural regions in the world.
Three-fifths of India's EAN is employed in agriculture, but the use of mechanization is still insufficient.
4/5 of the value of agricultural products comes from crop production, agriculture needs irrigation (40% of the sown area is irrigated).
The main part of the arable land is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, barley, millet, legumes, potatoes.
The main industrial crops of India are cotton, jute, sugar cane, tobacco, and oilseeds.
There are two main agricultural seasons in India - summer and winter. Sowing of the most important crops (rice, cotton, jute) is carried out in the summer, during the summer monsoon rains; in winter, they sow wheat, barley, etc.
As a result of several factors, including the Green Revolution, India is completely self-sufficient in grain.
Animal husbandry is much inferior to crop production, although India ranks first in the world in terms of livestock. Only milk and animal skins are used, meat is practically not consumed, since Hindus are mostly vegetarians.
Fishing is of considerable importance in the coastal regions.
Among other developing countries, India's transport is quite developed. In the first place in terms of importance are rail transport in domestic transportation and maritime transport in external ones.
Foreign economic relations
India is still weakly involved in the MGRT, although foreign trade is of no small importance for its economy. The main export items are light industry products, jewelry, agricultural products, medicines, fuel resources; the share of machinery and equipment is growing.
The largest trading partners are the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong.
Territory - 3.28 million km 2.
Population -1 billion 16 million people
The capital is Delhi.
Geographical location, general information
The Republic of India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India - from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km.
The EGP of India favors the development of the economy: India is located on the sea trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, halfway between the Middle and Far East.
Indian civilization arose in the third millennium BC. e. For almost two centuries India was a colony of England. In 1947, India gained independence, and in 1950 it was proclaimed a republic within the British Commonwealth.
India is a federal republic consisting of 25 states. Each of them has its own legislative assembly and government, but while maintaining a strong central authority.
Natural conditions and resources
The main part of the territory is located within the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the Deccan plateau.
The mineral resources of India are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. Here are the largest iron ore, coal basins, deposits of manganese ore; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industries.
The minerals of South India are diverse - these are bauxites, chromites, magnesites. brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands, ferrous metal ores, coal; in the state of Gujarat and on the continental shelf - oil.
The climate of the country is mainly monsoonal subtropical and tropical, in the south - equatorial. The average annual temperature is about 25°C, only in winter in the mountains it falls below 0°. The distribution of precipitation over the seasons and across the territory is uneven - 80% of them fall in the summer, the eastern and mountainous regions receive the largest amount, and the northwest receives the smallest amount.
Land resources are the natural wealth of the country, since a significant part of the soils has high fertility.
Forests occupy 22% of India's area, but there is not enough forest for economic needs.
The rivers of India have a great energy potential and are also the main source of artificial irrigation.
Population
India is the second country in the world in terms of population (after China). The country has a very high rate of population reproduction. And although the peak of the “population explosion” has already been generally passed, the demographic problem has not yet lost its urgency.
India is the most multiethnic country in the world. Representatives of several hundred nations, nationalities and tribal groups live in it, at different stages of socio-economic development and speaking different languages. They belong to the Caucasoid, Negroid, Australoid races and the Dravidian group.
The peoples of the Indo-European family predominate: Hindustanis, Marathas, Bengalis, Biharis, etc. The official languages in the country are Hindi and English.
More than 80% of the inhabitants of India are Hindus, 11% are Muslims. The complex ethnic and religious composition of the population often leads to conflicts and increased tension.
The distribution of the population of India is very uneven, since from ancient times the fertile lowlands and plains in the valleys and deltas of the rivers, on the sea coasts were first settled. The average population density is 260 people. per 1 km 2. Despite this high figure, there are still sparsely populated and even deserted territories.
The level of urbanization is quite low - 27%, but the number of large cities and millionaire cities is constantly increasing; in terms of the absolute number of citizens (220 million people), India ranks second in the world. But nevertheless, most of the population of India lives in crowded villages.
Industry, energy
India is a developing agro-industrial country with huge resources and human potential. Along with the industries traditional for India (agriculture, light industry), the extractive and manufacturing industries are developing.
At present, 29% of GDP falls on industry, 32% - on agriculture, 30% - on the service sector.
Energy. The creation of an energy base in the country began with the creation of hydroelectric power plants, but among the newly built power plants in recent years, thermal power plants predominate. The main source of energy is coal. Nuclear power is also developing in India - 3 nuclear power plants are operating. The total capacity of India's power plants is 94 thousand MW (1999).
Electricity generation per capita is still very low.
Ferrous metallurgy. This is a growing industry. The current level is 23 million tons of steel (1998). The industry is represented by enterprises located mainly in the east of the country (Kolkata-Damodar industrial belt), as well as in the states of Bihar, Adhra Pradesh, etc.
Non-ferrous metallurgy is also developed in the east. The aluminum industry, based on local bauxites, stands out.
Engineering. India produces a variety of machine tool and transport engineering products (TVs, ships, cars, tractors, airplanes and helicopters). The industry is developing rapidly.
The leading centers of mechanical engineering are Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.
In terms of production of the radio-electronic industry, India has taken second place in overseas Asia. The country produces a variety of radio equipment, color televisions, tape recorders, and communications equipment.
Chemical industry. In a country with such a role of agriculture, the production of mineral fertilizers is of exceptional importance. The importance of petrochemistry is also growing.
Light industry is a traditional sector of the economy, the main areas are cotton and jute, as well as clothing. There are textile factories in all major cities of the country. In India's exports, 25% are products of the textile and clothing industry.
The food industry is also traditional, producing products for the domestic and foreign markets. The most widely known in the world is Indian tea.
Agriculture
India is a country of ancient agricultural culture, one of the most important agricultural regions in the world.
Three-fifths of India's EAN is employed in agriculture, but the use of mechanization is still insufficient.
4/5 of the value of agricultural products comes from crop production, agriculture needs irrigation (40% of the sown area is irrigated).
The main part of the arable land is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, barley, millet, legumes, potatoes.
The main industrial crops of India are cotton, jute, sugar cane, tobacco, and oilseeds.
There are two main agricultural seasons in India - summer and winter. Sowing of the most important crops (rice, cotton, jute) is carried out in the summer, during the summer monsoon rains; in winter, they sow wheat, barley, etc.
As a result of several factors, including the Green Revolution, India is completely self-sufficient in grain.
Animal husbandry is much inferior to crop production, although India ranks first in the world in terms of livestock. Only milk and animal skins are used, meat is practically not consumed, since Hindus are mostly vegetarians.
Fishing is of considerable importance in the coastal regions.
Among other developing countries, India's transport is quite developed. In the first place in terms of importance are rail transport in domestic transportation and maritime transport in external ones.
Foreign economic relations
India is still weakly involved in the MGRT, although foreign trade is of no small importance for its economy. The main export items are light industry products, jewelry, agricultural products, medicines, fuel resources; the share of machinery and equipment is growing.
The largest trading partners are the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong.
Useful information for tourists about India, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of India, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in India.
Geography of India
The Republic of India is a state in South Asia, occupying most of the Hindustan peninsula. It borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. It has sea borders with the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Most of the country is occupied by the Deccan highlands, bounded on both sides by the Eastern and Western Ghats, and the entire territory of India is crossed by 7 mountain ranges, among which is the highest mountainous country in the world - the Himalayas. Between the Deccan and the Himalayas, the vast Indo-Gangetic lowland (Jamno-Gangetic plain) stretches in a wide arc, the coasts are also framed by a narrow ribbon of plains.
State
State structure
Federal Republic. Included in the Commonwealth.
The head of state is the president. The legislature is a bicameral parliament (Council of States "Rajya Sabha" and People's Chamber "Lok Sabha"). Executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
Language
Official language: Hindi, English
Languages other than two state languages: Urdu, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannara and about 10 more languages used as state languages in various states. In total, more than 1600 languages and dialects are spoken in India.
Religion
Hindus - 80%, Muslims - 14%, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2%, Buddhists - 0.7%, Jains - 0.5%.
Currency
International name: INR
One Indian rupee is divided into 100 pise.
History of India
Already in the 3rd millennium BC, statehood arose here, in the Indus Valley, and in the 2nd millennium BC, important ethnic changes took place. From the north, in the interfluve of the Indus and the Ganges, tribes of tall, fair-haired Aryans (Aryans) invaded and subjugated the local peoples. In the 1st millennium BC, the Aryans created their own state, one of the princes of which was Gautama (Buddha) - the distributor of a new religion. At the same time, India waged exhausting wars of independence, now with Persia, now with Alexander the Great. With the collapse of the Macedonian state, the Indian kingdom experienced its first flowering. By 236 BC, the great Magadhian Empire was formed, which managed to unite almost the entire territory of the modern states of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. However, already from the second century BC, the formidable empire fell into decay. A significant part of its lands was seized by neighboring states. One of them was the kingdom of the Kushans. After its collapse in the first centuries of our era, the Magadha empire began to gain strength again, which in the 4th-5th centuries already controlled most of the Hindustan peninsula.
Short-term association (since the 6th century) was replaced by feudal fragmentation, which stopped only by the 13th century in connection with the emergence of a strong Delhi Sultanate. Its rulers entered into a struggle with Buddhism and began to spread Islam. The sultanate repulsed the raids of the Mongols-Tatars, but could not cope with the separatism of large feudal lords, who ruined the country at the end of the 14th century. The economic backwardness increased, there was no defense capability, and opportunities for new conquests of India opened up. At the end of the 15th century, the first European colonizers appeared on its shores. In the 16th century, almost the entire peninsula became the prey of the Mongol conqueror Babur. In the 17th century, France and Great Britain fought for the possession of South India. In the first half of the 18th century, the power of the Mongol dynasty weakened so much that it could no longer protect the Indian people from other invasions. An attempt by local princes to organize an alliance capable of resisting the conquerors did not bring success.
By the middle of the 19th century, Great Britain had colonized all of India; the liberation uprising of 1857-1859 failed. The dominion of the British crown remained until 1946, when, under the pressure of the Indian public, led by M. Gandhi, she was granted the right of dominion (self-government). At the same time, the first government headed by J. Nehru was formed. The next year (1947) the British finally left India. However, the country could not maintain unity. The sectarian war split it into three states: Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
On January 26, 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted a constitution declaring India a parliamentary republic. But at the same time, India remained in the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Being a multinational and multireligious state, India is experiencing strife and confrontation on religious grounds in different parts of the country. However, India has always presented itself as a secular state with a liberal democracy, except for a brief period from 1975 to 1977, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency with limited civil rights.
In the second half of the 20th century, India regularly had problems with neighboring states due to disputes over borders. The dispute with China has not been resolved so far, in 1962 it turned into a short war. India fought Pakistan three times: in 1947, 1965 and 1971. The last conflict between India and Pakistan broke out in 1999 in the state of Kashmir.
Already in the 3rd millennium BC, statehood arose here, in the Indus Valley, and in the 2nd millennium BC, important ethnic changes took place. From the north, in the interfluve of the Indus and the Ganges, tribes of tall, fair-haired Aryans (Aryans) invaded and subjugated the local peoples. In the 1st millennium BC, the Aryans created their own state, one of the princes of which was Gautama (Buddha) - the distributor of a new religion. At the same time, India waged exhausting wars of independence, now with Persia, now with Alexander the Great. With the collapse of the Macedonian state, the Indian kingdom experienced its first flowering. By 236 BC, the great Magadhian Empire was formed, which managed to unite almost the entire territory of the modern states of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. However, already from the second century BC, the formidable empire fell into decay. A significant part of its lands was seized by neighboring states. One of them was the kingdom of the Kushans. After its collapse in the first centuries of our era, the Magadha empire began to gain strength again, which in the 4th-5th centuries already controlled most of the Hindustan peninsula ....
Popular Attractions
Tourism in India
Where to stay
Hotels in India has a standard classification - from five to two categories. In addition, here you can find quite modern and high-level hotels that are not marked with stars. As a rule, such hotels are owned by high-ranking officials or families of the highest Indian caste. In India, you can also find hotels of famous world chains, for example, Marriott, Hyatt.
As for five-star hotels, in India, these are not just beautifully furnished hotels with a high level of service, but real palaces. As a rule, such hotels are located on the coast, in the most popular places among tourists. The hotel has Ayurveda centers, yoga centers, massage services, beauty treatments, as well as numerous entertainment programs.
It is worth considering that hotels of the same category, for example, four stars, can differ significantly from each other. So, if in a hotel in one of the resort areas or located in a wealthy area of a big city, you will be offered really good service, clean comfortable rooms and special wellness programs, then in other cities of India, the stars serve more as a decoration for the facade of the hotel building. Therefore, be careful when choosing a place to stay for the night. The same applies to the category of three and two stars. Their owners may have their own concept of service, so it is better to stay in hotels that you have found positive reviews from tourists who have already been there.
It is noteworthy that India is famous not only for its coast, but also for its ski resorts. In the mountains you will be offered to stay in one of the small but very cozy hotels. They will offer you good service, cozy interior and, as a bonus, excursions around the area and entertainment in the evenings.
Vegetable food is the basis of the nutrition of the peoples of India. Rice, corn, dal, peas, lentils and other legumes, as well as flatbreads made from lower grades of flour (chapati) and vegetables are an integral part of Indian cuisine....
Tips
Leave a tip only in expensive establishments. In hotels and restaurants, a service charge (10%) is often included in the bill. In more modest places, you can leave a few rupees. Doormen - 5-10 rupees. In India, baksheesh is common - an advance payment for services (for example, for baksheesh at the hotel they will find the letter you need, give you the necessary information, etc.).
Visa
Office Hours
Banks are open on weekdays from 10:00 to 14:00, and on Saturday from 10:00 to 12:00.
Souvenirs
In India, high-quality and inexpensive fabrics: silk (in Varanasi), cotton (in Rajasthan, Chenai), wool, brocade, cashmere, chiffon. Carpets are the cheapest and most common commodity in India. It is inexpensive to buy silver jewelry, precious stones: diamond, ruby, sapphire, pearl (in Hyderabad), aquamarine and moonstone.
According to tourists, the best gift from India is excellent Indian tea. And often the highlight is not in the variety - they are all excellent, but in the fact that the tea is packed in elegant satin bags.
The usual ground pepper, turmeric, saffron, cloves, cinnamon, as well as spices unknown to us, which are indispensable for curry preparation, are of excellent quality in India and, by our standards, practically free. Experienced tourists recommend trying a delicacy - cashew nuts fried with Indian pepper. Attention: spices can only be carried in those bags that you check in as baggage.
The medicine
High risk of contracting hepatitis A. Pre-vaccination is highly recommended. Avoid raw water and unpeeled fruits and vegetables.
Emergency Phones
Police - 100, fire brigade - 101, ambulance - 102.
National features of India. Traditions
Tips for women: legs should be covered with clothes, but not tight. It is not customary to hug and kiss in public. Greet by joining the fingers at the level of the forehead. Do not try to be the first to shake hands and even more so to kiss. Go around all the buildings, especially religious buildings, on the left side. If you are served tea, wait until you are invited to a tea party. If you leave, empty the cup and leave it.
Questions and opinions about India
Kerala - Q&A
Question answer
The report about India grade 3 is summarized in this article. From it you will learn about a country with an ancient culture, rooted far into the abyss of millennia.
Message about India
India is one of the developed countries of the third world. India is located in the southern part of Eurasia on the Hindustan Peninsula. The country is washed by the Indian Ocean. It borders such countries as Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Speaking of India as the richest country, they do not mean the standard of living of the population, but precisely its richness in various natural resources. It is no coincidence that in colonial times India was called "the jewel in the crown of the British Empire."
Capital of India— New Delhi.
This unique country ranks second in terms of population (1.326 million people), and seventh in terms of area (3165.6 thousand km).
Climate of India predominantly subequatorial, monsoonal. During the summer monsoon, 70-90% of precipitation falls, winters are dry and cool.
The nature of India is amazing. In a few hours you can move from the snows of the Himalayas to the tropics and numerous beaches of the Indian Ocean.
Relief of India quite diverse - from flat areas in the south of the country, to glaciers in the north, from the desert lands of the West, to the eastern tropical forests.
India is rich in minerals, the main part of which is located in the northeast of the state. Among them are iron ore, manganese ore, coal, bauxites, brown coal, magnesites, chromites, graphite, diamonds, mica, gold, ferrous metals, monocyte sands, uranium ores.
Rivers and lakes of India
The largest rivers are Ganga, Brahmaputra, Koshi, Yamuna, Mahanadi, Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, Tapti, Narmada. But there are few lakes in India, but still they are - Lake Sambhar is the largest of them.
Population of India
The bulk of India's population lives in rural areas, while the urban population is only 26%. 25% of urban residents live in 12 million-plus cities of the country. Big cities- Millionaires of India- these are Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad. Mumbai has 13 million people.
Industry of India
Industry India is concentrated in large cities and their suburbs. It is an interweaving of old traditional industries: the production of metal, fabrics, processing of precious metals and stones - and the manufacture of new products: electronics, aviation equipment
Most of the country's population is employed in agriculture. Here grow up rice, wheat, cotton, vegetables, peanuts, peppers and jute- a fibrous culture used to produce durable fabrics.
India is one of the world leaders in tea production, the main growing area of which is the humid regions in the west of the country. Due to religious traditions, animal husbandry has not received much development.
Flora and fauna of India
Hindustan Peninsula- this is a whole continent, the geographical and climatic originality of which contributes to the prosperity of the animal and plant world. In India, there are about 45 thousand plant species, and 15 thousand are found only there. Forests in India occupy almost 20% of the entire territory of the country. Animal and plant world India is extremely diverse. There are 75 national parks and more than 420 nature reserves in the country.
Wild elephants and rhinos can still be found in the forests of Arissa and Assam, and lions live in the forests of Gir. In the jungle you can meet tigers, panthers, monkeys. India is the only country where you can find almost all types of snakes, and some of them live not only in nature reserves, but also close to people. The number of bird species found in India is enormous, over 1600 species. The richness of the river and sea fauna is also great.
Landmarks of India
A short report about India can be completed with places worth visiting. These are the Taj Mahal, Hampi village, Avralem waterfall, Little Tibet, the city of Delhi, the Qutub Minar minaret, the Mongolian tomb - the tomb of Humayun, the Gandhi Smirti Museum, the national museum, the Crafts Museum, the Indira Gandhi Museum, the national gallery of modern art.
We hope that the report on the topic "India" helped you in preparing for the classes, and you learned a lot of useful things about this country. And you can leave your message about India through the comment form.
Republic of India
India- a state in southern Asia, which stretches from the peaks of the Karakoram in the north to Cape Kumari in the south, from the deserts of Rajasthan in the west to Bengal in the east. In the south, east and west, the country is washed by the Arabian, Laccadive and Bengal seas and the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. India borders in the west and northwest with Pakistan, in the north the Himalayas separate the state from China and Bhutan, in the northeast - from Nepal and in the east - from Bangladesh.
The name of the country comes from the name of the Indus River, in Hindi and Urdu "Sindh" means "river".
Capital
Square
3,287,590 km2.
Population
1029991 thousand people
Administrative division
Federal republic, which includes 25 states and 7 union territories of central subordination.
Form of government
Republic with a federal state structure.
head of state
President elected for a term of 5 years.
supreme legislative body
Bicameral Parliament, consisting of the People's Chamber with a term of office of 5 years and the Council of States, elected for 6 years.
Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.
Official language
Hindi (18 more languages are considered official).
Religion
83% of the country's inhabitants profess Hinduism, the rest - Islam, Christianity, Sikhism. Ethnic composition. 72% - Indo-Aryans, 25% - Dravidians, 3% - Mongoloids.
Currency
Indian rupee = 100 paisam.
Climate
India has a subequatorial, monsoonal climate, tropical in the south. Three seasons: dry cold - from October to March (considered the best time to visit the country), dry hot - from April to June and humid hot - from July to September. The average January temperature is from + 15°С in the north to + 27 °С in the south, May (the hottest month) - respectively from + 28 °С to + 35 °С. In India, there is the wettest place on Earth - the Shillong Plateau, where up to 12,000 mm of precipitation falls annually.
Flora
There are 21,000 plant species in India. A quarter of the country's territory is occupied by forests. At the foot of the Himalayas there are swampy jungles - terai, higher - monsoon forests (teak, sandalwood), mountain mixed and coniferous forests (Himalayan cedar, fir, pine, spruce), and even higher - mountain meadows and steppes. In the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, in the delta of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, on the slopes of the Western Ghats evergreen tropical forests grow, on the coastal lowlands - mangroves (sundry and palm dhani). Palm trees are widespread everywhere - coconut, date, toddy palm, as well as bamboo.
Fauna
The fauna of India is also quite diverse and is represented by 500 species of mammals, 350 species of reptiles, 3000 species of birds. But some of them have been preserved only in reserves (for example, the Asian lion, the Manipur broad-horned deer, the Kashmir deer, the Nilgir tur, the kulan, the rhinoceros). The number of wild buffalo and barasing deer has also decreased, snow leopard, clouded leopard, pygmy boar, and cheetah are rare. Many monkeys live on the territory of the state, mainly rhesus monkeys and langurs, as well as a huge number of palm squirrels and flying foxes. There are about 200 species of snakes and 52 of them are poisonous. Here you can see the rarest animal in the world - the Indian dugong, which belongs to the order of sea cows and is the only herbivorous marine mammal.
Rivers and lakes
The Ganges, the sacred river of the Indians, and its tributary the Jumna, carry their waters along the plains, and the Brahmaputra flows in the region of the upper Indus. Other rivers are Godavari and Narmada.
Attractions
In Delhi - Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Jantar Mantar, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Qutab Minar, Indian Gate, Secretariat Building, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, J. Nehru Museum, Museum National Crafts, Zoo, Safdarjung Tomb, Great Mosque, Mughal Public Reception Hall, Rang Mahal Palace, Pearl Mosque, 12th century tower. Qutub Minare, a metal column stainless for centuries, is one of the wonders of the world. In Bombay - St. John's Church, Prince of Wales Museum, St. Thomas Cathedral, Taraporeva-la Aquarium, Museum of Western India, Victoria Gardens with a zoo, Kanheri caves with bas-reliefs of the 2nd-9th centuries, several temples of the 7th century. On the hills of Malabar are the picturesque Hanging Gardens and Kamala Nehru Park, Mahalaksmi Temple, Haji Ali Shrine and Mosque, Nehru Planetarium, Elephanta Islands, Krishnagiri Upavan National Park, Manori Beach, Monplaisir, Jogesh-vari caves and swimming pool.
Useful information for tourists
India attracts tourists with exotic and cheap prices. On the streets, in gardens, parks and on the roads of any city in the country, animals walk peacefully, ignoring motorists.
The abundance of shops, shops and shops makes a stunning impression on tourists. Here you can buy almost everything. In India, it is customary to bargain, but not in the same way as in Arab countries. Here they seek discounts on goods according to the so-called Dutch scheme: the price named by the merchant is gradually reduced with the utterance of the magic word “expensive”. In the process of bargaining, intonation and gestures play an important role. If the Indian agrees, he shakes his head from side to side, if not, he nods from top to bottom. Paper money - rupees - can be dirty and worn. If the bill has holes, it will be accepted for payment, but if the corners are torn off or the edges are torn, it must be replaced.
Any place where you can eat is called a restaurant. After the meal, the waiter brings the bill and puts it face down. It is customary to pay for it with a large bill that exceeds the cost of lunch. It is customary to give 10% of the total bill for tea. Food in India is unusually cheap. Hinduism forbids the consumption of alcoholic beverages, so they are not served in the restaurant, but in some establishments
allowed to bring. On Fridays in India, dry law is observed, and alcohol cannot be obtained for any money.
Handshakes are not accepted in India. Instead, the Hindus use the traditional gesture: they raise their joined palms to the chin, as if in prayer, and shake their heads with the words: “Namaete.” Thus, local residents greet not only each other, but also their guests.
