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India, officially Republic
of India (Hindi Bharat), country in southern Asia, located on the
subcontinent of India. It is bounded on the north by Afghanistan, China, Nepal,
and Bhutan; on the east by Bangladesh, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), and
the Bay of Bengal; on the south by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannâr (which
separates it from Sri Lanka) and the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the
Arabian Sea and Pakistan. India is divided into 26 states and 6 union
territories. New Delhi is the country’s capital and one of its largest cities.
 The world’s seventh largest
country in area, India occupies more than 3 million sq km (1 million sq mi),
encompassing a varied landscape rich in natural resources. The Indian Peninsula
forms a rough triangle framed on the north by the world’s highest mountains, the
Himalayas, and on the east, south, and west by oceans. Its topography varies
from the barren dunes of the Thar Desert to the dense tropical forests of
rain-drenched Assam state. Much of India, however, consists of fertile river
plains and high plateaus. Several major rivers, including the Ganges,
Brahmaputra, and Indus, flow through India. Arising in the northern mountains
and carrying rich alluvial soil to the plains below, these mighty rivers have
supported agriculture-based civilizations for thousands of years.
With nearly 1 billion inhabitants,
India ranks second only to China among the world's most populous countries. Its
people are culturally diverse, and religion plays an important role in the life
of the country. About 83 percent of the people practice Hinduism, a religion
that originated in India. Another 12 percent are Muslims, and millions of others
are Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains. Eighteen major languages and more
than 1,000 minor languages and dialects are spoken in India.
India’s long history stretches back to the Indus Valley
civilization of about 2500-1700 BC. For hundreds of years, India was home to
massive empires and regional kingdoms. British rule in India began in the 1700s
AD. Foreign domination engendered Indian nationalism, which eventually led to
India winning its independence in 1947. Split from Pakistan at independence,
India struggled with its Muslim neighbor over border differences and
Hindu-Muslim relations. India and Pakistan still conflict over the
Jammu and Kashmîr region, parts of which are also occupied by China. India’s federal
political system, a democracy for more than 50 years, has demonstrated a
remarkable resilience in resolving domestic and international crises. India has
grown since independence to have great influence on Asia and a massive world
presence. The country is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, an association
of political entities that once gave or currently give allegiance to the British
crown.
The Indian economy has also evolved since independence. Once
heavily dependent on agriculture, it has expanded in recent years into the
realms of industry and services. Economic reforms in 1991 dramatically increased
the amount of foreign investment in the country.
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