India9 - The Information Source For India

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India, the largest democracy of the world, is also the second most populous nation and seventh largest country of the world. As a cradle of civilization, India’s history dates back 5,000 years; she’s credited of being the birthplace of the oldest language, the oldest written book and the oldest living religion of the world.

In area, India is slightly more than one-third the size of the US. India measures 3,214 kilometres from north to south and 2,933 kilometres from east to west with a total land area of 3,286,263 square kilometres. The land frontier spans 15,200 kilometres and the coastline is 7,516.5 kilometres long. Geographically, India is situated 20 00 N, 77 00 E in South Asia.

Bound by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean in the south, India has seven mountain ranges, more than 25 rivers, three watersheds, two deserts, around 590,000 square kilometre of irrigated land, six main ethnic groups, eight major religions, 22 main languages, 28 states, six union territories, besides the national capital territory of Delhi.

The geographical vastness only adds uniqueness to the wonder that is India – the land of the Taj Mahal. Where else will you find a desert wild ass that runs faster than horse; world’s oldest prehistoric paintings in a cave cluster; world’s largest river island; a stepwell that looks like an inverted temple; world’s longest corridor, biggest bas-relief, oldest rock fort and oldest dam.

Perhaps India’s greatest asset is her people who are responsible for safeguarding her traditions and developing her into one of most advanced nations of South Asia.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chandigarh Goa Jharkhand Maharashtra Orissa Tamil Nadu

Andhra Pradesh Chhattisgarh Gujarat Karnataka Manipur Pondicherry Tripura

Arunachal Pradesh Dadra and Nagar Haveli Haryana Kerala Meghalaya Punjab Uttar Pradesh

Assam Daman and Diu Himachal Pradesh Lakshadweep Mizoram Rajasthan Uttaranchal

Bihar Delhi Jammu and Kashmir Madhya Pradesh Nagaland Sikkim West Bengal