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India

Hooghly River and Second Hooghly Bridge (Vidyasagar Setu) Kolkata

Hooghly River at Kolkatathe river is traditionally called 'Ganga' (Ganges)it is one of many tributaries of the Ganges. Vidyasagar Setualso known as Second Hooghly Bridge in the backgroundthe bridge links the cities of Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta) and Howrah.
Image: MonomoyDas

Location map of India

Flag of India

India in brief

Destination Indiaa Nations Online country profile on the vast nation in South and Central Asia that occupies most of the Indian subcontinent.
The country borders the Himalayas in the norththe Arabian Sea in the westthe Bay of Bengal in the eastand the Laccadive Sea in the south. India shares borders with Bangladesh Bhutan Myanmar (Burma)China (Xizang - Tibet Autonomous Region)Nepaland Pakistanand it shares maritime borders with Indonesiathe Maldives Sri Lankaand Thailand.

India is now the most populous country in the worldwith an estimated population of 1.4 billion people (in 2024). The country is subdivided into 29 states and seven Union Territories.

With an area of 3,287,263 km²India is the 7th largest country in the worldabout one-third the size of the USA.

Capital and largest urban area of India is (New) Delhi; the second largest city is Mumbai. The official languages are Hindi-Urdu and English (the Indian Constitution lists 22 recognized languages).

Republic of India | Bhārat | भारत

Background:

The Indus Valley civilizationone of the oldest in the worldgoes back at least 5,000 years.
Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th centuryBritain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands.

Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to India's independence in 1947.

The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.

Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir massive overpopulationenvironmental degradationextensive povertyand ethnic strifeall this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)

Country Profile

Official Name:
Bharat Ganarajya
local short form: Bharat
Int'l conventional long form: Republic of India
Int'l conventional short form: India

ISO Country Code: inIND

Actual Time: Tue-Oct-28 14:00
Local Time = UTC +5:30h

Country Calling Code: +91

Capital City: Delhi (Dilli)
City of Delhi (pop. 16.6 million (2024)) ^[1].

Other Cities:
MumbaiMumbai Metropolitan Region (formerly Bombaypop. 18 million)
Chennaiformerly Madras (pop. 9 million)Kolkata (Metro Kolkata 14 million); Bengaluruformerly Bangalore (8.5 million); Hyderabad (5 million); Ahmedabad (3.7 million)

Government:
Federal Republic
Independence: 15 August 1947 (from United Kingdom).

Geography:
Location: Southern Asiabordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengalbetween Burma and Pakistan.
Area: 3.3 million km² (1.3 million sq. mi.)
Terrain: varies from the Himalayas to flat river valleys.

Climate: Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north.

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Indian(s).
Population (2020): 1.37 billion; urban population 27%rural population 73%.
Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%Dravidian 25%Mongoloid 2%.
Religions: Hindu 81.3%Muslim 12%Christian 2.3%Sikh 1.9%other groups including BuddhistJainParsi 2.5%.
Languages: HindiMarathi Englishand 20 other official languages. Literacy: 65%.

Natural resources: Coalironmanganesemicabauxitechromitethorium limestonebaritetitanium orediamondscrude oil.

Agriculture products: Ricewheatoilseedcottonjuteteasugarcane potatoes; cattlewater buffalosheepgoatspoultryand fish.

Industries: Textileschemicalsfood processingsteeltransportation equipmentcementminingpetroleummachinerysoftware.

Exports - commodities: petroleum productsprecious stonesvehiclesmachineryiron and steelchemicalspharmaceutical productscerealsapparel.

Exports - partners: US 18%United Arab Emirates 7%Netherlands 4%China 3%Bangladesh 3% (2022)

Imports - commodities: crude oilprecious stonesmachinerychemicalsfertilizerplasticsiron and steel.

Imports - partners: China 15%United Arab Emirates 7%US 7%Saudi Arabia 6%Russia 6% (2022)

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)

India in numbers
More India Statistical Data.

Official Sites of India

Prime Minister's officeSecretariat Building in New Delhi

The Secretariat Building in New Delhi houses the Prime Minister's office. It also houses the Ministries of DefenseFinanceHome Affairsand External Affairs.
Image: Laurie Jones

Government

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

National Portal of India
The web presence of the Government of India.

Prime Minister's Office
Official site of India's Prime Minister's Office.

The President of India
Official website of India's President.

Indian Parliament
The Indian Parliament is composed of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

Data.gov
Open Government Data Platform (OGD) India.

GOI-Directory
Directory of official web sites of the Government of India.

Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court is one of the premier High Courts in India. It has Appellate Jurisdiction over the State of MaharashtraGoaDaman & Diu.

Ministry of External Affairs
Official website of the Foreign Ministry. The site includes information on governmental events.

Missions
Permanent Mission of India to the UN
India's representation to the United Nations.
Embassy of India in the U.S.
Washington D.C.
India's Diplomatic Missions Abroad
List of India's EmbassiesGeneral Consulates and High Commissions abroad.

Statistics
Census of India
Registrar General & Census CommissionerIndia.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
National Statistical Office of India.

India in numbers
India Key Statistical Data.

Maps of India

Administrative Map of India (click map to enlarge)
Image: © nationsonline.org

Maps

Map of India
Administrative Map of India with States and Union Territories and their capitals.

States of India Map
The map shows all 29 states of India with capitals and major cities.

Map of the Kashmir Region
Political Map of the Kashmir Region.

Google Earth India
Searchable map/satellite view of India.

Google Earth Delhi
Searchable map/satellite view of India's capital city.

Google Earth Kolkata
Searchable map/satellite view of Kolkatathe former Calcutta.

Google Earth Mumbai
Searchable map/satellite view of Mumbaithe former Bombay.

Map of Southeast Asia
Map of the Southeast Asia region.

Map of Asia
Reference Map of Asia.

News from India

Indian Newspapers

Image: Shajankumar

India's Newspapers

Deccan Chronicle
Secunderabad - National and international news.
Deccan Herald
Bangalore - National and international news.
Doordarshan News
A national television service provides domestic and international news.
Hindustan Times
New Delhi - with news on politicsbusinessnew economyentertainmentfashion and life.
Indian Express
Bombay - India News.
The New Indian Express
English-language daily newspaper published in Chennai.
India Today News
Weekly magazine - the country's most widely read publication.
IndiaWeekly
India news and information.
The New Indian Express
English-language daily broadsheet from Chennai.
Rediff
Mumbai based India related magazine with newsbusinesstravel.
The Hindu
Chennai (Madras) - Online edition of India's National Newspaper.
Times of India
New Delhi - Indian national daily.
The Tribune
India news with regional news from HaryanaHimachal PradeshJammu & Kashmir and Punjab.

Swarajya
Monthly magazine.
The Week
Weekly News magazine.

Hindi News
Amar Ujala (अमर उजाला)
A leading Hindi newspaper.
Dainik Bhaskar (दैनिक भास्कर)
Indian Hindi-language daily newspaper.
Naidunia (हिंदी न्यूज़)
Hindi Newspaper.

TV
Aaj Tak
Hindi language news channelpart of India Today Group.
DD News
DD News is a government owned Indian news channel.
NDTV.com
New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company with latest news from India.
News18
Indian English-language news television channel.

Radio
News On AIR - All India Radio (आकाशवाणी)
Akashvani is the national public radio broadcaster; it operates domestic and external networks.
Radio Mirchi
Commercial network with Hindi Music radio stations all over India.

International News
Al Jazeera India News
Today's latest from Al Jazeera.
The Guardian | India
The Guardian with India related news.

Arts & Culture of India

Dravidian architecture Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur

The Brihadishvara Temple in ThanjavurTamil Nadu.
Image: Mdjaveed

Arts & Culture

National Portal of India :: Art & Culture
The government site offers comprehensive information related to cultural heritageancient monumentsliteraryand visual arts.

Arts & Culture India
Incredible India about the country's art and culture.

Know India: Culture and Heritage
The Ministry of Culture

Art

National Gallery of Modern Art
India's National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi.

Indira Gandhi National Center of Art
National center for arts & culture.

Allahabad Museum
The National Museum in Allahabad houses various galleries and collections ranging from ancient stone sculptures to modern Indian paintings.

Lalit Kala Akademi
India's National Academy of Art.

Art India
Quarterly magazine specializing in Indian contemporary art.

Raja Ravi Varma
Comprehensive Wikipedia article about the famous Indian painter.

Music
Music India OnLine
Indian Music Resource.

Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar Foundation. The Sitar Man. Ravi Shankar (1920-2012) was an Indian musician and composer of Hindustani classical music. He was best known as an exponent of the sitarand he popularized the use of the Indian instruments in pop music.

Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi QuotesPhilosophyBiographyand Articles. The site is dedicated to the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi.

Culture
Mystic India
Rediscover ancient India. Mystic India is a 2004 film about India's culturepeopleand traditions.

Sarai
New Delhian alternativenon-profit space for an imaginative reconstitution of urban public culturenew/old media practice and researchand critical cultural intervention.

BBC - History of Indian Mathematics
Marcus du Sautoy presents the History of Indian Mathematicsa video on YouTube.

Indian Religion and Deities

Hindu Image Gallery
Image gallery of colorful folk art paintings of Hindu deities.

Hinduism
Comprehensive Wikipedia entry about Hinduisman Indian religion deeply rooted in Indian culture.

Sikhism
Wikipedia entry about Sikhisma monotheistic religion that originated in the Punjab region.

Business & Economy of India

The skyline of the Lotus Colony in Shivaji Nagar in MumbaiMaharashtra StateIndia

View towards the skyline of the Lotus Colony in Shivaji Nagar in MumbaiMaharashtra State.
Image: A.Savin

Economy of India
India has a mixed economy based on services (55%) and agriculture (16%).
Nearly 60% of India's gross domestic product is generated by domestic private consumption. The country remains the sixth largest consumer market in the world. Its GDP is also driven by government spendinginvestment and exports.
Before the COVID-19 pandemicIndia was the fastest growing major economy in the world.

Since the 2000sIndia has made remarkable progress in reducing absolute poverty. Between 2011 and 2015more than 90 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty. Howeverthe COVID-19 pandemic has reversed the course of poverty reductionat least temporarily. The economic slowdown triggered by the outbreak is believed to have had a significant impact on poor and vulnerable households. ^[1]

Banks
Bank of India
The government-owned commercial bank with headquarters in Mumbai was founded in 1906.
Bombay Stock Exchange
Asia's first stock exchange.
National Stock Exchange of India
The leading stock exchange of India is located in Mumbai.
Punjab National Bank
A banking and financial services bank of the Indian governmentheadquartered in New Delhi.
Reserve Bank of India
India's central bank
State Bank of India
Indian multinationalpublic sector banking and financial services.

Commerce and Industry
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Trade/Export

Indiamart
India's largest online marketplace.

Council for Leather Exports
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts

India Trade Promotion Organization
India Trade Promotion Organization is the premier trade promotion agency of the Government of India.

Spices Board India
All about Indian Spices.

Teaboard India
The World of India's Tea.

Naukri
India's largest online job portal.

Transportation

Airlines of India
Air India
Homepage of the national airline carrier.

Air India Express
Indian low-cost airline with destinations in Indiathe Middle Eastand Southeast Asia.

GoAir
Indian low-cost airline based in Mumbai.

IndiGo
Low-cost carrier and India's largest airline.

SpiceJet
Another low-cost airline with its hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Vistara
Indian airline based in Gurgaonwith its hub at Delhi.

Indian Railways
The Deccan Odyssey
India's newest Luxury Train - Also known as the Palace On Wheels of Maharashtra.
The Palace on Wheels
A classy seven-day rail journey from New Delhi to Chittaurgarh.

Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is India's national railway system operated by the Ministry of Railways; it consists of 18 zones (see below).

Indian Railways Passenger Reservation
Trains/Fare/Reservation Availability Status

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Darjeeling train service.

Central Railway
Central Railway Mumbai serves the States of MaharashtraKarnataka and Madhya Pradeshconnecting 473 stations.

Western Railway
Western Railway serves entire Gujaratpart of Rajasthan and some portion of Madhya Pradesh. It also operates the Mumbai Rajdhani Expressa super-fast express train that runs between Mumbai Central and New Delhi.

Northeast Frontier Railways
North East India rail service.
South Central Railway
The South Central Railway has its headquarters at Secunderabad.
South Eastern Railway
SERtraditionally known as Bengal Nagpur Railway (West BengalOrissa and Jharkhand).
East Central Railway
East Central Railway with its Headquarters at Hajipur in Bihar.
North-Western Railway
Jaipur.
West Central Railway
West Central Railway Zone with its headquarters at Jabalpur.

Lush green valleys of Madhya PradeshIndia

The lush green valleys of Madhya Pradesh. Rural India offers some spectacular viewsespecially during the monsoon.
Image: Rajarshi MITRA

Tourism in India

Royal Chhatris on the bank of the Betwa River in OrchhaIndia

Royal Chhatrisdome-shaped pavilionson the bank of the Betwa River in Orchha; Madhya Pradesh.
Image: ShivaRajvanshi

Destination India - Travel and Tour Guides

Discover India:
Accommodationhotelsattractionsfestivalseventsstate tourism boardscities and destination guidestravel themesinformation on hotelsairlinesaccommodationand much more.

Incredible India
India's official tourism portal.

Ministry of Tourism
Official Website of the Ministry of Tourism.

Travel India's States
List of official tourism websites by state.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism
Official guide to destinations in Andhra Pradesh.

Arunachal Tourism
Arunachal Pradesh's official tourism website.

Assam Department of Tourism
Official tourism website.

Bihar State Tourism
Bihar travel information.

Chandigarh
Official guide to the capital of the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana.

Chhattisgarh Tourism Board
Useful information for your visit of Chhattisgarh.

Goa Department of Tourism
Government of Goa's tourism site.

Gujarat Tourism
The Official Website of Gujarat Tourism.

Haryana
Oficial website for tourism in Haryanathe state of northern India.

Himachal Pradesh Tourism
Official tourism website of Himachal to destinations like ShimlaManaliKulluDharamshalaand others.

Jharkhand tourism
Travel the " Land of Forests" to see holy shrinestribesmuseumsand wildlife sanctuaries.

Karnataka Tourism
BengaluruMysuruHampiSrirangapatnayou name it.

Kerala
Experience Keralahillsbeachesfestivalsand wildlife.

Madhya Pradesh
Destinations in Madhya Pradesha larges state in central India.

Maharashtra
Explore Maharashtrathe West-Indian state that borders the Arabian Sea.

Manipur
Official guide to Manipurthe state in northeast Indiaon the border to Myanmar.

Meghalaya
Official tourism portal Meghalaya"The abode of clouds," is a mountain state in the northeastern part of the country.

Mizoram Tourism
Official guide to Mizoramthe state in northeastern Indiabetween Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Odisha
Tourist guide to the state in eastern India with a coastline along the Bay of Bengal.

Punjab
The state is part of the larger Punjab region; it borders Pakistan in the west.

Rajasthan
All tourist highlights of Rajasthan.

Sikkim
The state in the southern Himalayas between NepalTibetand Bhutan.

Tamil Nadu
Explore Tamil Naduthe state at the southern tip of India.

Telangana
India's newest state with Hyderabad at its center.

Uttar Pradesh
You're never alone in India's most populous state.

Uttarakhand
Destination Uttarakhandthe state in the Himalayas in northern India.
Almora
Almora is a town in Uttarakhandnestled within the higher peaks of the Himalayas; it offers notable temples and Himalaya treks.

West Bengal
Tour guide to West Bengal in the eastern region of India along the Bay of Bengal.

Travel Forum
India Travel Forum
Forum related to travel in India.

States and Union Territories of India
Comprehensive page about all Indian States and Union Territories.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Rani ki vavthe Queen’s StepwellPatan in Gujarat state

Rani ki vavthe Queen’s Stepwellis a famous stepwell in Patan in Gujarat statethe intricately constructed subterranean water architecture is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: Bernard Gagnon

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
Some of India's most famous World Heritage Sites.

Agra Fort
The historical fortress of red sandstone in the city of Agra was the main residence of the emperors of the Islamic Mughal Dynasty.

Taj Mahal
The famous mausoleum in Agra was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wifethe Empress consort Mumtaz Mahal.

Ellora Caves
Over 100 rock-carved caves in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. 34 monasteries and temples with rich sculptural decoration were dug side by side into the wall of a high basalt cliff between 600 and 1000 AD.

Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
The Mahabodhi Temple (literally: "Great Awakening Temple") in Bodh Gayathe place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment.

Rani ki vav
Rani ki vav (The Queen's Stepwell) is a famous stepwellan Indian subterranean water resource and storage systemsin PatanGujarat.

Education in India

Senate House of the University of Madras

The Senate House is the administrative center of the University of Madras in ChennaiTamil NaduIndia.
Image: Jonas Buchholz

Universities and Science Institutes

Aligarh
Aligarh Muslim University
Indian public universityformerly the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College (founded in 1875)AMU a Central University since 1920is located in the city of AligarhUttar Pradesh.

Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
The public institute for research and higher education in science and engineering is located in BangaloreKarnataka.

Chandigarh
Panjab University
Chandigarhfounded in 1882 at Lahore.

Chennai (Madras)
University of Madras
"Learning Promotes Natural Talent"; the university is one of the oldest and prestigious universities in Indiaestablished in 1857ChennaiTamil Nadu.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
One of the leading Indian Institutes of Technology

Delhi
University of Delhi
A premier university of the countryestablished in 1922.

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
IIT Delhi is one of the top-ranked universities in India.

Hyderabad
University of Hyderabad
The University of Hyderabad is a public research university in Hyderabad Telangana; it was established in 1974.

Mumbai
University of Mumbai
The former University of Bombay is one of the oldest state universities in Indiaestablished in 1857.

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
IIT Bombay is a leading college with its campus at Powaiin East Mumbai.

Pune
University of Pune
Savitribai Phule Pune University was established in 1948.

Research
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
CSDS is an Indian research institute for the social sciences and humanities.

Indian Space Research Organisation
Official website of India's national space agency.

Environment & Nature

Air pollution in Indiathe Taj Mahal blanketed by smog

Air pollution in India is a major environmental issue. The image shows the Taj Mahal blanketed by smog.
Image: Adithya0376

Governmental:
Ministry of Environment & Forests
The ministry is in charge of the planningpromotioncoordinationand overseeing the implementation of environmental and forestry programs.

Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
Governmental agency for forestry research and education.

Non-Profit Research Institutions & NGOs:
Bombay Natural History Society
BNHS is a pan-India wildlife research organization that has been promoting the cause of nature conservation since 1883.

Centre for Science and Environment
CSE is a think tank on environment-development issues in India.

Down to Earth
A magazine for the environmentscienceand nature.

Delhi Greens
Delhi Greens is a non-governmental organisation for a green environment and sustainable development.

Environmentalist Foundation of India
EFI is a wildlife conservation and habitat restoration group.

The Energy and Resources Institute
TERI is a research institute in New Delhi that specializes in the fields of energyenvironmentand sustainable development.

Vindhyan Ecology and Natural History Foundation
Vindhya Bachao is a non-government organization based in Mirzapur engaged in the environmental protection of the Vindhya Rangethe Gangetic Plainsand the Himalayas.

WWF-India Program
WWF conservation work in India.

India History

15th century Kalpa Sūtra (Jain text). The sutra shows the crescent-shaped Siddhashilaa place at the apex of the universe where all Siddhas (liberated souls) reside after Nirvana.
Image: Unknown

History
Overview of India's history from the Great Dynasties to Independence.

Indian History
From Ancient India History to Modern India.

Medieval History of India
Article about India's medieval history from the National Portal of India.

Timeline of India's History
An overview of India's history.

History of India
Wikipedia entry about India's long history.

WWW-VL: HISTORY: INDIA
Index of India History sites.

Indigenous People of India

Young Baiga women in traditional dressMadhya PradeshIndia.
Image: Ekta Parishad

Indigenous India
India is home to about 700 tribal groups with a population of over 104 million.

Adivasi
Wikipedia article about Adivasithe collective term for the Scheduled Tribes of India.

The Indigenous Colour of India – The Indian Tribes
Tourmyindia article about various Indigenous peoples of India.

Indigenous people in India and the web of indifference
Down to Earth article about India's indigenous rights and the struggles for oilcoaland forests at the expense of Indian tribes.

Additional Information

Selected country profiles of India published by international organizations.

Amnesty International: India
Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights.

BBC News Country Profile: India
Country profiles by the British public service broadcaster.

BTI Transformation Index India
India Country Report by Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The Commonwealth: India
Profile of the Commonwealth Member country India.

FAO: India
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization in India.

Freedom House profile India
The U.S. government-funded non-profit organization whose goal is to promote liberal democracies worldwide.

GlobalEDGE: India
Global business knowledge portal - Global Insights by country India.

The Heritage Foundation: India
2020 Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundationan American conservative think tank.

Human Rights Watch: India
HRW conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

OEC: India
The Observatory of Economic Complexity provides the latest international trade data.

Reporters Without Borders: India
RSF (Reporters sans frontières) is an international NGO that defends and promotes media freedom.

UNDP - Human Development Indicators: India
The UN Human Development Index (HDI) for India.

Wikipedia: India
Wikipedia's India page in many languages.

The CIA World Factbook -- India
The CIA World Factbook intelligence on India.