World map showing countries India

Author: Liu Huiyun
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Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: India is located in the southern part of Asia, at the center of the South Asian subcontinent. It borders Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, Myanmar and Bangladesh to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, with Sri Lanka and the Maldives in view across the sea, the Bay of Bengal to the southeast, the Arabian Sea to the southwest, and the Himalayas to the north. It has been a maritime traffic hub connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa. It is mainly composed of three parts: the Himalayan region in the north (including India's highest peak, Kangchenjunga, with an altitude of 8,598 meters), the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and the Deccan Plateau. Many rivers originate in or flow through India, such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Godavari, and Krishna rivers. A small part of the upper reaches of the Indus River is also located within India. India has a tropical monsoon climate with significant temperature variations. It is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion and hundreds of languages. According to purchasing power parity, India is the fourth-largest economy in the world. Population: 1.027 billion (Census on March 1, 2001), including 531.27 billion males and 495.73 billion females. India is a country with diverse ethnic groups, religions, and cultures, known as the "most well-preserved museum of races, religions, and languages" in the world. India is a multi-ethnic country composed of ethnic groups such as the Hindustani, Telugu, Bengali, and Tamil, with the Hindustani accounting for 46.3% of the national population, the Telugu for 8.6%, the Bengali for 7.7%, and the Tamil for 7.4%. Approximately 83% of the population practices Hinduism, followed by Islam (12%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%), and Jainism (0.4%). India's languages are exceptionally diverse, with more than 10 recognized by the constitution. Both English and Hindi are official languages of India. India is the second most populous country in the world after China. Today, India's population structure is primarily divided by language, religion, and caste. Hindi is the only official language of the country, but other 16 semi-official languages are used in different states and regions, including: 5 Dravidian languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Konkani; 10 Indo-Aryan languages: Marathi, Urdu, Gujarati, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Nepali, and Sanskrit; 1 Sino-Tibetan language: Manipuri. In addition, over 1,600 other languages are registered. English is still widely used in legal and government institutions. Although 83% of the population is Hindu, India is the second-largest Muslim-majority country in the world. Other religious groups include Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. See Indian Religions. India's caste system reflects the country's religious inheritance concepts. Traditionally, India has had four main varnas (castes). Although India has experienced economic modernization and the enactment of laws prohibiting discrimination and ending the caste system, the caste system remains very important in India. The name "India" comes from Sanskrit and is derived from the Indus River. Indians call themselves Bharatiya. The countries bordering India include Bangladesh, Myanmar, the People's Republic of China, Bhutan, Sikkim (which India has now merged into as a state and no longer considers a neighbor), Nepal, and Pakistan. India also borders Sri Lanka and the Maldives across the sea (in addition, according to India's view, Afghanistan is also one of its neighbors). The word "India" in Sanskrit means "moon," and the Chinese name is derived from the translation of the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang's "Great Tang Records of the Western Regions," where it was previously referred to as "Tianzhu" or "Shendu." It covers an area of approximately 2.98 million square kilometers (excluding areas like the Indian-occupied region of the China-India border and the Indian-controlled areas of Kashmir). The Indian government claims its territory covers 3.2878 million square kilometers. India ranks seventh in terms of land area in the world. Located in the South Asian subcontinent, it borders Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, and is adjacent to the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Its coastline is 5,560 kilometers long. India is divided into three natural geographical regions: the Deccan Plateau and Central Highlands, plains, and the Himalayan region. Climate: Tropical monsoon climate, with temperatures varying with altitude. In the Himalayan region, the average annual temperature is 12°C–14°C, while in the eastern regions, it is 26°C–29°C. History: India is one of the world's four ancient civilizations. Around 2,000 BCE, it created the splendid Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Culture). Around the 14th century BCE, between 1500 and 1200 BCE, a branch of the Indo-Aryan people originally residing in Central Asia entered the South Asian subcontinent and conquered the local indigenous people, marking the beginning of the Vedic era. Around 1,000 BCE, the caste system based on ethnicity and social division began to take shape. Through continuous wars of conquest, around 600 BCE, King Bimbisara established the Magadha Empire (also known as the Maurya Empire), with its capital in the old city of Rajgir. Later, the Nanda Dynasty overthrew the Magadha Empire, leading to factional conflicts and social unrest. In the early 4th century BCE, Alexander the Great invaded India and occupied northern India. After Alexander's death (June 322 BCE), Chandragupta Maurya defeated the Nanda Dynasty, eliminated the remaining Greek forces in Punjab, and established the Maurya Dynasty. Around 200 BCE, the Maurya Dynasty was overthrown by the southern Andhra Kingdom and the northern Yuezhi. The Yuezhi, originally from Central Asia, invaded the northwest of India and established the Kushan Empire with its capital in Gandhara. In the 3rd century, King Chandragupta I drove out the Yuezhi, destroyed the Andhra Kingdom, and established the Gupta Empire. The Gupta Empire had a vast territory, stretching south to the Narmada River and east to the Nepal border. During the reign of King Chandragupta II, the Tang Dynasty monk Faxian traveled to India to collect scriptures (399–414 CE), coinciding with the reign of King Skandagupta. The Gupta Empire was relatively open politically, economically prosperous, and saw significant advancements in literature, art, and science, earning it the title of the "Golden Age" and "Renaissance" in Indian history. The Gupta Empire eventually fell due to invasions by the White Huns from the north. Later, the Kannauj Empire rose, and some believe it was a revival of the Gupta Empire. After King Harshavardhana ascended the throne, the empire expanded eastward and westward, conquering all territories except for the state of Magadha. After his death, a minister seized power, leading to widespread chaos. Over the following centuries, a fragmented state of small kingdoms emerged, vying for dominance. Eventually, the ruler of the Ghurid Kingdom, Muhammad's general Qutb al-Din Aibak, conquered Delhi and established the slave dynasty. Between 1206 and 1526, multiple Islamic dynasties ruled Delhi, while numerous Islamic dynasties also rose in central and southern India. Economy: Primarily agrarian, with major crops including rice, wheat, cotton, jute, sugarcane, and tea. Industry is dominated by mining and textiles, with steel, electricity, petroleum, rubber, coal, and matches also being significant. Major cities include the capital, New Delhi, the largest port on the eastern coast, Kolkata, and the largest textile center, Mumbai. India's tourism offerings can be broadly divided into three parts: first, ancient forts and mausoleums, including the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, and the Taj Mahal, which represent the highest level of Indian architectural art; next, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, the tomb of India's founding father, Mahatma Gandhi, followed by visiting India's ancient Buddhist holy sites, such as Rajgir and the Nalanda Temple. The final category of tourism is visiting India's rock-cut temples, where colorful Buddhist sculptures, carvings, and paintings can be found, making them an excellent place to study ancient Indian culture and art.