INDIA

SOME QUICK FACTS ON INDIA
(Compiled by )

• The largest component of the only one-time subcontinent on the planet, the subcontinent being history to some of the oldest civilizations on earth.

• Largest South Asian nation, located approximately between 8º N and 38º N latitudes.

• Has only one time all over the country -- i.e. the country is not divided into time zones like the US -- the local time at Allahabad (situated at 82.5º E longitude) in the north central state of Uttar Pradesh being considered the Indian Standard Time (IST).

• Basically, has tropical to sub-tropical monsoon type of climate...Mawsynram in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya receives the world's highest annual rainfall on an average: about 1100+ cm. It recently beat Cherrapunjee, in the same state, so far kn own as the "wettest place on earth!"

• The seventh largest country in the world, with about one-third the land area of the US.

• Has the longest continuous sea-coastline: approximately 7600 km.

• Has the largest peninsula in the world, called the Deccan Peninsula, surrounded by the following three bodies of water masses:
  
  1. the Arabian Sea on the West,
  2. the Bay of Bengal on the East, and
  3. the Indian Ocean on the South.

• The original native Indians are called Dravidians, and live mostly in the four southern states -- Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. The others are moslty mixed races.

• Considered the largest democracy.

• Practices parliamentary form of government.

• Is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.

• Has an incredible history of religious and ethnic tolerance.

• Won independence from British rule and the country was partitioned on August 15, 1947.

• Became a republic on January 26, 1950.

• Currently consists of 28 States and 6 Union Territories -- the States have their own governments as parallel counterparts of the Union, and the Union Territories are directly under the Union Government.

• The Union is, in effect, headed by the Prime Minister aided and assisted by his/her Council of Ministers; the States are headed by the Chief Ministers aided and assisted by his/her Council of Ministers. The President at the Union and the Governors in the States are constitutional figureheads: they rule the country and the States respectively in name only. (This last thing is in direct contrast to the system practiced in the US.)

• Constitution is written, flexible, and lends itself to at least seven other constitutions: constitutes a Preamble (kind of a preface), 395 Articles divided into 22 Parts and 12 Schedules, and 3 Appendices.

• Voting is through secret ballot and is based on adult franchise -- 18 being the current minimum age to be eligible to vote.

• The (both Center and States) are elected for a term of 5 years. This seems to have been ridiculed lately, for the Central Government toppled three times in a span of about three years or so.

• The world's second most populous country (first being China): population seems to be promising to touch the billion-mark by the end of the millenium. (According to unofficial reports, it has already crossed that mark!)

• About 83% of the populace are Hindus, -- Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, etc. being the rest.

• National languages are Hindi and English.

• The Union currently recognizes 16 languages as official.

• Each of approximately 117 languages is spoken by at least 10,000 people.

• At least about 1650 dialects can be heard among the numerous cross-sectional categories of the population.

• Has the largest monopolized railway network in the world:
  
  1. more than 80 million people depend for their livelihood on the railways;
  2. more than 12,0000 trains ply the country on a normal working day;
  3. the whole railway network is divided into nine zones;
  4. there are more than 100,000 railway bridges in the country;
  5. there are about 38,000 level crossings;
  6. with modernization, the steam engines have been gradually phased out and substituted by the diesel and electric locomotives, BUT the tiny little "toy train" that plies between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal has not only su rvived but has interestingly maintained its same look, same speed, and same honor since 1896, when Mark Twain visited Darjeeling -- the only change probably has been in how it is described: it was then called the "Queen of the Hills" and is now called the "Grandmother of the Hills;"
  7. At an elevation of 7407 feet, Darjeeling has the highest railway station in the whole of Asia;
  8. In curious contrast to the "toy train," the "Palace on Wheels" in the western state of Rajasthan has the world's most luxurious amenities, and can accomodate only 75 people.

• The largest producer and exporter of tea in the world.

• The world's largest grower of sugarcane, and among the largest exporters of sugar.

• Has the largest railway platform in the world at Kharagpur, West Bengal -- about a mile long.

• Has the largest bookmarket in the world at College Street, Calcutta, West Bengal.

• The largest producer of movies in the world -- producing about 800 per year. The Indian version of Hollywood is popularly known as "Bollywood" (the movie and entertainment hub being at Mumbai, previously called Bombay, in the western state of Maharashtra.)

• National Insignia are the following:
  1. National Flag: the tri-color flag with equal bands of saffron (top), white (middle), green (bottom), and a wheel with 24 spokes in the middle;
  2. National Anthem: "Jana Gana Mana..." by Rabindranath Tagore;
  3. National Emblem: The "Ashok Stambh" (Lion Capital);
  4. National Flower: Lotus;
  5. National Fruit: Mango;
  6. National Tree: Banyan;
  7. National Animal: Tiger;
  8. National Bird: Peacock;
  9. National Sport: Kabaddi.

• Chief occupation of the people is agriculture: about 72% of the population is engaged in agriculture.

• Basic staple foods of most people are rice and 'roti' (the latter made from wheat flour).

• One of the fastest growing economies among the developing nations.

• Most recent Nobel Laureates: Prof. Amartya Sen (economics), Mother Teresa (peace).

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Disclaimer: All the information contained on this page are approximate, and to the best of the author's knowledge, and/or as gathered from various sources. Therefore, complete accuracy may not be guaranteed. Also, this page will be updated now and then to keep pace with the changing faces of the vast, ever-growing, complicated, yet fascinating nation.

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University of Nevada, Reno
Please direct questions, comments, suggestions to: banerjee@scs.unr.edu
URL of this document: http://www.scs.unr.edu/~banerjee/facts.html