India is a country of natural and historical wonders. There are so many things to know about India. India is home to plenty of rivers, mountains, mountain passes, tribes and clans, and geological territories. India is a country that truly features "unity in diversity". With so many races and cultures, India ranks as one of the culturally diversified countries of the world. Rich in flora and fauna, the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks amaze the tourists. The snow-clad mountains, waterfalls, and picturesque rivers charm the visitors.
India: An Overview
India, also known as Bharat and other names in Hindi and other languages, is an independent country in South Asia. It is officially called the Republic of India. In terms of geographical territory, it is the seventh biggest nation in the world and in terms of population, it is the second most populated country in the world (after China). India is famous for being the most densely inhabited democratic state in the world. India is home to approximately 1.2 billion people. The Indian territories are bordered by the Indian Ocean on the south, the People's Republic of China, Bhutan, and Nepal to the north, the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, and Burma to the east, and Pakistan and Arabian Sea to the west.
The population of India comprises Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, and Jews.
The Lakshwadeep Islands and Indian mainland are closely located to Maldives and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. At the same time, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India share their marine frontier with Sumatra Island of Indonesia in Andaman Sea and Thailand. The length of the shoreline of India is 7,517 km (4,700 miles).
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The Ganga Rivers
Ganga (also Ganges) and its tributaries like the Yamuna, Chambal, Kosi, and Damodar form the Ganges River System.
The Brahmaputra and its tributaries like the Tista, Subansiri, Tsang-Po, and Jamuna create the Brahmaputra River System.
Peninsular Rivers
The Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Narmada, and Tapi or Tapti are the major peninsular rivers.
The climate of India can be broadly categorized into the following groups:
- Tropical dry climate
- Tropical wet climate
- Montane (mountainous climate)
- Subtropical humid climate
Indian peninsular plateau encompasses a huge area and comprises the following regions:
- The Punjab plain
- The Assam Plain or Brahmaputra Plain
- The Malwa Plateau
- The Aravallis
- The Deccan Plateau
There are also a number of mountain passes in India that help tourists travel in the hilly regions.
Administrative divisions of India
The administrative divisions of India are as follows:
States
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Orissa
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Sikkim
- Tamil Nadu
- Tripura
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal
Union Territories
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Chandigarh
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli
- Daman and Diu
- Lakshadweep
- National Capital Territory of Delhi
- Puducherry (Pondicherry)
India is also famous for its unique biodiversity. There are a number of ecoregions in India. It is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world. India is the natural habitat of reptiles, mammals, avian, fishes, and amphibians. Almost 1/3rd of the plant species in India are indigenous plants. The forests of India can be categorized into the following:
- Tropical rainforest
- Coniferous forest
- Moist deciduous forest
- Dry deciduous forest
- Thorn forest
Some of the plants are used as herbs or for manufacturing medicines.
India is recognized across the world for its diverse range of wildlife including indigenous species like Beddome's toad of the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Leaf Monkey. The Asiatic Lion, the Royal Bengal Tiger, and Indian White-Rumped Vulture are some of the animals that shape the diversity of Indian wildlife.
In order to protect wildlife in India, the Government of India has established a number of protected areas and national parks. Project Tiger and Wildlife Protection Act are two important initiatives taken by the Indian Government to conserve wildlife. There are more than 13 biosphere reserves, 500 wildlife sanctuaries, and a number of wetlands that have been included into the list of Ramsar sites as per the Ramsar Convention.
Last Updated on 02 February 2011
