India

We explain everything about India, what its geography is like and the history of this nation. Also, what are its characteristics, climate and more.

India

India is a national state whose official name is Republic of India. It is located in South Asia and is bordered to the south by Sri Lanka, to the northwest by Pakistan, to the north by China, Nepal and Bhutan, and to the east by Myanmar and Bangladesh. Its form of political organization is the parliamentary republic.

India has an area of ​​3,287,000 square kilometers (it is the seventh largest country in the world). Its population of more than 1.4 billion inhabitants makes it the most populated country in the world. Its capital, New Delhi, has more than 32 million inhabitants and is currently the second most populated capital on the planet.

The current territory of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma was known as the “British Raj” between 1858 and 1947. It was a colonial state under political and economic control of the British Crown, and was part of the territories annexed by the United Kingdom in the 19th century.

In the fight for their independence, the figure of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), political, philosophical and spiritual leader of the independence movement.

Why is it called “India”? The name comes from ancient Greek, and was how the territory near the Indus River was named. In turn, the term Indo which gives its name to the river comes from hindufrom the Persian language, meaning “river.”

See also: China

Features of India

Some characteristics of this country are:

• It is the most populated country in the world, with 1,428 million inhabitants.
• It is the seventh largest country on the planet, with an area of ​​3,287,000 km².
• Its population density reaches 425 inhabitants per square kilometer.
• Its capital is the city of New Delhi, which has more than 32 million inhabitants and is the second most populated in the world, after Tokyo.
• It became independent from the British Empire on August 15, 1947.
• Its predominant climate is the warm tropical monsoon.
• It has two official languages: Hindi and English, the latter inherited from the times when the country was a British colony.
• The predominant religion is Hinduism.
• Most of the population does not consume beef.
• Its most important economic activities are agriculture, mining, industry, services and tourism.
• Its official currency is the Indian rupee.

Extension, population and capital of India

India has an area of ​​3,287,000 square kilometers, the seventh largest in the world. It has a population of 1,428,000,000 inhabitants, and Since April 2023 it is the most populous country in the world after surpassing China. Its population density is 425 inhabitants per square kilometer.

The territory of India is divided into 28 states. The most populated are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar, with more than 100 million inhabitants each. The state of Sikkim, one of the smallest, is also the least populated.

The capital of India is the city of New Delhi. Its population amounts to 32,000,000 inhabitants and it is the second most populated capital in the world. New Delhi is the seat of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the Government of India. This city was planned by architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, and although it was established in 1911, it was inaugurated in 1931 by Iord Irwin (viceroy of the British Raj) when it was decided to move the capital from Calcutta.

In addition to the capital, the most important cities in India are Bombay, with 18 million inhabitants, and Bangalore with 12 million.

Climate, relief and hydrography of India

Most of the rivers that cross India have their sources in the Himalayas.. The most important are the Indus (the longest in the country at 3,180 kilometers long), the Ganges and the Brahmaputra.

Due to its large area, India has different types of climate and relief. According to these variations, three large regions can be distinguished:

The Himalayan region

The Himalayan region is located in the north of the country, bordering Nepal and Bhutan. It is characterized by the presence of high altitude mountains. The highest peaks in India are also some of the highest on the entire planet: Mount Kangchenjunga, 8586 meters high, Nanda Devi with 7816 and Kamet with 7756 are some of them.

In terms of climate, this region is characterized by the cold tundra climate with very low temperatures conditioned by altitude. In lower elevations, the climate that predominates is the temperate subhumid mountain climate, with higher temperatures and abundant rainfall concentrated in the summer.

The Deccan Plateau

With an area of ​​almost one million square kilometers, the Deccan Plateau occupies much of central and southern India. It is a high plateau that does not exceed 800 meters in height. It is crossed by low mountain ranges less than 2500 meters high.

The predominant climate is the warm tropical monsoon, with high temperatures all year round and abundant rainfall concentrated in the summer months. Towards the west of the plateau the predominant climate is warm semi-arid, which also has high temperatures but much less annual rainfall.

The Indo-Gangetic Plain

With almost 800,000 square kilometers, the indogang plainethics extends across much of the north of the country. It is a very low plain formed by the Indus, Ganges (considered sacred to Hindus) and Brahmaputra rivers.

The predominant climate is the warm tropical monsoon. The Indo-Gangetic Plain, which extends into Bangladesh, It is one of the most populated regions in the world with more than 500 million inhabitants. Kolkata, New Delhi and Dhaka, among other cities in India, are located in this region.

Indian culture

Indian culture is one of the most diverse and rich in the world.. It is the birthplace of four great religions: Hinduism (practiced by 80.5% of the population), Buddhism (0.8%), Jainism (0.4%) and Sikhism (1.9%). There are also foreign religions such as Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), and Judaism.

The languages official languages ​​of India are Hindi and English. English is a colonial reminiscence that is still used as a business language or as a language of higher education. 21 languages ​​considered “classical” are also legally recognized, such as Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu.

Indian musical tradition includes Hindustani classical musictypical of the north of the country, and Carnatic music, from the south. The greatest references are MS Subbulakshmi (in Carnatic music) and Ustad Bismillah Khan Sahib (in Hindustani classical music).

In the plastic arts, the 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma and the painter Amrita Sher – Gil stand out. Among the greatest exponents of Indian literature are Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

Indian cuisine is particularly rich in flavours, with many different spices and seasonings, and is characterized by the use of tandooria clay oven used for 5000 years. Their basic foods are based on wheat, rice and lentils.

Most people in India do not consume beef. This animal has a special status in Indian culture and traditions, and is considered a sacred animal in Hinduism, the majority religion in the country. Hinduism promotes the idea of ahimsawhich encourages non-violence towards living beings, which is why many Hindus consider killing animals to be a serious offense. Most people in India choose not to consume beef for religious, cultural or personal reasons. The most orthodox Hindus do not even consume meat from any animal.

National symbols of India

The national symbols of India are:

• The flag of India. It is made up of a tricolor orange, white and green pavilion, known as trianga. In the center there is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four points, called ashoka chakra. It was adopted in 1947, when independence from the British Crown was obtained.
• The national anthem of India. The anthem of India is titled Jana-Gana-Mana (“The spirit of all the people”). The lyrics and music were written by Rabindranath Tagore, who in addition to being a writer was a noted composer.
• The shield of India. The shield is made up of four lions of Sarnath but only three are visible: the one that faces the front and the two that look to the sides. They are located on a circular abacus in which two animals appear from the front and two others, which are not visible, in the back of the shield. The four animals represent the cardinal points.

Economic activities of India

The main economic activities of India are:

• agriculture. India is one of the largest agricultural producers in the world. The production and export of rice, wheat, sugar cane, cotton, tea, coffee, spices and fruits stands out. A large part of the rural population is dedicated to agriculture.
• mining. The production of precious stones and metals stands out, which represent the country's second export product.
• The industry. India's main industries are textiles, petrochemicals, automobiles and electronics. With economic growth and urbanization, construction and development of public works (such as roads, highways, airports and ports) have been key in the Indian economy in recent years.
• The services. The most notable services are information and communication technology, and financial services.
• tourism. Millions of tourists come every year to visit the tourist attractions of India. The most emblematic is the Taj Mahal palace, located in the north of the country. It was built between 1632 and 1654 and is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world.

India's main trading partners are the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates. The official currency is the Indian rupee.

History of India

The first Neolithic settlements on the Indian subcontinent date back to 7000 BC. C. Around 2600 BC. C. the Indus Valley civilization emerged, characterized by the construction of large cities (such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro) in the territory of present-day Pakistan and northwest India.

Subsequently Indo-Aryan populations settled and expanded into the Ganges valley and gave rise to the Vedic period (1500-500 BC). At this stage, religious texts called Vedas were composed, which laid the foundations of Hinduism, and some kingdoms known as “majayanapadas” emerged.

In the 4th century, Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire, which unified most of the Indian subcontinent. One of his successors, Asoka, adopted Buddhism and spread it. This empire fell in 185 BC. C. and, from there, other political entities emerged, such as the Gupta Empire (320-550 AD) and the Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526), ​​which spread Islam. It fell to a Turko-Mongol invasion that founded the Mughal Empire in 1526.

In 1707, the Mughal Empire fell into decline as regional rulers gained greater independence and the Marathas from the west conquered territories. In the 17th century the British East India Company gained trading concessions in India and by the 18th century became a dominant power in the region. In 1858 the Mughal Empire fell and the colonial regime known as the British Raj was created.

Independence was achieved in 1947 after a long struggle led by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi. and led to the partition of the territory into two States: India (with a Hindu majority) and Pakistan (with a Muslim majority). The Prime Minister of India between 1947 and 1964 was Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the promoters of the Non-Aligned Movement.

India was established as a republic and went through various conflicts, such as an almost permanent confrontation with Pakistan, which persists today, and the fight between the government and separatist groups. This struggle led to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Liberalizing reforms were implemented starting in the 1990s.

Currently, India is one of the largest economies in the world but retains high poverty rates.

References

• “India” at https://es.wikipedia.org/
• “Indian Culture” at https://es.wikipedia.org/
• “India” at https://www.britannica.com/
• “India at a Glance” on the official portal of the government of India. https://www.india.gov.in/
• “South Asia: India” in The World Factbook of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). https://www.cia.gov/
• “Indian Civilization” at http://mundoantiguo.net/
• “History of India” at https://www.lonelyplanet.es
• Asun, L. (2023) The ten most populated cities in the world in 2023. https://viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/
• Cerrato Cuesta, A. (2023) The hydrography of India. https://udoe.es/
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023) India. Country sheet. Diplomatic Information Office of Spain https://www.exteriores.gob.es/
• National Geographic (2011) India. https://www.nationalgeographic.es/
• Sánchez, A. (2023) India: a demographic giant that is still an incomplete power. https://elpais.com/