India
Basic information
- Area: 3,287,590 km²
- Calling code: +91
- Population (EST): 1,132,446,000
- Official language: Hindi, English
- Time zone: IST (UTC+5:30)
Overview
The Republic of India is situated in Southern Asia on a vast peninsula which extends into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It shares borders with Pakistan to the northwest, China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. It is the second most populous country in the world, after China, with a population of approximately 1.02 billion in 2001, growing at a rate of about 1.9 per cent per annum. The country has been a republic since gaining independence from British rule in August 1947. New Delhi is the capital of India, but Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the country`s principal business centre. The main official languages are Hindi and English, the latter often being used for official and commercial purposes, and there are 18 regional languages that are recognised by the Constitution. The economy has recorded an impressive average growth of approximately 6 per cent a year since 1990 and, while overpopulation and poverty remain significant problems, there have been consistent improvements in social indicators during this time. For example, according to figures published by the UK Trade & Investment Department, the infant mortality rate in India fell from 8 per cent of live births in 1990 to 6.8 per cent in 2000. In addition, poverty numbers fell from 36 per cent of the population in 1993-94 to 26 per cent in 1999-00 and are expected to reach 19 per cent by 2007. The country has a diverse economy encompassing a broad range of industries including traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, modern manufacturing and services. While industrialisation has reduced the share that agriculture contributes to the country`s GDP, the agricultural sector remains very important in maintaining the growth of the economy and, according to the Confederation of Indian Industry, is the principal employer for 70 per cent of rural households and 8 per cent of urban households. India has a well developed transport infrastructure and the government has introduced measures to encourage investment in areas where further development is required, such as to improve the county`s road networks, which are struggling as the number of motorised vehicles increases. The country benefits from eleven major ports, all of which are managed by the Port Trust of India under the jurisdiction of Central Government. However, increasing demand at the ports in recent years has resulted in longer turnaround times for ships. The state run railway system is the largest rail system in Asia, with over 62 thousand kilometres of track and more than 7,000 stations. It carries over 12 million passengers a day, as well as the bulk of goods traffic, and there are express services linking the main cities. Several domestic airlines operate a comprehensive network of air routes that connect the country`s major towns and cities. There are also numerous international connections operated by Air India, Indian Airlines, and a host of foreign airlines.
