Geography and History of India

• India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia
• It's the seventh-largest country by area, the most populous democracy, and the second-most populous country overall
• India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast
• It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east.
• In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia.
• Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago
• Their long occupation, initially in varying forms of isolation as hunter-gatherers, has made the region highly diverse, second only to Africa, in human genetics
• Settled life emerged on the subcontinent in the western margins of the Indus River basin 9,000 years ago, evolving gradually into the Indus Valley Civilization of the third millennium BCE
• This civilization, in what is now Pakistan and northwest India, was characterized by its urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage, and water supply
• As of 2024, the Indian economy is the fifth-largest in the world by nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP)
• Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing major economies and is considered a newly industrialized country
• However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, inequality, unemployment, and inadequate infrastructure
• India is a parliamentary republic with a multi-party system
• It has a legislature that is bicameral, with an upper house, the Rajya Sabha, and a lower house, the Lok Sabha
• The President of India is the head of state and is elected indirectly by an electoral college for a five-year term
• The Prime Minister of India is the head of government and exercises most executive power
• The judiciary in India is independent and consists of the Supreme Court, High Courts, and subordinate courts
• India is a secular country with a rich religious diversity
• Hinduism is the largest religion, followed by Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and others
• The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of religion as a fundamental right
• India has a diverse range of languages, with 22 officially recognized languages
• Hindi and English are the official languages of the Union Government
• India is known for its classical and folk dance, music, and theatre
• Indian cuisine is diverse, with a wide range of dishes and cooking styles varying by region
• Cricket is the most popular sport in India, followed by football, field hockey, badminton, and kabaddi

History

• The Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished from around 2500 to 1900 BCE, was one of the earliest urban societies in the world
• The Vedic period (c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE) saw the composition of the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, and the emergence of kingdoms known as the Mahajanapadas
• The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, unified much of the Indian subcontinent and promoted Buddhism
• The Gupta Empire (c. 320 – c. 550 CE) is considered the "Golden Age" of India, marked by advancements in science, mathematics, art, and literature
• The Delhi Sultanate, established in the 13th century, brought Islamic rule to India
• The Mughal Empire, founded by Babur in 1526, expanded to cover almost the entire Indian subcontinent
• The Mughal era saw a fusion of Persian, Central Asian, and Indian cultures and the construction of magnificent architectural monuments such as the Taj Mahal
• European powers, including the British, French, Portuguese, and Dutch, established trading posts in India from the 17th century onwards
• The British East India Company gradually gained control over large parts of India, leading to the establishment of British rule
• The Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, was a major uprising against British rule
• India gained independence on August 15, 1947, after a long struggle for freedom led by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders
• Partition of India led to the creation of Pakistan and caused widespread displacement and violence

Geography

• India has a diverse topography, including the towering Himalayas in the north, fertile Indo-Gangetic plains, arid Thar Desert, and peninsular Deccan Plateau
• The country is home to several major rivers, including the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, and Godavari
• India possesses a coastline of over 7,500 kilometers (4,700 miles)
• India's climate varies from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate and alpine in the Himalayan north
• India is one of the world's megadiverse countries, with a rich variety of flora and fauna
• Some protected areas are national parks, tiger reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries
• India faces environmental challenges such as air and water pollution, deforestation, and climate change

Economy

• India has a mixed economy with a significant role for both the public and private sectors
• Agriculture employs a large percentage of the population, but its contribution to GDP has been declining
• The service sector is the largest and fastest-growing sector of the Indian economy, driven by information technology, outsourcing, and financial services
• India has a large manufacturing sector, including industries such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and chemicals
• The Indian government has implemented economic reforms to promote liberalization, privatization, and globalization
• India is a member of the G20, BRICS, and other international economic organizations
• Poverty remains a major challenge, with a significant percentage of the population living below the poverty line
• Inequality is also a concern, with a wide gap between the rich and the poor
• Infrastructure development is crucial for India's economic growth, including roads, railways, ports, and airports

Society and Culture

• India has a complex social structure shaped by factors such as caste, religion, language, and region
• The caste system, although outlawed, continues to influence social relations in some parts of India
• Family plays a central role in Indian society, with joint families being common
• Education is highly valued, and there has been significant progress in improving literacy rates
• Indian culture is known for its diversity, with a wide range of customs, traditions, and art forms
• Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, is one of the largest film industries in the world
• Indian literature encompasses ancient religious texts, classical poetry, and modern novels
• Indian philosophy includes various schools of thought, such as Yoga, Vedanta, and Buddhism
• Classical Indian music and dance are renowned for their intricate rhythms, melodies, and expressive movements
• Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine, is still practiced in India