India: Geography and Climate

Study Notes

Location: South Asia, bordered by Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
Area: 3,287,590 km² (1,269,219 sq mi), 7th largest country in the world
Terrain: Varied, with mountains, plateaus, and coastal plains
Climate: Diverse, ranging from tropical to subtropical, temperate, and alpine

Population: Over 1.38 billion people, 2nd most populous country in the world
Languages: Official languages are Hindi and English, with 22 officially recognized languages
Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, and Austro-Asiatic communities

Ancient India: Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1300 BCE), Mauryan Empire (322-185 BCE), Gupta Empire (320-550 CE)
Medieval India: Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526 CE), Mughal Empire (1526-1756 CE)
British India: Colonized by the British East India Company (1612-1757 CE), Indian Rebellion of 1857
Independence: August 15, 1947, from British colonial rule

3rd largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP)
Diverse economy: services, industry, and agriculture sectors
Major industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, software, and automobiles
Member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and G20 economies

Federal parliamentary democratic republic
President as head of state, Prime Minister as head of government
Bicameral Parliament: Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
Major political parties: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and others

India is located in South Asia, bordering Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
It has a total area of 3,287,590 km² (1,269,219 sq mi), making it the 7th largest country in the world
The country's terrain is varied, consisting of mountains, plateaus, and coastal plains
India's climate is diverse, ranging from tropical to subtropical, temperate, and alpine

India has a massive population of over 1.38 billion people, making it the 2nd most populous country in the world
The official languages of India are Hindi and English, with 22 officially recognized languages
The country is home to various ethnic groups, including Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, and Austro-Asiatic communities

The Indus Valley Civilization, which existed from 3300-1300 BCE, was one of the earliest civilizations in India
The Mauryan Empire, which ruled from 322-185 BCE, was another significant ancient empire in India
The Gupta Empire, which ruled from 320-550 CE, was a major empire in ancient India
The Delhi Sultanate, which ruled from 1206-1526 CE, marked the beginning of Islamic rule in India
The Mughal Empire, which ruled from 1526-1756 CE, was a significant Islamic empire in India
The British East India Company colonized India from 1612-1757 CE
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising against British colonial rule
India gained independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947

India has the 3rd largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP)
The country has a diverse economy, comprising services, industry, and agriculture sectors
Major industries in India include textiles, pharmaceuticals, software, and automobiles
India is a member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and G20 economies

India is a federal parliamentary democratic republic
The President serves as the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government
The country has a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
Major political parties in India include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and others