Questions and Answers
India is located in Southeast Asia.
False
India shares a border with Pakistan.
True
India has a coastline along the Indian Ocean.
False
Hindi is the only official language of India.
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The majority of India's population is Dravidian.
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The Mughal Empire was a Hindu empire.
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India gained independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947.
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India has a primarily agricultural economy.
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Study Notes
Geography and Climate
- Location: South Asia
- Borders: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
- Coastline: Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal
- Land area: 3,287,590 km² (1,269,219 sq mi)
- Climate: Diverse, ranging from tropical to temperate to alpine
Demographics
- Population: Over 1.38 billion (2020 estimate)
- Ethnic groups:
- Indo-Aryan (72%)
- Dravidian (25%)
- Austro-Asiatic (2%)
- Tibeto-Burman (1%)
- Languages:
- Official languages: Hindi and English
- 22 scheduled languages, including Bengali, Telugu, and Marathi
- Religions:
- Hinduism (79.8%)
- Islam (14.2%)
- Christianity (2.3%)
- Sikhism (1.7%)
- Buddhism (0.7%)
- Jainism (0.4%)
History
- Ancient civilizations: Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1300 BCE) and Vedic period (1500-500 BCE)
- Mauryan Empire (322-185 BCE): Unified India under Ashoka the Great
- Mughal Empire (1526-1756): Islamic rule, cultural and architectural achievements
- British colonial period (1757-1947): East India Company and British Raj
- Independence: August 15, 1947
Economy
- Developing economy, third-largest in terms of PPP (2020)
- Service sector dominates (55% of GDP), followed by industry (25%) and agriculture (20%)
- Major industries: textiles, software, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles
- Natural resources: coal, iron ore, manganese, and rare earth metals
Geography and Climate
- India is located in South Asia, bordered by Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
- The country has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal
- With a land area of 3,287,590 km² (1,269,219 sq mi), India is the seventh-largest country in the world
- The climate varies greatly, ranging from tropical to temperate to alpine
Demographics
- As of 2020, India's population is estimated to be over 1.38 billion, making it the second-most populous country
- Indo-Aryan ethnic groups make up the majority (72%), followed by Dravidian (25%), Austro-Asiatic (2%), and Tibeto-Burman (1%)
- Hindi and English are the official languages, with 22 additional scheduled languages spoken throughout the country
- Hinduism is the dominant religion, practiced by 79.8% of the population, followed by Islam (14.2%), Christianity (2.3%), and others
History
- The ancient Indus Valley Civilization flourished from 3300 to 1300 BCE
- The Vedic period, from 1500 to 500 BCE, saw the development of Hinduism and the caste system
- The Mauryan Empire, under Ashoka the Great, unified India from 322 to 185 BCE
- The Mughal Empire, from 1526 to 1756, brought Islamic rule and cultural achievements
- British colonial rule, from 1757 to 1947, had a profound impact on Indian society and economy
- India gained independence on August 15, 1947
Economy
- India has a developing economy, with the third-largest GDP in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) as of 2020
- The service sector dominates the economy, accounting for 55% of GDP
- Industry and agriculture also play significant roles, with major industries including textiles, software, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles
- India is rich in natural resources, including coal, iron ore, manganese, and rare earth metals
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Explore India's geography, borders, climate, and demographics, including population, ethnic groups, and languages.