India - Size and Location

India's Overview

• India is one of the ancient civilizations in the world, displaying remarkable progress in various fields over the last five decades.
• India has made significant contributions to world history.

Location

• India is a vast country, located entirely in the Northern hemisphere.
• The country's main land extends between latitudes 8°4'N and 37°6'N and longitudes 68°7'E and 97°25'E.
• The Tropic of Cancer divides the country into almost two equal parts.
• The Andaman and Nicobar islands are located to the southeast of the mainland, in the Bay of Bengal.
• The Lakshadweep islands are located to the southwest of the mainland, in the Arabian Sea.
• The southernmost point of the Indian Union, Indira Point, got submerged under the sea water in 2004 during the Tsunami.

Size

• The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km.
• India's total area accounts for about 2.4% of the total geographical area.

India's Geographic Location

• India's landmass is centrally located between East and West Asia
• India is a southward extension of the Asian continent

Strategic Significance of India's Location

• India's central location provides a strategic position for trans-Indian Ocean routes
• These routes connect countries in Europe (West) and East Asia

India's Connection to Other Regions

• The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, facilitating contact with:
  • West Asia, Africa, and Europe from the western coast
  • Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast

India's Prominent Position in the Indian Ocean

• India has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean, unparalleled by any other country
• India's eminent position in the Indian Ocean justifies the naming of the ocean after it