Geography

Separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalaya range to the North and East and the Thar Desert to the West, India forms a sub-continent.  From a human perspective, the most important topographical feature is the Indo-Gangetic plain, the fertile heart of the country through which the Ganges river flows. 

India has a tropical monsoon climate, with more variation in the north than in the south.  The country’s environment is under pressure from population and industrialization; just 11% of original forest cover remains. 

History

The origins of an Indus Valley civilization extend back to the third millennium BC.  By the 3rd century BC, the Mauryan kingdom under the emperor Ashoka encompassed most of modern India.  Ashoka also popularized the upstart faith of Buddhism, which was eventually dislodged by a resurgent Hinduism.

The British ruled from 1757, initially through the East India Company.  Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience campaigns became the focal point for an independence movement after World War I. Independence was granted in 1947, coincident with the partitioning of British India into the Hindu-dominated India and the Muslim-dominated Pakistan.

Two legacies of this period are still very much apparent:  India maintains a robust democracy, and tensions with Pakistan remain high.

People

With 980 million people and a population density of 860 per square mile, India is not just the world’s second largest nation: it’s packed.  The rice-growing areas of the Ganges River and delta are especially crowded.  72% of Indians live in rural areas.  The official languages are Hindi and English, but dozens of others are spoken.

India is an intensely spiritual place.  83% of the population is Hindu.  Hindus are born into castes, which largely determine their eligibility for marriage partners, jobs and socio-economic status.  Muslims, Sikhs and Jains are also among the profusion of active religions.

The UN ranks India in the 27th percentile in terms of quality of life, based on life expectancy, education and income; this is below most Asian countries.  One of India’s special problems is the marginal role of women in society, as evidenced by education:  female illiteracy is 57%, versus 33% for males.

Economy

India is a low-income country, with a GNP per capita of $440.

The economy has undergone radical changes in recent years, from a highly protectionist, mixed economy to an open, free-market economy.  Corruption and a creaking physical infrastructure remain hurdles, but India benefits from its massive home market and cheap labor.  There has been some success in technology fields like software, but high-tech still accounts for just 5% of manufactured exports.

Tourism is one of India’s largest foreign exchange earners, with 2.4 million arrivals in 1998.

Sources:  World Bank (1998 data), Dorling Kindersley World Reference Atlas, UNDP Human Development Report, Lonely Planet