Geography and Maps of India

Geography And Maps Of India:

India Maps

 

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 BCE; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE - which reached its zenith under Ashoka - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries CE) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, rapid economic development is fueling the country's rise on the world stage.

Facts:

Updated February 06, 2011

Population: 1,173,108,018 (July 2010 estimate)
Capital: New Delhi
Major Cities: Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai
Area: 1,269,219 square miles (3,287,263 sq km)
Bordering Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, China, Nepal and Pakistan

Coastline: 4,350 miles (7,000 km)
Highest Point: Kanchenjunga at 28,208 feet (8,598 m)

India, formally called the Republic of India, is the country that occupies most of the Indian subcontinent in southern Asia. In terms of its population, India is one of the most populous nations in the world and falls slightly behind China. India has a long history and is considered the world's largest democracy and one of the most successful in Asia. It is a developing nation and has only recently opened its economy to outside trade and influences. As such, its economy is currently growing and when combined with its population growth, India is one of the world's most significant countries.