For historical and other uses of India, see India (disambiguation).

India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. India has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometres, and borders PakistanThe Government of India considers the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of India including the portion bordering Afghanistan. A ceasefire sponsored by the United Nations in 1948 freezes the positions of Indian and Pakistani held territory. As a consequence, the region bordering Afghanistan is in Pakistani-administered territory. to the west, Nepal, the People's Republic of China and Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to the island nations of Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia.

Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, a centre of important trade routes and vast empires, India has long played a major role in human history. Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism all have their origins in India, while Islam and Christianity enjoy a strong cultural heritage. Colonised as part of the British Empire in the nineteenth century, India gained independence in 1947 as a unified nation after an intense struggle for independence. The country's population, wildlife, geographical terrain and climate system are among the most diverse in the world.

Etymology

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The name India // is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. The Constitution of India and common usage also recognise Bharat (), as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan () (Persian: Land of the Hindus < Old Persian Hindu, India / land of the Indus < Sanskrit Sindhu, any river/the Indus) has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied.

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Gold Hits a Record on India's Big Buy http://ow.ly/zblW
FuturesIndustry (Futures Industry) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:01:36 -0000
Gold Hits a Record on India's Big Buy http://ow.ly/zblW
Google, Nokia, Apple – who will win the mobile wars? - guardian.co.uk http://bit.ly/2I7jp2 #india #music
IndiaMusician (India Musician) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:47 -0000
Google, Nokia, Apple – who will win the mobile wars? - guardian.co.uk http://bit.ly/2I7jp2 #india #music
annoying when I don't go to school and india does and then wears my fav shoes w/o asking
mayalowe (Maya Seychelle Lowe) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:28 -0000
annoying when I don't go to school and india does and then wears my fav shoes w/o asking
Busch: Sweet Child Of Mine Outlook - CNBC http://bit.ly/13ywVH #india #music
IndiaMusician (India Musician) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:27 -0000
Busch: Sweet Child Of Mine Outlook - CNBC http://bit.ly/13ywVH #india #music
Feds: Chicago men discussed terror attack in India http://bit.ly/1njQVT
NJImmigration (NJ Immigration News) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:08 -0000
Feds: Chicago men discussed terror attack in India http://bit.ly/1njQVT
@rossvoll THE URNAIUM is off to India!
tomhcooper (tom cooper) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:06 -0000
@rossvoll THE URNAIUM is off to India!

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