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

---

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.

More on [ India ]

India - Twitter Search

India always struggles when he has to come inside to defend, Lucas is playin solid
PaulConUK (Paul Connell) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:01:29 -0000
India always struggles when he has to come inside to defend, Lucas is playin solid
US and European Banks Think Inflexible IT is a Top Barrier to Innovation - Reuters http://bit.ly/4BIqQB #india #patent #ip
IndiaPatent (India Patent) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:57 -0000
US and European Banks Think Inflexible IT is a Top Barrier to Innovation - Reuters http://bit.ly/4BIqQB #india #patent #ip
India 'angered' by EU generic drug seizure - AFP http://bit.ly/1r0XOR #india #patent #ip
IndiaPatent (India Patent) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:53 -0000
India 'angered' by EU generic drug seizure - AFP http://bit.ly/1r0XOR #india #patent #ip
Are you frustrated with congress? Are they dragging their feet on health care? Outsource Congress to India: http://bit.ly/lU7zG
jackwadeshow (Jack Wade) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:23 -0000
Are you frustrated with congress? Are they dragging their feet on health care? Outsource Congress to India: http://bit.ly/lU7zG
MTV India ZUBAAN PE LAGAAM http://bit.ly/44wUv via @AddToAny
inazeef (inazeef) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:21 -0000
MTV India ZUBAAN PE LAGAAM http://bit.ly/44wUv via @AddToAny
@ShashiTharoor RT @HarvardResearch India's ecnmy remains dominatd by state-owned/private firms incorpd b4 1985 http://ow.ly/yVml
CounselorCarol1 (Carol Morgan) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:59:44 -0000
@ShashiTharoor RT @HarvardResearch India's ecnmy remains dominatd by state-owned/private firms incorpd b4 1985 http://ow.ly/yVml

Subscribe to India RSS feed