India is a country located in South Asia and is the seventh-largest country in the world by area. It shares borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. The country has a population of over 1.3 billion people and is known for its diverse cultures, religions, and languages.

India has a rich history and is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the world, including the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The country has a diverse landscape, including the Himalayan mountains in the north, the Thar Desert in the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south.

The official language of India is Hindi, but there are 22 other languages recognized by the constitution. English is also widely spoken and is the language of business and government. India's currency is the Indian rupee (INR).

India is known for its rich cuisine, which varies from region to region. The country is also famous for its textiles, handicrafts, and spices. Indian festivals are an important part of the country's culture and are celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal.

The capital of India is New Delhi, and other major cities include Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. India is well-connected by air, rail, and road, and there are several international airports in the country.

India is a popular tourist destination and attracts millions of visitors each year. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include the Taj Mahal, Jaipur's Hawa Mahal, Kerala's backwaters, Goa's beaches, and the Himalayan hill stations. The country also has several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, including the famous Jim Corbett National Park and Ranthambore National Park.

Overall, India is a vibrant and diverse country with a rich history and culture. It offers a unique travel experience to visitors and has something to offer for every type of traveler.

Telephone Code
91

Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance: 102; Fire: 101; Police: 100, 103 (traffic accident)

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations.

Climate
Varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Currency (Code)
Indian rupees (INR)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, D, M

Major Languages
Hindi , Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Urdu, Kannada, Odia, Malayalam, Punjabi, Assamese, Maithili, English

Major Religions
Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Left

Tourist Destinations
Taj Mahal; Delhi; Dhamek Stupa; Amer Fort; Beaches of Goa; Periyar National Park; Agra Fort; Ellora Caves; Mehrangarh Fort; Nalanda Mahavihara Archaelogical Site; Mahabodhi Temple

Major Sports
Cricket, field hockey, soccer, badminton, tennis, kabaddi (contact team sport played between two teams of seven players each)

Cultural Practices
Wearing shoes indoors and pointing at people is considered rude.

Tipping Guidelines
Tipping 7-10% of the total bill is sufficient at restaurants. Round up taxi fares. Tip bellhops loose change for carrying bags to your room. For housekeeping, tip 5-7% of the hotel charge per night divided by the number of days stayed.

Souvenirs
Handmade shoes and leather goods, traditional saris, Nehru jackets, gold and bangle jewelry, furniture and lacquered decorative items, brass and wood carvings; cardamom, cinnamon, curry, saffron, and other spices; antiques

Traditional Cuisine
Khichdi — a dish of rice and lentils; Biryani — long-grain rice cooked with spices and meat and often topped with fried onion flakes and boiled eggs; Tandoori Chicken — whole chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, and baked in a tandoor (a traditional Indian clay oven)

Geography
Area
total: 3,287,263 sq km
land: 2,973,193 sq km
water: 314,070 sq km

Climate
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Natural resources
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

People and Society
Population
1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, and other 3% (2000)

Languages
Hindi 43.6%, Bengali 8%, Marathi 6.9%, Telugu 6.7%, Tamil 5.7%, Gujarati 4.6%, Urdu 4.2%, Kannada 3.6%, Odia 3.1%, Malayalam 2.9%, Punjabi 2.7%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.1%, other 5.6%; note - English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; there are 22 other officially recognized languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2011 est.)

Religions
Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.)

Population growth rate
0.7% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
federal parliamentary republic

Capital
name: New Delhi

Economy
Economic overview
largest South Asian economy; still informal domestic economies; COVID-19 reversed both economic growth and poverty reduction; credit access weaknesses contributing to lower private consumption and inflation; new social and infrastructure equity efforts

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$9.279 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$6,600 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
sugar cane, rice, wheat, buffalo milk, milk, potatoes, vegetables, bananas, maize, mangoes/guavas

Industries
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals

Exports
$643.08 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
United States 17%, United Arab Emirates 9%, China 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, diamonds, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars (2019)

Imports
$717.119 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
China 15%, United States 7%, United Arab Emirates 6%, Saudi Arabia 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, gold, coal, diamonds, natural gas (2019)