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

MM news India urged to change policy on Burma: The New York based Human Rights Watch  has urged the Indi.. http://bit.ly/1E0YJF
AgHtike (Aunghtike) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:59:07 -0000
MM news India urged to change policy on Burma: The New York based Human Rights Watch  has urged the Indi.. http://bit.ly/1E0YJF
Reading: DCI among top 5 Mobile application development firms in India ...: The spheres at which DCI.. http://bit.ly/4EnAun
blackleberry (Blackleberry Finn) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:59:05 -0000
Reading: DCI among top 5 Mobile application development firms in India ...: The spheres at which DCI.. http://bit.ly/4EnAun
@rquackenboss Really scary, esp here in India and open solicitation at that !!!
abesh (Abesh Bhattacharjee) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:59:01 -0000
@rquackenboss Really scary, esp here in India and open solicitation at that !!!
http://ts1.in/34809 India, where you buy a Porsche and then tie nimbu mirchi to it for good luck #indiacontest
hypnosh (hypnosh) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:58:51 -0000
http://ts1.in/34809 India, where you buy a Porsche and then tie nimbu mirchi to it for good luck #indiacontest
I rated a YouTube video (5 out of 5 stars) -- Flights to india http://bit.ly/4bmOBF
samwalker16 (Sam Walker) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:58:35 -0000
I rated a YouTube video (5 out of 5 stars) -- Flights to india http://bit.ly/4bmOBF
Release Dates of The Twilight Saga: New Moon around the world: http://bit.ly/yYukF Oh yes, forgot to mention India date is TBD
Renji_T (Renji Thomas) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:58:33 -0000
Release Dates of The Twilight Saga: New Moon around the world: http://bit.ly/yYukF Oh yes, forgot to mention India date is TBD

Subscribe to India RSS feed