India Country Information

Country information

The subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 28 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches.

India is the seventh largest country by geographical area and the second most populous country with over 1.2 billion people. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east.

Side by side with the country's staggering topographical variations is its cultural diversity, the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as well as local tradition. Thus, the towering temples of south India, easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.

• Capital: New Delhi
• Population: 1.2 billion
• Official Language: Hindi, English
• Currency: Indian Rupee (RP)
• Train operators: www.indianrail.gov.in
• Tourist Information: www.tourindia.com
• Time Zone: GMT+5.3
• Calling Code: +91
• Internet TLD: .in
• Drives on left
• Visas. take a look at our visa page for more information