India

Located in south-central Asia, India is a beautiful country, rich in ancient history. Sharing its borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Buhtan, Bangladesh, Burma and Afghanistan, India is the 7th largest country in the world for land mass and 2nd for population. Whether you’re looking to experience nature by visiting one of the many animal sanctuaries, soak in all the history by visiting the Taj Mahal, or the ancient city of Khajuraho, you can be sure that there is no shortage of things to see and do in India.

Language: Hindi, English
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Government: Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic

Interesting Facts

• The game of chess was invented in India.
• India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
• Until 1896 India was the only source of diamonds in the world.
• The Dalai Lama runs his government in exile from Dharmashala in Northern India.
• Martial Arts were first created in India, later spreading into Asia.
• Yoga was first practiced in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.
• The largest employer in India is Indian Railways, employing over one million people.
• India has never in their 100,000 years of history ever invaded another country.

Climate

Because India is such a large country which covers so much territory in south Asia, it does not fit into any one climate zone. Instead, it can be separated into four types of climates depending on your location within the country: Alpine, Sub-Tropical, Tropical and Arid. Alpine is the climate zone that can be found at the higher altitudes in the Himalayas. Sub Tropical is found in the northern part of India; it is also known as a typical Indian climate. Here, the summers are hot and wet, while the winter temperatures can drop down to freezing in the higher altitudes. If visiting in the summer, expect lots of rain. The area of Tropical climate includes, on average, a 20 degrees Celsius temperature with above average rainfall. Arid climate is normally found in the western part of the country and it features high temperature and low rainfall. In this climate, temperatures can reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius in the summer.

• Winter: December to April
• Summer: April to June
• Monsoon: June to September
• Post-monsoon: October to December

History

India is a country rich in history dating back 30,000 years. It was in the 5th century BCE that urbanization incite the religious reform movement of Buddhism based on the teachings of India’s first historical figure, Gautam Buddha. India’s constitution and its independence was completed in 1950 making it a sovereign democratic republic. Since its independence, India has experienced both positives and negatives. On the positive side, it remains a democracy with an active Supreme Court and it has one of the quickest growing economies in the world. On the negative side, there is widespread poverty all over the country and they have been involved in territorial disputes with China and Pakistan which have both resulted in wars.