INDIA "The land with a difference"

The Republic of India is a country that occupies a greater part of South Asia. It has a coastline of over seven thousand kilometers, borders Pakistan to the west, the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to three island nations — the Maldives to the southwest, Sri Lanka to the south, and Indonesia to the southeast. India also claims a border with Afghanistan to the northwest.

The name India is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local name for the Indus River. The Constitution of India and common usage also recognize Bharat (Hindi: भारत) as an official name of equal status. This name is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king, Bharata. A third name, Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान) (Persian: Land of the Hindus) has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied due to domestic disputes by some over its representation as a national signifier.

India is the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity, and the tenth largest in absolute terms. It is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. It is home to some of the most ancient civilisations, and a centre of important historic trade routes. Famous for it's rich religious traditions, four of the major world religions–Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism–all have their origins in India. A former colony of the British Raj before gaining independence in 1947, India has grown significantly during the past twenty years, especially in economic and military spheres, both regionally as well as globally.

India is home to two main language families, the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian derived languages. India's national language is Hindi. English is classified as an Associate Official Language is widely used in higher echelons, and is seen as the language of social mobility and standing. Two classical languages native to the land are Sanskrit and Tamil. The Indian constitution recognizes 23 official languages. Hindi and English are used by the Central Government for official purposes. The number of mother tongues in India is as high as 1,652. The number of living languages in India has been estimated to be as high as 400.

States and union territories

India is divided into twenty-eight states (which are further subdivided into districts), six Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. States have their own elected government, whereas Union Territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the Union Government, though some have elected governments.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org