India - general information. Report: India India now

The state of India is located in South Asia. It borders with Burma and Bangladesh in the east, with China, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan in the north, with Pakistan in the west. Today we will give brief information and general information about this country.

On the southern side it is washed by the Palk Strait and, on the eastern side by the Bay of Bengal, and on the western side by the Arabian Sea.

Today, India partly consists of territories that are disputed by Pakistan. The country's area is 3,165,596 square kilometers.

India can be roughly divided into 4 regions: the northern river valleys, the Himalayas, the Western and Eastern Ghats, and the Deccan plateau.

The Himalayas are the highest mountain system in the world with a width ranging from 160 to 320 kilometers, which stretches along the eastern and northern borders for 2400 km.

The highest mountain peaks that are entirely or partially located in India:

• 8598 m – Kanchendzhanga;
• 8126 m – Nanga Parabat;
• 7817 m – Nanda Devi;
• 7788 m – Rakaposhi;
• 7756 m – Kamet.

Parallel to the Himalayas in the south is the region of the northern river valleys - this region is a flat strip reaching a width of 400 km. This region occupied most of the plain region along which the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Indus flow. Western and central India receives water from the Ganges and the Ganges Valley (its tributaries).

The Brahmaputra flows into Bangladesh and originates in the northern Himalayas– it is from this that the Assam region receives water. The Indus flows into Pakistan, originating in Tibet.

The region of the northern river valleys is the most populated region of the country, and this is due to its fertile lands and abundance of water. It was in this region that Indian civilization began.

The Deccan Plateau, which has a triangular shape, is located to the south of this region and occupies almost the entire area of ​​​​the Indian Peninsula. The height of this plateau varies from 300 m to 900 m, but sometimes you can find chains with a height of up to 1200 m. The plateau is crossed in many places by rivers. From the west and east, the plateau is framed by the Western Ghats (rising to a height of up to 900 m) and the Eastern Ghats (rising to a height of up to 460 m).

As of 1998, India's population is estimated to be over 984 million, with an average population density per square kilometer of 311.

Ethnic groups:

If we talk about India as a whole, more than 1,600 languages ​​and dialects are used in this country.

Religion:

• 80% are Hindus;
• 14 percent are Muslim;
• 2.4 percent are people of Christian religion;
• 2% are Sikhs;
• 0,7% — ;
• 0,5% .

The capital of India is New Delhi

The largest cities in the country with their population:

• About 10 million people - ;
• More than 7 million people - ;
• 4.4 million people - Kolkata ()
• 4.2 million people - Hyderabad;
• 4.1 million people - Bangalore;
• 3.8 million people - Madras;
• Another 12 cities have a population of more than 1 million people.

The government system of India is a federal republic . The monetary unit is the Indian rupee. The average life expectancy for both men and women is 60 years. The mortality rate per thousand people is 8.7, the birth rate per thousand people is 25.9.

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Until the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Dravidian civilization successfully developed on the territory of India, which was not only not inferior, but even in some respects superior to the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.

Between 2500 and 1500 BC, Indo-Aryan tribes conquered India, displacing the Dravidians.

Various kingdoms, predominantly with Hinduism at the head of the religious factor, developed on the territory of this country until the 8th century AD. Afterwards, Muslim conquerors brought Islam to the country. Muslim rule continued until 1398 in the largest part of India, until the arrival of Tamerlane's armies into the country. However, the Mongols did not stay in India for long and soon left the country, so that until the end of the first quarter of the 16th century, India was ruled by the Muslim dynasties of the Saids and Tughluks.

Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane, conquered almost all of India in 1526 and founded the Great Mongols Empire on its territory, which lasted until 1857.

The Portuguese established several trading posts on the coast in 1498-1503, and their example was immediately followed by the British and Dutch. In 1603, the British East India Company gained textile and spice trading rights from the Mongols, and as a result of sound trade policies, the British gained political influence in much of India.

From 1828 to 1935, Britain assumed full political leadership, and India became a British protectorate in 1857.

Gaining independence

India gained independence on August 15, 1847, but the country was divided into two - Pakistan (later Bangladesh separated from it) and modern India along religious lines.

There is still a conflict between India and Pakistan, which began back in 1947 (at first the conflict had an open form, now it is more hidden). The conflict concerns the issue of ownership of the territories of Kashmir and Jammu, which are separated by a state border and are located in both states (two thirds of the territory belongs to India, one third to Pakistan).

India is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, UNESCO, the World Bank, the IMF, and the UN.

Climate of India

Due to the size of the country and regions differing in topography, the climate varies widely. India, with the exception of the mountainous regions, has a tropical climate with two seasons - dry and wet, lasting from June to September. At this time, the monsoons bring heavy rains (up to 10,800 mm per year in the Khasi Hills region). The hot season begins in March and reaches its peak in May. At this time, the thermometer can rise to 49 degrees Celsius.

In Kolkata, the air temperature in January varies from 13 to 27 degrees, and in July it rises to 32 degrees. In Madras, the thermometer in January shows from 19 to 29 degrees, and in July up to 36 degrees. In Bombay, January is 19-28 degrees, July is 26-36 degrees.

Flora

The arid areas that border Pakistan boast only fairly sparse vegetation. Palm and bamboo grow in some areas.

The Ganges Valley is rich in a wide variety of vegetation types, because it receives quite a significant amount of rainfall. The most vegetation is located in the southern part of the region, with many hardwood trees and mangroves.

In the northwest of the Himalayas there are dense coniferous forests, and in the east of the region there are subtropical forests. The slopes of the Western Ghats and the coastal region of southwest India are rich in dense tropical forests - teak, bamboo and other evergreen trees grow here.

The Deccan Plateau has sparse vegetation, but forests with deciduous trees, bamboo and palm trees can be found here.

Fauna of India

Representatives of felines: panther, tiger, snow leopard, leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah. Other large mammals include rhinoceros, Indian elephant, antelope, wolf, jackal, buffalo, black bear, deer and several species of monkeys.

There are quite a lot of mountain goats in mountainous areas. India is especially rich in poisonous snakes, such as the scalefish, cobra and others. Reptiles also include crocodiles and pythons. Among the many birds, especially noteworthy are the heron, peacock, kingfisher and parrots.

Museums and reserves

There are more than 460 different museums in India, among which the main ones are the Madras museums - the National Art Gallery and the Government Museum. In Varnassi - the Sarnath Museum, in New Delhi - the National Museum. In Bombay - the Museum of Western India, in Calcutta - the Birla Technological Museum, the Museum of India.

In addition to museums, India is rich in architectural and historical monuments. In Calcutta, in the Maidan Park there is a Victoria Memorial, in the same city there is a botanical garden and St. Paul's Cathedral. There are several Hindu temples in New Delhi, among which Lakshminarasi and Balkesh are considered the main ones. In Agra - Pearl Mosque, Marble Mausoleum Jahangri Mahal.

Varanasi has 1,500 temples, including the Golden Temple. In Bombay - Kanheri caves with rock bas-reliefs, Victoria Gardens Park (it houses a zoo). In Delhi - the Great Mosque, the Red Fort, the Rang Mahal Palace, the Public Reception Hall of the Great Mongols.

In Patna there are many Sikh temples and a mosque built in 1499. In Armitsar there is the Golden Temple, which is surrounded by a reservoir of immortality (Sikhs bathe in it to gain spiritual purification).

Republic of India

India- a state in southern Asia that stretches from the peaks of the Karakoram in the north to Cape Kumari in the south, from the deserts of Rajasthan in the west to Bengal in the east. In the south, east and west, the country is washed by the Arabian, Laccadive and Bengal seas and the Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. India borders on Pakistan in the west and northwest, in the north the Himalayas separate the state from China and Bhutan, in the northeast from Nepal and in the east from Bangladesh.

The name of the country comes from the name of the Indus River, in Hindi and Urdu "Sindh" means "river".

Capital

Square

3,287,590 km2.

Population

1029991 thousand people

Administrative division

A federal republic consisting of 25 states and 7 union territories under central jurisdiction.

Form of government

A republic with a federal government structure.

Head of State

President, elected for a term of 5 years.

Supreme legislative body

A bicameral parliament consisting of the House of the People with a term of office of 5 years and the Council of States, elected for 6 years.

Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.

Official language

Hindi (18 more languages ​​are considered official).

Religion

83% of the country's residents profess Hinduism, the rest - Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism. Ethnic composition. 72% are Indo-Aryans, 25% are Dravidians, 3% are Mongoloids.

Currency

Indian rupee = 100 paisam.

Climate

India has a subequatorial, monsoon climate, and tropical in the south. Three seasons: dry cold - from October to March (considered the best time to visit the country), dry hot - from April to June and humid hot - from July to September. The average temperature in January is from + 15°C in the north to + 27°C in the south, in May (the hottest month) - from + 28°C to + 35°C, respectively. India is home to the wettest place on Earth - the Shillong plateau, which receives up to 12,000 mm of precipitation per year.

Flora

There are 21,000 plant species in India. A quarter of the country's territory is occupied by forests. At the foot of the Himalayas there are swampy jungles - terai, above - monsoon forests (teak, sandalwood), mountain mixed and coniferous forests (Himalayan cedar, fir, pine, spruce), and even higher - mountain meadows and steppes. In the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, in the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, on the slopes of the Western Ghats, evergreen tropical forests grow, and in the coastal lowlands - mangrove forests (sundri and dhani palm). Palm trees are common everywhere - coconut, date, toddy palm, and bamboo.

Fauna

The fauna of India is also quite diverse and is represented by 500 species of mammals, 350 species of reptiles, and 3000 species of birds. But some of them have been preserved only in nature reserves (for example, the Asiatic lion, the Manipur broad-horned deer, the Kashmir deer, the Nilgiri tur, the kulan, and the rhinoceros). The number of wild buffalo and barasinga deer has also decreased; snow leopard, clouded leopard, pygmy wild boar, and cheetah are rarely seen. The state is home to many monkeys, mainly rhesus macaques and langurs, as well as a huge number of palm squirrels and flying foxes. There are about 200 species of snakes and 52 of them are poisonous. Here you can see the rarest animal in the world - the Indian dugong, which belongs to the order of sea cows and is the only herbivorous marine mammal.

Rivers and lakes

The Ganges, the sacred river of the Indians, and its tributary the Jumna flow across the plains; in the area of ​​the upper Indus, the Brahmaputra flows. Other rivers are Godavari and Narmada.

Attractions

In Delhi - Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Jantar Mantar, Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Qutab Minar, Indian Gate, Secretariat Building, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, J. Nehru Museum, Museum national crafts, zoo, Safdarjung's tomb, Great Mosque, Mughal Public Reception Hall, Rang Mahal Palace, Pearl Mosque, 12th century tower. Qutub Minare, a metal column that has not rusted for centuries, is one of the wonders of the world. In Bombay - St. John's Church, Prince of Wales Museum, St. Thomas Cathedral, Taraporeva La Aquarium, Museum of Western India, Victoria Gardens Park with a zoo, Kanheri Caves with bas-reliefs of the 2nd-9th centuries, several temples of the 7th century. The Malabar Hills are home to the picturesque Hanging Gardens and Kamala Nehru Park, Mahalaxmi Temple, Haji Ali Shrine and Mosque, Nehru Planetarium, Elephanta Islands, Krishnagiri Upavan National Park, Manori Beach, Monplaisir, Jogesh-vari Caves and Swimming Pool.

Useful information for tourists

India attracts tourists with its exoticism and cheapness. Animals walk peacefully on the streets, in gardens, parks and on the roads of any city in the country, ignoring motorists.
The abundance of shops, stalls and benches makes a stunning impression on tourists. You can buy almost everything here. In India it is common to bargain, but not in the same way as in Arab countries. Here they seek a discount on goods according to the so-called Dutch scheme: the price named by the merchant gradually decreases with the utterance of the magic word “expensive”. In the bargaining process, intonation and gestures play a big role. If a Hindu agrees, he shakes his head from side to side, if not, he nods from top to bottom. Paper money - rupees - can be dirty and worn. If the bill has holes, it will be accepted for payment, but if the corners are torn off or the edges are torn, it must be replaced.
Any establishment where you can eat is called a restaurant. After the meal, the waiter brings the bill and places it face down. It is customary to pay for it with a large bill, exceeding the cost of lunch. It is customary to tip 10% of the total bill. Food in India is incredibly cheap. Hinduism prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages, so they are not served in the restaurant, but in some establishments
You are allowed to bring it with you. On Fridays in India, prohibition is observed, and alcohol cannot be obtained at any price.
Handshakes are not accepted in India. Instead, Hindus use a traditional gesture: they raise their joined palms to their chin, as if for prayer, and shake their heads with the words: “You will pray.” In this way, local residents greet not only each other, but also their guests.

Territory - 3.28 million km 2.

Population -1 billion 16 million people.

The capital is Delhi.

Geographical location, general information

The Republic of India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India is from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km.

India's EGP is conducive to economic development: India is located on maritime trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, halfway between the Middle and Far East.

Indian civilization arose in the third millennium BC. e. For almost two centuries, India was a colony of England. India gained independence in 1947, and in 1950 it was declared a republic within the British Commonwealth.

India is a federal republic consisting of 25 states. Each of them has its own legislative assembly and government, but while maintaining a strong central government.

Natural conditions and resources

The main part of the territory is located within the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Deccan Plateau.

India's mineral resources are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. Here are the largest iron ore, coal basins, and manganese ore deposits; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industry.

The mineral resources of South India are diverse - bauxite, chromite, magnesite. brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands, ferrous metal ores, coal; in Gujarat and on the continental shelf - oil.

The climate of the country is mainly monsoonal subtropical and tropical, in the south it is equatorial. The average annual temperature is about 25° C, only in winter in the mountains it drops below 0°. The distribution of precipitation by season and across the territory is uneven - 80% of it occurs in the summer, the eastern and mountainous regions receive the greatest amount, and the north-west receives the smallest.

Land resources are the natural wealth of the country, since a significant part of the soil has high fertility.

Forests occupy 22% of India's area, but there is not enough forest for economic needs.

Indian rivers have great energy potential and are also the main source of artificial irrigation.

Population

India is the second most populous country in the world (after China). The country has a very high population reproduction rate. And although the peak of the “demographic explosion” has generally passed, the demographic problem has not yet lost its urgency.

India is the most multinational country in the world. It is home to representatives of several hundred nations, nationalities and tribal groups, at different stages of socio-economic development and speaking different languages. They belong to the Caucasoid, Negroid, Australoid races and the Dravidian group.

The peoples of the Indo-European family predominate: Hindustani, Marathi, Bengalis, Biharis, etc. The official languages ​​in the country are Hindi and English.

More than 80% of the inhabitants of India are Hindus, 11% are Muslims. The complex ethnic and religious composition of the population often leads to conflicts and increased tension.

The distribution of the population of India is very uneven, since for a long time the fertile lowlands and plains in the valleys and deltas of rivers and on the sea coasts were primarily populated. Average population density is 260 people. per 1 km 2. Despite this high figure, sparsely populated and even deserted territories still exist.

The level of urbanization is quite low - 27%, but the number of large cities and million-dollar cities is constantly increasing; In terms of the absolute number of city residents (220 million people), India ranks 2nd in the world. However, most of India's population lives in crowded villages.

Industry, energy

India is a developing agro-industrial country with enormous resources and human potential. Along with India’s traditional industries (agriculture, light industry), the mining and manufacturing industries are developing.

Currently, 29% of GDP comes from industry, 32% from agriculture, 30% from the service sector.

Energy. The creation of the energy base in the country began with the creation of hydroelectric power stations, but thermal power plants predominate among the newly built power plants in recent years. The main source of energy is coal. Nuclear energy is also developing in India - 3 nuclear power plants are operating. The total capacity of Indian power plants is 94 thousand MW (1999).

Electricity production per capita is still very low.

Ferrous metallurgy. This is a growing industry. The current level is 23 million tons of steel (1998). The industry is represented by enterprises located mainly in the east of the country (Calcutta-Damodara industrial belt), as well as in the states of Bihar, Adhra Pradesh, etc.

Non-ferrous metallurgy is also developed in the east. The aluminum industry, based on local bauxite, stands out.

Mechanical engineering. India produces a variety of machine tool and transport engineering products (TVs, ships, cars, tractors, airplanes and helicopters). The industry is developing rapidly.

The leading centers of mechanical engineering are Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.

In terms of production volume of the radio-electronic industry, India has taken second place in foreign Asia. The country produces a variety of radio equipment, color televisions, tape recorders, and communications equipment.

Chemical industry. In a country with such a role for agriculture, the production of mineral fertilizers is of exceptional importance. The importance of petrochemicals is also growing.

Light industry is a traditional branch of the economy, the main directions being cotton and jute, as well as clothing. There are textile factories in all major cities of the country. 25% of India's exports are made up of textile and clothing products.

The food industry is also traditional, producing products for the domestic and foreign markets. Indian tea is the most widely known in the world.

Agriculture

India is a country of ancient agricultural culture, one of the most important agricultural regions in the world.

Agriculture employs 3/5 of India's agricultural sector, but the use of mechanization is still insufficient.

4/5 of the value of agricultural products comes from crop production; agriculture requires irrigation (40% of the sown area is irrigated).

The main part of the arable land is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, barley, millet, legumes, potatoes.

The main industrial crops of India are cotton, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and oilseeds.

There are two main agricultural seasons in India - summer and winter. The sowing of the most important crops (rice, cotton, jute) is carried out in the summer, during the summer monsoon rains; In winter, wheat, barley, etc. are sown.

As a result of several factors, including the “green revolution”, India is completely self-sufficient in grain.

Livestock farming is much inferior to crop production, although India ranks first in the world in terms of livestock numbers. Only milk and animal skins are used; meat is practically not consumed, since Indians are mostly vegetarians.

In coastal areas, fishing is of considerable importance.

Among other developing countries, India's transport is quite developed. In first place in importance are railway transport in internal transportation and sea transport in external transportation.

Foreign economic relations

India is still poorly involved in the MGRT, although foreign trade is of considerable importance to its economy. The main export items are light industry products, jewelry, agricultural goods, medicines, fuel resources; the share of machinery and equipment is growing.

The largest trading partners are the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong.

India is truly a fabulous country, after visiting which any traveler will have amazing memories for a lifetime. Once having become acquainted with this country, everyone will become its prisoner and will forever lose peace. In this unique country, everything is unusual, different, everything is new and special. India captivates guests with its exoticism, rich culture and magnificent nature. A large number of different species of animals live here: nimble monkeys, loud-voiced peacocks with bright plumage, tigers and crocodiles. Gorgeous beaches, gentle waters of the Indian Ocean, ancient monuments of one of the most ancient civilizations and a spicy smell on the streets, a large number of different saints and sneaky rickshaws, colorful saris and white-toothed smiling locals - these are all signs of India, full of mysteries and open to guests!

Official name of the state: Republic of India.

Location - South Asia. The northern border separates the country from Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Bhutan, the eastern border from Bangladesh and Myanmar, and the western border from Pakistan.

The form of government is a federal republic. Member of the British Commonwealth.

The total area is 3.29 million square kilometers.

The capital of India is New Delhi.

Geography

Geographically, India is located in three large orographic regions: the Himalayan Mountains, the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Deccan Plateau (the Hindustan Peninsula). The Deccan is a vast ancient land mass consisting of Precambrian crystalline rocks, predominantly gneisses, schists and granites. Most of the surface is covered by volcanic lava, the greatest thickness of which is observed in the north-west. The Deccan was once part of the ancient continent of Gondwana, which united Africa, India and South America. About two hundred million years ago, this continent broke up into several separate blocks. Between the Himalayas and the Deccan lies the vast Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The part of the Eastern Himalayas located in India has high altitudes, but the structure of the mountains itself is relatively simple. To the north of the Ganges Valley lies the jungle-covered swampy strip of the Terai (as the locals call its natural vegetation cover). Above it, merging proluvial plumes gradually rise at the foot of the Siwalik Mountains. In the northern direction rise the ridges of the Lesser Himalayas mountain system (up to 3000 m). The next highest level is represented by the Greater Himalayas (up to 5800), the most striking heights of which are Everest in Nepal (Qomolungma - 8848 m), and in India - Kanchenjunga (8598 m).

Animal world

Based on the fauna present in India, this country is considered to belong to the Indo-Malayan region. The most widely represented mammals here are monkeys (gibbons, thin-bodied macaques), antelopes, deer (black, spotted and sambar), bulls (dwarf and Indian buffaloes, gaur), there are panthers, tigers, Indian elephants, Himalayan bears. Today, leopards, lions, and Kashmir deer have been almost completely exterminated. The fauna of India is very rich in reptiles, birds and fish.

There are 47 national parks and reserves in India, the largest of which are the Gir Forest (protected by the Asiatic lion) in Gujarat, Kaziranga in Assam and Jaldapara (protected by the Indian rhinoceros) in West Bengal.

Climate

Southern India has a predominantly tropical climate, and the northern part of the country is characterized by temperature variations from below zero to 50°C. In addition, the northern part of the country has distinct seasons. Here, winter lasts from December to February, the spring months are March and April, the summer months are May and June, the monsoon period is from July to September, and the autumn months are October and November.

Timezone

India's time zone is UTC+5:30, the time is 1.5 hours ahead of Moscow (when switching to winter time, the difference is 2.5 hours).

Currency

The official currency is the Indian rupee, which is equal to 100 paise. Coins of 1 rupee, 2 rupees and 5 rupees are widely used. The denomination of banknotes is 5-10-20-50-100-500-1000 rupees.

Population

In terms of the number of citizens, India ranks second in the world rankings after China, with a population of 1.2 billion people. Most Indians (almost 70%) live in rural areas, although in the last 10-20 years there has been increased migration to large cities, causing the urban population to increase sharply. The largest cities in the country are Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Kolkata), Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Hyderabad, Chennai (formerly Madras), Bangalore, Ahmedabad. The Indian population has an average literacy rate of 64.8%. In India, there is an excess of male population over female population. The annual population growth in the country averages 22 children per thousand people. The average age of the country's citizens is approximately 25 years.

Language

According to the country's Constitution, the official languages, that is, the languages ​​in which the national government operates, are Hindi and English. English is ubiquitous in business and administration, its status is an auxiliary official language, and it also plays a large role in the education system, especially in secondary and higher schools.

Religion

The majority of Indians (more than 80%) profess Hinduism. Islam (believers - 13.4% of the population) and Christianity (2.3%) also have a significant number of followers. There are also adherents of Sikhism (1.9%), as well as Buddhism (0.8%) and very few Jainism (0.4%). In addition, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Baha'i and some other religions are represented by a small number of believers in India. In addition, animism is widespread among the population belonging to the aborigines of this area (8.1% of the population).

Administrative division

India is a federation of republics, it consists of the Delhi National Capital Territory, 6 union territories and 28 states. All states, the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry have their own government, while the remaining 5 Union Territories are governed by administrators who are appointed by the central government, so that they are directly subordinate to the President. All union territories and states, in turn, are divided into administrative units - districts. In total, the country includes 600 such districts, each of which consists of even smaller administrative units - taluks.

State structure

This country is a sovereign, socialist, secular liberal democratic republic. Government power consists of three branches, which include the legislative, executive and judicial.

The state of India is headed by a president, elected by an electoral college through indirect voting for a term of 5 years. The head of the Indian government is the Prime Minister, who holds the executive power.

The legislative branch of government in India is represented by Parliament, which consists of two houses: the upper house, called the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), and the lower house called the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

The executive branch includes the President and Vice President, as well as the Council of Ministers (headed by the Prime Minister). Each of the ministers must sit in either house of parliament. In the republic, the executive branch is subordinate to the legislative branch.

India is characterized by a three-tier unitary judiciary consisting of the Supreme Court, twenty-one High Courts and an innumerable number of smaller judicial bodies.

Economy of India

Currently, certain sectors of the Indian economy are opening up to private business as well as foreign capital. The last three decades have seen annual GDP growth averaging nearly 5.5%, making the Indian economy one of the fastest growing economies globally. India's important resources include the world's second largest workforce. The distribution of workers by field of activity is as follows: 60% are employed in agriculture, 28% in services, and 12% in industry. The main agricultural crops include rice, potatoes, wheat, sugarcane, tea, and cotton. Major industries include automobile, cement, chemical, engineering, consumer electronics, food processing, pharmaceutical, petroleum, textile, metal and mining. Among the countries of the world, India is in sixth place in oil consumption, and in third place in coal consumption.

India is characterized by significant social stratification of the population. Although the country is experiencing economic growth, a quarter of India's population is forced to live below the minimum subsistence level set by the government.

India is an exporter of software, technology and financial services, jewelry and textiles. The main imports are petroleum, chemicals, fertilizers and machinery. Major trading partners include the USA, China and the European Union. India's major natural resources include arable land, diamonds, iron ore, manganese, chromites, coal, bauxite, mica, limestone, titanium ores, natural gas and petroleum.

Culture

Indian culture is amazingly diverse. The entire historical development of this country is preserved in ancient cultural traditions, in addition, some new traditions were borrowed from other countries and peoples. India's cultural influence is quite strong in other regions of Asia.

Reverence for elders and other traditional family values ​​are particularly respected in this country, largely due to the socio-economic relationships established by the traditional extended family system.

Indian cuisine

Indian culinary traditions are considered one of the most ancient and popular in the world. The local cuisine is based on a variety of “sabji” vegetables (most Indians do not eat meat, and it is better for guests to wait until home to eat meat), rice, fish, various flour products, “puri” flatbreads and a wide variety of dairy products. No one will probably be able to count how many original dishes there are in Indian national cuisine. The hallmark of Indian food is spices, added to almost any dish, be it salty or sweet, and in the most unpredictable combinations for other nations. The widely known seasoning “curry” in this country is a large selection of various recipes, which, when used, can turn even the most banal dish into an unusual one.

Particularly popular here is tea, which is traditionally drunk with spices or hot milk, as well as coffee, fruit waters and fresh juices. It is not customary to drink alcoholic drinks at the table; most meals are washed down with cold, clean water. It is worth noting that in India the consumption of alcoholic beverages on trains and public transport is strictly prohibited.

Vaccinations

Travelers do not have any obligations regarding vaccinations before visiting India. So, whether to do it or not is everyone’s personal choice. Of course, some vaccinations will not be superfluous, especially if you are going to India for a relatively long period of time (at least three months) and are going to go to environmentally unfavorable areas of the country, but there is no urgent need for these vaccinations. All you have to do is simply follow hygiene and safety measures, and this will most likely allow tourists to avoid any diseases.

Airports

India has a fairly developed network of domestic airlines, and there are airports in almost all major cities and regional centers. Most often, tourists arrive at the airports of Delhi, Goa, Bombay, Kolkata or Chennai. As a rule, airports have toilets, restaurants, banks, bus stops and taxis. Some airports have equipped rest rooms. It is also worth considering that small airports usually close at night.

INDIA- a country that has everything: deserts and jungles, reed shacks and palaces of maharajas, beggars and respectable businessmen, cruel puritanism and entire “red light” districts, a prohibited but still living caste system and a government structure left over from the British colonialists .
The majestic Himalayas and mysterious Tibet, the sacred Ganges River and the tropical forests of the Western Ghats, dozens of seaside resorts and the “golden triangle”, numerous monuments of past centuries and a huge number of museums - all this constitutes the national pride of this country.

General information
India is located in Asia, mostly on the Hindustan Peninsula. The coast of India, whose length is more than 7 thousand km, is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean - the Bay of Bengal from the southeast and the Arabian from the southwest. The area of ​​India is 3.3 million km2, according to this indicator the country ranks seventh in the world.

Time
There is no daylight saving time. Time in India is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of Moscow.

Population India has over 1.21 billion people, which is one sixth of the world's population.
India is the most populous country on Earth after China.

Capital of India- New Delhi. The capital of the State of Goa is Panaji.

Main major cities
Bombay, Kolkata

Visa
To visit the country you need a visa.

Administrative division
India is a federal republic consisting of twenty-eight states, six union territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. All states and two union territories (Puducherry and National Capital Territory of Delhi) have their own elected government. The remaining five union territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the central government and are therefore under the direct control of the President of India.

Religion
About 80% of the population is Hindu. Muslims make up 14% of the population, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2%, Buddhists - 0.7%.
More than 900 million Indians (80.5% of the population) profess Hinduism. Other religions with significant numbers of followers are Islam (13.4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%) and Jainism (0.4%). Religions such as Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Baha'i and others are also represented in India.
Animism is common among the aboriginal population, which makes up 8.1%.

Climate
Most of India has three seasons: hot and humid with the dominance of the southwest monsoon (June - October); relatively cool and dry with a predominance of northeast trade winds ( - February); very hot and dry transitional (March - May).
The most favorable time to visit India is from October to May.

Cities and Resorts
Goa
North GOA
Central GOA

Kerala
Andaman Islands
Rishikesh
Shimla
Agra
Varanasi
Delhi
Jaipur
Mumbai

History of India
People first learned about India when it became part of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC. It existed as a satrap province until the arrival of Alexander the Great. By the way, he is the first “European” to visit here. He was attracted by stories about the fabulous treasures of this country, and after the conquest of Persia, Egypt and Asia Minor, he led his army further to the east. About his Indian campaign of 326 BC. Many books and materials have been written. However, the Greeks did not last long in India. The strengthened local rulers forced them to return to the mainland. The first Russian traveler to “discover India” was Afanasy Nikitin, who ended up in the Bahmanid state on the west coast in the 15th century AD. He left a unique work “Walking across Three Seas” - sketches about the culture, religion and everyday life of Indians. Thus, he dispelled many myths and fables about this region. However, after this, Russia's interest in India did not grow very much.
It attracted the Europeans much more: the Portuguese, Dutch, French and of course the British managed to divide the tasty morsel among themselves and organize their spheres of influence. Of course, for the most part, they siphoned off the country's wealth, but it was thanks to them that India became widely known beyond its borders. The paradox is this: no country in the world has been subjected to such outside influence and such interest from others as India. The more people learned about it, the more they dreamed of visiting.
India is also a country of contrasts. Some of the richest people in the world live here, while the majority of the population lives below the poverty line. In the city of Bangalore there is a Silicon Valley and Indian IT specialists are considered the best in the world, and half of the population cannot even read and write. The beauty of majestic architectural monuments, such as the Taj Mahal, for example, is adjacent to the dirty streets and unremarkable houses of the surrounding area. When you see all this diversity, the question arises: how do they live like this? But, probably, the answer to this can only be given by an Indian himself; it is not easy for a Westerner to understand.

Holidays and festivals
The festival season begins on Republic Day in Delhi and runs throughout January every year. The celebration includes a parade of royal troops and a festive procession with elephants. Holi is one of the most important Hindu festivals, held in February in northern India and marks the end of winter.

November is time for another huge and colorful festival - the Pushkar Camel Parade. Diwali is the happiest festival of the Hindu calendar and is celebrated over five days in November. Confetti, colorful lanterns and fireworks are the main decorations of the holiday, which is held in honor of many gods.

The number of colorful folk festivals and celebrations many times exceeds even the number of national holidays in the country. Every day, in some locality of the country, some kind of folklore, dance and music performances, exhibitions, craft and culinary fairs are sure to take place.

The most colorful are the parade in New Delhi on the occasion of Republic Day;
Kerala Water Festival and Elephant Festival (January);
a whole cascade of festivities during the peasant holiday Lori (January);
Ahmedabad International Kite Festival (January);
colorful parade of carnival cars in Madurai and Tamil Nadu (February);
yoga week in Rishikesh and Uttar Pradesh (February);
annual dance festival in Khajuraho (February);
national festival Shivratri Natyanjali (February-March);
spring festival of Dulhendi (Pushpadolotsav);
spring festival of Shigmo in Goa (March).

Every year on March 16, the Elephant Festival is held in northern India, in the city of Jaipur. Nowhere else in the world can you see so many of these giant animals gathered at one time in one place. They are all dressed in colorful fabrics and garlands. On the day of the holiday, tourists can see a procession of elephants marching to music, watch elephant races, or watch real sporting elephant polo competitions.

Documents required for the tour
Your documents for the tour are:
1. Tourist voucher is a document establishing your right to tourist services and confirming the fact of their provision.
2. Air tickets according to the number of tourists (including children).
3. for medical care in the country of temporary stay (the list of insurance services is indicated in the text of the insurance policy).
4. with an Indian visa obtained in advance.
5. Notarized power of attorney/consent to travel abroad for children under 18 years of age from each parent, if the child is not accompanied by them; child's birth certificate or its notarized copy.

Consulate
Russian Embassy in Delhi
Phone: (8-10-91-11) 611-06-40(41.42); 687-38-00; fax: 687-68-23;
Email: [email protected]