India
is the seventh largest nation in the world - one-third the area of the United
States - and has the second largest population in the world, estimated at
1.1 billion people. Its capital is New Delhi. Located in South Asia,
India is bordered by Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
and Myanmar.
Sri Lanka lies off the southern coast of India in the Indian Ocean.
Also called Bharat, the country became known as 'India' because
of its relation to the Indus Valley; it was called India by the ancient
Greeks and Persians and the name became more widely used during the
colonial period.
Early Indian civilization was established in the Indus Valley from 4000 to 2500 B.C. Years later, as Aryan and Dravidian groups populated India, a society began to form, bringing a Hindu religion and caste system. Buddhism and Jainism began in ancient India, and Islamic culture began to flourish around the 11th century. Hindu is the dominant religion in India today. Other religions practiced are Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism.
Hindi is the official language spoken in India. English is the alternative official language.
India gained its independence on August 15, 1947. In 1950, the country adopted its constitution that is used to guide India as a federal republic. There are 3 branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial. India is a country of 28 states and 6 union territories.
The rupee is the basic monetary unit of India.
Web Sites
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for India.
Databases
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