India (official name: the Republic of India;[19] Hindi: Bhārat Gaṇarājya) is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west;[d] China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

Here is the India at glance.

1. Area

3280463 Sq. KM

2. Geographical location

Latitudes: 8° 4' to 37° 6 ' north

Longitudes: 68° 7 ' to 97° 25' east.

3. Indian Standard Time

GMT + 05:30 (Standard for Allahabad, 82.5° East)

4. Border Countries:

Afghanistan and Pakistan to the north-west

China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north;

Myanmar to the east;

Bangladesh to the east of West Bengal.

Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea, formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar

5. Coastline

7,516.6 km including the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

6. Capital

New Delhi

7. National Flag

The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. At the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel, which is a representation of the Ashoka Chakra at Sarnath.

8. National Emblem

Replica of the Ashoka's Pillar at Sarnath, UP

9. National Anthem

Jana Gana Mana, written by Rabindra Nath Tagore in 1911

10. National Song

Vande Maatram, Bankim Chandra Chatterji, taken from Novel "Ananda Math" published in 1882

11. National Bird

Peacock

12. National Game

Hockey

13. National Animal

Tiger

14. National Flower

Lotus

15. National Calendar

Saka, Introduced on March 22, 1957

16. National Days

26^th January (Republic Day)

15^th August (Independence Day)

2^nd October (Gandhi Jayanti; Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi)

30^th January (Martyrs' Day)

5^th September (Teachers' Day, Birthday of Dr. S. Radha Krishnan)

14^th November (Children's Day, Birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru)

17. Type of Government

Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic with a Parliamentary system of Government

18. Legislature (Bicameral)

Lok Sabha (House of the People)

Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

19. States

28

20. Union Territories

7

21. Largest State in Population

Uttar Pradesh

22. State with Highest Density of Population

West Bengal (904)

23. Life expectancy

63.9 years (Males); 66.9 years (Females) (As of Sep 2005)

24. Largest state in area

Rajasthan

25. Largest desert in

Rajasthan

26. State with Lowest Density of Population

Sikkim

27. State with the Minimum Area

Goa

28. First state to achieve nearly 100% rural electrification

Haryana

29. Population 2001 Census

1,027 millions

30. Population Growth Rate

1.93 per cent during 1991-2001.

31. Rank in population

Second

32. Major Export of India

Tea

33. Major Bank

Reserve Bank of India

34. Highest per capita income

Punjab (Among States), Chandigarh (Overall)

35. Lowest per capita income

Bihar

36. Membership of U.N.O

1945

37. First General Elections

1951-52

38. First Five Year Plan

1951

39. Financial Capital

Mumbai

40. Languages

22 Languages recognized by constitution. Hindi is the Official Union Language.

41. Literacy rate

64.84 % (75.26% for males and 53.67% for female)

42. Coldest place

Dras Sector

43. First Indian Lady in the Space

Kalpana Chawla

44. First Indian Man in the Space

Rakesh Sharma

45. Sex ratio (Male: Female)

1000:933 (2001 Census)

46. Formation of INC (Indian National Congress)

1885

47. Hindi became National Language

1953

48. Muslim League formed in

1906

49. Wettest Place

Mawsynram, Meghalaya

50. Wettest state

Meghalaya

51. Biggest District

Bastar (M. P.)

52. Rural Population

About 72%

53. Largest Desert

Thar (Rajasthan)