India
...a coastline of over seven thousand kilometers (4349 miles) , borders Pakistan to the west[1], the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to the island nation of Sri Lanka. India is the seventh-largest country by geographical area and has one of the most diverse populations of wildlife, geographical terrain and climate systems found anywhere in the world.
The name India /'ɪndiə/ is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the River Indus (see Origin of India's name). The Constitution of India and common usage also recognise Bharat (Hindi: भारत /bʰɑːrət̪/ listen (help·info)), as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान /hin̪d̪ust̪ɑːn/) listen (help·info) (Persian: Land of the Hindus) has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied. Home to one of the four major ancient civilisations, a center of important trade routes and vast empires of the Mauryas, Guptas and the Mughals, India has long played a significant role in human history. Four religions, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhismall have their origins in India, and Islam and Christianity enjoy a strong cultural heritage. Colonized in the British Empire in the nineteenth century, India gained independence in 1947 as a unified nation after an intensive struggle for independence.
With over one billion people, it is the second most populous country in the world and the world's largest liberal democracy. India has 28 states and 7 territories, and recognizes 22 official languages spoken across its diverse regions, including the official national...
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