The World's Largest Democracy in the world "Republic of India" - is also the Seventh largest country in the world by geographic size and is also a sovereign, socialist democratic, secular republic representing a pluralistic, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic society.
Geographically, The Indian peninsula is separated from mainland Asia by the Himalayas. The Country is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, and the Indian Ocean to the south.
Historically, one of the oldest civilizations in the world represented by Indus Valley civilization, Vedic civilization, Mauryan empire, Mughal empire, sporadic European rule and major British rule.
Origin of four major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and also the traditional spiritual, mental and physical discipline of "Yoga".
Economically, India is the world's tenth largest economy by nominal GDP and fourth largest economy by purchasing power parity and one of the fastest growing economies of the world.
Culturally, India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality. The culture of India is an amalgamation of these diverse sub-cultures spread all over the Indian subcontinent and traditions that are several millennia old.
Several elements of India's diverse culture — such as Indian religions,yoga and Indian cuisine — have had a profound impact across the world.
Militarily, a nuclear weapon state exercising "No first-use policy" comprising of the World's Third-Largest Army, Fourth-Largest Air Force, Fifth Largest Navy, auxiliary forces, nuclear & strategic commands and special forces. Is also a major contributor to UN peacekeeping mission, national disaster relief operations and international anti-piracy operations. India is also a major space power acclaimed for highly successful indigenous technologies and space vehicles.
Comprises of 28 states (provinces) and seven union territories
Capital New Delhi
Population 1.2 Billion
Government Federal parliamentary constitutional republic
Official Languages Hindi and English, 22 Other Major Languages & 844 dialects
Time Zone GMT + 05:30
Amazing Fact About India
- India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
- India is one of the world's largest, oldest and continuous civilization.
- When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
- Chess was invented in India.
- Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
- Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.
- India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
- Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C.during the Vedic period.Even today, the largest used number is Terra: 10*12(10 to the power of 12).
- The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C
- The game of Snakes & Ladders was created in India by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
- India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
- The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
- The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.
- Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Usage of anaesthesia was well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.
- Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
- The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population.
- Jainism and Buddhism were founded in India in 600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively.
- Islam is India's and the world's second largest religion.
- There are 300,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country, including the Muslim world.
- The largest religious building in the world is Angkor Wat, a Hindu Temple in Cambodia built at the end of the 11th century.
- The Vishnu Temple in the city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
- Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577.
- India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
- The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.
- Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.
- The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.
- India is the largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
- India is one of six countries that launches satellites.
- India is the world’s largest producer of milk, and among the top five producers of sugar, cotton, tea, coffee, spices, rubber, silk, and fish.
- India is the only country other than US and Japan, to have built a super computer indigenously.
- The first six Mogul Emperor's of India ruled in an unbroken succession from father to son for two hundred years, from 1526 to 1707.
- The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara temple at Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The shikhara is made from a single ' 80-tonne ' piece of granite. Also, this magnificient temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola
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