Difference between revisions of "India"
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The '''Republic of India''' is a nation located in south [[Asia]]. It spans from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian ocean.. The name "India" came from the word 'Indus', which derives from the Persian word "Hindu" which was used to describe the Sindhu river (now known as the Indus). It borders China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. India is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of area and 2nd largest in terms of population, standing at around 1.1 billion (2005 estimate). | The '''Republic of India''' is a nation located in south [[Asia]]. It spans from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian ocean.. The name "India" came from the word 'Indus', which derives from the Persian word "Hindu" which was used to describe the Sindhu river (now known as the Indus). It borders China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. India is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of area and 2nd largest in terms of population, standing at around 1.1 billion (2005 estimate). | ||
Revision as of 23:37, April 10, 2007
The Republic of India is a nation located in south Asia. It spans from the Himalayas in the north to the Indian ocean.. The name "India" came from the word 'Indus', which derives from the Persian word "Hindu" which was used to describe the Sindhu river (now known as the Indus). It borders China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. India is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of area and 2nd largest in terms of population, standing at around 1.1 billion (2005 estimate).
Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, the history, culture and tradition of India is more than three thousand years old. India is place where four of the major world religions were founded: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Although over 80% of Indians identify themselves as Hindu, India has large vibrant communities of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists.
In terms of purchasing power parity, its economy is the second largest in Asia, and is the worlds fourth largest economy. India is one of the fastest developing economies in the world with an annual growth rate of over 8%. However it is battling major obstacles to improve the average standard of living , such as high levels of poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition.
In terms of population India is the largest democracy in the world. It operates under a British-style Parliamentary system. The head of state officially is the President of India, elected for a 5 year term, but the de facto head of state is the Prime Minister who holds most executive powers. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, but they must have the support of the party holding a majority in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament in India.
The members of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), the upper house of Parliament, are elected by state and territorial legislatures in proportion to the state's population, and serve for 6 years. The Lok Sabha(House of People) has its members directly elected by popular vote and represent their constituencies for 5 years.
The executive branch is made up of the President, the Vice President and the Council of Ministers(The Cabinet is its executive committee) which is headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of one of the two houses of Parliament. The executive is subordinate to the legislature, and the Prime Minister and Council are directly responsible to the Lok Sabha.
See World History Lecture Three for more information on Ancient India.