India(in Hindi Bharat ), the Republic of India, a state in South Asia, on the Hindustan Peninsula, includes the Laccadive, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It borders China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. The border with China in the Himalayas is unmarked. The area is 3.3 million km2 (7th place in the world). In terms of population, it ranks 2nd in the world (after China) - 1 billion 49.7 million people (2003). Included in the Commonwealth. The capital of Delhi (New Delhi). Largest cities: Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Kanpur, Nagpur, Jaipur, Lucknow.
State structure of India
Federal Republic. The head of state is the president. Elected by a college of electors consisting of both houses of parliament and state legislatures for a 5-year term. The legislature is a bicameral parliament. It consists of the Council of States (no more than 250 seats, of which 12 are appointed by the president, the rest are elected from the legislatures of states and territories) and the People's Assembly (545 seats, 543 are elected by popular vote, 2 are appointed by the president). executive power carries out a government headed by a prime minister appointed by the president.
Administrative-territorial division of India
28 states and 7 union territories of central subordination.
Population of India
The largest nations: Hindustanis, Telugu, Marathas, Bengalis, Tamils, Gujaratis, Kannar, Punjabis, etc. Hindus make up 80% of the population, Muslims 14%, Christians 2.4%, Sikhs 2%, Buddhists 0.7%. The Muslim population is concentrated in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, and the western part of Uttar Pradesh. Rest religious communities: Christians (mostly Catholics) are concentrated in the North-East of the country, in Bombay and in the South; Sikhs - in Punjab and adjacent regions, Buddhists - in Jammu and Kashmir, regions of the Himalayas.
The national languages are Hindi and English, the states have official national languages. Of the 18 languages recognized as state languages, 13 belong to the Indo-Aryan, 4 to the Dravidian language groups and 1 to the Tibetan. Hindi is the most widely spoken language with over 300 million speakers. Hindi is recognized as the official language in the northern states of India. Other Indo-Aryan languages: Bengali, Gujarati, Assami, Kashmiri, Konkani, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi. Urdu is the main language of Indian Muslims in the North and South of India. In the border regions of the state of Gujarat with Pakistan, the Sindhi language is widely spoken (immigrants who fled from the Pakistani province of Punjab after the partition of the country in 1947 live here). One fourth of the population of India speaks Dravidian languages. The languages of this group are distributed mainly in southern India, partly in the central part of the country, in eastern Bihar. Four Dravidian languages are recognized as official languages: Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Teluju. Manipuri and other Tibetan languages are spoken in northeastern India. The languages of interethnic communication are Hindi and English. 74.3% of India's population lives in villages and only 25.7% live in cities. India is one of the most densely populated countries. The average density of its population, which was at the beginning of the 20th century. about 70 people per 1 km2, by the beginning of the 21st century. amounted to 319.3 people. per 1 km2.
Nature of India
India is located mainly within the Hindustan peninsula and the Indo-Gangetic plain, includes part of the Himalayas and the Karakorum. OK. 3/4 of the country's territory is plains and plateaus. Almost all of Hindustan is occupied by the Deccan Plateau (it drops to the east from 900 m to 300 m). In the west and east, the Deccan passes into the mountains (Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats), the outer slopes of which drop steeply to the ocean. In the south of the peninsula there are isolated table massifs up to 2698 m high (Anaimudi). To the north of the Hindustan Peninsula, in a vast piedmont trough, is the alluvial Indo-Gangetic plain. Supreme mountain system Lands - the Himalayas (height in India up to 8126 m, Nangaparbat) and the Karakoram mountains with alpine relief and glaciers in the ridge zone limit India from the north. Deposits of coal, iron ores, manganese, chromite, bauxite, diamonds.
The natural vegetation of the Deccan Plateau and the Indo-Gangetic Plain has been greatly altered; savannahs, xerophytic light forests, and in some places deciduous forests predominate; in the northwest - shrubby semi-deserts and deserts. On the windward slopes of the Western Ghats, in the delta of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, there are evergreen tropical forests. At the foot of the Himalayas - terai (marshy jungle), above - monsoon forests, mountain mixed and coniferous forests, mountain meadows and steppes. Forests cover approx. 1/4 of India. National parks of Kaziranga, Gir Forest, Manas, etc.; numerous reserves. India is the only place on Earth where a tiger and a lion live side by side (both are currently protected). Monkeys are numerous not only in the jungle, but also in cities, as they are considered sacred animals. Some other animals, both wild and domestic, are also considered sacred. Elephants have been trained since ancient times. There are a number of endemic species of mammals and birds in India.
Climate of India
The climate is predominantly tropical, in the north tropical monsoon. During the humid summer monsoon playing huge role for agriculture in India, 70-90% of precipitation falls, winter is dry and cool, from March to May - dry and hot season. Precipitation per year varies from less than 100 mm in the western Indo-Gangetic Plain to 12,000 mm at Cherrapunji on the Shillong Plateau (the wettest place on earth). the globe). The main rivers are the Ganges, with a tributary of the Jamna, the Indus (upper), the Brahmaputra (lower), Narmada, Godavari, Krishna. The rivers are full-flowing in summer (there are floods) and are widely used for irrigation.
Economy of India
GNP per capita is $450 (1999). 2/3 of the world's poor live in India, although the standard of living of the population is gradually increasing and the proportion of the poor is decreasing. Tolerance, absence of class hatred and respect for wealth, characteristic of Hinduism and Buddhism, protect India from social conflicts.
2/3 of the population is employed in agriculture, which makes the largest contribution to GNP (1/3). Hindustan was the birthplace of a number of crops - rice, cotton, sugar cane. In the 1960s India experienced a "green revolution": thanks to the spread of hybrid varieties wheat, rice and other crops, not only the problems of providing food for their population, but also the export of food grains were solved. In the 1970s–1980s India also experienced a "white revolution", which resulted in the self-sufficiency of dairy products. 145 million hectares are cultivated (over 2/5 of the territory), under crops - approx. 180 million ha (approx. 35 million ha sown twice a year). Irrigated approx. 3/5 s.-x. area. The main agricultural regions are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the coastal lowlands. India occupies one of the first places in the world in the production of sugar cane (collection in terms of raw sugar 16-18 million tons; St. 1/2 - in the northern part of India), peanuts (5-7 million tons, head . sample in the southern part of India) and tea (about 600 tons; 3/4 of the collection - plantations of the Assam valley and the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas), as well as for the production of jute (1–1.3 million tons; 2 / 3 - West Bengal), castor beans ( southern part India), cotton (1.2–1.5 million tons: the main areas are the eastern part of the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat). In the southern part of India - tea, coffee, rubber, coconut palm, spices (pepper, ginger, cardamom, etc.). Numerous livestock (1/5 of the world; 1996, million) of cattle 196 (including buffaloes 80; mainly used as draft power), goats 120 and sheep 45; breed pigs, camels, poultry.
India has significant mineral and energy resources. The reserves of coal and iron ore are among the largest in the world, there are also bauxites, oil, manganese, etc. In terms of the export of manganese ore and mica, India occupies one of the first places in the world. Most of the heavy industries in India after gaining independence were nationalized or created by the state itself. Heavy industry enterprises are concentrated mainly on the Kota Nagpur plateau, where coking coal deposits coexist with iron ore deposits. New industrial centers (Bhilai, Bokaro, Rourkela, Durgapur) are being created in the previously backward hinterlands.
The public sector occupies a leading position in the defense industry, nuclear energy, rail and sea transport, aviation, and communications. The private sector currently dominates in mechanical engineering, agriculture, light, food and medical industries, construction, trade, and road transport.
Light industry represented by both artisanal and modern enterprises. Indian natural silks, Kashmiri shawls, woodcarving, papier-mâché products, saffron, furs, jewelry are world famous. Every Indian state, many cities and localities are famous for their handicrafts. For example, in the largest state of Uttar Pradesh, the city of Varanasi (Benares) is a well-known center for silk weaving, as well as bronze products; Mirzapur is famous for its carpets; Muradabad is famous for metal utensils; in Aligarh, India's largest production of locks and iron chests is concentrated; Firozabad is the country's largest center for the manufacture of glass bracelets - cheap jewelry. World famous handicrafts southern city Mysore ( former capital principality of the same name), especially products made of ivory and sandalwood, as well as natural silks. India is a major supplier to the world market of leather and leather products, as well as footwear. Most of the jute processing operations are located in the "Hooglyside" area - a chain of cities on the Hooghly River to the North of Kolkata. Enterprises for the processing of agricultural products and minerals are usually located near the extraction sites of raw materials. These are factories for cleaning cotton, processing peanuts, sugar cane, freezing and drying products, primary processing of metals. The production of consumer goods is concentrated in major cities. State governments in every possible way welcome the development of industries: for this, industrial parks are being created - small free zones, characterized by reduced taxes and low prices to the ground.
India in last years also emerged as a manufacturer of drugs and pharmaceuticals that are quite competitive in comparison with Western products, but much cheaper.
Maintains a high share in exports and such a traditional industry as the cutting of diamonds and other precious stones.
The government of the country made the main bet on the development of education and the cultivation of highly qualified personnel. In 1950 there were 25 universities and 700 colleges, and in the mid-1990s. there were already 172 universities and 7,000 colleges. In terms of the number of specialists with higher education, India has taken one of the leading places in the world. The country is in third place in terms of the number of qualified scientific and technical personnel and in second place in terms of the number of professional programmers. The monetary unit is the Indian rupee.
History of India
The most ancient civilization - Harappan or Indus (the valley of the Indus River; the second half of the 3rd millennium - the first half of the 2nd millennium BC) - was created by the people of the Dravidian family, possibly the ancestors of the Tamils. This is one of the first agricultural civilizations of the Earth, along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Harappan civilization was familiar with the smelting of bronze and precious metals but did not know iron. The Aryan tribes who came from the north around the middle of the 2nd millennium BC knew how to make iron. e. The main source of the period 1500-800 years. BC e. are the Vedas. At this time, a caste system arose and developed, which consolidated the dominant position of the descendants of the Aryans.
Not enough is known about the states of the Aryans today, their dating is also problematic. Magadha in the Ganges valley is apparently the oldest of them (seventh century BC). The kings of Magadha adopted Buddhism and supported its spread. In the 4th c. BC e. Magadha became part of the Mauryan Empire, whose founder (Chandragupta) met with Alexander the Great. Alexander annexed the Indus Valley to his vast empire, but not for long. After the reign of the great Ashoka (3rd century BC), who united almost all of Hindustan, the Mauryan empire fell into decline. In the 4th-6th centuries. n. e. almost all of northern India was united by the Gupta state. With the spread of Islam, Muslim states arose, the largest being the Delhi Sultanate (beginning of the 13th century - 16th century). The Sultanate fell under the onslaught of the conqueror Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. During its heyday (17th century), the state of the Great Moghuls covered almost the entire territory of India.
From the 16th century First, Catholic missionaries began to penetrate into India (the first Christian community was founded, according to legend, by the Apostle Thomas), and then the colonialists. The Portuguese established a colony in Goa. In the 18th century The Mughal Empire broke up into separate principalities. English trading East India Company from the 17th century. created a network of its trading posts-fortresses on the coast (the cities of Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, etc. subsequently grew out of them). The agents of the company, pursuing a policy of "divide and rule", subjugated the Indian principalities by bribery and force. England's main rival was France. As a result of the Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars, the East India Company by the end of the 18th century. conquered all of India, from the second half of the 18th century. giving Special attention no longer trade, but the administration of territories, the collection of land tax, and the reform of agrarian relations. India became not only a source of raw materials, but also a huge market for Britain, where the era of the industrial revolution began. The entire established system of local crafts was undermined, and poverty increased. In 1783-1784. The company's activities were placed under government control. Throughout the 19th century the rights of the company have been curtailed more than once, and since the suppression of the sepoy uprising, the company has been dissolved. India became a colony.
The British did not touch the caste system (by that time there were already about 3,500 castes), in religious practice they limited only extremes (human sacrifices, the custom of sati - self-immolation of widows). But they contributed to the introduction of new relations, the development of capitalism. In 1885, the Indian National Congress party arose. Mahatma Gandhi, who headed the Indian National Congress in 1915, developed tactics of non-violent struggle against the colonialists, which included the boycott of British goods, refusal to cooperate with the British, and so on. Against the background of difficulties and wars in the 20th century. this struggle was successful, but Britain divided the country (1947) into 2 dominions - the Indian Union (with a predominantly Hindu population) and Pakistan (with a predominantly Muslim population).
Due to unresolved territorial issues (especially in Kashmir), relations between India and Pakistan remain tense. In 1950 the Indian Union became the Republic of India. Gandhi's associate J. Nehru became prime minister. His only daughter, I. Gandhi, was prime minister four times. The caste system was legally abolished in 1950. Modern India plays important role in the Non-Aligned Movement. Great successes have been achieved in the implementation of the space program with the help of the USSR. India is a nuclear power. National holidays- August 15 (Independence Day (1947)) and January 26 (Republic Day).
India- a country that everyone has been dreaming of going to since childhood, a country of contrasts, where impoverished shacks and palaces of maharajas, beggars on the streets and quite successful businessmen, impenetrable jungles and deserts, are bizarrely intertwined, forbidden, but in spite of everything operating system caste and modern state structure, inherited from the British conquerors, tough Puritans and red-light districts ...
Here are the royal Himalayas, the famous Ganges River, tiger reserves, the "golden triangle" many coastal resorts, priceless monuments of bygone eras, in antiquity, competing with Egyptian pyramids- all this attracts a lot of tourists to India.
general information
India is located in the South, mainly on the Hindustan peninsula. Its area is 3.3 million km 2, in terms of size India is in 7th place in the world, the coastline stretches for 7000 km.
From the east, India is washed by the Bay of Bengal, in the south is the Indian Ocean, in the west is the Arabian Sea, in which the Indian and Nicobar Islands are located.
India borders China to the north, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar (formerly Burma) to the east, and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the west.
The mass Russian tourist is usually taken by travel agents to the state, the smallest Indian state on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Once this state was a colony of the Portuguese for a long 450 years, and still retains a European touch. Sometimes Goa is called little Portugal.
The highest point in India, slightly lower than the world's highest Everest, is Mount Kanchenjunga with a height of 8586 meters, located in the state of Sikkim, not far from Nepal.
The capital of India is New Delhi.
In terms of population - about 14 million people, the capital is in second place in the country, after Mumbai, and is the largest industrial center. Old Delhi is full of mosques, monuments, forts left over from the times when it was a Muslim capital, and New Delhi was built by the British, as new capital throughout India.
Religion in India.
The main religion in India is Hinduism, which originated in the third millennium BC, Hindus in the country are about 80 percent. They worship a whole pantheon of Gods, which is headed by Vishnu and Shiva. In total, there are 3.5 thousand castes and podcasts in the country, subordinate to each other, headed by brahmins.
Although under the constitution, since 1950, the castes are recognized as equal, the Indians themselves continue to adhere to their customs.
As before, caste can be determined by last name, parents still organize the weddings of their children, who see each other for the first time only during the wedding.
The British, forced to leave in 1947, still managed to annoy, according to the principle of "divide and conquer", splitting India along religious lines into Pakistan, Bangladesh and, in fact, Hindu India.
However, there are about 90 million Muslims in India, predominantly in Kashmir. Islam is practiced by about 11% of the population, and a small proportion is occupied by Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists.
In the 16-17 centuries, representatives of one of the sects of Hinduism began to profess a religion with a single God and the denial of castes. These were the Sikhs, by far the most concentrated in the Punjab.
Near Varanasi in a reindeer national park"Sarnath" is a temple with a golden Buddha, on this place, according to legend, the Buddha first gathered his first followers, to whom he expounded his teachings.
Hinduism is a fairly peaceful religion, and all the rest peacefully coexist with it, and the equality of religions is supported by law.
Official language
There are 14 official languages in India, like nowhere else. Almost half of the population speaks Hindi, the rest - Bengali, Tamil, Urdu and many others. English is widely spoken as India has long been British colony. In practice, Hindi and English are mainly used, and in total there are this moment about 250 dialects.
According to the census, there are about 1.3 billion people in India, of which 28% live in cities. The country is multinational, the bulk are Hindustanis, Telugu, Bengalis, Tamils, Biharis, Punjabis, about a quarter of the population are Dravidians.
Public administration:
India is ruled parliament, which consists of 2 chambers: the upper - the Council of States, called the Rajya Sabha and the lower House of the People, called the Lok Sabha.
The head of state is the president elected for a five-year term.
Executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister, nominated by the most influential party of the People's Chamber.
India is divided into states created according to the linguistic community of the people inhabiting them. The states are governed by their own legislative assemblies, the executive function is carried out by local governments.
In total, India has 29 states governed by governors, the capital is allocated as a separate national territory, in addition, there are 6 territories of central subordination.
As the coat of arms, the capital Sapnath of King Ashoka, who founded ancient India, is used. The song “Jana-gana-mana” is used as an anthem, the author is Rabindranath Tagore.
Climate of India
Three seasons can be distinguished in the main territory of the country:
- June-October. The southwest monsoon prevails, it is quite hot and humid.
- November-February. The northeast trade wind prevails, it becomes relatively cool and dry.
- The transition between them is from March to May, at this time it is hot and dry.
It is most comfortable for a tourist to come from October to May.
Time:
It differs from Moscow in summer + 1.5 hours, in winter, respectively, + 2.5 hours.
Money:
Indian rupee, there are 100 pise.
Mains voltage
230-240 volts, frequency 50 Hz., sockets are different from ordinary European ones, besides, they are different in different states. Before connecting your gadgets, you should consult the hotel staff about the power supply parameters.
Visa
To visit the country, a tourist will have to issue.
It is rather difficult to list Indian holidays, because there are about 360 of them. In addition to holidays adopted in one or more states, there are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and even Zoroastrian holidays.
We can mention the state ones celebrated throughout India: Republic Day, celebrated on January 26, with a parade of troops and a procession of elephants, Independence Day, celebrated on August 15 since 1947, when the Indians expelled the colonialists, and October 2 - Birthday of the very revered Mahatma Gandhi.
It is not superfluous to mention Holi, one of the most significant holidays celebrated in February in honor of the end of winter.
The tourist will be interested in the water festival in Kerala, held in January, with the participation of elephants, the Lori peasant festival and the kite festival, held in the same month, the Shivratri Natyanjali national festival, taking place in February-March.
And since the bulk of tourists are concentrated in Goa, they will be pleased with the Shigmo spring festival, celebrated in this state in March.
.
Cities, resorts and interesting places in India: Agra, Andaman Islands, Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Khajuraho, national park Pench, Lakshadweep Islands, Ranthambore, Rishikesh (Himalayas), Udaipur, Hyderabad, Shimla (Himalayas).
State languages: Hindi, English.
Population: about 1.1 billion people.
The currency of India is the Indian rupee, which is divided into 100 pise.
India airports scoreboard >>>
Excursions in India >>>
India a huge, triangular-shaped country in the southern part of Asia, which is closed by the Himalayas from the north, washes the Arabian Sea from the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal from the southeast, forming a natural border. It borders Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is located off the northern coast of India. India is the seventh largest country in the world. It covers an area of 3,287,000 sq. km, although this figure is not entirely accurate, as some sections of the border are disputed by China and Pakistan.
India is a federal republic. The head of state is the president. Elected by a college of electors consisting of both houses of parliament and state legislatures for a 5-year term. The legislature is a bicameral parliament. It consists of the Council of States (no more than 250 seats, of which 12 are appointed by the president, the rest are elected from the legislatures of the states and territories) and the People's Assembly (545 seats, 543 are elected by popular vote, 2 are appointed by the president). Executive power in India is exercised by the government, headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president.
The population of India.
India is one of the oldest centers of culture on the planet. Its inhabitants were, apparently, tribes of the proto-Mongoloid and Mediterranean type. In the middle of the II millennium BC. began a long process of migration to India of the Indo-Aryan tribes, the so-called Aryans. All these peoples entered into various contacts with each other, peaceful and military, there was a mixture of blood and a synthesis of cultures.
Among the population of India there are adherents of a number of religions, and the problem is to identify their numerical ratio and to determine the historical roots of different faiths and the degree of their influence on people's lives. In India, Hinduism is the most widespread (over 82% of the population), Islam is the next step (about 12%), after these main faiths, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism (in the form of neo-Buddhism), Christianity, Zoroastrianism and the so-called tribal cultures should be indicated. . All these religions, with the exception of Christianity, have their roots in ancient times.
Climate of India.
When we are talking It is very difficult to characterize the climate as a whole about such a huge country in terms of area and different natural conditions as India. Here you will meet the cold of the high mountain regions of the Himalayas, and the moderate temperatures of the coasts, and the continental climate of the hinterland. The Tropic of Cancer, passing through India, divides it into two zones: northern temperate and southern subtropical. However, the monsoons have an even more significant influence on the climate of India. The southwest monsoon season begins on the west coast in late May. It brings a pleasant respite from the heat. The movement of the monsoon over the rest of the country - in June-September is accompanied by precipitation. Especially heavy rains are in the northeast.
In the winter months, from October to March, in the continental north of India, there is no rain, and the weather is clear and sunny, but the nights are cool. This is the best time of the year in the Hindustan peninsula. In some areas in the south and east, there are small periods of rain brought by the northeast monsoons, while the days remain warm, as is the case in the subtropics. Summer lasts from April to June. It is hot and dry in most of the country, but humid along the coasts. This time of year is especially good in Kashmir and in the mountain resorts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The highest temperature (over 40C) occurs in the summer months in the continental north of India. In April, the temperature begins to rise, and in June, before the arrival of the monsoon, it reaches its highest point. In coastal areas and in the south, it is humid throughout the year, and there is tropical heat. For all regions of India, the ideal season for tourism is from October to March, and in the south - from January to April.
Transport and taxi in India.
Traveling around India is most comfortable and fastest by plane, the cheapest way is by train (for long distances) or by bus (for short ones). Since a first-class train ticket sometimes costs a little less than a plane ticket to the same destination, it makes more sense to travel second-class with air conditioning. Such cars are of two types: 4 and 6 people in a compartment. The bus network in the country is well developed: state transport companies and there are a large number of private companies in every state. All types of public buses are quite suitable for travel, the difference is only in the level of comfort and cost.
Taxis in India are easily distinguished by their particularly yellow and black coloration. It is necessary to bargain with the driver about the price, and it is better to do it before departure. If you are going on a long trip, it is better to find out its approximate cost from the hotel administration in advance - they rarely go “by the meter” in India. Motor rickshaws and cycle rickshaws can be hired in the same way as taxis. Motor rickshaws - though exotic, but quite a fast and convenient way to get around the city, cost about half as much as a taxi.
Customs and office hours.
Import and export of previously imported currency is not limited, national - is prohibited. Cash in the amount of more than 3000 USD, as well as personal computers and laptops are subject to mandatory declaration. Duty-free import of up to 200 cigarettes, or up to 50 cigars, or up to 250 g of tobacco, alcoholic beverages up to 0.95 liters, jewelry, food, household items and items is allowed - within the limits of personal needs. It is forbidden to export skins of tigers, wild animals and plumage of birds, skins and leather products of rare reptiles and ivory, living plants, gold and silver bars, jewelry worth more than 2000 Indian rupees (except those bought in duty free), items antiques and antiques made over a hundred years ago.
Public institutions are open Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 18.00, with a lunch break from 13.00 to 14.00. Banks are generally open from Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 14.00, except for public holidays. Shops and markets are open from 10.00 to 19.00. Although Sunday is officially considered a day off, in major cities in India there are shops with different opening hours, so it is not difficult to find workers on Sundays. outlets. Restaurants can be reached until 23.00. Some nightclubs close much later. In hotels, cafes are open around the clock.
Shopping and tipping in India.
fabrics
.
The name of cashmere comes from the Indian province of Kashmir, but in addition to cashmere in India, you should pay attention to silk and Rajasthani cotton. Indian fabrics are used to make magnificent saris, scarves, skirts, shawls and blouses embroidered with small mirrors, so familiar to us from Indian films.
Tea
.
According to tourists, best gift from India - excellent Indian tea. Yes, the same one, but without the elephant. And often the highlight is not in the variety - they are all excellent, but in the fact that the tea is packed in elegant satin bags.
Statuettes and figurines
.
Indians are masters of carving interesting figures from different materials: clay, copper, glass, sandalwood, bamboo, rosewood and Indian walnut. Elephants and Indian gods can be found almost everywhere.
Spices
.
The usual ground pepper, turmeric, saffron, cloves, cinnamon, as well as spices unknown to us, which are indispensable for curry preparation, are of excellent quality in India and, by our standards, are practically free. Experienced tourists recommend trying a delicacy - cashew nuts fried with Indian pepper. Attention: spices can only be carried in those bags that you check in as baggage.
Decorations
.
Women's jewelry made of copper, brass, bronze, silver and gold with inlay, bright enamel, semi-precious and precious stones will be a wonderful gift from India for the fair sex. And let the men pay attention to the weapons.
Souvenirs
.
Their choice is unlimited: bronze, silver, miniatures, silk, carpets, decorative decoration wood, coconut, skin and bones of a camel. A good keepsake would be, for example, a clay bottle of coconut feni.
Tips
.
In India, it is customary to tip various services: in restaurants - within 10% of the bill, in hotels - 10-15 rupees to a porter. Taxi drivers are usually not tipped.
Customs of India.
Take off your shoes before entering a temple, mosque or gurdwara (Sikh temple). Sometimes, for a nominal fee, you may be offered special shoe covers, usually allowing you to walk in your socks. You should not take any leather goods with you to temples, this is considered an insult. In most cases, photography is prohibited inside the temples, so ask permission before doing so. The attitude towards tourists in India is usually friendly, sometimes they are allowed to attend religious rituals. You should watch your clothes when visiting sacred places: you should dress modestly (shorts, tops and short skirts should not be worn). You should also be covered in Sikh temples, and in mosques, women are required to cover their shoulders and heads, and be in long skirts. In the donation box, according to tradition, drop some money.
Namaste - folded palms in greeting - is a traditional form of Indian greeting, and if you use it, Indians will appreciate it. However, men, especially in cities, will not hesitate to shake your hand if you are a man. A handshake will even be appreciated as a gesture of exceptional friendliness. For most Indian women, free manners in communication between men and women, adopted in the West, are unacceptable, so physical contact with women should be avoided. Do not shake hands with a woman (unless she is the first to extend it) and do not put your hand on her shoulder.
In private homes in India, tourists are treated as honored guests, and your ignorance of Indian customs will be treated with understanding and condescension. If you want to try eating with your hands, then remember to use only the fingers of your right hand.
Try not to have the soles of your shoes facing anyone, as this may be seen as a sign of disrespect. Don't show index finger, use outstretched arm or chin gestures. When speaking with Indians, try never to shout, otherwise they simply will not communicate with you.
Smoking and photography.
In India, a law came into force restricting places for smoking. To public places, where it is now forbidden to smoke, includes streets, markets, trains, restaurants and cafes, as well as stations and airports. Police can fine you if you violate it.
Photographing sights in India usually requires a fee, and using a video camera is much more expensive. Flash is not allowed in temples.
Territory - 3.28 million km 2.
Population -1 billion 16 million people
The capital is Delhi.
Geographical position, general information
The Republic of India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. It also includes the Laccadive Islands in the Arabian Sea, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. India borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. The maximum length of India - from north to south - 3200 km, from west to east - 2700 km.
The EGP of India favors the development of the economy: India is located on the sea trade routes from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, halfway between the Middle and Far East.
Indian civilization arose in the third millennium BC. e. For almost two centuries India was a colony of England. In 1947, India gained independence, and in 1950 it was proclaimed a republic within the British Commonwealth.
India is a federal republic consisting of 25 states. Each of them has its own legislative assembly and the government, but while maintaining a strong central authority.
natural conditions and resources
The main part of the territory is located within the Indo-Gangetic lowland and the Deccan plateau.
The mineral resources of India are significant and varied. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. Here are the largest iron ore, coal basins, deposits of manganese ore; this creates favorable conditions for the development of heavy industries.
The minerals of South India are diverse - these are bauxites, chromites, magnesites. brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands, ferrous metal ores, coal; in the state of Gujarat and on the continental shelf - oil.
The climate of the country is mainly monsoonal subtropical and tropical, in the south - equatorial. The average annual temperature is about 25°C, only in winter in the mountains it falls below 0°. The distribution of precipitation over the seasons and across the territory is uneven - 80% of them fall in the summer, the eastern and mountainous regions receive the largest amount, and the northwest receives the smallest amount.
Land resources - natural wealth country, since a significant part of the soils has high fertility.
Forests occupy 22% of India's area, but there is not enough forest for economic needs.
The rivers of India have a great energy potential and are also the main source of artificial irrigation.
Population
India is the second country in the world in terms of population (after China). The country has a very high rate of population reproduction. And although the peak of the “population explosion” has already been generally passed, the demographic problem has not yet lost its urgency.
India is the most multiethnic country in the world. Representatives of several hundred nations, nationalities and tribal groups live in it, at different stages of socio-economic development and speaking different languages. They belong to the Caucasoid, Negroid, Australoid races and the Dravidian group.
Dominated by peoples Indo-European family: Hindustanis, Marathas, Bengalis, Biharis, etc. official languages in the country - Hindi and English.
More than 80% of the inhabitants of India are Hindus, 11% are Muslims. The complex ethnic and religious composition of the population often leads to conflicts and increased tension.
The distribution of the population of India is very uneven, since from ancient times the fertile lowlands and plains in the valleys and deltas of the rivers, on the sea coasts were first settled. The average population density is 260 people. per 1 km 2. Despite this high figure, there are still sparsely populated and even deserted territories.
The level of urbanization is quite low - 27%, but the number of large cities and millionaire cities is constantly increasing; in terms of the absolute number of citizens (220 million people), India ranks second in the world. But nevertheless, most of the population of India lives in crowded villages.
Industry, energy
India is a developing agro-industrial country with huge resources and human potential. Along with the industries traditional for India (agriculture, light industry), the extractive and manufacturing industries are developing.
At present, 29% of GDP falls on industry, 32% - on agriculture, 30% - on the service sector.
Energy. The creation of an energy base in the country began with the creation of hydroelectric power plants, but among the newly built power plants in recent years, thermal power plants predominate. The main source of energy is coal. Nuclear power is also developing in India - 3 nuclear power plants are operating. The total capacity of India's power plants is 94 thousand MW (1999).
Electricity generation per capita is still very low.
Ferrous metallurgy. This is a growing industry. Modern level- 23 million tons of steel (1998). The industry is represented by enterprises located mainly in the east of the country (Kolkata-Damodar industrial belt), as well as in the states of Bihar, Adhra Pradesh, etc.
Non-ferrous metallurgy is also developed in the east. The aluminum industry, based on local bauxites, stands out.
Engineering. India produces a variety of machine tool and transport engineering products (TVs, ships, cars, tractors, airplanes and helicopters). The industry is developing rapidly.
The leading centers of mechanical engineering are Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, Bangalore.
In terms of production of the radio-electronic industry, India has taken second place in overseas Asia. The country produces a variety of radio equipment, color televisions, tape recorders, and communications equipment.
Chemical industry. In a country with such a role of agriculture, the production of mineral fertilizers is of exceptional importance. The importance of petrochemistry is also growing.
Light industry is a traditional sector of the economy, the main areas are cotton and jute, as well as clothing. There are textile factories in all major cities of the country. In India's exports, 25% are products of the textile and clothing industry.
food industry- also traditional, produces products for the domestic and foreign markets. The most widely known in the world is Indian tea.
Agriculture
India is a country of ancient agricultural culture, one of the most important agricultural regions in the world.
Three-fifths of India's EAN is employed in agriculture, but the use of mechanization is still insufficient.
4/5 of the value of agricultural products comes from crop production, agriculture needs irrigation (40% of the sown area is irrigated).
The main part of the arable land is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, barley, millet, legumes, potatoes.
The main industrial crops of India are cotton, jute, sugar cane, tobacco, and oilseeds.
There are two main agricultural seasons in India - summer and winter. Sowing of the most important crops (rice, cotton, jute) is carried out in the summer, during the summer monsoon rains; in winter, they sow wheat, barley, etc.
As a result of several factors, including the Green Revolution, India is completely self-sufficient in grain.
Animal husbandry is much inferior to crop production, although India ranks first in the world in terms of livestock. Only milk and animal skins are used, meat is practically not consumed, since Hindus are mostly vegetarians.
Fishing is of considerable importance in the coastal regions.
Among the others developing countries, transport in India is quite developed. First in importance are railway transport in domestic transportation and maritime - in external.
Foreign economic relations
India is still weakly involved in the MGRT, although foreign trade is of no small importance for its economy. The main export items are light industry products, jewelry, agricultural products, medicines, fuel resources; the share of machinery and equipment is growing.
The largest trading partners are the USA, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Hong Kong.
During the classes
India (Republic of India)
- Area - 3165.6 thousand km (7th place among the states of the world)
- Population - 1020.0 million people. (2nd place)
- GDP (2000) - $1,825 billion (5th)
- GDP per capita - $1,800 (135th)
- Political system: parliamentary federal republic within the Commonwealth
India - country ancient civilization. In the III millennium BC. e. Dravidians who lived in the valley of the river. Indus, created the original Harappan civilization. Around the fifteenth century BC e. The Aryan tribes came to northern India and drove the Dravidians to the south. From these ancient peoples come the modern Indians.
Cultural and historical features of the country
Throughout its history, India has managed to preserve ancient cultural traditions, at the same time adopt new customs and ideas from conquerors and immigrants, and spread its cultural influence to other regions of Asia.
In Indian society, traditional family values are highly respected.
- Architecture
Indian architecture is one of the areas where the diversity of Indian culture is most vividly represented. Much of India's architectural monuments, including such remarkable monuments as the Taj Mahal and other examples of Mongolian and South Indian architecture, are a mixture of ancient and heterogeneous local traditions from different regions of India and abroad.
- Literature
The earliest works of Indian literature were transmitted orally for many centuries and only later were written down. These include Sanskrit literature - the Vedas, the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, the Abhigyan-Shakuntala drama, and the classical Sanskrit Mahakavya poetry - and the Tamil Sang literature.
Features of the economic and geographical position and natural conditions
Administrative-territorial division
The main features of the EGP of India are:
- Located in South Asia, almost symmetrical to the Tropic of the North
- Washed by the waters indian ocean; at southern shores India's sea routes pass from mediterranean sea to the Pacific Ocean
- Has a number of unresolved territorial issues with Pakistan and China, complicates relations between countries
- The terrain makes it difficult to develop economic ties with northern neighbors
Natural conditions of India
The natural conditions of India are diverse:
- Relief:
Himalayas - a chain of ridges with an average height of 3-4 thousand meters in the north of the country
Deccan Plateau
- Climate:
The territory is located in tropical and subequatorial belts with a typical monsoonal climate
Annual temperature - +25 ... +27 С
Diamond cutting
Agriculture in India
The dominant branch of the Indian economy, has a pronounced crop orientation
In terms of agricultural production, the state ranks 4th in the world and is one of the largest producers of tea, peanuts, sugar cane, legumes, jute, and some spices.
2nd place in the world (after China) in the production of rice, 3rd - in the production of tobacco, 4th - in the production of wheat and cotton
Types of agriculture in India
- animal husbandry
15% of the world's cattle population (draft power)
small cattle
poultry farming
Pig breeding
Sea and river fishing
- crop production
Cereals (rice, wheat, millet)
Legumes (beans, peanuts)
Technical
tobacco growing
Spices (black pepper, cloves, cardamom)
Bananas and pineapples (1st in the world)
In India, almost all types of transport are represented:
- Railway (length 62 thousand km, 5th place in the world, most railways are narrow-gauge; 10.5 thousand km are electrified)
- Automobile (the length of motorways is more than 30 thousand km, the total length of auto-drawn roads is 1600 thousand km)
- Maritime (carries out most of the country's foreign trade transportation, 90% of maritime cargo turnover falls on eight main ports, the largest of which is Mumbai)
- Air (serves international and domestic airlines, many transit flights from Europe to South East Asia and Australia)
- India is an extremely peaceful state, never invaded other countries in the last 100,000 years of history.
- The name "India" comes from the name of the Indus River, in the valley of which the houses of the first settlers were located. Aryan believers called the river Indus Sindh.
- Chess was invented in India.
- India is the most democratic country in the world, it is also the sixth largest country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
- India has the largest number post offices in the world!
- The Lotus Temple in India is one of the most visited temples in the world, with more than 50 million people crossing the threshold every year.
- The largest employer in India is the Indian Railways, which employs over a million people.
- India was one of the richest countries during British rule in the early 17th century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by the wealth of India, went in search of a sea route to India, but arrived in America and discovered it by mistake.
- Algebra, trigonometry and calculus also originated in India. Quadratic equations were used by Sridharacharya as early as the 11th century. The highest number that most Greeks and Romans used was 106 while the Indians used the numbers 10 * 53 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific titles, as early as 5000 BC during the Vedic period. Even today, the largest number in use is Tera - 10 * 12 (10 to the power of 12).
- By 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world (
