- India is the largest country in South Asia. The word "Indian" comes from Sindhu, a local name for the Indus River. Indians also call their country "Bharat," the name of a legendary emperor.
- Modern India has an area of about 3.2 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles), and a population of 940 milliIndia stretches from Cape Comorin, 8° north of the equator, to its border with the disputed Kashmir region under Pakistani control. Pakistan lies to the west, and to the east, India shares borders with Bangladesh, China, and Myanmar (Burma)
India's geography and geology are climatically pivotal: the Thar Desert in the northwest and the Himalayas in the north work in tandem to effect a culturally and economically important monsoonal regime. As Earth's highest and most massive mountain range, the Himalayas bar the influx of frigid katabatic winds from the icy Tibetan Plateau and northerly Central Asia. Most of North India is thus kept warm or is only mildly chilly or cold during winter; the same thermal dam keeps most regions in India hot in summer.
The country's meteorological department follows the international standard of four climatological seasons with some local adjustments: winter (December, January and February), summer (March, April and May), a monsoon means rainy season (June to September), and a post-monsoon period (October to November).
Rail Transport
Indian Railway is the 3rd largest rail network in the world after US and China. It is a multi-gauge, multi-traction system covering Broad Gauge (1676 mm), Meter Gauge (1000 mm), Narrow Gauge (762/610 mm) with around 64600 km route.
Road Transport
Roads help in connecting far-fetch villages, interior countryside and hill areas which are not connected with railways. It is complimentary to railways. It acts as arteries for goods and passenger arriving at the railway station and often provides last mile connectivity. India’s road network is the third largest in the world.
Air Transport
The Air transport is the fastest and the costlier mode of transport.
1. It was started in 1911 in India between Allahabad and Naini
2. In 1995, International Airport Authority of India and National Airports Authority were merged to form Airports Authority of India. The authority manages the Civil Aviation Training College at Allahabad and National Institute of Aviation Management and Research at Delhi.
3. Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited has providing helicopter support services to the petroleum sector like ONGC, ODL etc. and also provides services to certain state Governments, PSU and in the North-Eastern States.
Water Transport
Water transport in India is one of the cheapest modes of transportation.
1. There are six national water ways set-up by Inland water ways Authority of India in 1986.
India is known for its penchant for creating sculptural art in caves and temples out of rocks and mountains since the earliest of times. Indian architecture, sculpture and painting went hand-in-hand, creating the beautiful synthesis in the work you see today. The love for colour and design in painting, dance, music or drama has always been a part of the Indian soul. Miniature paintings date back to 11th and 12th Centuries AD. Indian art is deeply rooted in tradition, gods, deities, epical themes, and also warfare. Our classical dance and music is world renowned for its magnificence. Stunning handicrafts and textiles are carried home with a lot of pleasure and enthusiasm by tourists visiting India.
A country as diverse as India is symbolized by the plurality of its culture. India has one of the world's largest collection of songs, music, dance, theatre, folk traditions, performing arts, rites and rituals, paintings and writings that are known as the 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' of humanity.
