India facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Republic of India Bhārat Gaṇarājya
Flag State emblem
Motto: Satyameva Jayate (Sanskrit) "Truth Alone Triumphs"
Anthem: Jana Gana Mana (Hindi) "Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People"
National song: Vande Mataram (Sanskrit) "I Bow to Thee, Mother"
Territory controlled by India     Territory claimed but not controlled
Capital	New Delhi 28°36′50″N 77°12′30″E / 28.61389°N 77.20833°E / 28.61389; 77.20833
Largest city	Mumbai
Largest city	Delhi
Official languages	Hindi English
Recognised regional languages	State level and Eighth Schedule Eighth Schedule Assamese Bengali Boro Dogri Gujarati Hindi Kannada Kashmiri Konkani Maithili Malayalam Manipuri Marathi Nepali Odia Punjabi Sanskrit Santali Sindhi Tamil Telugu Urdu State level Kokborok Lepcha Mizo Sikkimese all the 8th scheduled languages – except Sindhi, Kashmiri and Dogri
Native languages	424 languages
Religion (2011)	79.8% Hinduism 14.2% Islam 2.3% Christianity 1.7% Sikhism 0.7% Buddhism 0.4% Jainism 0.23% unaffiliated 0.65% other
Demonym(s)	Indian others
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
• President	Droupadi Murmu
• Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Rajya Sabha
• Lower house	Lok Sabha
Independence  from the United Kingdom
• Dominion	15 August 1947
• Republic	26 January 1950
Area
• Total	3,287,263 km2 (1,269,219 sq mi) (7th)
• Water (%)	9.6
Population
• 2023 estimate	1,428,627,663 (1st)
• 2011 census	1,210,854,977 (2nd)
• Density	430.2/km2 (1,114.2/sq mi) (30th)
GDP (PPP)	2025 estimate
• Total	$17.65 trillion (3rd)
• Per capita	$12,132 (119th)
GDP (nominal)	2025 estimate
• Total	$4.19 trillion (4th)
• Per capita	$2,878 (136th)
Gini (2021)	▼ 32.8 medium
HDI (2022)	0.644 medium · 134th
Currency	Indian rupee (₹) (INR)
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+91
ISO 3166 code	IN
Internet TLD	.in (others)

India (Hindi: Bhārat), officially called the Republic of India, is a large country in South Asia. It is also known as Hindustān or Bhārat by its own people. India has the most people in the world and is the seventh largest country by land area.

India is a peninsula, meaning it is surrounded by water on three sides. The Indian Ocean is to the south, the Arabian Sea to the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southeast. India shares its borders with six countries: Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is a nearby island country to the south.

New Delhi is the capital city of India. India has the second largest military in the world. It is also a country with nuclear weapons. India's economy has been growing very fast. It became the fastest-growing economy among the G20 developing nations in 2014. India's education and wealth are also increasing. It is the fifth richest country in the world by total individual wealth. However, India still faces challenges like poverty.

India has the fifth largest economy in the world when measured by its total value (GDP). It is the third largest when comparing what money can buy (GDP PPP). India is a nuclear power and has the second largest military. India has its own space agency (ISRO). This agency has sent spacecraft to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. India is seen as a possible future superpower because of its growing economy and influence around the world.

India has many spoken languages, ranking fourth globally. Only Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Nigeria have more. People of many different religions live in India. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, and Christianity. The first three religions, along with Jainism, started in the Indian subcontinent.

National Symbols of India

National emblem of India

The National emblem of India shows four lions standing back-to-back. These lions represent power, pride, confidence, and bravery. Only the government can use this emblem. This is stated in the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005.

The name India comes from the Greek word Indus. This word came from sindhu, which later became Hind or Hindi or Hindu. The people of India often call their country "Bhārat" in Hindi and other Indian languages. This is the name they prefer.

Some of India's national symbols are:

• National anthem: Jana Gana Mana
• National song: Vande Mataram
• National animal: Tiger
• National bird: Peacock
• National flower: Lotus
• National tree: Banyan
• National river: Ganges (Ganga)
• National Aquatic Animal: Ganges River Dolphin
• National fruit: Mango
• National heritage animal: Elephant
• National heritage bird: Indian eagle

• 

  Panthera tigris
  Tiger
  (national animal)
• 

  Pavo cristatus
  Peacock
  (national bird)
• 

  Nelumbonucifera
  Lotus
  (national flower)
• 

  Ficus benghalensis
  Banyan
  (national tree)
• 

  Ganges river

• 

  Ganges river dolphin

• 

  Mango

• 

  Indian eagle

India's History

The Taj Mahal in Agra was built by Shah Jahan. It is a memorial to his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the world's oldest languages, Tamil and Sanskrit, began in what is now India. Both languages are more than 3000 years old. The religion of Hinduism was founded in India. Most Indians still follow this religion.

Around 300 BC, a king named Chandragupt Maurya built the Maurya Empire. This empire united most of South Asia into one country. After 180 BC, many other countries invaded India. Later, from 100 BC to AD 1100, other Indian empires rose. These included the Chalukyas, Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas. Southern India was known for its science, art, and writing during this time. The Cholas of Thanjavur were strong at sea. They invaded places like Malaya, Borneo, and Cambodia. Their influence can still be seen in Southeast Asia.

Many different ruling families, called dynasties, controlled parts of India around the year 1000. These included the Mughal, Vijayanagara, and Maratha empires. In the 1600s, European countries started to invade India. By 1856, the British controlled most of India.

In the early 1900s, millions of people peacefully protested against British rule. One important leader of this freedom movement was Mahatma Gandhi. He used only peaceful methods, like "ahimsa", which means "non-violence". On August 15, 1947, India became free and independent from the British Empire. India's constitution was created on January 26, 1950. Indians celebrate this day every year as Republic Day. Jawaharlal Nehru became India's first official leader, the Prime Minister.

After 1947, India had a planned economy. It was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations. India has fought several wars since its independence. These include wars with Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999. It also fought a war with China in 1962. India also used force to take Goa in 1961. Goa was a port city controlled by the Portuguese. India has also conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. It is one of the few countries with nuclear bombs. Since 1991, India's economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world.

How India is Governed

Parliament of India

India is the world's largest democracy. This means its government is chosen by the people.

India's government has three main parts:

• The Legislative branch: This part makes the laws. It is called the Parliament.
• The Executive branch: This part runs the government.
• The Judiciary branch: This part makes sure laws are followed. It includes the Supreme Court.

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is the Parliament of India. It is located in New Delhi, India's capital. The Parliament has two houses:

• The upper house: Rajya Sabha (Council of States), with 250 members.
• The lower house: Lok Sabha (House of People), with 552 members.

Executive Branch

The executive branch includes the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers. The President of India is chosen for five years. The President selects the Prime Minister, who holds most of the power. The Council of Ministers, like the Minister of Defence, helps the Prime Minister. The President of India has less power than the Prime Minister.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch includes India's courts, especially the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of India leads the Supreme Court. Supreme Court members can stop a law passed by Parliament if they believe it is against the Constitution of India. India also has 24 High Courts.

Geography and Climate

Rivers of India

India is the seventh biggest country in the world. It forms the main part of the Indian subcontinent. India is bordered by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Bhutan, and Nepal. It is also close to Sri Lanka, an island country. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which belong to India, are near Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

India is a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. The Arabian Sea is to the west, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the east. India's coastline is about 7,517 kilometers (4,671 miles) long.

Northern India has many mountains. The most famous mountain range is the Himalayas. These mountains include some of the world's tallest peaks. India has many rivers. The main rivers are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Yamuna, the Godavari, the Kaveri, the Narmada, and the Krishna.

India has different climates. In the South, the climate is mostly tropical. This means it can be very hot in summer and cool in winter. The northern part has a cooler climate, called sub-tropical. Mountainous areas have an alpine climate, which can be extremely cold. The west coast and Eastern Himalayan foothills get very heavy rainfall. The western parts are drier.

Because of India's deserts, the whole country gets rain for four months of the year. This period is called the monsoon. The deserts pull in water-filled winds from the Indian Ocean. These winds bring rain when they reach India. If the monsoon rains are late or light, droughts can happen. Monsoons usually arrive around July or August.

India's Military

The Indian Armed Forces are India's military. They include the Army, Navy, and Air Force. There are also other groups like Paramilitary forces and the Strategic Nuclear Command.

The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. However, the Ministry of Defence manages the armed forces. In 2010, the Indian Armed Forces had 1.32 million active soldiers. This makes it one of the largest militaries in the world.

The Indian Army is becoming more modern. It is buying and making new weapons. It is also building defenses against missiles from other countries. In 2011, India bought more weapons than any other nation.

Since its independence in 1947, India has fought four wars with Pakistan. It also fought a war with China.

Indian States and Territories

For easier management, India is divided into smaller parts. Most of these parts are called states. Some are called union territories. States and union territories are governed differently. Most union territories are ruled by administrators sent by the central government. All states, and the territories of Delhi and Puducherry, elect their own local governments. In total, India has twenty-eight states and eight union territories.

These are the states and territories of India.

States:

Union territories:

Border Disputes

India has some disputes about its borders. Countries do not always agree on where the exact lines are. For example, Pakistan and China do not agree that Jammu and Kashmir belongs entirely to India. The Indian government says it is an Indian state. India, in turn, does not recognize the parts of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan and China.

In 1914, British India and Tibet agreed on a border called the McMahon Line. This was part of the Simla Accord. However, China later disagreed with this agreement in July 1914. Indians and Tibetans see this line as the official border. China does not agree. Both mainland China and Taiwan claim that Arunachal Pradesh, an Indian state, is part of South Tibet, which they say belongs to China.

India's Economy

India's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. It is the 7th largest globally by its total value ($2,250 billion USD). When comparing what money can buy (PPP), it is the 3rd largest economy (worth US$8.720 trillion). The economy grew by 8.25% in 2010. However, the average income per person is still $3678 per year (considering PPP).

India's economy is varied, meaning it has many different parts. The main parts of India's economy are:

• Service sector: 43% (jobs like IT, banking, tourism)
• Industries: 41% (making things in factories)
• Information technology: 7% (computers and software)
• Farming: 7% (growing food)
• Outsourcing: 2% (companies hiring people in India to do work for them)

Major industries in India include automobiles, cement, chemicals, consumer electronics, food processing, machinery, mining, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, steel, transportation equipment, and textiles.

Despite this economic growth, India still has poverty. In 2004–2005, 27.5% of the people lived in poverty. By 2009, 68% of the population lived on less than US$2 a day.

People of India

This map shows how many people live in different parts of India.

There are about 1.4 billion people living in India. In 2023, India became the world's most populous country, passing China.

About 65% of Indians live in rural areas. These are areas mostly used for farming. The largest cities in India are Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. India has 23 official languages. In total, 1,625 different languages are spoken across India.

Languages of India

India has many different languages and cultures. There are two main language families in India: the Indo-Aryan and the Dravidian languages. About 69% of Indians speak an Indo-Aryan language. About 26% speak a Dravidian language. Other languages in India come from the Austro-Asiatic group. Around 5% of people speak a Tibeto-Burman language.

Hindi is the official language of India and has the most speakers. It is the official language for the central government. English is also used a lot, especially for business and government work. It is a 'subsidiary official language'. The Indian constitution also recognizes 21 other languages. These languages are either spoken by many people or are very important to Indian culture. India has as many as 1,652 different dialects.

In southern India, many people speak Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. In the north, many people speak Chhattisgarhi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Odia, and Bihari.

India has 27 official languages. Its constitution lists the country's name in each of these languages. Hindi and English are the "official languages of the union" (meaning the Federal Government in Delhi). Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia are officially called "classical languages of India."

Indian Culture

Cave paintings from the Stone Age have been found across India. These paintings show dances and rituals. They suggest that people had a religion even in prehistoric times. The earliest versions of the epic poems Ramayana and Mahabharata were written around 500–100 BCE. However, people told these stories by word of mouth for centuries before that. Other Stone Age sites in India, like the Bhimbetka rock shelters, show rock art. This art also suggests religious practices and music.

The Harmandir Sahib, also known as The Golden Temple, is a holy place for Sikhs.

Several modern religions started in India. These include modern Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. All these religions have different ways of thinking and traditions. Together, they are sometimes called Eastern religions. Indian religions share many similarities. Their basic beliefs, ways of worship, and practices are often alike. This is because they have a shared history and origins. They have also influenced each other over time.

Hinduism is the main religion in India, followed by 79.80% of people. Islam is followed by 14.23%, Christianity by 2.30%, Sikhism by 1.72%, Buddhism by 0.70%, and Jainism by 0.37%.

Technology and Space

In 2014, India sent a spacecraft to Mars for the first time. This made India the fourth country and the first Asian country to successfully do this. The mission was called the Mars Orbiter Mission.

The ISRO set a world record by launching 104 satellites in one mission. India became the first nation to launch over a hundred satellites at once. This was more than Russia's previous record of 37 satellites in 2014.

Popular Culture

India has the largest movie industry in the world. It is based in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. This industry is also called Bollywood. Bollywood makes about 1,000 movies a year. This is about twice as many as Hollywood.

Traditional Clothing

Women in sari at an adult literacy class in Tamil Nadu

A man in dhoti and wearing a woollen shawl, in Varanasi

For a long time, the most common traditional clothing in India was draped. Women wore a sari, which is a single piece of cloth many yards long. The sari was wrapped around the lower body and over the shoulder. Today, it is often worn with an underskirt and an Indian blouse, or choli. The end of the sari goes over the shoulder to cover the upper body. Men wore a similar but shorter cloth called the dhoti around their lower body.

Women (from left to right) in churidars and kameez, jeans and sweater, and pink Shalwar kameez

Stitched clothes became popular after Muslim rule began around 1300 CE. This continued with the Mughal Empire around 1525 CE. Some clothes introduced then are still worn today. These include shalwars and pyjamas, which are types of trousers. Also popular are the tunics called kurta and kameez. In southern India, traditional draped clothes continued to be worn for much longer.

Shalwars are usually wide at the waist but get narrow at the bottom. They are held up by a drawstring. This makes them pleated around the waist. These pants can be wide and baggy. Or, they can be cut very narrow, called churidars. Pyjamas are wide at the waist and hemmed at the bottom, not cuffed. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic. Its side seams are open below the waist. The kurta traditionally has no collar and is made of cotton or silk. It can be plain or have embroidery. It usually falls to just above or below the knees.

In the last 50 years, fashion in India has changed a lot. In northern Indian cities, the sari is less common for everyday wear. However, it is still popular for special events. Younger women in cities rarely wear the traditional shalwar kameez. They prefer churidars or jeans. In offices, men often wear sports jackets all year due to air conditioning. For weddings, men in the middle and upper classes often wear bandgala (short Nehru jackets) with pants. Grooms and their friends might wear sherwanis and churidars. The dhoti, once worn by almost all Hindu men, is now rarely seen in cities.

Indian Food

South Indian vegetarian thali, or platter

Railway mutton curry from Odisha

A typical Indian meal usually has a plain cooked grain. This is served with flavorful savory dishes. The grain could be steamed rice. Or it could be chapati, a thin bread made from wheat flour. Other options include idli, a steamed breakfast cake, or dosa, a griddled pancake. These are made from rice and gram flour.

The savory dishes might include lentils, pulses, and vegetables. These are often spiced with ginger and garlic. Other spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamon are also used. Sometimes, poultry, fish, or meat dishes are included. All the ingredients might be mixed together while cooking.

A platter, or thali, is often used for eating. It has a central spot for the cooked grain. Smaller bowls around it hold the savory dishes. The grain and its side dishes are eaten together. People might mix rice with lentils. Or they might fold, wrap, scoop, or dip chapati with cooked vegetables or lentils.

India has unique vegetarian foods. These are shaped by the geography and culture of different groups. The idea of ahimsa, or avoiding violence towards all life, appeared early in Indian history. This idea was strong in Upanishadic Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. This led to many people in India, especially in the south, Gujarat, and north-central India, becoming vegetarian. Although meat is eaten widely, people eat less meat overall compared to other foods. Unlike China, India has increased its dairy consumption more than meat consumption as its economy grew. This is due to strong food traditions.

New cooking methods came to India during the Mughal Empire. Dishes like pilaf, which came from the Abbasid caliphate, became popular. Also, marinating meat in yogurt spread from regions to the northwest. In India, people added onions, garlic, almonds, and spices to the yogurt marinade. Rice was partly cooked and layered with sautéed meat. The pot was sealed and slow-cooked. This Persian method created what is now the Indian biryani. Biryani is a special dish for celebrations in many parts of India.

In Indian restaurants worldwide, the variety of Indian food is sometimes hidden. This is because Punjabi cuisine is very popular. Tandoori chicken, cooked in a tandoor oven, became famous in the 1950s. The tandoor oven was traditionally used for baking bread in rural Punjab and Delhi. It originally came from Central Asia. Its popularity grew because people from Punjab, who were displaced by the 1947 partition of India, started businesses.

Sports and Recreation

Girls play hopscotch in Jaora, Madhya Pradesh.

Several traditional Indian sports are still popular. These include kabaddi, kho kho, pehlwani (wrestling), and gilli-danda. Martial arts like Kalarippayattu and marma adi are also enjoyed. Chess is believed to have started in India as chaturaṅga. In recent years, more Indian grandmasters have emerged. Viswanathan Anand became the Chess World Champion in 2007 and held the title until 2013. Parcheesi comes from Pachisi, another traditional Indian game. Mughal emperor Akbar the Great played Pachisi on a giant marble court.

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. Major domestic leagues include the Indian Premier League. Other professional sports leagues include the Indian Super League (football) and the Pro Kabaddi league.

Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar about to score a record 14,000 runs in Test cricket in Bangalore, 2010.

India has won two ODI Cricket World Cups. These were in 1983 and 2011. India also won the first Twenty20 International Cricket Champions in 2007. India has also won eight field hockey gold medals at the Summer Olympics.

The Indian Davis Cup team and other have done well since the early 2010s. This has made tennis more popular in the country. India is strong in shooting sports. It has won many medals at the Olympics, World Shooting Championships, and Commonwealth Games. Indians have also done well internationally in badminton (like Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu), boxing, and wrestling. Football is popular in West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the north-eastern states.

India has hosted or co-hosted several international sports events. These include the 1951 and 1982 Asian Games. It also hosted the 1987, 1996, and 2011 Cricket World Cup tournaments. Other events include the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, and the 2009 World Badminton Championships. India also hosted the 2010 Hockey World Cup, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Major annual events in India are the Maharashtra Open, the Mumbai Marathon, and the Delhi Half Marathon. The first Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix was held in late 2011 but was stopped after 2014. India has traditionally been the strongest country at the South Asian Games. For example, the Indian basketball team has won four out of five tournaments so far.

See also

In Spanish: India para niños