About India (Please refer to your favourite travel guidebook or the internet for a more in-
depth overview)
Capital City
New Delhi is India’s national capital. The city is situated in the north-central part of the
country on the west bank of the Yamuna River, adjacent to and just south of Delhi city
(Old Delhi) and within the Delhi national capital territory.
Currency
The Indian rupee (sign: ₹; currency code: INR) is the official currency of India. The rupee
is subdivided into 100 paise (singular: paisa). The Reserve Bank of India controls the
issuance of money.
Language
The Indian Constitution recognises 22 different languages. However, due to the country’s
cultural variety, none of the languages are given the status of the National Language.
Only Hindi or English is allowed for official business in the Indian parliament and
government buildings.
Religion
79.8% of the population of India practices Hinduism, 14.2% adheres to Islam, 2.3%
adheres to Christianity, 1.7% adheres to Sikhism, 0.7% adheres to Buddhism, and 0.4%
adheres to Jainism. India has the largest population of people adhering to
Zoroastrianism. The Constitution of India declares India to be a secular state with no
state religion.
Location and size
Located on the Indian subcontinent, the Indian Ocean bounds India on the south, the
Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast; it shares land
borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh
and Myanmar to the east. The country is divided into 28 States (further subdivided into
districts) and eight union territories. It is the seventh largest country in the world, with a
total area of 3,287,263 square kilometres. India measures 3,214 km from north to south
and 2,933 km from east to west. It has a coastline of 7,516.6 km.
Population
The current population of India is 1,417,088,890, making it the second most populous
country in the world.
Dress code
Modesty is taken seriously in India, especially for women. Every gender will have an
easier time wearing loose-fitting clothing covering the legs and arms. Swimwear is only
appropriate for the beach – many locals swim fully clothed. To fit in with the locals,
consider investing in a Kurta Punjabi (long shirt and loose trousers for men) or a salwar
kameez (a long shirt, loose trousers and scarf for women).