About Indiadepth overview) (Please refer to your favourite travel guidebook or the internet for a more in-
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).