The Republic of India is a country in South Asia. It occupies the major portion of the Indian subcontinent. The capital is New Delhi. India shares borders with Pakistan in the west, with China, Nepal and Bhutan in the northeast, with Bangladesh and Myanma in the east. Besides, India has sea borders with Maldives in the southwest, with Sri Lanka in the south and with Indonesia in the southeast. The disputable territory of State Jammu and Kashmir shares its border with Afghanistan.

The population of India is more than one billion people (1 131 191 071). It is the second most populous country of the world with the population density of 329/km2. India is the seventh largest country by geographical area (3 287 590 km2). India is a native land of many ancient civilizations and a crossing point of important historical trading routes. India is a motherland of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

Until the mid XX century India was a colony of the British Empire. Having received independence in 1947, the country succeeded very much in economic and military development, especially within last two decades.

The official name of the country, India, is derived from ancient Persian word “sindhu”, i.e. a historical name of the Indus River. According to the Constitution it has another name, Bharat, which is derived from the Sanskrit name of the ancient Indian king whose life is described in Mahabharata. The third name, Hindustan, is used since the Great Moguls however has no official status.

India consists of twenty eight states (that in turn are divided into districts), six union territories and National Capital Territory of Delhi. Each state has its own elected government while the union territories are governed by the administrator appointed by the central government. However, several union territories have their own elected governments.

India is a democratic state. The major bodies of state governance are the parliaments and President (Pratibha Patil – the President of India). Members of parliament in the House of People (Lok Sabha) are elected by the direct national ballot vote for 5 years. The major part of members in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) is elected by electoral delegates of state and territorial legislatures in proportion to the state’s population for 6 years. The president of India is the head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He is elected by an electoral college made of members of Parliament and legislative assemblies of the states.

The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. It proclaims fundamental rights of all citizens irrespective of their race and religion, opinion and sex. It also proclaims freedom of speech, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement and travel, freedom of property acquisition and freedom of occupation or profession.

A leading political role in the country is of the Indian National Congress party. Since the date of independence its leaders almost irremovably have been heading the government.

The main political parties: 1. Indian National Congress (INC). As during its more than an age-long history the party suffered several splits, sometimes to be more precise they call it INC-I, Indian National Congress – Indira Gandhi. This left-of-center party ruled the country in 1947-1977, 1980-1989, 1991-1996 and from 2004 until present. 2. Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian People’s Party), BJP, is a right-of-center nationalist party based on the values of Hinduism. It was founded in 1980 by Atal Bihary Vajpai and Lal Krishna Advani. It ruled the country in 1996, and in 1998-2004. Other parties as a rule have strong positions in two-three states only. They include Communist Party of India (Marxist), Samajvadi Party, Janata Dal (unified) and many others.

India is a fast progressing agrarian-industrial country with a developed industry. During the years of its independent development India has done a huge way in the economy, but until now the quarter of its population lives below the breadline. The GDP totals 4 042 000 million Dollars (2006). The most ancient traces of human life in India are represented by petroglyphic drawings of the Stone Age in the Bhimbetka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh. The first known permanent settlements appeared 9000 years ago and resulted in emergence of the Civilization in the Indus Valley, which greatest blossoming was observed in the period from 2600 BC until 1900 BC. The Indus Valley Civilization was followed by the Vedic Civilization. Starting from the V century BC many independent states appeared in the territory of India.