India is the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. It is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. It is home to some of the most ancient civilisations, and a centre of important historic trade routes. Four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism have originated from India. Formerly a major part of the British Empire as the British Raj before gaining independence in 1947, during the past twenty years the country has grown significantly, especially in its economic and military spheres, regionally as well as globally.

India is also the World's Largest Democracy, with an electorate of over 600 million people. Since its independence in 1947, and the birth of the Republic in 1950, India has conducted 14 general elections and has been the most continous and stable democracy in Asia. India, with 28 states and 7 union territories, is also the largest federal republic in the world.

The official name of the country, India IPA: /'?ndi?/, is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus; see Origin of India's name. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat (Hindi: ???? IPA: /'b?????t?h/ listen ?(?)),which is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king, whose story is to be found in the Mahabharata, as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan or Land of the Hindus in Persian, has been used since Mughal times, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied due to domestic disputes over its representative as a national signifier.

Index Mya1 Mya2 Mya3 Mya4

auto parts Cream puff Crumble Danish pharmacy product information Miscellaneous Tsunami world house information