Facts About India
India Basic Facts
- The capital of India is New Delhi.
- The official name of the country is the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya in Hindi).
- The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is responsible for running the government. The President (Ram Nath Kovind) is the head of State.
- India is located on a subcontinent in Asia. The peninsula is shaped like a triangle!
- India borders 7 countries: China, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north or north-west, and with Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east.
- The currency in India is the rupee. $1 USD ~ 75 rupees.
- Most of India has a tropical climate, which means very hot summers, a rainy season, and mild winters.
- India is about 80% Hindu. Other religions include Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Hinduism has a LOT of deities that are common in Indian culture.
- The primary industries include harvesting raw material from nature, such as logging, agriculture, oil & gas, etc.
Fun Facts About India
- India has the 2nd largest population in the world after China.
- Tamil, an Indian language, is thought to be the oldest language in the world. It is still spoken today!
- The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is Varanasi, India.
- India has the second-largest English-speaking population (after the USA).
- India used to be an island! About 50 million years ago, that island collided with the rest of Asia to create what is now the Himalaya mountain range, the tallest and youngest mountain range.
- More vegetarians live in India than in any other country in the world.
History Video About India
Map of India
Color in India on this map of Asia!
India Flag Activity
Flag from HERE
HERE is a fun printable India flag coloring sheet!
Famous India Landmarks
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a beautiful and famous white mausoleum, or tomb, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The whole thing is made out of white marble! She died while giving birth to one of their children and he eventually was laid to rest next to her.
Other Landmarks:
- Kedarnath Temple
- Qutub Minar
- Hawa Mahal
- Red Fort
- Humayun’s Tomb
- Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple
- City Palace of Jaipur
- Tirupati
Featured Important Indian Person: Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas, or Mahatma, Gandhi helped lead India to independence from Great Britain. He was a proponent of nonviolent methods and inspired nonviolent movements for civil rights all across the world.
Gandhi was a devout Hindu and also was a trained lawyer. He lived in South Africa for over 20 years and learned about nonviolent resistance there. Gandhi did a great deal to help with poverty in India, and also supported women’s rights. He also ended sanctioning a group of untouchables, or people who were separated from society due to their background.
Gandhi’s birthday is a national holiday in India and is celebrated on October 2nd. It is also recognized around the world as the International Day of Nonviolence.
