Asia · Southern Asia
Republic of India
India is the world's most populous country and seventh-largest by area. A land of extraordinary diversity, India encompasses the Himalayan peaks in the north, tropical forests in the south, arid deserts in the west, and fertile river deltas in the east. It is the birthplace of four major world religions and home to thousands of years of continuous civilization.
Uttar Pradesh
State · Lucknow
Maharashtra
State · Mumbai
Tamil Nadu
State · Chennai
West Bengal
State · Kolkata
Karnataka
State · Bengaluru
Gujarat
State · Gandhinagar
Rajasthan
State · Jaipur
Jammu and Kashmir
Union Territory · Srinagar/Jammu
Mumbai
Population: 20,667,656
India's financial capital and the entertainment hub of Bollywood
Delhi
Population: 32,941,000
The National Capital Territory, one of the world's most populous urban areas
Kolkata
Population: 14,974,000
Former British colonial capital, known for its literary and artistic heritage
Chennai
Population: 10,456,000
Major port city in South India, known as the Detroit of Asia for its auto industry
Bengaluru
Population: 12,327,000
India's IT capital and startup hub, known as the Silicon Valley of India
India's geography is dominated by the Himalayan mountain range in the north, the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Thar Desert in the west, and the Deccan Plateau in the south. The country has major rivers including the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus.
India has diverse climate zones. The Himalayas experience alpine conditions. The north has extreme continental temperature variations. The south is tropical with monsoon seasons. The Thar Desert is hot and arid.
Taj Mahal
Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Ivory-white marble mausoleum and UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Himalayas
Northern India
The world's highest mountain range, home to Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga
Golden Temple
Amritsar, Punjab
The holiest gurdwara in Sikhism, with a stunning golden exterior on a sacred lake
Ajanta and Ellora Caves
Maharashtra
UNESCO World Heritage rock-cut cave temples with ancient Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain artwork
India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
India is the world's largest democracy by population.
India has 22 officially recognized languages under the Constitution.
The Indian subcontinent separated from Africa and collided with Asia, creating the Himalayas.
India is the world's largest producer of milk, pulses, and jute.
Chess was invented in India during the Gupta Empire (around 6th century AD).
India is the world's most populous country.
India surpassed China in 2023 to become the world's most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. India's population is projected to continue growing in the coming decades, while China's is expected to decline.
Test your knowledge of world capitals. Can you match the country to its capital city?
Can you identify which country these flags belong to? Test your flag knowledge with this visual geography quiz.
Last updated: 2024-01-01