India Is a Culturally Rich and Vibrant

India is a culturally rich and vibrant land. Its traditions stretch back to one of the oldest civilizations in human history, the Indus Valley civilization, which blossomed during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. ("India") and reached northwestern India. The Indian culture as we know it today emerged when Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded the subcontinent about 1500 B.C. ("India") and mixed with the original Dravidian culture. South Asia was united during the Maurya Empire during the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C., peaking during the rule of Ashoka ("India"). India experienced a Golden Age experiencing a blooming of science, art, and culture during the Gupta dynasty. Islam was introduced to India via a series of invasions that spanned 700 years. The Delhi Sultanate was established in the 10th and 11th centuries through the invasions of the Turks and Afghans. Emperor Babur established the Mughal Dynasty in the early 16th century which rules India for another three hundred years ("India").

Europeans began visiting India during the Mughal Dynasty, however, by the 19th century Great Britain was the prevailing political force. The British Indian Army participated in both World Wars. India gained its independence through years of non-violent resistance, led by Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Their year of independence is 1947 ("India"). India was portioned into two separate states, the predominately Hindu India and the majority Muslim state of Pakistan. Three wars have been fought between the neighbors since 1947, the last war fought in 1971 resulting in the creation of Bangladesh ("India").

Modern India has a number of problems including corruption, overpopulation, environmental problems, and widespread poverty ("India"). However, there has been economic growth since economic reforms in 1991 and a significantly large youthful population are propelling India's rise a local and global power.

Geography:

India lies in South Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between the countries of Burma and Pakistan ("India"). It is a land of different climates, tropical in the south and temperate in the north. There are number of environmental issues plaguing India such as deforestation, soil erosion, air pollution, water pollution, and a large population that is draining natural resources. It is home to the third tallest mountain in the world, Kanchenjunga.

People and Society:

India is a diverse country. There are two main ethnic groups Indo-Aryan being the vast majority and Dravidian being the other dominant ethnic group. 41% of the population speaks Hindi but there are another 14 official languages. The country is 80.5% Hindu, 13.4% Muslim, and 2.3% Christian. The population is growing at a rate of 1.28% ("India").

Government:

The Republic of India is a federal republic with the capital being located in New Delhi. There are officially 28 states and 7 union territories ("India"). Their law system is based off the English model. There are three branches to the government: legislative, executive, and judicial.

The chief of state (President) is Pranab Mukherjee and the Vice President is Mohammad Hamid Ansari. The head of the government is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. There are no term limits for position of President and elected every five years, same as the Vice President ("India").