Country Facts
Location
South Asia.
Language
The main language is Hindi which is spoken by about 40% of the population; English is also enshrined in the constitution for a wide range of official purposes. In addition, 17 regional languages are recognised by the constitution. These include Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya and Punjabi, which are widely used in the north, and Tamil and Telugu, which are common in the south. Other regional languages include Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi. The Muslim population largely speaks Urdu.
Area
3,166,414 sq km (1,222,582 sq miles).
Time Zone
GMT + 5.5.
Electricity
230-240 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs used are of the round two- and three-pin type.
Population
1.2 billion (2009).
Population Density
370 per sq km.
Capital City
New Delhi. Population: 16.6 million (2007).
Government
Republic since 1947.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since 2004.
Head of State
President Pratibha Patil since July 2007.
Religion
About 82% Hindu, 12% Muslim, with Sikh, Christian, Jain, Parsi and Buddhist minorities.
Recent History
Pratibha Patil became India's first female president in July 2007 and her supporters hailed her election as a victory for women. She succeeds APJ Abdul Kalam, an esteemed scientist and the architect of the country's missile program. Patil, of the ruling Congress Party, was previously the governor of Rajasthan.
India has seen several women in powerful positions - most notably Indira Gandhi, one of the world's first female prime ministers in 1966 - but activists say that women still face widespread discrimination both within and beyond the political arena.
Indian foreign policy continues to be dominated by relations with Pakistan. The main cause of friction is the status of Kashmir, a disputed territory straddling both nations. Historically, the USA and China had backed Pakistan while India had close relations with the Soviet Union. The demise of the Soviet Union has not, however, damaged India. China has long viewed India as a rival, however relations between these two emerging economic powers have been steadily improving over recent years.
Communications
Telephone
Country Code: +91.
Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to major towns but is increasing all the time.
Internet
The Internet can be reliably accessed from an increasing number of hotels and from Internet cafés across the country, many now with Wi-Fi.
Media
The state's TV monopoly was broken in 1992, resulting in a boom of private channels. News and entertainment shows are especially popular and a number of 24-hour news channels operate in India. India’s cable TV market is one of the world’s largest. Public TV is run by Doordarshan, while STAR Plus, owned by News Corporation, is one of the most popular private channels. Private radio stations were sanctioned in 2000, but only public All India Radio is allowed to broadcast news. Newspaper circulation has risen, thanks to a growing middle class, as has the number of Internet users. Many newspapers are in English; the most important include The Economic Times, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Punjab Kesari, Deccan Herald, The Statesman, The Pioneer and The Times of India.
Post
Airmail service to Western Europe takes up to two weeks.Regional variations, but generally Mon-Sat 1000-1300 and 1330-1630 in bigger towns and cities.
Public Holidays
Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day
2011
26 Jan *Republic Day
15 Feb Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
3 Mar Mahashivratri
17 Apr Mahavir Jayanthi
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
17 May Buddha Purnima
15 Aug *Independence Day
22 Aug Janmashtami
30 Aug - 31 Aug Id ul Fitr (End of Ramadan)
28 Sep Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
2 Oct *Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
26 Oct Deepavali or Diwali (Festival of Lights)
2 Nov Guru Nanak’s Birthday
6 Nov - 7 Nov Idu’l Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice)
26 Nov Muharram (Islamic New Year)
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day
2012
26 Jan *Republic Day
4 Feb Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
19 Feb Mahashivratri
4 Apr Mahavir Jayanthi
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
28 May Buddha Purnima
10 Aug Janmashtami
15 Aug *Independence Day
19 Aug - 20 Aug Id ul Fitr (End of Ramadan)
2 Oct *Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
24 Oct Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami)
25 Oct Idu’l Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice)
2 Nov Guru Nanak’s Birthday
13 Nov Deepavali or Diwali (Festival of Lights)
15 Nov Muharram (Islamic New Year)
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day
(a) * Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday are universally observed. Public holidays in India tend to be observed on a strictly regional basis. The above dates are Government of India holidays, when government offices will be closed nationwide. In addition, there are numerous festivals and fairs which are also observed in some states as holidays, the dates of which change from year to year. For more details, contact Incredible India. (b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. (c) Although not government official holidays, Christmas Day (25 Dec) and New Year's Day (1 Jan) are widely observed nationally.
