Flag :
The colors of the Indian flag were taken from the flag of the Indian National Congress. Dark orange represents courage and sacrifice. Green represents faith, fertility, and chivalry. White represents truth and peace. The emblem in the center was added upon independence in 1947. It is a Buddhist dharma chakra,
or wheel of life, used in India thousands of years ago.
Highest Point : Kanchenjunga 8598 m (28,209 ft) above sea level
Lowest Point : Sea level along the coast
CLIMATE
Average Temperatures
January 14° C 57° F
July 32° C 88° F
January 24° C 76° F
July 27° C 81° F
Population : 966,783,171 (1997 estimate)
Population Density : (791 persons/sq mi) (1997 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown : 27%Urban 73%Rural (1996 estimate)
Largest Cities
: 9,925,891
: 7,206,704
Calcutta :4,399,819
Languages
Official Languages : Hindi, English
Other Languages :
17 languages recognized for official purposes:
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu; many other languages and dialects
Religions : 82%Hinduism, 12%Muslim, 2%Christianity, 2%Sikhism, 1%Other
Gross Domestic Product : $358.0 billion
Chief Economic Products :
Agriculture
Sugarcane, rice, wheat, tea, cotton, jute, vegetables, melons, sorghum, millet, cashews, coffee, spices, livestock
Fishing:
Shrimps and prawns, croakers, Indian oil sardines, Bombay ducks, anchovies, Indian mackerel, marine catfish
Mining:
Iron ore, coal, bauxite, manganese, mica, dolomite, copper, petroleum, natural gas, chromium, lead, limestone, phosphate rock, zinc, gold, silver
Manufacturing:
Textiles, iron and steel, processed agricultural products, machinery, Transportation equipment, nonferrous metals, fertilizer, refined petroleum, chemicals, computer software
Employment Breakdown
64%Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
20%Services
15%Industry
Major Exports
Gems and jewelry, engineering goods, garments, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, cotton yarn and fabrics, leather and leather goods, marine products, iron ore, tea, vegetables and fruit, petroleum products, handmade carpets
Major Imports
Petroleum and petroleum products, nonelectric machinery, precious and semiprecious stones, inorganic chemicals, iron and steel, fertilizers, electrical machinery, resins and plastics
Major Trading Partners
United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong
Currency : Rupee
Exchange Rate : 42.49 rupees = U.S.$1 (1998)
Form of Government: Federal republic
Head of State
President : Elected by an electoral college to a five-year term
Head of Government
Prime minister : Appointed by the president
Legislature
Lok Sabha (House of the People) : 545 members
Rajya Sabha (Council of States) : 245 members
Voting Qualifications : 18 years or older
Highest Court : Supreme Court
Armed Services : Army, Navy, Air Force
Political Divisions : 26 states and six union territories