resistance to British colonialism under
Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two
countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the
ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic strife, all
this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

India Geography

Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km

land: 2,973,190 sq km

water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km

border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline: 7,000 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling
plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron
ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,
diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use: arable land: 56%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 4%

forests and woodland: 23%

other: 16% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 535,100 sq km (1995/96 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts, flash floods, severe thunderstorms
common; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion;
overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial
effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and
runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable
throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining
natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine L