ndia
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 and religious strife, all
this despite impressive gains in economic investment and output.

Geography India

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 territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 54% permanent crops: 3% other: 43% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and
destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms;
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 Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear
T