India is often referred to as a subcontinent of Southern Asia, owing to its distinct and vast landmass. Surrounded by sea on three sides, the majestic Himalayas separates it from the rest of mainland Asia. India is famous for its ancient history, varied landscapes and diverse culture. Mark Twain, a celebrated American author, once said:
“India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great-grandmother of tradition.”
LARGEST DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD,
India is the 7th largest country in the world, measuring a total area of 3.29 MN sq km. According to UN estimates, the country is home to 18 percent of the world’s population.
India is renowned as the most populous democracy in the world. The number of registered voters in the 2019 general election stood at about 911 MN.
HIGHEST NUMBER OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGES,
India has 22 official languages. The eighth schedule of the Indian constitution lists the official languages. It originally included 14 languages.
Subsequently, Sindhi was added in 1967 by the 21st amendment. In 1992, Nepali languages were included by the 71st amendment. Four more languages, - Santa, were added in 2003 by the 92nd amendment.
The WORLD’S LARGEST POSTAL NETWORK,
India has a postal network of 1,55,531 post offices, as per India Post’s annual report 2018-19. Over 80 percent of the branches are located in rural areas.
According to the Indian Postal Department, a post office serves an area of 21.56 sq km and a population of 7,753 people.
WORLD’S HIGHEST CRICKET GROUND
Perched at an altitude of 2,444 m (8,108 ft), the Chai Cricket stadium of Himachal Pradesh is the highest cricket ground in the world.
In 1893, it was built by Maharajah Bhupinder Singh of the erstwhile princely state of NSA State. The stadium offers breathtaking views of the surrounding Himachal Range (Lesser Himalayas).
THE MOST NUMBER OF TIGERS
India boasts of nearly 3,000 tigers in the wild, which is 70% of the world’s tiger population.
According to the 2018 tiger census report, the population of tigers in India has more than doubled in the last 12 years (1,411 tigers in 2006).
THE BIGGEST HUMAN GATHERING
In India is famous for organizing gumbo Mel, one of the most celebrated religious congregations. Gumbo Mel is touted as the largest peaceful gathering of humanity on earth.
The gumbo Mel 2019, held in Allahabad, witnessed 220 MN visitors. On 4th February 2019, it was visited by around 50 MN people, which is the highest ever human gathering at one place in a single day.
DIAMONDS WERE FIRST MINED IN INDIA,
Diamonds are one of the most precious stones known to humankind. India was the only source of diamonds to the world until Brazil discovered diamonds in the early 1700s.
The earliest known records of Indian diamonds trace back to the 4th century BC, albeit the exact year is unknown. India is famous for producing some of the most elegant diamonds including Kohinoor, Daria-i-Noor and Moon of Baroda.
ORIGIN OF AYURVEDA,
One of the earliest systems of medicines, Ayurveda originated in India during the Vedic era. The hymns of Adhara Veda describe diseases and medicinal plants.
The LARGEST PRODUCER OF SPICES,
India is famous for producing nearly 70% of the world’s spices. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, India produces about 75 of the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
In addition, the country is also known as the largest consumer and exporter of spices. It exports spices to several countries including the USA, Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh.
ONE-HORNED RHINOS,
Once on the brink of extinction, the success story of one-horned rhino, conservation is a matter of pride for humankind.
According to the Worldwide Fund – India, the rhino, population has increased from 75 in 1905, to 3600 in 2020. India is famous for being home to the most number of one-horned rhinos, with Assam’s Tauranga National Park serving as a major habitat.
BANDURA WORLD SEA LINK
Bandura World Sea Link perfectly epitomizes the best of Indian engineering. Officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, it connects Mumbai’s Western Suburbs with South Mumbai by sea route.
Its weight is equal to that of 50,000 African Elephants put together. The length of the steel wire used in this bridge is equivalent to the circumference of the earth.
THE WETTEST PLACE ON EARTH
A small town in Meghalaya, It is recognized as the world’s wettest place on earth. It gets an average annual rainfall of 11,872 mm.
Nearly 15 km away from that, another town in Meghalaya, It holds the all-time record for the most rainfall in a calendar year.
It received 26,461 mm rainfall between August 1, 1860, and July 31, 1861, which is considered the highest ever recorded rainfall in a year.
OVER TO YOU NOW…
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