Background of India
Population India's population is estimated to be around 1.27 billion in 2015, with a growth rate of 1.24 in 2015. The average annual birth rate per 100 people is from 2010-2013 is 21, while the death rate is an average of 8 annually from 2010-2012. Age structure Below are some statistics about the age structure of India. Overall, the population pyramid of India is at stage 2, where the birth rate is high while the death rate is around moderate levels. 0-14 years: 28.5% (male 187,016,401/female 165,048,695) 15-24 years: 18.1% (male 118,696,540/female 105,342,764) 25-54 years: 40.6% (male 258,202,535/female 243,293,143) 55-64 years: 7% (male 43,625,668/female 43,175,111) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 34,133,175/female 37,810,599) (2014 est.) Geography India spans over 3.3 million km² (1.3 million sq. mi.), and is located in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan. There are all sorts of terrain in India, ranging from the Himalaya mountains to river deltas. There are also many patches of forest and grasslands in India, home to many species of animals Economy The Economy of India is the seventh-largest in the world by nominal Gross Domestic Product and the third-largest by purchasing power party. The growth rate of India's economy is around 7.5 in 2014, and is predicted to further increase in years to come. Religion Based on the 2011 census, 78.35% of the population of India practice Hinduism. Islam (14.88%), Christianity (2.5%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (0.8%) and Jainism (0.4%) are the other major religions followed by the people of India.There are also numerous minor faiths, though these have been affected by major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. History The Indus Valley Civilisation, spanning at least 5000 years, is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Though western exploration, trade started in some parts of India in the 16th century; from the late 18th century to the middle of 19th century, large areas of India were annexed by the British East India Company. Dissatisfaction with Company rule led to the Rebellion of 1857, after which the British Provinces of India were directly administered by the British and witnessed a period of both rapid development of infrastructure and economic stagnation. During the first half of the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched with the leading party involved being the India national congress which was later joined by other organizations as well.The subcontinent gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, after the British provinces were separated into the dominions of India and Pakistan and the other British states all acceded to one of the new states. Politics Politics in India take place within the framework of its constitution as India is a federal parliamentary democratic replubic in which the President of India is the head of state and the Prime Minister of India is the head of government. India follows the dual polity system, a double government which consists of the central authority at the centre and states at the periphery. The constitution defines the organisation, powers and limitations of both central and state governments, and it is well-recognized, rigid and considered supreme; which means laws of the nation must conform to it. There is a provision for a bicarmel legislature consisting of an Upper House, which represents the states of the Indian federation and a lower house, which represents the people of India as a whole. The Indian constitution provides for an independent Judiciary which is headed by the Supreme Court. The court's mandate is to protect the constitution, to settle disputes between the central government and the states, inter-state disputes, and nullify any central or state laws that go against the constitution. The governments, union or state, are formed through elections held every five years (unless otherwise specified), by parties that claim a majority of members in their respective lower houses. |