Republic Of India / Bharatiya Ganarajya
In Southern Asia; upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north; 3,287,263 km2 (slightly > 1/3 U.S.), 49% arable.
Capital New Delhi (pop est. 12.6M)
Population 1.2 B (365/km2)
Life expectancy 66 years
HIV/AIDS 0.3%
Literacy 61%
Lang(s) Hindi (national language, spoken by 41%); other 14 official languages – Bengali 8%, Telegu 7%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 6%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 5%, Malayalam 3%, Kannada 4%, Oriya 3%, Punjabi 3%, Assamese 1%, Maithili 1%, other 6%, English (official, most important language for national, political and commercial communication; 14 other official languages);
Religions Hindu (81%), Muslim (13%), Christian (2%), Sikh (2%); other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi (2%)
Ethnic Groups Indo-Aryan (72%), Dravidian (25%), Mongoloid and other (3%)
Gov’t Federal Republic
GDP/cap $3,100
PCVs 1961-1976, agriculture, food production, nutrition, family planning, health, childcare programs, English language, science education (4,325 volunteers served)
Nat’l holiday Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Books
India: In Word and Imageby Eric Meola
Book Description
Photographer Meola's claims he is drawn to India because the people are blessed with childhood's sense of wonder so his photographs are an affectionate tribute to the subcontinent's diversity and history. Suffused with light and color, his images sidestep clichÈ to achieve an intimacy and spontaneity that readers will relish.
Kids' Books
Boys without names.by Kashmira Sheth
New York: Balzer & Bray, 2010.
Ages 9 to 12.
Music
Shukran Allah30 Greatest Hindi Film/Bollywood Songs
Various Artists
Films
Monsoon Wedding (Mira Nair, 2001)Recipes
Badaami Moong Daal Halwa/ Moong Bean DessertLaasi/Indian Yogurt Drink
