India is a subcontinent in Southeast Asia bordered by six countries. It is the seventh-largest country by area, but it has the second-largest population in the world, with more than 1.1 billion people. Two-thirds of the population live on or near the coasts of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal. India has the third largest mountain in the world, Kanchenjunga, which sits on the border with Nepal.
The country’s official name is the Republic of India. It declared independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. The difficult campaign for independence was led by Mahatma Ghandi, a leader committed to non-violence and civil disobedience. India’s head of state is the president; however, the country is actually governed by its prime minister. India is the most populous democracy in the world.
India is a very culturally and ethnically diverse country, with more than 23 official languages, including Hindi, English, and 21 tribal and regional languages. Hindu is the major religion.
Calcutta is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of India, home to more than 18 million people in the city and surrounding areas. It is the capital of the state of West Bengal. Once the center of modern education, industry, science, culture, and politics in India, Calcutta has witnessed intense political violence and economic stagnation from the years starting 1954 and continuing to this day. However, since the year 2000, economic rejuvenation has led to the city's growth. Like the other metropolitan cities of India, Calcutta continues to struggle with urban problems like poverty, pollution and traffic congestion.
Calcutta is considered the “Mecca of Indian Football” (Soccer). Soccer and cricket are the two major sports of the city. The Calcutta Football League was begun in 1898, the oldest football league in Asia. One of the largest football stadiums in the world is Saltlake Stadium of Calcutta.
The biggest festival of Hinduism is the Durga Puja, which is a five-day celebration in Calcutta for the ten-armed goddess, Durga.
India Profile
Population: 1,147,995,898
Capital: New Delhi
Heads of Government: President- Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister-Dr. Manmohan Singh
Currency: Indian Rupee
Religions: Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, Other 1.9%