India

SECTION 1: COUNTRY OVERVIEW & GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE
1.1 Basic Country Information
Country NameRepublic of India
Capital CityNew Delhi
BRICS StatusFounding Member – Original BRIC (2006 dialogue; first summit 2009)
Total Population~1.45 billion (2024, UNFPA/World Bank) – world’s most populous country since 2023
Population Growth Rate~0.9% per year (2024, World Bank); declining fertility rate ~2.0
Rural Population (%)~64–65% (~910 million; Census 2011 + projections)
Urban Population (%)~35–36% (~510 million; 2024 est.)
GDP (Nominal)~USD 3.91 trillion (2024, IMF WEO Oct 2025); ~INR 324 lakh crore; world’s 5th largest economy; +8.2% real growth in FY24
GDP per Capita~USD 2,695 (2024, World Bank); PPP: ~USD 10,300
Agriculture’s Share of GDP17.8–18.2% (FY2023-24, Economic Survey 2024-25; agriculture & allied activities)
Agriculture’s Share of Employment~42.3% of population depends on agriculture for livelihood (Economic Survey 2024); ~54.6% of workforce in agriculture & allied (Census 2011)
HDI Rank0.644 (2023/24, UNDP) – Medium Human Development; ~134th globally
Official Language(s)Hindi and English (official); 22 scheduled languages; 121 languages spoken by >10,000 people
CurrencyIndian Rupee (INR); ~83–84 INR/USD (2024 avg)
1.2 Geographic Coordinates & Physical Extent
Total Geographic Area3,287,263 km² – world’s 7th largest country
Northernmost Point37°06′ N (Siachen Glacier, Ladakh)
Southernmost Point6°45′ N (Indira Point, Great Nicobar Island); mainland: 8°04′ N (Kanyakumari)
Easternmost Point97°25′ E (Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh)
Westernmost Point68°07′ E (Ghuar Mota, Gujarat)
Coastline~7,517 km (mainland); ~12,000+ km including islands
Land Borders~15,200 km (borders 7 countries: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Afghanistan via PoK)
Highest PointKangchenjunga, 8,586 m (Sikkim) – world’s 3rd highest (K2 at 8,611 m is in India-administered region)
Major RiversGanges (2,525 km), Brahmaputra, Godavari, Krishna, Narmada, Mahanadi, Cauvery, Indus (in India), Yamuna
1.3 Administrative Divisions
Primary Level28 States and 8 Union Territories
Secondary Level~780 districts
Tertiary Level~6,700+ blocks (tehsils/taluks); ~6.4 lakh villages; ~8,000+ urban local bodies
Key Agricultural StatesUttar Pradesh (#1 food grain + sugarcane); Punjab/Haryana (#1 wheat belt); Madhya Pradesh (#1 pulses + soybean); West Bengal/Andhra Pradesh (rice); Maharashtra (sugarcane + cotton + horticulture); Rajasthan (oilseeds); Karnataka (coffee + millets); Kerala (spices + plantation crops); Gujarat (cotton + groundnut + dairy); Tamil Nadu (rice + horticulture)
Country Name
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india-flag
Document
Country Official Name
BRICS Status
Founding Member – Original BRIC (2006 dialogue; first summit 2009).
Capital City
New Delhi