Area                        

3 287 2663 Km 2 (World status 7) 

Population             

Over 1 billion

Capital                    

New Delhi

Administration     

28 Union states and 7 Union territories

Political System   

Democratic – Federal Republic since 1950

Languages            

The official language is Hindi which is spoken by 70% of the people of India. English is also used for official and commercial purposes. There are 15 officially recognised regional languages and 107 dialects. some of the languages are - Punjabi,Gujrati, Marathi, Urdu, bengali, Assamese, Kashmiri, Oriya. the four main Dravidian languages spoken in the South of india are Tamil, Telegu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Hindi is written in the Devanagari script.

Religious Groups

Hindus 82%, Muslims 12%, Christians 2.5%, Sikhs2%, Buddhists 1%, Jains .5%, Parsis and Jews 0.5%

Currency               

Indian Rupee ( INR)

Entry Regulations for India

Foreign nationals wishing to visit India must be in possession of a valid passport,and a visa granted by an Indian Mission abroad.The government of India does not allow any visa free entry.Nationals of Nepal and Bhutan are exempted from obtaining a visa, if they have their identity papers.

Visas are of different kinds. The period of their validity is subjected to certain restrictions.All visas specify the number of times a visitor may enter the country. A multiple entry visa must be obtained if one is visiting some of the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka and re- entering India.

Currency in India

Indian currency is based on decimal system- 100 paisa to a rupee. Coins are in the denominations of  5,10,20,25,and 50 paisa though 5, 10 and 20 paisa

have virtually vanished.Thanks to inflation. bank notes are in the denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 rupees.

Foreign Currency Regulations for India

One can bring any amount of foreign currency or traveller's cheques to India. it is desirable to declare it in the currency declaration form handed out to you at the time of arrival.When you change your money into Indian currency, do it at a bank or from an authorised money changer. It helps you to reconvert the left over Indian currency at the time of your departure. In major cities it is possible to change money at airports, hotels, and banks. there is a little problem in smaller towns. It is advisable to bring some US Dollars and English Pounds which can be exchanged more easily in smaller tourist towns.

Time

In India the Greenwich Meridian Time is followed which is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of standard Indian time . Indian Standard Time has no variation in winters or summers.

Which vaccination is compulsory when travelling to India

the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate  is required to be brought into India if a tourist originates from or is travelling through Yellow fever endemic countries. this is conforming to the International Health Regulation. Citizens and travellers coming from United States, Canada and United Kingdom do not require any vaccination certificate or innoculations.

Though it is highly recommended to  get a precautionary measure vaccination against hepatitis B should you plan to stay longer in India. to avoid malaria, dengue carry mosquito repellents and take a course of anti malaria tablets.

What is advisable to eat and drink in India

It is advised to drink bottled water and drinks. tea and coffee must be taken hot. avoid drinking water from the taps. avoid eating spicy food at the beginning of your trip as you are not use to the spices and chillies in the food.  avoid eating street food.

Code of Conduct

Please do remember to remove  your shoes and sandals while visiting temples, mosques and mausoleums. Some temples do not allow leather articles in their premises. In the Sikh temple you also have to remove your socks.

The Indian form of greeting is 'Namaste' which is an all purpose greeting. 

Always use your right hand while eating food.Indian consider left hand to be impure.

How safe is India

India is comparatively a safe country to travel. Crime rate against foreigners is extremely low. However we recommend females not to be alone on the road after dark or get over friendly with boys/men and strangers on the street. 

Tipping

Tipping is part of Indian life, though there is no compulsion.10% of the amount on the bill is normal tipping.for porters in the hotel Rs 20.00 per piece. For tour guides and escorts $2 to 3 per person per day is recommended. for the  driver $1 to 2.