2013 Edition

Background

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence, which was granted in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring nations have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991 and a massive youthful population are driving India's emergence as a regional and global power.

Area

3,287,263 sq km 2,973,193 sq km 314,070 sq km

total

3,287,263 sq km

water

314,070 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Climate

varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Coastline

7,000 km

Elevation extremes

Indian Ocean 0 m Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

highest point

Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling none of the selected agreements

party to

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

761 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%) 613 cu m/yr (2010)

per capita

613 cu m/yr (2010)

total

761 cu km/yr (7%/2%/90%)

Geographic coordinates

20 00 N, 77 00 E

Geography - note

dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal

Irrigated land

663,340 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

14,103 km Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

border countries

Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

total

14,103 km

Land use

47.87% 3.74% 48.39% (2011)

arable land

47.87%

other

48.39% (2011)

permanent crops

3.74%

Location

Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes Barren Island (elev. 354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years

volcanism

Barren Island (elev. 354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years

Natural resources

coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Terrain

upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Total renewable water resources

1,911 cu km (2011)

Age structure

28.9% (male 187,236,677/female 165,219,615) 18.2% (male 117,385,009/female 104,516,448) 40.4% (male 253,642,261/female 239,219,931) 6.9% (male 42,307,170/female 41,785,413) 5.7% (male 32,992,850/female 36,494,985) (2013 est.)

0-14 years

28.9% (male 187,236,677/female 165,219,615)

15-24 years

18.2% (male 117,385,009/female 104,516,448)

25-54 years

40.4% (male 253,642,261/female 239,219,931)

55-64 years

6.9% (male 42,307,170/female 41,785,413)

65 years and over

5.7% (male 32,992,850/female 36,494,985) (2013 est.)

Birth rate

20.24 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

26,965,074 12 % (2006 est.)

percentage

12 % (2006 est.)

total number

26,965,074

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

43.5% (2006)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

54.8% (2007/08)

Death rate

7.39 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios

52.4 % 44.3 % 8 % 12.4 (2013)

elderly dependency ratio

8 %

potential support ratio

12.4 (2013)

total dependency ratio

52.4 %

youth dependency ratio

44.3 %

Drinking water source

urban: 97% of population rural: 90% of population total: 92% of population urban: 3% of population rural: 10% of population total: 8% of population (2010 est.)

rural

10% of population

total

8% of population (2010 est.)

urban

3% of population

Education expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2010)

Ethnic groups

Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Health expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2011)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

170,000 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2.4 million (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2005)

Infant mortality rate

44.6 deaths/1,000 live births 43.28 deaths/1,000 live births 46.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

female

46.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total

44.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9% English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census)

English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other offici

Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth

67.48 years 66.38 years 68.7 years (2013 est.)

female

68.7 years (2013 est.)

total population

67.48 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 62.8% 75.2% 50.8% (2006 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

50.8% (2006 est.)

male

75.2%

total population

62.8%

Major infectious diseases

very high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria leptospirosis rabies highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

water contact disease

leptospirosis

Major urban areas - population

NEW DELHI (capital) 21.72 million; Mumbai 19.695 million; Kolkata 15.294 million; Chennai 7.416 million; Bangalore 7.079 million (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

200 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

Median age

26.7 years 26.1 years 27.4 years (2013 est.)

female

27.4 years (2013 est.)

male

26.1 years

total

26.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9 (2006 est.)

Nationality

Indian(s) Indian

adjective

Indian

noun

Indian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

1.9% (2008)

Physicians density

0.65 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

1,220,800,359 (July 2013 est.)

Population growth rate

1.28% (2013 est.)

Religions

Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 58% of population rural: 23% of population total: 34% of population urban: 42% of population rural: 77% of population total: 66% of population (2010 est.)

rural

77% of population

total

66% of population (2010 est.)

urban

42% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

11 years 11 years 10 years (2010)

female

10 years (2010)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

1.12 male(s)/female 1.13 male(s)/female 1.12 male(s)/female 1.06 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.91 male(s)/female 1.08 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

0-14 years

1.13 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.12 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.06 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.91 male(s)/female

at birth

1.12 male(s)/female

total population

1.08 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.55 children born/woman (2013 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

10.2% 9.8% 11.5% (2010)

female

11.5% (2010)

total

10.2%

Urbanization

31.3% of total population (2011) 2.47% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.47% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

31.3% of total population (2011)

Administrative divisions

28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal although its status is that of a union territory, the official name of Delhi is National Capital Territory of Delhi

Capital

New Delhi 28 36 N, 77 12 E UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

28 36 N, 77 12 E

name

New Delhi

time difference

UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1935 (preindependence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950; amended many times, last in 2013 (2013)

Country name

Republic of India India Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya India/Bharat

conventional long form

Republic of India

conventional short form

India

local long form

Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya

local short form

India/Bharat

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL (since 19 April 2012) Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 use embassy street address [91] (11) 2419-8000 [91] (11) 2419-0017 Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad; Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)

chief of mission

Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL (since 19 April 2012)

consulate(s) general

Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad; Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)

embassy

Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

FAX

[91] (11) 2419-0017

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[91] (11) 2419-8000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Nirupama RAO (since 7 September 2011) 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 939-7000 [1] (202) 265-4351 Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

chancery

2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Nirupama RAO (since 7 September 2011)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 265-4351

telephone

[1] (202) 939-7000

Executive branch

President Pranab MUKHERJEE (since 22 July 2012); Vice President Mohammad Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007) Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004) Union Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held in July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held in August 2012 (next to be held in August 2017); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2009 (next to be held no later than May 2014) Pranab MUKHERJEE elected president; percent of vote - Pranab MUKHERJEE 69.31%, Purno SANGMA - 30.69%

cabinet

Union Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

chief of state

President Pranab MUKHERJEE (since 22 July 2012); Vice President Mohammad Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007)

election results

Pranab MUKHERJEE elected president; percent of vote - Pranab MUKHERJEE 69.31%, Purno SANGMA - 30.69%

elections

president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held in July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held in August 2012 (next to be held in August 2017); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2009 (next to be held no later than May 2014)

head of government

Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility; the blue chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band

Government type

federal republic

Independence

15 August 1947 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (the chief justice and 25 associate justices); note - parliament approved an additional 5 judges in 2008 note - in mid-2011 India’s Cabinet approved the program, National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reform, to eliminate judicial corruption and reduce the backlog of cases justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65 District Courts; Labour Court

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (the chief justice and 25 associate justices); note - parliament approved an additional 5 judges in 2008

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65

subordinate courts

District Courts; Labour Court

Legal system

common law system based on the English model; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of 245 seats up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder chosen in staggered elections by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 members elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) People's Assembly - last held in five phases on 16, 22-23, 30 April and 7, 13 May 2009 (next must be held by May 2014) People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 206, BJP 116, SP 23, BSP 21, JD(U) 20, TMC 19, DMK 18, CPI(M) 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, TDP 6, RLD 5, CPI 4, RJD 4, SAD 4, independent 9, other 29, vacant 2; note - seats by party (as of February 2013) - INC 204, BJP 115, SP 22, BSP 21, JD(U) 20, AITC 19, DMK 18, CPI(M) 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, TDP 6, RLD 5, CPI 4, RJD 4, SAD 4, independents 9, other 31, nominated (INC) 2, vacant 2

election results

People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 206, BJP 116, SP 23, BSP 21, JD(U) 20, TMC 19, DMK 18, CPI(M) 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, TDP 6, RLD 5, CPI 4, RJD 4, SAD 4, independent 9, other 29, vacant 2; note - seats by party (as of February 2013) - INC 204, BJP 115, SP 22, BSP 21, JD(U) 20, AITC 19, DMK 18, CPI(M) 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, TDP 6, RLD 5, CPI 4, RJD 4, SAD 4, independents 9, other 31, nominated (INC) 2, vacant 2

elections

People's Assembly - last held in five phases on 16, 22-23, 30 April and 7, 13 May 2009 (next must be held by May 2014)

National anthem

"Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People) Rabindranath TAGORE adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem

lyrics/music

Rabindranath TAGORE

name

"Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People)

National holiday

Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

National symbol(s)

the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which depicts four Asiatic lions standing back to back mounted on a circular abacus, is the official emblem; the Bengal tiger is the national animal

Political parties and leaders

Aam Aadmi Party or AAP [Arvind KEJRIWAL] All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [J. JAYALALITHAA] All India Trinamool Congress or TMC [Mamata BANERJEE] Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI] Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH] Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK] Communist Party of India or CPI [A.B. BARDHAN] Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) [Prakash KARAT] Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or DMK [M.KARUNANIDHI] Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI] Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV] Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR] Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Lalu Prasad YADAV] Rashtriya Lok Dal or RLD [Ajit SINGH] Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV] Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL] Shiv Sena or SS [Uddhav THACKERAY] Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU] India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders

All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group) Bajrang Dal (religious organization) India Against Corruption [Anna HAZAREI] Jamiat Ulema-e Hind (religious organization) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh [Mohan BHAGWAT] (religious organization) Vishwa Hindu Parishad [Ashok SINGHAL] (religious organization) numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations hundreds of social reform, anti-corruption, and environmental groups at state and local level various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, lentils, onions, potatoes; dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Budget

$172.1 billion $263.8 billion (2012 est.)

expenditures

$263.8 billion (2012 est.)

revenues

$172.1 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5% of GDP (2012 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5.5% (31 December 2010 est.) 6% (31 December 2009 est.) the Indian central bank's policy rate - the repurchase rate - was 8% during December 2012

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.63% (31 December 2012 est.) 10.19% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

$-91.47 billion (2012 est.) $-62.8 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$378.9 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $334.3 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.8 (2004) 37.8 (1997)

Economy - overview

India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization measures, including industrial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and have served to accelerate the country's growth, which averaged under 7% per year since 1997. India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Slightly more than half of the work force is in agriculture, but services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for nearly two-thirds of India's output, with less than one-third of its labor force. India has capitalized on its large educated English-speaking population to become a major exporter of information technology services, business outsourcing services, and software workers. In 2010, the Indian economy rebounded robustly from the global financial crisis - in large part because of strong domestic demand - and growth exceeded 8% year-on-year in real terms. However, India's economic growth began slowing in 2011 because of a slowdown in government spending and a decline in investment, caused by investor pessimism about the government's commitment to further economic reforms and about the global situation. High international crude prices have exacerbated the government's fuel subsidy expenditures, contributing to a higher fiscal deficit and a worsening current account deficit. In late 2012, the Indian Government announced additional reforms and deficit reduction measures to reverse India's slowdown, including allowing higher levels of foreign participation in direct investment in the economy. The outlook for India's medium-term growth is positive due to a young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates, and increasing integration into the global economy. India has many long-term challenges that it has yet to fully address, including poverty, corruption, violence and discrimination against women and girls, an inefficient power generation and distribution system, ineffective enforcement of intellectual property rights, decades-long civil litigation dockets, inadequate transport and agricultural infrastructure, limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, inadequate availability of quality basic and higher education, and accommodating rural-to-urban migration.

Exchange rates

Indian rupees (INR) per US dollar - 53.44 (2012 est.) 46.67 (2011 est.) 45.73 (2010 est.) 48.41 (2009) 43.32 (2008)

Exports

$301.9 billion (2012 est.) $307.2 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum products, precious stones, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, vehicles, apparel

Exports - partners

UAE 12.3%, US 12.2%, China 5%, Singapore 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2012)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

56.8% 11.9% 29.6% 3.5% 23.8% -25.6% (2012 est.)

exports of goods and services

23.8%

government consumption

11.9%

household consumption

56.8%

imports of goods and services

-25.6%

investment in fixed capital

29.6%

investment in inventories

3.5%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

17.4% 17.6% 65% (2012 est.)

agriculture

17.4%

industry

17.6%

services

65% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,800 (2012 est.) $3,800 (2011 est.) $3,600 (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2012 est.) 6.3% (2011 est.) 10.5% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.817 trillion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.716 trillion (2012 est.) $4.568 trillion (2011 est.) $4.296 trillion (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

Gross national saving

28.8% of GDP (2012 est.) 30.3% of GDP (2011 est.) 31.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

3.6% 31.1% (2005)

highest 10%

31.1% (2005)

lowest 10%

3.6%

Imports

$503.5 billion (2012 est.) $475.3 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude oil, precious stones, machinery, fertilizer, iron and steel, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 10.7%, UAE 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Switzerland 6.2%, US 5.1% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (2012 est.)

Industries

textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.7% (2012 est.) 9.6% (2011 est.)

Labor force

482.3 million (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

53% 19% 28% (2011 est.)

agriculture

53%

industry

19%

services

28% (2011 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.015 trillion (31 December 2011) $1.616 trillion (31 December 2010) $1.179 trillion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

29.8% (2010 est.)

Public debt

51.7% of GDP (2012 est.) 51.3% of GDP (2011 est.) data cover central government debt, and exclude debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$297.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $297.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.451 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.293 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$118.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $109.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$225.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $206.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.401 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.249 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$317.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $305.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.5% (2012 est.) 8.1% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.726 billion Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

3.272 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

990,200 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

5.476 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)

Electricity - consumption

698.8 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - exports

62 million kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

70.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

19.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

2.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - imports

5.7 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

208.1 million kW (2010 est.)

Electricity - production

985.4 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

64.49 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - imports

16.39 billion cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - production

40.38 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.241 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

3.292 million bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1.247 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

379,600 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

4.216 million bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

Doordarshan, India's public TV network, operates about 20 national, regional, and local services; a large and increasing number of privately owned TV stations are distributed by cable and satellite service providers; by 2011, more than 100 million homes had access to cable and satellite TV offering more than 700 TV channels; government controls AM radio with All India Radio operating domestic and external networks; news broadcasts via radio are limited to the All India Radio Network; since 2000, privately-owned FM stations have been permitted and their numbers have increased rapidly (2007)

Internet country code

.in

Internet hosts

6.746 million (2012)

Internet users

61.338 million (2009)

Telephone system

supported by recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world; total telephone subscribership base exceeded 900 million in 2011, an overall teledensity of roughly 75%, and subscribership is currently growing more than 20 million per month; urban teledensity now exceeds 100% and rural teledensity is steadily growing mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam (2011)

domestic

mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT)

general assessment

supported by recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing telecom markets in the world; total telephone subscribership base exceeded 900 million in 2011, an overall teledensity of roughly 75%, and subscribership is currently growing more than 20 million per month; urban teledensity now exceeds 100% and rural teledensity is steadily growing

international

country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam (2011)

Telephones - main lines in use

31.08 million (2012)

Telephones - mobile cellular

893.862 million (2013)

Airports

346 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

14 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

76

2,438 to 3,047 m

59

914 to 1,523 m

82

over 3,047 m

22

total

253

under 914 m

14 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

45 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

38

over 3,047 m

1

total

93

Heliports

45 (2013)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 104, cargo 78, chemical tanker 22, container 14, liquefied gas 11, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 92 10 (China 1, Hong Kong 2, Jersey 2, Malaysia 1, UAE 4) 76 (Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Liberia 8, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 24, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Singapore 21, unknown 1) (2010)

foreign-owned

10 (China 1, Hong Kong 2, Jersey 2, Malaysia 1, UAE 4)

registered in other countries

76 (Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Liberia 8, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 24, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Singapore 21, unknown 1) (2010)

total

340

Pipelines

condensate/gas 9 km; gas 13,581 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,054 km; oil 8,943 km; oil/gas/water 20 km; refined products 11,069 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

Chennai, Jawaharal Nehru Port, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Sikka, Vishakhapatnam

Railways

63,974 km 54,257 km 1.676-m gauge (18,927 km electrified) 7,180 km 1.000-m gauge; 2,537 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2009)

narrow gauge

7,180 km 1.000-m gauge; 2,537 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2009)

total

63,974 km

Roadways

4,689,842 km includes 79,116 km of national highways and expressways, 155,716 km of state highways, and 4,455,010 km of other roads (2013)

total

4,689,842 km

Waterways

14,500 km (5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

319,129,420 296,071,637 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

296,071,637 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

319,129,420

Manpower fit for military service

249,531,562 240,039,958 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

240,039,958 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

249,531,562

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

12,151,065 10,745,891 (2010 est.)

female

10,745,891 (2010 est.)

male

12,151,065

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard (2011)

Military expenditures

1.8% of GDP (2012)

Military service age and obligation

16-18 years of age for voluntary military service (Army 17 1/2, Air Force 17, Navy 16 1/2); no conscription; women may join as officers, but for noncombat roles only (2012)

Disputes - international

since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; Kashmir remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India and Pakistan resumed bilateral dialogue in February 2011 after a two-year hiatus, have maintained the 2003 cease-fire in Kashmir, and continue to have disputes over water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; Prime Minister Singh's September 2011 visit to Bangladesh resulted in the signing of a Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh, which had called for the settlement of longstanding boundary disputes over undemarcated areas and the exchange of territorial enclaves, but which had never been implemented; Bangladesh referred its maritime boundary claims with Burma and India to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Illicit drugs

world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor production

Refugees and internally displaced persons

100,003 (Tibet/China); 67,165 (Sri Lanka); 9,633 (Afghanistan); 7,671 (Burma) (2012) at least 540,000 (about 250,000 are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2012)

IDPs

at least 540,000 (about 250,000 are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2012)

refugees (country of origin)

100,003 (Tibet/China); 67,165 (Sri Lanka); 9,633 (Afghanistan); 7,671 (Burma) (2012)