India - By the numbers

India, the world's second most populous  nation and its 10th largest economy,
is on the rise and bidding for  superpower status.
After years of having a virtually closed economy, the world's largest
democracy flung open its doors to the world in 1991.
IT hubs, Mercedes cars and a burgeoning middle class have taken over  from
the popular image of saris, snake-charmers and slums.
But many in the countryside have become mere spectators to the drama
unfolding in the cities, with 390 million living on  less than $1 a day.

Since independence from Britain, the nuclear power has also had a testy
relationship with arch-rival Pakistan, leading to three wars between them, and a
tense standoff in 2001.
Within its own borders -- which stretch from the Himalayas in the  north, the
Thar Desert in the east and the Indian Ocean in the south --  caste, religion
and communal tensions simmer, at times threatening to  disrupt the secular
state.

India's soaring population is proving a challenge as leaders seek to  protect
the land that is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations,  and which
has seen the invasions of Aryan tribes, Arab incursions and  European traders.
Below are the key facts behind the chaotic, colorful and always  memorable
India of today:
The people

Population: 1,080,264,388 (July 2005  estimate)
Sex ratio: 1.05 male/female  at birth
Median age: 24.66 years,  24.64 years for males,
24.67 years for females (2005  est.)
Population growth rate: 1.4 percent (2005  estimate)
Religions: Hindu 80.5  percent, Muslim 13.4 percent, Christian 2.3 percent,
Sikh 1.9 percent, other 1.8  percent, unspecified 0.1 percent (2001 census)
Ethnic groups:  Indo-Aryan 72 percent; Dravidian 25 percent; Mongoloid and
other 3 percent  (2000 estimate)
Infant mortality rate: Estimates vary from 56 to  65 deaths per 1,000 live
births
Total fertility rate: 2.78  children children born per female (2005 est.)
Life expectancy:  Estimates place overall figure at about 64 years; male
63.57; female 65.16  (2005 estimate)
People living with HIV/AIDS:  5.1 million (2001 estimate)
Major infectious diseases:
Floodwater diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hep A and E, typhoid  fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese  encephalitis are
high risks in some locations animal contact disease:  rabies (2004)
Languages: English is used for national, political  and commercial
communication; Hindi is the national  language and primary tongue of 30% of the people;
there are 14 other official  languages
Literacy: Defined as age 15+ and can read and  write - total population: 59.5
percent; male: 70.2  percent, female: 48.3 percent (2003  est.)
The land

Border countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Nepal and  Pakistan
Coastline: 7,000 kilometers (4,349.8  miles)
Climate: Tropical monsoon in south, temperate in  north
Lowest point: Indian Ocean, sea level
Highest  point: Kanchenjunga, 8,598 meters (26,246 feet)
Natural  resources: Coal (Fourth-largest reserve in  world), iron ore,
manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium  ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum,
limestone, arable  lands
Land use: Arable lands 54.4 percent; permanent crops 2.74 percent; other
42.86  percent
Natural hazards: Droughts;  flash floods, as well as widespread and
destructive flooding from monsoon rains; severe thunderstorms;  earthquakes
The economy

GDP real growth rate: 6.2 percent  (2004 estimate)
GDP per capita: Purchasing power parity -  $3,100 (2004 est.)
Public debt: 59.7 percent of GDP (federal  debt only; state debt not
included) (2004 est.)
Labor force: 482  million (2004 estimate)
Labor force by occupation: Agriculture  60 percent; industry 17 percent;
services 23  percent (1999 estimate)
Unemployment rate: 9.2 percent (2004 estimate)
Population below  poverty line: Estimates range between 25 percent  and 29
percent
Oil production: 780,000 bbl/day (2004  estimate)
Oil consumption: 2.13 million bbl/day (2001  estimate)
Export partners: U.S. 18.4  percent; China 7.8 percent; UAE 6.7  percent; UK
4.8 percent; Hong Kong 4.3 percent; Germany 4 percent  (2004 estimate)
Import partners: U.S. 7 percent; Belgium 6.1  percent; China 5.9 percent;
Singapore 4.8 percent; Australia 4.6 percent;  UK 4.6 percent; Germany 4.5
percent (2004 percent)
The networks

Phone lines in use: 48.9 million (2003)
Mobile/cellular  phones: 26,154,400 (2003)
Radio  broadcast stations: 153 AM; 91 FM; 68 shortwave (1998)
TV  broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater  power
and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)
Internet  country code: .in
Internet hosts: 86,871  (2003)
Internet users: 18.5 million  (2003)
The government

Country name: Conventional long form: Republic of India, short  form: India
Government type: Federal republic
Capital: New  Delhi
Administrative divisions: 28 states  and 7 union territories
Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution: 26 January 1950;  amended many times
Legal system: Based on English common law;  limited judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ  jurisdiction, with reservations; separate
personal law codes apply to  Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Suffrage: 18 years of age;  universal
Military manpower: Fit for military service: males age  16-49: 219,471,999
(2005 est.)
Military expenditures: $17 billion (2004)