Since the first civilizations rose on the banks of the Indus River almost 5,000 years ago, India has given birth to Buddhism and Hinduism, been touched by the Empire of Alexander the Great, seen the ancient empires of the Mauryas and Guptas rise and fall, and has traded with Pharaohs and Caesars.
India is a feast for the senses; where the air is heavy with the scent of jasmine and dancers trail frenetic melodies in colorful silk saris. Its cooks compose dishes from a palette of exotic spices that may leave a lingering taste of saffron or aniseed. In India's cities, the stench of slum living competes with the cacophony of seemingly endless traffic and a myriad of other textures, colors and movements all jostling for your attention.

Warning

In light of the dispute over Kashmir and the possibility of deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan, many governments are urging against travel to the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
The prospect of hostilities raises the stakes of the long-running border dispute, which has been an issue between the countries for more than 50 years. During the 1947 partition that led to the creation of Pakistan, Kashmir was free to choose which country it wanted to join. The local leader allied with India, and the region has been contested ever since, leading to two wars between the neighbors.
In addition to the conflict in Kashmir, religious violence between Hindus and Muslims in the state of Gujarat has claimed more than 900 lives since February 2002. Travelers should exercise caution in these regions.

Full country name: Republic of India
Capital: New Delhi
Area: 3,287,590 sq Km (1,229,737 sq km)
Population: 1.027 billion (2001 census)
Population growth rate: 1,4%
Inflation: 5,2%
GDP growth rate: 8,5% (2006)
Religion: 80% Hindu, 14% Muslim, 2.4% Christian, 2% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% Jains, 0.4% other
Literacy rate: 53,7% (women) and 75,3% (men)
Major industries: Textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry, fish
Major trading partners: US, Hong Kong, UK, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Saudi Arabia
Languages: Hindi