India

The subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches.

Side by side with the country's staggering topographical variations is its cultural diversity, the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as well as local tradition. Thus, the towering temples of south India, easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.

India is one of the few countries in the world, today, in which the social and religious structures, which define the nation's identity, are intact for over 4000 years. There is possibly no other country where religion is so inextricably intertwined with every aspect of life. India was the birth place of the two of the world's great religion (Hinduism & Buddhism) and one of its smallest (Jainism). India's first major civilization flourished for 1000 years from around 2500 BC along the Indus River valley. The origins of Hinduism can be traced all the way back to this early civilization. The Aryans swept south from Central Asia between 1500 and 200 BC. It was during this period of transition (1500-1200 BC) that the Hindu sacred scriptures, the Vedas, were written.

India is located in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan and also borders Bangladesh, Bhutan, China & Nepal. India has the second largest population on earth, just behind China. It represents just over 15% of the world’s population. Major cities and their populations include: New Delhi (12 million), Delhi (7 million), Mumbai (Bombay-13 million), Calcutta (11 million), Madras (6 million), Bangalore and Kanpur.