| Official Name | Bharat (Hindi), Republic of India (English) |
| Capital | New Delhi |
| Population | 1,027,015,247 (2001 Census) |
| Area | 32,87,263 square kilometers |
| Width | (East to West) 2,933 kilometers |
| Length | (North to South) 3,214 kilometers |
| Geographical Location | Lies between latitudes 8° 4' and 37° 6' north and longitudes 68° 7' and 97° 25' east |
| Coastline Length | 7,600 km. |
| Area in the world | Seventh Largest. |
| Languages | India has two National languages (Central administrative). They are English (associate official) and Hindi (in the Devanagiri script). The Indian Constitution also officially recognizes 22 regional languages. |
| Major Religions | Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism |
| Literacy | 65.38% |
| President | Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil |
| Prime Minister | Dr. Manmohan Singh |
| National Anthem | Jan gana mana written by Rabindranath Tagore |
| National Song | Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji |
| National Emblem | Replica of the Lion Capital of Sarnath |
| National Flag | Horizontal tricolor in equal proportion of deep saffron on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. In the center of the white band is a wheel in navy blue color |
| National Animal | Tiger (Panthera tigris) |
| National Bird | Peacock |
| National Flower | Lotus |
| National Tree | Banyan |
| National Fruit | Mango |
| National Currency | Rupee (One Rupee=100 paise) |
| National Sport | Hockey |
Visas: All visitors to India require a tourist visa issued by the Indian Embassy or High Commission in their country.
Immunization: A valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for visitors coming from Africa and South America.
Baggage rules: Articles allowed in duty free:
Personal effects: Personal effects like clothing and other articles, new or used, that are reasonably required (excluding merchandise for commercial purposes). Articles like jewellery video cameras and electronic goods should be declared on a Tourist Baggage. Re-export Form are available at the customs counter on entry and a copy should be produced again at the time of departure.
Travel souvenirs and gifts: Tourist of foreign origin can bring in souvenirs to the value of Rs. 2000 or gifts to the value of Rs. 750 duty free while tourist of Indian origin are permitted gifts of a total value of Rs. 6000 duty free.
Climate: In India, on the whole summers (March – June) are hot and dry excepting in the hills and along the coast where it is humid. During the monsoon (July – September), the sub–continent is awash with its annual quota. The Winters (November – February) are cool and bright excepting for parts of the south east where it is raining.
Clothing:
Summer: Light cottons. A few warm clothes are advisable for a trip to the mountains.
Winter: Light woollens for North India and heavy woollens for mountains.