Basic General Data on India Geography and Administration

India is the seventh largest nation of the world located in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan. Out of total area of 3,287,590 sq km land area is 2,973,190 sq km and water area is 314,400 sq km with land boundary of 14,103 km and coastline of 7,000 km. Within geo-climatic regions, climate varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north. Terrain varies from upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north. India has a strong federal structure. For the administrative convenience, India is divided into 28 States and 7 Union Territories. Demography and Health India is the second most populous nation in the world after China with a population of 1027 million [Census 2001]. Every sixth person in the world is an Indian. The annual population growth is 1.6%. The life expectancy is 63 years. India has a relatively high infant mortality rate (IMR) of 65 per 1000 births. Econom