India Country

Introduction
Whirl your mind, dazzle your eyes and fall in love with India's extremes. India will sideswipe you with its size, clamour and diversity - but if you enjoy delving into convoluted cosmologies and thrive on sensual overload, then it is one of the most intricate and rewarding dramas unfolding on earth, and you'll quickly develop an abiding passion for it.

Nothing in this country is ever quite predictable; the only thing to expect is the unexpected, which comes in many forms and will always want to sit next to you. India is a litmus test for many travellers - some are only too happy to leave, while others stay for a lifetime.

A blood-pressure rollercoaster - hectic city to temple serenity. From its mountain tip to its steamy south, India has enough sights and experiences to fill several lifetimes. The country's vibrant history and frantic cities rub up against its deep store of sacred calm. Icons like the Taj Mahal, deep-breath beaches and a vivid layering of cultures are just the start.

Geography:
India is a large, triangular-shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalaya in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south. It's bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island hanging off its southern tip. India covers a land area of some 3,287,000 sq km (1,281,930sq mi), though disputed borders with Pakistan and China make this figure somewhat arbitrary. India is the seventh largest country in the world.

Destination Facts
Capital: New Delhi
President: Pratibha Patil
Prime Minister: Dr Manmohan Singh
Government: federal republic
Time zone: GMT +5.5
Area: 3287590
Population: 1,000,000,000
People: 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% other
Currency: Indian Rupee (Rs)
GDP: Approx. Rs2200000000000
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, China, Hong Kong, UK, Japan, European Union, UAE.
Country Dialing Code: 91

Getting there and away
India's major international airports are Mumbai (Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Chennai (Madras); there are other international airports at Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore and Kochi, although these service far fewer international flights. Delhi is one of the cheapest places to buy air tickets in India, as are Kolkata and Mumbai. International flights to neighbouring countries can be good value, especially between Kolkata and Dhaka (Bangladesh), Delhi and Karachi (Pakistan) and Tiruchirappalli and Colombo (Sri Lanka). Departure tax is included in 99% of all tickets. The most popular overland routes between India and Nepal are Birganj-Raxaul Bazaar, Sunauli-Bhairawa and Kakarbhitta-Siliguri. If you're heading from Kathmandu or Pokhara to Delhi or elsewhere in northwestern India, then Sunauli is the most convenient entry point; to reach Kolkata or most of eastern India, Birganj is the best place to cross the border; and to get to Darjeeling, it's easiest to go via Kakarbhitta. It's fairly easy to travel between Kolkata and Dhaka overland. The only border crossing currently open between India and Pakistan is at Attari between Lahore and Amritsar. This and all other border crossings are by road only. Phuentsholing is the main entry and exit point between India and Bhutan but you now need a full Bhutanese visa to enter the country, which must be obtained at least 15 days before your trip from a registered travel agent listed under the Department of Tourism, Bhutan (www.tourism.gov.bt).

Weather
Climate in India varies greatly, from the arid deserts of Rajasthan to the cool highlands of Assam, allegedly the wettest place on earth. But basically India has a three-season year - the hot, the wet and the cool. The heat starts to build up on the northern plains around February and by April it becomes unbearable - expect 35-45 ° C (95-113 ° F) days in most places. The first signs of the monsoon appear in May, with high humidity, short rainstorms and violent electrical storms. The monsoon rains begin around 1 June in the extreme south and sweep north to cover the whole country by early July. The monsoon doesn't really cool things off, but it's a great relief - especially to farmers. The main monsoon comes from the southwest, but the southeastern coast is affected by the short and surprisingly wet northeastern monsoon, which brings rain from mid-October to the end of December. The main monsoon ends around October, and India's northern cities become crisp at night in December. In the far south, where it never gets cool, the temperatures are comfortably warm rather than hot.

Warning
Jammu and Kashmir (with the exception of Ladakh) are subject to political violence: travellers should seek consular advice before entering any area bordering Pakistan. Similar advice should also be sought before travelling to Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur in northeast India. There is a high security risk in Bihar and Jharkhand. Several Indian cities suffered violent attacks during 2008 including Bangalore, Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Mumbai. Check out Safe Travel for updated government warnings or the Thorn Tree travel forum for advice from other travellers.