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Friday, September 5, 2008
Military-India
Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
------>males age 16-49: 301,094,084
------>females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
----->males age 16-49: 231,161,111
----->females age 16-49: 236,633,962 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
----->males age 16-49: 11,592,516
----->females age 16-49: 10,636,857 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (2006) .
Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
------>males age 16-49: 301,094,084
------>females age 16-49: 283,047,141 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
----->males age 16-49: 231,161,111
----->females age 16-49: 236,633,962 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
----->males age 16-49: 11,592,516
----->females age 16-49: 10,636,857 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (2006) .
Transportation-India
Airports:
346 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Total: 250 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Total: 96 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 47 (2007)
Heliports:
30 (2007)
Pipelines:
Condensate/gas 9 km; gas 7,488 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,861 km; oil 7,883 km; refined products 6,422 km (2007)
Railways:
Total: 63,221 km broad gauge: 46,807 km 1.676-m gauge (17,343 km electrified) narrow gauge: 13,290 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,124 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Total: 3,383,344 km paved: 1,603,705 km unpaved: 1,779,639 km (2002)
Waterways:
14,500 km note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2006) .
Merchant marine:
Total: 493 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,272,533 GRT/14,117,658 DWT by type: bulk carrier 104, cargo 232, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19, container 12, liquefied gas 19, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Hong Kong 1, UAE 8, UK 2) registered in other countries: 59 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 1, Dominica 2, Gibraltar 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Panama 29, Singapore 10, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and the Grenadines 6, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam .
346 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Total: 250 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 52 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 84 under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Total: 96 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 47 (2007)
Heliports:
30 (2007)
Pipelines:
Condensate/gas 9 km; gas 7,488 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,861 km; oil 7,883 km; refined products 6,422 km (2007)
Railways:
Total: 63,221 km broad gauge: 46,807 km 1.676-m gauge (17,343 km electrified) narrow gauge: 13,290 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,124 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Total: 3,383,344 km paved: 1,603,705 km unpaved: 1,779,639 km (2002)
Waterways:
14,500 km note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2006) .
Merchant marine:
Total: 493 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,272,533 GRT/14,117,658 DWT by type: bulk carrier 104, cargo 232, carrier 1, chemical tanker 19, container 12, liquefied gas 19, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 12 (China 1, Hong Kong 1, UAE 8, UK 2) registered in other countries: 59 (Barbados 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 1, Dominica 2, Gibraltar 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Panama 29, Singapore 10, St Kitts and Nevis 1, St Vincent and the Grenadines 6, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mormugao, Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam .
Communications-India
Telephones - main lines in use:
49.75 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
233.62 million (2007)
Telephone system:
General assessment:
Recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and mobile telephone density remains low at about 20 for each 100 persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest growth in fixed lines domestic:
Mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) international country code - 91;
A number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region);
There are 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam .
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
562 (1997)
Internet country code:
.in
Internet hosts:
2.306 million (2007)
Internet users:
60 million (2005)
49.75 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
233.62 million (2007)
Telephone system:
General assessment:
Recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private-public investors, but combined fixed and mobile telephone density remains low at about 20 for each 100 persons nationwide and much lower for persons in rural areas; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest growth in fixed lines domestic:
Mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) international country code - 91;
A number of major international submarine cable systems, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa - Far East (SAFE) with a landing site at Cochin, the i2i cable network linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic; satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region);
There are 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, and Ernakulam .
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
562 (1997)
Internet country code:
.in
Internet hosts:
2.306 million (2007)
Internet users:
60 million (2005)
Economy-India
Economy - overview:
India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output with less than one third of its labor force. About three-fifths of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate an economic reform program that includes developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance.
The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned industries remains stalled and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government and from its Left Front allies continues to restrain needed initiatives.
The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006, and again in 2007, significantly expanding production of manufactures. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
Economic expansion has helped New Delhi continue to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit. However, strong growth combined with easy consumer credit and a real estate boom fueled inflation concerns in 2006 and 2007, leading to a series of central bank interest rate hikes that have slowed credit growth and eased inflation concerns.
The huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.989 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.099 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.6%
industry: 29.4%
services: 52.9% (2007 est.)
Labour force:
516.4 million (2007 est.)
Labour force - by occupation:
agriculture: 60%
industry: 12%
services: 28% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 31.1% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
34.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Revenues: $141.8 billion expenditures: $178.3 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
58% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Industries:
Textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software
Industrial production growth rate:
8.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
661.6 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
488.5 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
67 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
1.764 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
834,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.438 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
350,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
2.098 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.7 billion bbl (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production:
28.68 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
34.47 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
5.793 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.056 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$19.35 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$150.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners:
US 15.1%, UAE 8.8%, China 8.4%, UK 4.3% (2006)
Imports:
$230.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 10.5%, US 7.8%, Germany 4.5%, Singapore 4.5% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.724 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$148.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$95.28 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$37.62 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$818.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Indian rupee (INR)
Exchange rates:
Indian rupees per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output with less than one third of its labor force. About three-fifths of the work force is in agriculture, leading the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to articulate an economic reform program that includes developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance.
The government has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive categories, including agriculture, and incremental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India's vast and growing market. Privatization of government-owned industries remains stalled and continues to generate political debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government and from its Left Front allies continues to restrain needed initiatives.
The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006, and again in 2007, significantly expanding production of manufactures. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
Economic expansion has helped New Delhi continue to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit. However, strong growth combined with easy consumer credit and a real estate boom fueled inflation concerns in 2006 and 2007, leading to a series of central bank interest rate hikes that have slowed credit growth and eased inflation concerns.
The huge and growing population is the fundamental social, economic, and environmental problem.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.989 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.099 trillion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.6%
industry: 29.4%
services: 52.9% (2007 est.)
Labour force:
516.4 million (2007 est.)
Labour force - by occupation:
agriculture: 60%
industry: 12%
services: 28% (2003)
Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 31.1% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.4% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
34.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Revenues: $141.8 billion expenditures: $178.3 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
58% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Industries:
Textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software
Industrial production growth rate:
8.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
661.6 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
488.5 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
67 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
1.764 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
834,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
2.438 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
350,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
2.098 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
5.7 billion bbl (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production:
28.68 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
34.47 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
5.793 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.056 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$19.35 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$150.8 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures
Exports - partners:
US 15.1%, UAE 8.8%, China 8.4%, UK 4.3% (2006)
Imports:
$230.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 10.5%, US 7.8%, Germany 4.5%, Singapore 4.5% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.724 billion (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$275 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$148.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$95.28 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$37.62 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$818.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Indian rupee (INR)
Exchange rates:
Indian rupees per US dollar - 41.487 (2007), 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Government-India
Country name:
Conventional Long form:
Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat
Government type:
Federal republic
Capital:
Name:
New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system:
Based on English common law;
Judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Chief of state: President Smt Pratibha Patil (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Hamid Ansari (since 11 August 2007) head of government:
Prime Minister Manmohan singh(since 22 May 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 21 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - 65.8%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%
Legislative branch:
Bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held by May 2009) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 147, BJP 129, CPI (M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16, BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD (U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13; note - seats by party as of December 2006
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")
Political parties and leaders:
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an alliance of Indian leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [V. Gopalswamy VAIKO]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; Telangana Rashtriya Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrashekhar RAO]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; United Progressive Alliance or UPA [Sonia GANDHI] (India's ruling party coalition of 12 political parties); note - India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties or coalitions with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu Parishad (religious organization other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
Conventional Long form:
Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat
Government type:
Federal republic
Capital:
Name:
New Delhi geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system:
Based on English common law;
Judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Chief of state: President Smt Pratibha Patil (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Hamid Ansari (since 11 August 2007) head of government:
Prime Minister Manmohan singh(since 22 May 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 21 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - 65.8%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT - 34.2%
Legislative branch:
Bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held by May 2009) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 147, BJP 129, CPI (M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16, BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD (U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13; note - seats by party as of December 2006
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior")
Political parties and leaders:
Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Left Front (an alliance of Indian leftist parties); Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [V. Gopalswamy VAIKO]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY]; Telangana Rashtriya Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrashekhar RAO]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; United Progressive Alliance or UPA [Sonia GANDHI] (India's ruling party coalition of 12 political parties); note - India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties or coalitions with four or more seats in the People's Assembly are listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (religious organization); Vishwa Hindu Parishad (religious organization other: numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy
International organization participation:
ADB, AfDB (nonregional members), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay)
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
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