India
A country in South Asia. It has borders with Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the east - with Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar) to the west, and Pakistan. On the east by the Bay of Bengal in the south - Polkskim Strait, which separates it from Sri Lanka, and the Indian Ocean in the west - the Arabian Sea. The composition of India's territory includes part of Jammu and Kashmir, the disputed Pakistan. 3165596 km2 area of the country. India can be divided into four regions: the Himalayas, the northern river valleys, Deccan Plateau, the Eastern and Western Ghats. Himalayas - a mountain range in width from 160 to 320 km, stretching for 2,400 km along the northern and eastern borders. Himalayas - the highest mountain range in the world. Among the highest peaks, in whole or in part in the territory of India - Kanchend-Zhang (8598 m), the third peak in the world after Mount Everest and K2 (Godwin-Austen), Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), Nanda Devi (7817 m), Rakaposhi (7788 m), Kamet (7756 m). South parallel to the H
imalayan region is the northern river valleys - flat band width of 280 to 400 km. The region occupies a large part of the plains, which flow the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. Central and western parts of India receive water from the Ganges and its tributaries, called the valley of the Ganges. Assam region receives water from the Brahmaputra, which originates in the north of the Himalayas "and proceeding in Bangla dash. Indus originates in Tibet and flows west across Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan. Due to the abundance of water and fertile land area in the northern valleys of the rivers - the most populated region of the country and it is there that the Indian civilization. To the south of the region is a vast plateau Dean triangular, occupying almost the entire Indian peninsula. plateau height of 300 to 900 m, but sometimes there are chain up to 1200 m in many places it is crossed by the river . the east and west flank flat gore mountain ranges: the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. Western Ghats rises to a height of 900 meters between them and the Arabian can rem is a narrow plain of the Malabar coast. Eastern Ghats rises to a height of about 460 meters between them and Bay of Bengal is a narrow strip of coastal plain Kingdom of Mandel.
India's population (estimated for 1998) is about 984,003,700 people, the average population density is about 311 people per km2. Ethnic groups: about 300 Indo-Aryan group - 72%, Dravidian group-25%, 3% Mongoloid. Language: Hindi, English (both official), Urdu, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Cannara and about 10 languages are used as public in the various states, just as in India speak more than 1,600 languages and dialects. Religion: Hindu - 80%, Muslims - 14%, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2.0%, Buddhists - 0.7% Jains, 0.5%. Capital-Nyyu Delhi. Largest cities: Bombay (9900000 people) Nõo-Delhi (7200000 people), Kolkata (4400000 people), Hyderabad (4200000 people), Bangalore (4100000 people), Madras (3795000 people), another 12 cities have a population of over one million people . State structure - federal republic. Head of State - President Pratibha Patil (in office c 22 May 2004). Head of Government - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (in office since 16 May 1996). The currency-Indian rupee. Average life expectanc
y (1998): 60 years old - male, 60 years old - female. The birth rate (per 1,000 people) - 25.9. The mortality rate (per 1,000 people) - 8.7.
India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Until the mid-III millennium BC in India Dravidian civilization developed, and not inferior in some way superior to the civilization of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the period from 2500 to 1500 BC India was conquered by the Indo-Aryan tribes, displacing the Dravidians. Until VIII century AD in modern India to develop various kingdoms, the dominant religious and cultural factor which was Hinduism. In VIII century in India was to enter Islam, which brought the Muslim conquerors who invaded fairly large area. Muslim rule in most parts of India continued until 1398, when the country came to the army of Tamerlane. True, the Mongols quickly went out of the country until the end of the first quarter of the XVI century, the country was ruled by the Muslim dynasty Tuglyukov and Said. In 1526, Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane conquered almost the whole of India and founded the Mughal Empire, which lasted until 1857. In the years 1498-1503 the Portuguese founded on the coast a few trade items for the Portuguese followed by the Dutch and the British. The British East India Company in 1603 received from the Mongols right to trade in spices and textiles. As a result, a reasonable trade policy and the British have political influence over much of the country. Full political leadership passed to the UK in the years 1828-1835, and in 1857, India became virtually a British protectorate. August 15, 1947 India gained independence, but was divided into two countries - modern India and Pakistan (which later spun off from Bangladesh) - on religious grounds. January 26, 1950, India was declared a democratic republic. From 1947 to the present day in a struggle (initially open, now more hidden) between India and Pakistan over the ownership of the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, divided the state border and located in the two countries (one third of the territory belongs to Pakistan, two-thirds - of India). India is a member of the UN, IMF, World Bank, UNESCO, the British Commonwealth of Nations.
The climate of the country because of its size and sharply differing topography regions are also very different. Except for the mountainous regions in India tropical climate with two seasons - wet or dry, is from June to September. Monsoon at this time bring heavy rains (in the Khasi hills to 10800 mm per year). In March, the Hot Season, reaching a peak in May, when the temperature rises to 49 grams. C. In Kolkata January temperature is in the range of 13 g. With up to 27 grams. C, in July - from 26 gr. With up to 32 grams. C. In Bombay - from 19 grams. With up to 28 grams. From the January, 25 gr. With up to 29 grams. From July. In Madras - 19 oz. With up to 29 grams. With the January and 26 gr. With up to 36 grams. From July. In dry areas bordering Pakistan, the vegetation is quite poor. In some areas grow bamboo and palm. In the valley of the Ganges, is rather large rainfall, the flora is represented by more widely, especially the many different types of vegetation in the southern part of the region, which is dominated by mangrove trees and rock solid stomach. The lower slopes of the Himalayas are covered fairly dense coniferous forests in the north-west and subtropical forests in the east. Especially a lot of magnolia, rhododendron and oak. Coastal region of south-west India and western slopes Gatow overgrown with dense tropical forest: bamboo, teak, and other evergreens. Deccan plateau to less dense vegetation, but there there are forests with palm trees, bamboo and deciduous trees. Fauna in India are widely represented. Among the distinguished members of the cat family tiger, panther, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, clouded leopard. Among other large mammals - an Indian elephant, rhino, black bear, wolf, jackal, buffalo, antelope, and several species of monkeys, deer. In the Himalayas and other mountain regions of many mountain goats (IBEX, sulfur). In India, especially a lot of poisonous snakes, including the cobra, cheshuenog and others. Among the reptiles are also found pythons, crocodiles. Among the
large number of birds particularly distinguished peacock, heron, parrots, kingfishers.
India has over 460 different museums, key among which are the museums of Madras - Government Museum and National Art Gallery. In New Delhi - National Museum. In Varanasi - Sarnath museum. In Calcutta - India Museum (collection of exhibits on the archeology and natural history), Birla Technological Museum. In Bombay-Museum of Western India. In addition, in India, a great number of monuments of history and architecture. In New Delhi - several Hindu temples, the most important of which are the Balkesh and Lakshminarasi. In Kolkata - Victoria Memorial in the Park Square, Raj Bhavan (Government House), ST. Paul, a botanical garden. In Agra - the world-famous Taj Mahal, the Pearl Mosque, built in the XVII century, the marble mausoleum Dzhahangri Mahal. In Bombay - Gardnz Victoria Park, which houses a zoo, Kanheri caves with rock carvings II - IX centuries, several churches VII century. In Varanasi (one of the most important shrines of the Hindus) - 1500 temples, the most sacred of which is the Golden Temple (Bisheshvar). In Patna (Sikh holy city, because there was born to present guru) - many Sikh temples, the mosque in 1499. In Delhi - Red Fort (1648), The Great Mosque, public reception hall Mughal marble walls are decorated with jewels, Rang Mahal Palace, Pearl Mosque, the tower of the XII century Qutb Minar, a zoo. In Amritsar (the main shrine of the Sikhs) - Golden Temple, surrounded by sacred body of water of immortality (Sikhs bathe in the pond to get a spiritual cleansing).
Bombay
As compared to other coastal cities in India, grew up relatively recently. The terrain on which the city is located, is the result of rapid geological past. A chain of seven islands that make up the territory of the city proper of Bombay. According to one version, the name of the city is connected with the name revered in these parts of the Hindu goddess Mumbadevy (Marathi call the city Mumbai).
The cultural life of the city and features a large variety of typical for this city cosmopolitanism. It often houses exhibitions of the best masters of contemporary art, concerts, performers and world stars, held the exhibition from the collections of the best museums in the world. The city has a large number of art galleries, as well as a considerable number of concert halls, Theatre. Tats, Concert Hall. Homi Bhabha and others.
Modern Bombay preserved many traces of the past, in particular, is a very diverse range of its architecture. Along with vintage Victorian mansions built here meet the latest trends and styles. The southern part of the city is built up by the spectacular rise buildings - major corporate offices, luxury hotels, apartment houses. This part of the city is sometimes called "Indian Manhattan."
In the old days, when most of the passengers coming to India by sea, they landed mainly in Bombay. Therefore, Bombay was also called "Gateway of India". Now this reminds massive triumphal arch type, set on the beach, on the site of the former passengers disembarked. It is called - "Gateway of India". Arch was founded in 1911 during the visit to India of King George V, and was officially opened in 1924. It is decorated with elements borrowed from Islamic architecture in Gujarat sixteenth century. "Gateway of India" is famous for the fact that through this arch followed British troops left India by sea in 1947.
Goa
How to tell you about this wonderful little country, which stretches in a narrow strip along the Malabar coast of India. Not easy to find words that can even remotely pass the smell of her wooded hills shine lagoon at sunset, the sound of waterfalls and colorful carnivals discordance.
Land is riddled with history. It is no accident Goa was the first piece of the Indian Territory, which affirmed the European colonizers, and the last bastion of colonialism. A little more than thirty years as Portugal officially recognized Goa part of Indian territory. But India called the land hardly worth it. Here everything is different - a mixture of Indian and European cultures established a unique color eras. And the resorts on the coast, which was especially rapid development in recent years, is not similar to the Indian. Goa to admire, it must be seen. See amazingly beautiful people, who kept a dignified and emphatic independence, which, however, does not prevent him to be open and welcoming.
Goa is not similar to any of the states of India. He is blind, as the light at the exit of the cave. Here, you find yourself thinking that smile for no apparent reason. A typical Goan landscape: rice field, surrounded by coconut groves and walnut trees, mango shoots, where shadows lurk inconspicuous trees, which grow directly on the trunk spiny mysterious Duryan. And all around - a tropical paradise in the winter and summer are equally warm, and the swimming season lasts from October to May.
Goan holidays and festivals have become famous in the whole of India. The annual festival of light and masquerade in Dona Paula, Gaspar Dias and Siridao attract thousands of tourists from different countries. Colorful fireworks over black mirror lagoons, dancing with a guitar in lovely gardens and masquerades in the Avenida-to-Bratza Mandavi along the waterfront ...
All holidays charming, sparkling relaxed fun and friendly!
There are a lot of amazing in the ancient land Golden Goa. Manguesh beautiful Hindu temples, and Jama Masjid Mahalsa surrounded by banana and papaya. Impressive and rivals Lisbon Cathedral, built by Portuguese architects. Quiet beauty breathe winding streets and squares with fountains, with white houses under the pink tiles. It is impossible not to admire the magnificent beaches: Miramar, where clean sands sparkle frosty dust Kalangutome near Panandzhi and near Colville Marmagao over which strings hum in the wind majestically curved palm.
Goa - a place where everyone can find something to suit your taste and temperament. Aside from staying on the coast, away from the noisy discos and exotic restaurants will journey to the bosom of wild nature, where you can not only get acquainted with a variety of local flora and fauna, but also with the local customs. Memorable cruises on the rivers Mandovi and Zouari. Beautiful Hindu temples are located in the mountains. Or perhaps you would like to attend Dadsadar magnificent waterfall and swim in its purest water? If so, the great India is always ready to open its arms to you.