Form of government: multiparty federal republic with two legislative houses (Council of States [245]{1}, House of the People [545]{2}).
Chief of state: President.
Head of government: Prime Minister.
Capital: New Delhi.
Official languages: Hindi; English.
Official religion: none.
Monetary unit: 1 Indian rupee (Re, plural Rs)=100 paise;
valuation (Oct. 6, 1995) 1 U.S.$=Rs 33.90; 1 
=Rs 53.59.
Population (1995): 935,744,000.
Density (1995){3}: persons per sq mi 765.6, persons per sq km 295.6.
Urban-rural (1995): urban 26.8%; rural 73.2%.
Sex distribution (1991): male 51.90%; female 48.10%.
Age breakdown (1995): under 15, 35.2%; 15-29, 27.2%; 30-44, 19.1%; 45-59, 11.2%; 60-74, 5.9%; 75 and over, 1.4%.
Population projection: (2000) 1,022,021,000; (2010) 1,189,082,000.
Doubling time: 37 years.
Linguistic composition (1981){4}: Hindi (lingua franca) 45.00%; Hindi (including associated languages and dialects) 38.77%; Telugu 7.96%; Bengali 7.56%; Marathi 7.28%; Tamil 6.56%; Urdu 5.18%; Gujarati 4.87%; Kannada 3.95%; Malayalam 3.81%; Oriya 3.36%; Punjabi 2.73%; English (lingua franca) 2.50%; Assamese 1.64%{5}; Bhili/Bhilodi 0.65%; Santhali 0.62%; Kashmiri 0.47%; Gondi 0.29%; Sindhi 0.29%; Konkani 0.23%; Dogri 0.22%; Tulu 0.20%; Kurukh 0.19%; Nepali 0.18%; Khandeshi 0.17%; Manipuri 0.13%; other 2.69%.
Place of birth (foreign born; 1981): other Asia 7,875,399, of which Bangladesh 4,170,524, Pakistan 2,736,038, Nepal 501,292, Sri Lanka 211,514, Myanmar 134,783; Africa 42,726; Europe 13,046; United States and Canada 5,923.
Major cities (urban agglomerations; 1991): Greater Bombay (Greater Mumbai) 9,925,891 (12,596,243); Delhi 7,206,704 (8,419,084); Calcutta 4,399,819 (11,021,915); Madras 3,841,396 (5,421,985); Bangalore 3,302,296 (4,130,288); Hyderabad 3,145,939 (4,253,759); Ahmadabad 2,954,526 (3,312,216); Kanpur 1,879,420 (2,029,889); Nagpur 1,624,752 (1,664,006); Lucknow 1,619,115 (1,669,204); Pune 1,566,651 (2,493,987); New Delhi{6} 301,297.
Religious affiliation (1991): Hindu 80.3%; Muslim 11.0%, of which Sunni 8.2%, Shi'i 2.8%; Christian 2.4%, of which Roman Catholic 1.4%, other (mostly Protestant) 1.0%; Sikh 2.0%; Buddhist 0.7%; Jain 0.5%; Zoroastrian 0.01%; other 3.1%.
Households (1991){7}. Total households 151,032,898. Average household size 5.6; 1-2 persons 12.1%, 3-5 persons 44.4%, 6-8 persons 30.5%, 9 or more persons 13.0%. Average number of rooms per household 2.2; 1 room 40.5%, 2 rooms 30.6%, 3 rooms 13.8%, 4 rooms 7.1%, 5 rooms 3.2%, 6 or more rooms 3.9%, unspecified number of rooms 0.9%. Average number of persons per room 2.6. Shelterless (homeless) population estimated (1987) at more than 100,000,000.
Emigration (1987 estimation): persons living abroad 12,697,000 (accepting foreign citizenship 8,200,000), of which in Nepal (1980) 3,800,000 (2,388,000); Malaysia 1,170,000 (1,029,000); Middle Eastern countries 1,064,000 (102,000); Sri Lanka 1,028,000 (457,000); South Africa 850,000 (850,000); United Kingdom 789,000 (395,000); Mauritius 701,000 (700,000); United States 500,000 (287,000); Trinidad and Tobago 430,000 (430,000); Fiji 339,000 (339,000); Myanmar 330,000 (50,000); Canada 229,000 (129,000).
Birth rate per 1,000 population (1992): 29.0 (world avg. 25.0).
Death rate per 1,000 population (1992): 10.0 (world avg. 9.3).
Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1992): 19.0 (world avg. 15.7).
Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1994): 3.5.
Marital status of male (female) population age 25 and over (1981): single 6.4% (1.1%); married 87.4% (79.4%); widowed 5.7% (18.8%); divorced or separated 0.5% (0.7%).
Life expectancy at birth (1992-93): male 60.4 years; female 61.2 years.
Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1987) {8}: diseases of the circulatory system 227; infectious and parasitic diseases 215; diseases of the respiratory system 108; certain conditions originating in the perinatal period 108; accidents, homicide, and other violence 102; diseases of the digestive system 48; diseases of the nervous system 43; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 41; endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional disorders 30; diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs 25; ill-defined conditions 129.
Educational attainment (1981){9}. Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling (illiterate) 64.8%; no formal schooling (literate) 1.0%; some primary education 7.1%; completed primary 10.9%; some secondary 6.2%; completed secondary 7.1%; higher vocational 0.4%; completed undergraduate degree 2.5%.
Quality of working life{10}. Average workweek (1989): 42 hours. Rate of fatal (nonfatal) injuries per 100,000 workers: industrial workers (1989) 17 (3,625); miners (1990) 32 (172); railway workers (1989) 15 (1,059). Employees covered under Employee's State Insurance Scheme (1991) 6,070,000; number of beneficiaries 26,749,000. Average days lost to labour stoppages per 1,000 workdays (1991): 6.
Access to services (1991). Percentage of total (urban, rural) households having access to: electricity for lighting purposes 42.4% (75.8%, 30.5%); attached toilet or nearby latrine 23.7% (63.9%, 9.5%). Source of drinking water: piped water 32.3%, well 32.2%, hand pump or tube well 30.0%, river or canal 2.0%, public tank 1.3%; other 2.2%.
Social participation. Eligible voters participating in last (May/June 1991) national election: 53%. Trade union membership (1989): 9,295,000.
Social deviance (1986){11}. Offense rate per 100,000 population for: murder 3.5; dacoity (gang robbery) 1.3; theft and housebreaking 57.9; riots 12.0. Rate of suicide per 100,000 population (1990): 6.9.
Material well-being (1994). Households possessing: black and white television receivers 18.8%, colour television receivers 6.3%, videocassette recorders 1.3%, refrigerators 6.9%, washing machines 2.3%.
Public debt (external, outstanding; 1993): U.S.$80,985,000,000.
Gross national product (1993): U.S.$262,810,000,000 (U.S.$290 per capita).
Budget (1994-95). Revenue: Rs 1,445,700,000,000 (tax revenue 56.2%, of which excise taxes 25.5%, customs duties 18.3%, corporation taxes 9.2%; nontax revenue 43.8%, of which economic services 22.1%, interest receipts 11.2%). Expenditures: Rs 1,787,000,000,000 (interest payments and debt servicing 24.6%; transportation 12.1%; grants to state governments 11.3%; defense 9.8%; communications 5.3%; agriculture 4.9%; industry and minerals 3.3%; social services 2.9%).
Production. Agriculture, forestry, fishing (value of production in Rs '000,000 except as noted; 1989-90): rice 239,120, wheat 115,270, sugarcane 78,760, peanuts (groundnuts) 53,950, kapoks 42,320, rapeseed and mustard 31,350, chick-peas 31,020, sorghum 27,140, corn (maize) 19,180, potatoes 19,140, coconuts 18,790, pigeon peas 18,210, bananas 13,230, pearl millet 12,330, tea 11,080, urd beans 10,670, mung beans 10,560, chilies 9,320, soybeans 8,470, tobacco 6,890, sesame seeds 6,740, finger millet 5,810, jute 5,790, rubber 4,650, betel nuts 4,420, red lentils 4,390, sunflower seeds 4,340, onions 4,270, tapioca 4,160, guar seeds 3,670, cashews 3,600, turmeric 3,600, coffee 3,600, safflower seeds 3,170, barley 3,110; livestock (number of live animals; 1994) 192,980,000 cattle, 118,347,000 goats, 78,825,000 water buffalo, 44,809,000 sheep; roundwood (1992) 282,359,000 cu m; fish catch (metric tons; 1993) 4,324,231, of which freshwater fish 1,791,910. Mining and quarrying (in '000 metric tons except as noted; 1993-94): limestone 83,900; iron ore 56,400; bauxite 5,029; manganese 1,781; chromite 1,094; zinc ore 144; copper (metal content) 45{12}; lead (primary metal) 39{12}; gold 62,300 troy oz; gem diamonds 19,707 carats. Manufacturing (in '000 metric tons except as noted; 1992-93): cement 54,300; finished steel 15,200; steel ingots 13,250; refined sugar 10,589; nitrogenous fertilizers 7,407; paper and paperboard 2,152; soda ash 1,391; jute manufactures 1,310; aluminum 483; nylon and polyester yarns 278; bicycles 6,963,000 units; motorcycles and scooters 1,496,000 units; power-driven pumps 525,000 units; passenger cars and jeeps 198,100 units; passenger buses and trucks 132,600 units; cotton cloth 13,054,000,000 metres; other important manufactured products include drugs and pharmaceuticals, computer software, gold jewelry, and silk goods. Construction (value of new construction in Rs; 1989-90): 563,670,000,000.
Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1993-94) 323,500,000,000 ([1993] 357,759,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1993-94) 246,000,000 ([1993] 250,564,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1993-94) 225,700,000 ([1993] 420,000,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1993) 42,379,000 (53,346,000); natural gas (cu m; 1993-94) 14,728,000,000 ([1993] 12,214,000,000).
Land use (1993): forested 23.0%; meadows and pastures 3.8%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 57.1%; other 16.1%.
Population economically active (1991): total 314,131,370; activity rate of total population 37.5% (participation rates: over age 15 [1981] 60.7%; female 28.6%; unemployed{13}.
Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1991){7} 5.6; income per household: n.a.; sources of income (1984-85): salaries and wages 42.2%, self-employed 39.7%, interest 8.6%, profits and dividends 6.0%, rent 3.5%; expenditure (1991-92): food and beverages 52.0%, transportation and communications 11.5%, clothing and footwear 10.0%, housing 5.8%.
Service enterprises (net value added at factor cost in Rs '000,000; 1989-90): wholesale and retail trade 468,450; community, social, and personal services 226,320; construction 211,520; finance and insurance 172,770; transport and storage 169,630; real estate and business services 115,140; communication 30,780; electricity, gas, and water 29,050; restaurants and hotels 25,390.
Tourism: receipts from visitors (1993) U.S.$1,487,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad (1990) U.S.$393,000,000.
Imports (1993-94): Rs 728,060,000,000 (machinery, transport equipment, and fabricated metals 26.0%; mineral fuels and lubricants 24.8%; pearls and precious and semiprecious stones [mostly diamonds] 11.4%; industrial chemicals 6.0%; fertilizers 3.6%). Major import sources (1994): U.S. 9.5%; Germany 7.8%; Japan 7.8%; U.K. 7.0%; Saudi Arabia 5.8%; Belgium 5.8%; United Arab Emirates 4.8%; Kuwait 3.7%; South Korea 3.1%; Australia 3.0%.
Exports (1993-94): Rs 695,470,000,000 (cut and polished diamonds and jewelry 18.0%; machinery, transport equipment, metal products, iron and steel, and electronic components 13.6%; ready-made garments 11.8%; cotton yarn, fabrics, and thread 7.0%; chemicals and chemical products 6.7%; leather and leather manufactures 6.0%; fish products 3.6%; oil cakes 3.3%). Major export destinations (1994): U.S. 19.8%; Japan 8.4%; Germany 7.2%; U.K. 6.7%; Hong Kong 5.6%; United Arab Emirates 4.1%; Belgium 3.7%; Italy 3.4%; France 2.5%; The Netherlands 2.1%.
Transport. Railroads (1993-94): route length 38,189 mi, 61,459 km; (1994-95) passenger-mi 195,926,000,000, passenger-km 315,313,000,000; short ton-mi cargo 171,213,000,000, metric ton-km cargo 249,966,000,000. Roads (1991-92): total length 1,342,000 mi, 2,160,000 km (paved 46%). Vehicles (1993): passenger cars 3,330,000; trucks and buses 1,980,000. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 888; total deadweight tonnage 10,365,939. Air transport (1994){16}: passenger-mi 10,878,000,000, passenger-km 17,506,000,000; short ton-mi cargo 379,651,000, metric ton-km cargo 554,281,000; airports (1995) with scheduled flights 66.
Communications. Daily newspapers (1993): total number 3,805; total circulation 18,800,000; circulation per 1,000 population 21. Radio (1994): 65,000,000 receivers (1 per 14 persons). Television (1994): 20,000,000 receivers (1 per 47 persons). Telephones (main lines; 1993): 8,037,400 (1 per 112 persons).
Literacy (1991): total population age 7 and over literate 359,016,000 (52.6%); males literate 229,192,000 (64.1%); females literate 129,824,000 (39.3%).
Health: physicians (1991) 394,068 (1 per 2,211 persons); hospital beds (1992) 642,103 (1 per 1,357 persons); infant mortality rate (1994) 78.4.
Food (1992): daily per capita caloric intake 2,395 (vegetable products 93%, animal products 7%); 108% of FAO recommended minimum requirement.
Total active duty personnel (1995): 1,145,000 (army 85.6%, navy 4.8%, air force 9.6%); personnel in paramilitary forces for border security 282,000. Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1993): 3.3% (world 3.3%); per capita expenditure U.S.$9.