Welcome to India, a triangular shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalayas in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south.

The geographical features of India are varied. Located in the northern parts of India are mostly snow covered mountain ranges. While in the southern and eastern regions of the country it is mostly hilly and plains.

The wildlife of India is almost as varied as the countryside itself. Some of the highlights of India's fauna are its lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, elephants and rhinoceros.

Climate 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. While the monsoons which are huge rainstorms start to begin around the month of June. They help to cool things off throughout the country.

Religion seeps into every facet of Indian life. Despite being a secular democracy, India is one of the few countries on earth in which the social and religious structures which define the nation's identity remain intact. India's major religion, Hinduism, is practiced by approximately 80% of the population. In terms of the number of adherents, it's the largest religion in Asia and one of the world's oldest extant faiths.

The main currency of India is the rupee. If you stay in cheap hotels, always travel 2nd class on trains and learn to subsist on dhal and rice, you could see India on just US$10 a day. If you prefer a few more creature comforts, like a simple private room with a bathroom, a varied diet, and occasional 1st class rail travel on long journeys, count on around US$20-25 a day. One thing to note is that you are not allowed to bring Indian currency into the country, or take it with you when you leave.

Be sure to sample some of the many different types of India cuisine. Although many dishes are spicy it is a true delight to enjoy the many flavors of the food in the country. An Activity that you should look into include trekking trough the countryside on some of the camel tours that are available This will allow you to see the country from a unique vantage point that is available no other way.

If you have any questions while you're there to visit the tourism offices and they can give you up to date information.

Full country name: Republic of India
Area: 3,287,590 sq km (1,229,737 sq mi)
Population: 1,014,003,817
Capital city: New Delhi
People: 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% other
Language: Hindi
Religion: 80% Hindu, 14% Muslim, 2.4% Christian, 2% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% Jains, 0.4% other
Government: Federal Republic
President: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
GDP: US$2.2 trillion
GDP per head: US$2200
Annual growth: 5.4%
Inflation: 5.4%
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, Hong Kong, UK, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Saudi Arabia