India lies in Southern Asia, part of Asia. In formal use it is Republic of India. New Delhi is the capital.
Around 1.45 billion people live there, placing it 1st of 250 by population — more populous than every other entry, including China. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 1st of 9 in size and 1st in population.
By land area it covers 3,287,590 km², which ranks it 8th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Australia and just ahead of Argentina. That makes it around a quarter larger than Argentina.
How India sits on the globe
The coordinates the dataset gives are 20.0° N, 77.0° E, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 2,226 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.
It is one of the countries that the Tropic of Cancer crosses. Mauritania, Cuba and the Dominican Republic sit at almost exactly the same latitude on other parts of the globe.
It borders 6 neighbours: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Nepal and Pakistan. The largest of them by area is China, which is also the most populous. Together those neighbours hold about 1.92 billion people.
With both a coast and land borders, it has the trade options a landlocked country does not.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, population and language
Density comes out at around 441 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. For comparison, the median entry on this list sits near 90 per square kilometre.
People from India are called Indians.
It recognises 3 languages: English, Hindi and Tamil. Hindi is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to India. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.
Inside Asia it places 1st of 50 by population, and it accounts for 70% of everyone living in Southern Asia.
Currency, domain and dialling code
Money there is the Indian rupee (₹, INR). It is issued for India alone.
Websites there use the .in domain. The international dialling code is +91. Its ISO codes are in and IND, which is what most databases and flag files use.
New Delhi is the seat of government and the answer most quizzes are looking for.
As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
India shares borders with 6 countries:
Fun facts about India
- Ranked by land area, India is 8th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
- Within Southern Asia it is the 1st largest of 9.
- In land area it is around a quarter larger than Argentina.
- Mauritania and Cuba sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
- The Indian rupee is used here and nowhere else on this list.
- Population density works out at roughly 441 people per square kilometre.
- The Tropic of Cancer runs across or very near it.
India — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of India?
- The capital of India is New Delhi.
- Which countries border India?
- India borders 6 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Nepal and Pakistan. China is the largest of them by area.
- What currency does India use?
- India uses the Indian rupee, written ₹ (currency code INR). No other entry in this dataset uses it.
- Where is India located?
- India is in Southern Asia, part of Asia. Its reference coordinates are 20.0° north and 77.0° east, roughly 2,226 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.
- How big is India?
- India covers 3,287,590 km², ranking 8th of 250 by land area. That makes it around a quarter larger than Argentina.
- Is India a country?
- Yes. India is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- What language is spoken in India?
- India lists 3 official languages: English, Hindi and Tamil. Hindi does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.
- What is the population of India?
- India has a population of about 1.45 billion, which makes it the 1st most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. and China just below.
