Urbanization:
urban population: 92% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.21 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 216 male: 3.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.79 years country comparison to the world: 17 male: 78.63 years
female: 83.04 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%
Religions:
Lutheran Church of Iceland 80.7%, Roman Catholic Church 2.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.4%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other religions 3.6%, unaffiliated 3%, other or unspecified 6.2% (2006 est.)
Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 18 years
male: 17 years
female: 20 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
7.5% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 15
Government ::Iceland
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lydveldid Island
local short form: Island
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR (since 1 February 2009);
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president, a largely ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held on 28 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually the prime minister
note: the presidential election of 28 June 2008 was not held because Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON had no challengers; he was sworn in on 1 August 2008
2004 election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote - Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%;
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Alliance 29.8%, Independence Party 23.7%, Left-Green Movement 21.7%, Progressive Party 14.8%, Citizens' Movement 7.2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - Social Democratic Alliance 20, Independence Party 16, Left-Green Alliance 14, Progressive Party 9, Citizens' Movement 4
note: the Citizens' Movement disintegrated in September 2009; three of its former MPs are now represented under the banner of The Movement and the fourth former MP is an independent
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]; Left-Green Movementor LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [SigmundurDavid GUNNLAUGSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [JohannaSIGURDARDOTTIR]; The Movement [Birgitta JONSDOTTIR]
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar W. HANNESSON
chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW #509, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis E. ARREAGA
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
telephone: [354] 562-9100
Flag description:
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean
National anthem:
name: "Lofsongur" (Song of Praise)
lyrics/music: Matthias JOCHUMSSON/Sveinbjorn SVEINBJORNSSON
note: adopted 1944; the anthem, also known as "O, Guo vors Lands" (O, God of Our Land), was originally written and performed in 1874
Economy ::Iceland
Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system. Prior to the 2008 crisis, Iceland had achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 40% of export earnings, more than 12% of GDP, and employs 7% of the work force. It remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of software production, biotechnology, and tourism. Abundant geothermal and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum sector and boosted economic growth, although the financial crisis has put several investment projects on hold. Much of Iceland's economic growth in recent years came as the result of a boom in domestic demand following the rapid expansion of the country's financial sector. Domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign currencies, following the privatization of the banking sector in the early 2000s. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled more than 10 times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. The country secured over $10 billion in loans from the IMF and other countries to stabilize its currency and financial sector, and to back government guarantees for foreign deposits in Icelandic banks. GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment peaked at 9.4% in February 2009. GDP fell 3.4% in 2010. Since the collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic priorities have included: stabilizing the krona, reducing Iceland's high budget deficit, containing inflation, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. Three new banks were established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks. Two of them have foreign majority ownership, while the State holds a majority of the shares of the third. British and Dutch authorities have pressed claims totaling over $5 billion against Iceland to compensate their citizens for losses suffered on deposits held in the failed Icelandic bank, Landsbanki Islands. Iceland agreed to new terms with the UK and the Netherlands to compensate British and Dutch depositors, but the agreement must first be approved by the Icelandic President. Iceland began EU accession negotiations with the EU in July 2010, however, public support has dropped substantially because of concern about losing control over fishing resources and in reaction to measures taken by Brussels during the ongoing Eurozone crisis.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.86 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $12.28 billion (2009 est.)
$13.17 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.77 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-3.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 -6.8% (2009 est.)
1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $40,000 (2009 est.)
$43,300 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 24.7%
services: 69.9% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
188,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 22.2%
services: 73% (2008)
Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 8% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28 (2006) country comparison to the world: 123 25 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
12.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Public debt:
123.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 113.9% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 12% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
14.55% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 8 22% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
18.99% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 19.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money:
$4.413 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 95 $4.438 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$19.97 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $24.28 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$46.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 $54.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.128 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 77 $5.557 billion (31 December 2008)
$40.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, chicken, pork, beef, dairy products; fish
Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, hydropower, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
-1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Electricity - production:
16.84 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - consumption:
16.48 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - consumption:
18,900 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Oil - exports:
1,915 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Oil - imports:
16,390 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161
Current account balance:
-$42 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 -$440 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$4.619 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $4.05 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 40%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 30.71%, UK 12.73%, Germany 11.21%, Norway 5.75%, Spain 4.82% (2009)
Imports:
$3.677 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 $3.318 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
Norway 12.97%, Netherlands 8.62%, Germany 8.3%, Sweden 8.03%,Denmark 7.27%, US 6.94%, China 4.98%, UK 4.55%, Brazil 4.09% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$4.206 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $3.883 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002) country comparison to the world: 127
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA (31 December 2010)
$9.2 billion (#REF!)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$8.8 billion (31 December 2008)
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 139.319 (2010), 123.638 (2009), 85.619 (2008), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006)
Communications ::Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use:
185,200 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126
Telephones - mobile cellular:
349,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network
domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market
international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Broadcast media:
state-owned public television broadcaster operates 1 TV channel nationally; several privately-owned TV stations broadcast nationally and roughly another half-dozen operate locally; about half the households utilize multi-channel cable or satellite TV services; state-owned public radio broadcaster operates 2 national networks and 4 regional stations; 2 privately-owned radio stations operate nationally and another 15 provide more limited coverage (2007)
Internet country code:
.is
Internet hosts:
344,748 (2010) country comparison to the world: 55
Internet users:
301,600 (2009) country comparison to the world: 129
Transportation ::Iceland
Airports:
99 (2010) country comparison to the world: 59
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 63 (2010)
Roadways:
total: 12,869 km country comparison to the world: 128 paved/oiled gravel: 4,438 km (does not include urban roads)
unpaved: 8,431 km (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 country comparison to the world: 146 by type: passenger/cargo 2
registered in other countries: 19 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Belize 2, Denmark 3, Finland 1, Gibraltar 1, Norway 3) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik
Military ::Iceland
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 75,259 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 62,705
females age 16-49: 61,392 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,318
female: 2,263 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
0% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Military - note:
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic airspace (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Iceland
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the FaroeIslands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@India (South Asia)
Introduction ::India
Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually brought about independence in 1947. Communal violence led to the subcontinent's bloody partition, which resulted in the creation of two separate states, India and Pakistan. The two countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists allegedly originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, rapid economic development is fueling India's rise on the world stage. In January 2011, India assumed a nonpermanent seat in the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.
Geography ::India
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 3,287,263 sq km country comparison to the world: 7 land: 2,973,193 sq km
water: 314,070 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline:
7,000 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 48.83%
permanent crops: 2.8%
other: 48.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
558,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,907.8 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%)
per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
volcanism: Barren Island (elev. 354 m, 1,161 ft) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, TropicalTimber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal
People ::India
Population:
1,173,108,018 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.5% (male 187,197,389/female 165,285,592)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 384,131,994/female 359,795,835)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 28,816,115/female 31,670,841) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.9 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 26.6 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.376% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Birth rate:
21.34 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85
Death rate:
7.53 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Urbanization:
urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.13 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 53 male: 47.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.46 years country comparison to the world: 159 male: 65.46 years
female: 67.57 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.65 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2.4 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Religions:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
note: English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61%
male: 73.4%
female: 47.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 142
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 the 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 Christians, Hindus, and Muslims
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pratibha Devisingh PATIL (since 25 July 2007); Vice President Mohammad 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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 in 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 in August 2007 (next to be held August 2012); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections; election last held April - May 2009 (next to be held no later than May 2014)
election results: Pratibha PATIL elected president; percent of vote - Pratibha PATIL 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 members elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held in five phases on 16, 22-23, 30 April and 7, 13 May 2009 (next must be held by May 2014)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - INC 206, BJP 116, SP 23, BSP 21, JD (U) 20, AITC 19, DMK 18, CPI-M 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, other 61, vacant 2; note - seats by party as November 2009 - INC 207, BJP 116, SP 22, BSP 21, JD (U) 20, AITC 19, DMK 18, CPI-M 16, BJD 14, SS 11, AIADMK 9, NCP 9, other 61, vacant 2
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:
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [J.JAYALALITHAA]; All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [MamataBANERJEE]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya JanataParty or BJP [Nitin GADKARI]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [NaveenPATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [B. BARDHAN]; CommunistParty of India-Marxist or CPI-M [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida MunnetraKazhagam or DMK [Kalaignar M.KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congressor INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADAV];Left Front (an alliance of Indian leftist parties); NationalistCongress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Rashtriya Lok Dal or RLD [AjitSINGH]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani AkaliDal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY];Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; note - India hasdozens of national and regional political parties; only parties orcoalitions with four or more seats in the People's Assembly arelisted
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatistgroup); Bajrang Dal (religious organization); National SocialistCouncil of Nagaland in the northeast (separatist group); RashtriyaSwayamsevak Sangh [Mohan BHAGWAT] (religious organization); VishwaHindu Parishad [Ashok SINGHAL] (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 member), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner),BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF,G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW,PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UN SecurityCouncil (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,UNITAR, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Meera SHANKAR
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
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy J. ROEMER
embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [91] (011) 2419-8000
consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad; 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; saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility; the blue chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation
note: similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
National anthem:
name: "Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People)
lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE
note: adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem
Economy ::India
Economy - overview:
India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization, including industrial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and has served to accelerate the country's growth, which has averaged more than 7% per year since 1997. India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Slightly more than half of the work force is in agriculture, but services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India's output, with only one-third of its labor force. India has capitalized on its large educated English-speaking population to become a major exporter of information technology services and software workers. In 2010, the Indian economy rebounded robustly from the global financial crisis - in large part because of strong domestic demand - and growth exceeded 8% year-on-year in real terms. Merchandise exports, which account for about 15% of GDP, returned to pre-financial crisis levels. An industrial expansion and high food prices, resulting from the combined effects of the weak 2009 monsoon and inefficiencies in the government's food distribution system, fueled inflation which peaked at about 11% in the first half fo 2010, but has gradually decreased to single digits following a series of central bank interest rate hikes. New Delhi in 2010 reduced subsidies in fuel and fertilizers, sold a small percentage of its shares in some state-owned enterprises and auctioned off rights to radio bandwidth for 3G telecommunications in part to lower the government's deficit. The Indian Government seeks to reduce its deficit to 5.5% of GDP in FY 2010-11, down from 6.8% in the previous fiscal year. India's long term challenges include widespread poverty, inadequate physical and social infrastructure, limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, insufficient access to quality basic and higher education, and accommodiating rual-to-urban migration.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.046 trillion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $3.736 trillion (2009 est.)
$3.478 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.43 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 7.4% (2009 est.)
7.4% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,400 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $3,200 (2009 est.)
$3,000 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 28.6%
services: 55.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
478.3 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 52%
industry: 14%
services: 34% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 10.7% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 31.1% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (2004) country comparison to the world: 79 37.8 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
32% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Public debt:
55.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 57.3% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 10.9% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 74 6% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.19% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 13.31% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$328.4 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 15 $268.4 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.29 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $1.04 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.164 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $938.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.179 trillion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 14 $645.5 billion (31 December 2008)
$1.819 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, lentils, onions, potatoes; dairy products, sheep, goats, poultry; fish
Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
9.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Electricity - production:
723.8 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Electricity - consumption:
568 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Electricity - exports:
810 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
5.27 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
878,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Oil - consumption:
2.98 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
Oil - exports:
738,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Oil - imports:
2.9 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Oil - proved reserves:
5.8 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Natural gas - production:
38.65 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22
Natural gas - consumption:
51.27 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - imports:
12.62 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.075 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Current account balance:
-$26.91 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 -$26.63 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$201 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $168.2 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities: