Background: The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at
least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.;
their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian
culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th
were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century.
By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all
Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in
both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas
GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was
divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of
Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East
Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in
economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the
ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.
Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
and Pakistan
Population: 1,080,264,388 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.2% (male 173,634,432/female 163,932,475)
15-64
years: 63.9% (male 356,932,082/female 333,283,590)
65 years and
over: 4.9% (male 26,542,025/female 25,939,784) (2005 est.)
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