Population: 1,029,991,145 (July 2001 est.)

Area: 3,287,590 sq km, slightly more than one-third U.S.; upland plain in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north.

Capital: New Delhi

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

Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Religions: Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Literacy: total population: 52% (age 15 and over)

GDP per capita: purchasing power parity - $2.2 trillion (2000 est.)