India

Kathleen Cox

Background Information

Population: 1.2 billion residents Geography: 1,269,219 square miles. The Himalaya Mountains are located on Indias northern border. The Great Indian (Thar) Desert extends all the way into Pakistan. In southern India is where the Deccan Plateau is located. Half of India is under cultivation, while about one-fourth of the country is forest. Language: India has several hundred languages. Only 22 of those languages have official status. English is used for business, education, and government . Religion: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism . Government: Federal Republic. Pranab Mukherjee, is the President of India (2013). History: The Indus Valley Civilization has existed since 2,500 BC. India was a wealthy country that many countries traded with, until they were taken over by British rule. Mahatma Ghandi led India to become an independent nation from Great Britian, and India was granted independence in 1947. There is great tension that exists between India and Pakistan. Today India is one of the top five industrialized nations

Background Information Continued

Customs, Traditions, & Taboos

Namaste is the way to greet individuals in India. Men do not touch women or shake their hands in public, this is done out of respect for a womans privacy Men shakes hands with one another A common greeting is a simple hello or hi Excessive hand gestures or verbal articulation is considered to be impolite The right hand is used for eating, passing objects, and shaking hands. The left hand is thought to be used for personal hygiene.

Customs, Traditions, & Taboos Continued

Feet and shoulders should not be touch by others Footwear is removed before entering a temple, mosque, or Sikh shrine, as well as in the home Family and friends hold great importance in their lives It is common for families to eat their meals together Women may eat after everyone has had their food Extended families may live in one household together Father or oldest male is the head of the household, while the oldest woman is responsible for managing the household Most Indian marriages are arranged Holidays are based on an individuals religion

Education In India

Education is considered to be a primary concern for the people of India Public education is free from the ages of 6-14 years old Primary education is held for children ages 6-14, followed by secondary education; which is divided into two levels (secondary and upper secondary) The literacy rate is higher in urban areas as opposed to rural areas. The high level of poverty forces children to begin working early 90% of children are enrolled in primary school 49% of girls and 59% of boys are enrolled in secondary school Students choose an area to specialize in when they enroll in secondary school Tuition is required for secondary school Exams must be passed to qualify for each level of secondary school There are more than 250 Universities and 3,000 Colleges