ABSTRACT
Geographically, India is the seventh largest country in the world, with a population of over 1 billion, comprising 16% of the world’s population. Only China has a larger population. The literacy level is comparatively low at 65%, with men being more literate than women. India has a parliamentary system of government and takes pride in its unity amidst diversity. There is a large urban–rural divide, with 70% of the population living in rural and semi-urban areas. This diversity is manifest in the multiplicity of religions, castes, and languages. India presents a picture of interesting coexistence: high technology coexists with primitive technology, affluence with poverty, development with underdevelopment, very high literacy with illiteracy; and so on.
