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The [[India|'''Republic of India''']] is a country that occupies a greater part of [[South Asia]]. It borders [[Pakistan]] and [[Afghanistan]] in the northwest, the [[People's Republic of China]], [[Nepal]], and [[Bhutan]] in the north, and [[Bangladesh]] and [[Myanmar]] in the east. India's coastline stretches for over seven thousand [[kilometre]]s. Its neighbours in the [[Indian Ocean]] are the [[island nation]]s of the [[Maldives]] in the southwest, [[Sri Lanka]] in the south, and [[Indonesia]] in the southeast. India is the [[List of countries by population| second most populous]] [[country]] in the world, with a [[population]] of over [[1 E9|one billion]] and is the [[List of countries by area|seventh largest]] country by geographical [[area]]. It is a constitutional [[republic]] consisting of twenty eight [[states of India|states]] and six [[union territory|union territories]]. The word ''India'' derives from the [[Old Persian]] cognate for the [[Sanskrit]] word'' [[Sindhu]]'', the [[Indus river]]. The [[Constitution of India]] also recognises ''Bhārat'' <small>{{Audio|Bharat.ogg|listen}}</small> as an official name with equal status.

A centre of important historic trade routes, India is the home to some of the most [[Indus Valley Civilization|ancient civilisations]]. India is the birthplace to four major world [[religions]]: [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Sikhism]] and has the [[Islam_by_country|second largest Muslim population]] in the world. India was a former [[colonization|colony]] of the [[British Empire]] under the [[British Raj]] before gaining [[Indian independence|independence]] on [[15 August]], [[1947]]. The country has witnessed significant economic and military growth after the [[liberalization|liberalisation]] of the [[Economy of India|Indian economy]].

<div class="noprint" style="text-align:right;margin-right:10px;margin-bottom:4px;">[[Image:Nuvola apps package network.png|16px]] '''[[India|More about India]] ...''' </div>