Fascinating Facts About India

China and India currently make up 37% of the global population of 7.7 billion, with China at around 1.4 billion and India at 1.3 billion. However, according to the UN's World Population Prospects 2019 released on June 17, by 2027, India is projected to surpass China in population. By 2050, the gap between the two countries will be substantial.

From 2019 to 2050, 55 countries or regions are expected to experience a population decline of at least 1%, mainly due to low birth rates and some countries with high migration. At the forefront is China, with an estimated population decrease of 31.4 million people, equivalent to 2.2%.

This means China's population is expected to decrease to 1.1 billion, while India's population will be 1.5 billion. The report predicts a global population of 9.7 billion by 2050, a remarkable increase in just a century. Five years after the establishment of the UN in 1950, the world's population was only 2.6 billion.

China is a rapidly growing economic powerhouse, and products catering to reproductive and nutritional needs are highly sought after. Both China and India have the largest populations in the world. According to some information and projects, it has been asserted that India's population could surpass China's in 2022, significantly impacting other countries as Indian citizens may migrate, as observed in the previous decade.

India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories. All states, along with the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, and Delhi, form legislative and government bodies under the Westminster system. The remaining union territories are directly administered by the Central government through appointed administrators.

In 1956, based on the States Reorganization Act, India's states were reorganized based on language. Since then, the structure of states has largely remained unchanged. Each state or union territory is divided into districts. Districts further subdivide into tehsils and, finally, into villages.

About 23.3 million people live in the city of New Delhi, a remarkably large number, surpassing the population of many other countries. The capital city Mumbai also has a population of around 23 million, Kolkata has approximately 16 million, and there are numerous other large cities with densely populated areas, presenting impressive figures.

Having such large populations in these urban areas leads to traffic congestion and cramped living conditions for the residents. Even in the face of natural disasters, the human casualties are relatively small compared to the millions who continue to struggle for survival in these congested cities.

Languages in India belong to various language families, including the Indo-Aryan language family (used by 72% of Indians) and the Dravidian language family (used by 25% of Indians). Other languages in India belong to the Sino-Tibetan, Austroasiatic, Tai-Kadai language families, and some isolate languages.

The first official language in the Republic of India is Standard Hindi, while English is the second official language. The Indian Constitution states, 'The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in the Devanagari script.' Neither the Constitution nor Indian laws explicitly designate a national language, a perspective supported by a Supreme Court ruling. However, languages listed in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution are occasionally referenced; these are not legally binding but are considered the languages of India.

India has a total of 22 officially recognized languages. This diversity is understandable given India's vast population and the absence of a single predominant language, unlike neighboring China. Here is a list of the most common languages in India, including both official languages and those commonly used in practice.

The ability of local residents to speak multiple languages is not surprising, given the early development of tourism and the frequent interactions with tourists from various countries. Above all, India places a strong emphasis on education, ensuring widespread familiarity with various languages.

The cultural history of India spans over 4,500 years. During the Vedic period (circa 1700 – 500 BCE), the foundations of Indian philosophy, mythology, and literature were established. Many beliefs and practices, such as Dharma, Karma, yoga, and moksha, continue to exist today.

India exhibits religious diversity, with Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism being major religions of the country. Hinduism predominates, shaped by various historical schools of thought, including those in the Vedas, Yoga scriptures, the Bhakti movement, and Buddhist philosophy.

If you've ever watched Indian historical films, you're likely familiar with themes of independence between different social classes and mutual respect in life. Indian beliefs are deeply rooted in and loyal to the principles of Islam.

India embraces various religions, and although one religion may seem economically less prosperous than another, they share common ancestry. They live sincerely, without distinctions, and believe that in the end, everyone is laid to rest in similarly sized graves, lying both under the same sun and beneath the same earth.

India is a federal republic with a parliamentary system governed by the Constitution of India. It is a constitutional republic with a representative democracy, where 'majority rule is tempered by legal protections of individual and minority rights.' The federal system in India clearly defines the division of powers between the central government and the states. The government adheres to the checks and balances outlined in the Constitution.

The Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950, and its preamble declares India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. India's traditional model of government is often described as 'quasi-federal,' with a strong central government and weaker states. However, since the late 1990s, India has evolved towards a more federal structure due to political, economic, and social changes.

With such a vast electorate, elections in India are undoubtedly dynamic. Imagine, with the world's second-largest population, the number of votes cast would be significant, even if just a fraction. Elections in India, driven by a massive voter base, hinge on the participation of economically challenged citizens who, despite hardships, maintain faith in life and harbor hope for success.

Mangoes are a favored fruit in many global markets, with cultivation and consumption expanding worldwide. Here's the market dynamics in some major importing countries. Mango is a tropical fruit grown in over 90 countries, covering an area of about 1.8-2.2 million hectares. Mangoes are highly popular, ranking as the second most consumed fruit after bananas.

Global mango production doubled in just 10 years from 2001 to 2010. In 2014, mango production reached approximately 28.8 million tons, constituting 35% of global tropical fruit production. Asia-Pacific (India, China, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand) accounted for about 69% of total production, Latin America and the Caribbean (Brazil and Mexico) 14%, and Africa 9%. Developed countries' (USA, Israel, and South Africa) mango production was around 158,000 tons.

With such a dense population, the consumption of goods, especially mangoes, is massive. Contrary to the belief that mango consumption is associated with vegetarianism, in reality, most people in India, regardless of ethnicity or race, love mangoes. Fruits are always considered healthy food.

Being the world's largest producer and consumer of mangoes, one can imagine the numerous mango trees and farms scattered across the country. Mango production in India was reported to be around 15,250,000 tons in 2012, surpassing China, Kenya, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.

India is ranked among the countries with the highest number of road accidents globally, primarily due to a large population concentrated in cities and inadequate infrastructure. The narrow and closely spaced roads lead to frequent traffic accidents. Another issue is the lack of safe lanes in road design, resulting in relatively unrestricted movement and compromised traffic safety.

Imagine a small road bustling with hundreds of people on motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles, carts, taxis, or dusty lanes with animals roaming around. Crowded pedestrians crossing the road, homeless people sleeping along the roadside. It can be overwhelming and terrifying.

If you are an adventure enthusiast, participating in traffic in India can provide an exciting experience to satisfy your passion. Otherwise, hiring a professional driver to navigate through busy streets, where vehicles range from luxurious, flashy ones driven by savvy players to rudimentary, outdated ones, resembling something you might only see in a museum, all following seemingly unwritten rules.

The President of India serves as the supreme commander of the armed forces, commanding a force of 1.6 million personnel, ranking third globally in this criterion. The Indian military comprises the army, navy, and air force; supporting organizations include the Strategic Forces Command and three paramilitary units: Assam Rifles, Special Frontier Force, and Indian Coast Guard.

India's official defense budget for the 2012-17 period accounts for approximately 2.5% of GDP. In 2012, India was the world's largest arms importer; from 2007 to 2011, Indian arms purchases made up 10% of the total global arms trade. Most military spending focuses on defense against Pakistan and countering China's increasing influence in the Indian Ocean.

However, an astonishing and fascinating fact is that India's first missile was transported by bicycle. It may sound unbelievable, but it's true. Imagine transporting a missile capable of killing hundreds of people with just a bicycle; it's truly a crazy scenario.

9. The Most Daring Acts in the World

The traditional society of India is defined by social classes, and India's caste system embodies many layers of social stratification and numerous social restrictions across the Indian subcontinent. Social classes are identified by thousands of endogamous groups, often referred to as jāti or 'caste.'

India declared untouchability illegal in 1947 and has since enacted other anti-discrimination laws and initiated social welfare; however, many accounts still indicate that numerous Dalits (formerly untouchables) and other low castes in rural areas continue to live in isolation, facing oppression and discrimination.

In urban workplaces in India, be it at international companies or leading Indian firms, the significance of the caste system has diminished considerably. Family values hold importance in Indian culture, and multi-generational joint families are the standard in India, though nuclear families are also becoming common in urban areas.

Staring into the eyes of a king cobra and playing a flute to make the snake sway in rhythm, or approaching and kissing a cobra is something only the people of India would do. It's truly daring for anyone else but a common practice for the native population.

10. India, the Largest Kingdom of Cattle in the World

Across the territory of India, there are approximately 44.9 million cattle, accounting for 17.2% of the world's total livestock. Hindus consider cattle to be generous, docile creatures that provide more to humans than they take. Cows are believed to produce five elements: milk, cheese, butter (also known as ghee), urine, and dung. The first three are used for worshiping deities and as food, while the latter two serve for penance or as fuel for burning. In fact, Hindus also associate certain animals with the deities they worship, such as monkeys (for Hanuman), elephants (for Ganesh), tigers (for Durga), mice (for Ganesh), but none are revered like the cow.

Most followers of Hinduism are vegetarians, and those who consume meat avoid eating beef, considering cows to be sacred symbols of life that need protection and reverence. In the oldest Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, the cow is connected to Aditi, the mother of the gods.

In Hindu religious paintings, the cow appears in white, adorned with flowers, symbolizing special reverence in their faith. According to many bloggers who have experienced travel here, encountering cows everywhere on Indian streets is nothing surprising. Due to this excessive reverence, some Indian foods even contain ingredients made from cow dung, and traditional remedies and soaps are made from cow urine. Impressively, during the Covid-19 pandemic, some people in India even bathed with cow dung, believing it would cure the disease.

Although aware that each country's culture and reverence have its unique characteristics, consuming food made from cow dung and using items made from cow urine are probably distinct to India. Isn't it fascinating?

11. Shark Fish Living in the Sacred Ganges River

One of the intriguing facts here is that few know about a species of shark living in the sacred river of the people of India. The Ganges River has been known for centuries for its spiritual significance, believed by Indians to help protect and cleanse their sins.

People bathe in the Ganges to purify their bodies from evil spirits and sins. Indians still believe that demons, snakes, insects, or other harmful entities cannot approach humans under the Ganges River.

However, the truth is that there exists a species of shark under the river, posing a significant threat to the hundreds of bathers on this river. It is one of the 5 dangerous freshwater shark species, although very rare, it remains a potential threat to those bathing in the Ganges River.

According to IQAir's report, a Swiss company specializing in air quality measurement based on PM2.5 fine particulate concentrations, New Delhi, the capital of India, retained its title as the world's most polluted capital for the third consecutive year in 2020. IQAir's World Air Quality Report 2020 reveals that 35 out of the world's 50 most polluted cities are located in India. This report synthesizes data from 106 countries, focusing on PM2.5 concentrations, a fine particulate matter that can lead to various dangerous health issues such as cancer and cardiovascular problems.

In 2020, the annual average PM2.5 concentration in New Delhi was at 84.1. According to a recent study by Greenpeace Southeast Asia Analysis and IQAir, air pollution is estimated to have caused nearly 54,000 deaths in New Delhi in 2020.

Reuters reports that in 2020, 20 million residents of New Delhi experienced record-breaking clean air during the summer due to pandemic-related restrictions. However, air pollution returned during the winter, exacerbated by the increased burning of crop residue in the state of Punjab.

As this activity peaked, PM2.5 levels in New Delhi averaged 144 mcg/m3 in November and rose to 157 mcg/m3 the following month, exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended levels by 14 times.