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Economic and geographical position of India

State economy

I. Economic and geographical position of India.

Geographical position.

India is a country of ancient and original culture, rooted in the depths of millennia, which has made a huge contribution to human civilization. It was one of the first colonial countries to achieve political independence (1947). At the same time, on the site of the former colony of Great Britain, on a religious basis, two sovereign states were formed - India and Pakistan (later, the independent state of Bangladesh emerged from the latter).

The territory of India is shaped like a giant triangle, as if fenced off from the rest of Asia by a high wall of the Himalayas. In the literature, this vast area is often referred to as the Indian subcontinent.

Although the length of the maritime borders of India is much less than the land, they play a major role in the economic life of the country. The world trade route runs along its shores, opening up great opportunities for expanding ties with the countries of the East and West.

Natural resources.

Naturally, India is one of the richest countries in the world. No wonder in colonial times it was called the "pearl of the British crown." There is a fertile climate, colossal agro-climatic resources. The reserves of certain types of mineral raw materials (iron and manganese ores, chromites, titanium, zirconium, muscovite) are of world importance. Large reserves of coal, non-ferrous metal ores, gold. Many areas and coastal waters are promising for oil. Numerous rivers are a source of irrigation and hydroelectric power. The land resources of India are extensive, the territory of which is only slightly smaller than the area of ​​all the countries of Western Europe. The abundance of heat in a monsoonal subtropical and tropical climate makes it possible to collect two or three crops per year on a large area.

Having embarked on the path of independent historical development, India has achieved impressive success in many areas. A diversified industrial complex was created. As a result of the "Green Revolution", grain production increased several times, thanks to which mass starvation was eliminated in the country. Social services have improved markedly. At the same time, the development of India along the path of socio-economic transformation is closely connected with the creation and strengthening of the public sector of the economy.

II. Modern level of economy.

It ranks second after China in terms of population. The population of India is about 900 people. In the 50s. population growth rates were very high - 4.5%, but now they are 2%, which is associated with the implementation of demographic policy. In terms of GDP, the country ranks 17th in the world - about 226 billion dollars. There are 320 dollars per capita. An import substitution policy is being pursued.

Iron ore reserves make up 1/4 of the world. The country ranks 3rd in manganese reserves, 2nd in titanium production. In addition, the country is an exporter of chromium and copper sheets. A heat and power complex is developed, the basis of which is coal. There is oil and gas, but the demand for these resources is met through imports. India's share in world industrial production is negligible. Electricity generation accounts for about 2% of world production. Transport is significantly developed, India ranks 5th in the world in terms of traffic volume. Leading positions belong to railway transport. India has its own air fleet, a prominent maritime power, has a large merchant fleet, but 60% of traffic is carried out by non-national ships. There are 8 major ports, the largest of which are Bombay and Kolkata. A significant role in world agriculture. The largest number of cattle, but not eaten. The country ranks 5th in the world (1 among developing countries) in terms of the number of sheep. 20% of world rice production, 8.5% of world wheat harvest. 4th place in the world in cotton production. Large tea producer, 3rd place in the world in tobacco production. 0.6% share in world exports. The export quota is 9.6% (not much because India has a large domestic market). India is one of the poorest countries in terms of per capita income. 30% of the population live below the poverty line. The socio-economic structure of the economy is characterized by diversity, which originated in the period of colonialism. A distinctive feature is dualism (modern and traditional sectors). After gaining independence, there is a change in the socio-economic structure, the process of development of the modern sector is underway. Since 1952, the goal of state policy has been the accelerated development of a market economy, based on a modern technical basis and independent of foreign capital. To do this, the development of the public sector in capital-intensive industries and active government regulation of the economy. Tasks: to support the development of own large capital, to get rid of feudal remnants, the subordination of commercial and loan capital to the interests of the development of industrial capital. These tasks were ensured through the development of the public sector in the field of heavy industry and infrastructure and through the influence of the state on the economy: indicative planning, protectionist systems. In modern industries - attracting foreign capital, limiting the scope of functioning of large Indian capital (expanding the public sector in capital-intensive industries), expanding the state's own economic activity, creating purely state-owned enterprises, as well as state-capitalist enterprises, a public procurement system (the share of state order in some industries reaches 50-60% of all products, state. order contributes to stable demand from the state for a number of products).

Spheres of activity of the state-capitalist sector: infrastructure and fuel industries (the state's share is at least 40%), energy (96%), transport (48%), oil and gas production (100%), coal mining (99%), banking insurance business (93% of turnover), foreign trade (60% of imports and 28% of exports), manufacturing (10%).

The foreign capitalist structure: the number of enterprises is small - 80 purely foreign enterprises (20 fewer than in 1980). It mainly operates in the jute industry (3%), chemical, mechanical engineering, metallurgy (39% together) - these are mostly mixed-type enterprises.

Large private sector: 80 large monopoly groups. They are mainly employed in the manufacturing industry.

Small-scale commodity structure: mainly associated with traditional sectors, in agriculture it is semi-natural. 80% of farms in agriculture are farms with a traditional way of life.

GDP Growth Rate: 1951-56 -1.7%, from 56 to 61 - 9.4%, from 85 to 90 - 14.2%. C \ x - low productivity, from 80 to 93 years. - an average annual increase of 3%, in industry over the same period - 6.2%, in the manufacturing industry - 6.3%, in the service sector - 6.4%.

The structure of GDP: industry - 70 - 22%, 93 - 27%, agriculture - 45% and 31% (respectively), services 33% and 41%. In industry, 60% is the extractive industry, the share of traditional industries and export textile industries is decreasing from 21% to 15%, while mechanical engineering has increased from 20% to 25%.

Foreign trade: export - from 70 to 93 years. growth annually amounted to 7%, 30% of exports were textiles, 25% - raw materials, 7% - machinery and equipment, 38% - other products of the processing industry (tea, coffee). Import: from 80 to 93 annual growth rate of 4.2%. 30% - fuel, 14% - machinery and equipment, 10% - other raw materials, 46% - other manufacturing products, 4% - food. 26% of exports - to the EU, 23% - to developing countries, 19% - to the USA, 8% - to Japan. Imports: OPEC's main fuel partner. From 93 to 95 years. - 7 times increased foreign investment, in 1995 - 1 billion dollars. External debt exceeds $92 billion (225% of exports, 30% of GDP). 29% of export earnings annually go to service the debt.

The use of foreign economic relations by India is carried out, first of all, with the aim of eliminating economic dependence on imperialism and strengthening the economic independence of the country. It should be noted that the Indian bourgeoisie and, first of all, its monopoly circles, seek to subordinate foreign economic relations to the interests of maximizing their profits. A reflection of this trend in the development of India's foreign economic strategy is the course towards the accelerated development of trade with developing countries. The countries of the Afro-Asian region have become one of the main markets for the products of new branches of the Indian manufacturing industry and at the same time an important supplier of agricultural products and raw materials and, especially important, minerals and oil for the needs of Indian industry. The development of this market is carried out in India by the joint efforts of the public and private sectors, and along with the exchange of goods, the export of public and private capital is of great importance.

India's largest trade and economic partners are the developed capitalist countries, which account for about half of India's foreign trade turnover. India's main partners are the US, Japan and the EEC countries. India sells a significant part of its traditional, and in recent years, new products in the markets of these countries. Incomes from the export of goods and services to the industrialized capitalist countries form the basis of India's foreign exchange earnings.

The liberated states of Asia, Africa and Latin America occupy a prominent place in India's foreign economic relations. Moreover, for a number of goods, these states are the main suppliers to the Indian market (oil, cotton, copper), or represent the most important markets for Indian products ("engineering" goods, textiles).

The importance of trade with African countries is determined, firstly, by their traditional role as suppliers of metals, phosphates, and cotton, and secondly, by the vast opportunities that the African market provides for the sale of both traditional Indian goods and sophisticated technical products.

The main Indian exports to the CIS are machinery and mechanisms, light industry products, medicines and traditional Indian exports: tea, coffee, leather, sugar, etc.

An important role in solving the problems of India's economic development is played by its ties with the countries of Eastern Europe.

India's largest trading partner of these countries is Poland. The main Polish exports to India are mining equipment, ships and ship equipment, paints, etc. Polish imports from India consist of traditional agricultural products (tea, coffee) and products of new Indian industries (electronic equipment, chemical products, steel pipes and etc.)

III. Development prospects for the future.

The peculiarities of the nature of India's participation in modern international economic relations are determined by the fact that the development of capitalism in India led to the formation of national monopolies, whose activities are carried out in accordance with the laws inherent in monopoly capital. Indian monopolies are in favor of expanding ties with foreign capital. They are interested in trade and economic expansion in the markets of less developed countries and advocate limiting the role of the public sector in the economic life of the country.

Although India is currently of considerable importance in the system of international economic and trade relations, its position remains dependent on Western countries, and the structure of exports indicates that India is a developing country.

But India is making great efforts to restructure international economic relations. According to India, specific ways to achieve it should be: increasing state aid from developed countries on preferential terms, changing the terms of international trade taking into account the interests of the newly-free states, and increasing the volume of scientific and technical assistance to developing countries.

Despite the enormous difficulties, India manages to achieve significant success in the development of the national economy and significantly improve its position in the international trade system, partially overcome dependence on developed capitalist states. I think that in the near future India will try to achieve its goals. And judging by what the country has achieved to date, its example is very indicative for other developing countries.

Item Description: "Economics of States"

The modern economy of states studies the sources of market power of states, its magnitude, its consequences, as well as the content and results of the economic policy of the state.

Literature

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4. E.N. Smirnov, S.M. Smagulova. Introduction to the course of the world economy. Economic geography of foreign countries. Workshop. – M.: KnoRus, 2011. – 320 p.
   
5. E.N. Smirnov. Introduction to the course of the world economy. Economic geography of foreign countries (+ CD). – M.: KnoRus, 2009. – 416 p.
   
6. G.M. Lappo. Cities of Russia. Geographer's view. - M.: New Chronograph, 2012. - 504 p.
   
7. N.I. Shishkin. Komi ASSR. Economic and geographical characteristics. – M.: Geografgiz, 1959. – 224 p.
   
8. SOUTH. Saushkin. Moscow. Geographic feature. – M.: Geografgiz, 1955. – 190 p.
   
9. J.Verkey. Countries with rapidly developing economies. Brazil, Russia, India, China. Economic changes and new challenges. – M.: INION RAN, 2012. – 40 p.
   
10. Geographic location and territorial structures. In memory of I.M. Maergoiz. - M.: New Chronograph, 2012. - 912 p.

The area is 3.3 million km2.

The population is 950 million people.

The capital is Delhi.

India is a federal republic consisting of 25 states and 7 union territories. The head of state is the president. Legislative power belongs to Parliament. India is part of the Commonwealth of British States. The official languages ​​are Hindi and English. The majority of the population professes Hinduism.

Geographical position. Natural conditions and resources

India is a developing country located in the south of Asia. Three-quarters of its area is occupied by plateaus. From the north, the giant triangle of the Indian subcontinent is bounded by the world's highest mountain range, the Himalayas. The bowels of the country are rich in minerals. It is no coincidence that India was once called the “pearl of the British crown”. Many deposits of mineral raw materials are of worldwide importance: coal, iron and manganese ores, many non-ferrous metals, such as chromium, titanium, zirconium, and gold. The deposits of precious stones are of great importance.

India is located in the subequatorial climatic zone, where in the savannah zone, with sufficient irrigation, two, and in some places even three crops per year are harvested from the fields. Such intensive use of land by man has led to a significant change in natural complexes.

Population

India is the second most populous state in the world. It is characterized by a high natural population growth: for the year it is 13-14 million people. Government policy to reduce population growth has already borne fruit, but significant results are not expected until the middle of the next century.

India is the most multiethnic country in the world. Only large nations (Hindustani, Biharis, Punjabis, etc.) number a dozen and a half. They make up 9/10 of its population. The specific features of the country's population are a significant predominance of young people and men in its composition.

The population is distributed very unevenly across the country. In the foothills of the Himalayas, the population density is 2 people. per 1 km2, and on the Indo-Gangetic plain this figure reaches 500 people. per 1 km2. Only a third of the population lives in cities, the largest of which are located on the coasts. These are Calcutta, Madras, Mumbai (Bombay). India is a country of ancient culture.

Economy

Today India is one of the leaders among developing countries. Its economy is very contradictory: despite the fact that industry is growing rapidly in the country (it mainly provides for its own needs), agriculture is still more developed, which employs about 70% of the population.

India ranks first in the world in the production of tea, peanuts, sugar cane, jute fiber, and many spices. Produces a significant amount of rice, tobacco, wheat and cotton.

The main part of the sown area is occupied by food crops. Rice is grown mainly in the valleys of large rivers, wheat and other crops - almost everywhere, including dry areas where the fields are irrigated artificially.

In terms of the number of cattle, India ranks first in the world. However, the cow here is a sacred animal and it is forbidden by religion to kill it. The reduction in the number of cattle is a way to develop other branches of animal husbandry and solve the food problem in the country.

The industrialization of India began with traditional industries - food and light industry. In light - the most developed textile. However, in recent years, metallurgy and mechanical engineering (production of machine tools, electrical appliances, agricultural machines and locomotives) have outpaced it in terms of growth rates. Petrochemistry and the production of mineral fertilizers are developing on imported raw materials.

The most powerful industrial complex was formed in the northeast. The south of the country still remains an agricultural region.

Transport. International connections

Transport is quite well developed in India. It is among the five leading countries in the world in terms of the length of railways. However, most roads are narrow-gauge, and motorways are often unpaved. In recent years, maritime transport has grown rapidly in India.

India maintains international relations with almost all countries of the world. The role of ties with the countries of Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, is great.

Conclusions:

India is the second most populous and most multiethnic country in the world.

The basis of the country's economy is agriculture, the main branch of which is crop production.

Rich natural resources have become the basis for the rapid development of India's industry.

Read in the section

India is located on a peninsula in the form of an isosceles triangle. The favorable physical and geographical position of India and the concentration of important air and sea routes contribute to the unification of the South-Eastern and South-Asian states with Africa and Europe. This is washed by the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. India includes the Nicobar, Amindive, Andaman and other islands. The state with a total area of ​​3.287 million km² stretches from south to north for 3214 km and from west to east for about 3000 km. If its land boundary corresponds to 15,200 km, then the sea one is approximately 6,000 km. Most major ports are located either artificially (Chennai) or in (Kolkata). The south of the east coast is called Coromandel, and the south of the west coast of the Hindustan Peninsula is called Malabar. The geographical position differs markedly from the location of modern India. In the past, the state corresponded to the territory of some countries taken together (Iran, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia and Syria).

At present, in the east, India is in contact with Myanmar, Bhutan and Bangladesh; in the north it borders on Afghanistan, Nepal and China; adjoins Pakistan from the western side. Almost three quarters are filled with plateaus. The northern part of India is fenced off from other countries with the help of the Himalayas - the highest mountains in the world, accumulating a huge amount of moisture and heat. This mountain range rises above the Indo-Gangetic lowland and extends near the border of China, Afghanistan and Nepal. It is in the Himalayas that the great and Ganges arise. The most beautiful place in India is Goa, which is located next to the Arabian Sea.

Economic and geographical position of India

This rapidly developing, agro-industrial state has achieved many recognitions in the economy. The national policy is aimed at the formation of the space program, industrialization and agrarian reforms. Indian industry consists of different types of production - from giant new factories to primitive handicrafts.

The main economic and geographical features are:

• the favorable economic and geographical position of India in the south of Asia, where the sea routes from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean are located;
• unresolved territorial issues related to China and Pakistan;
• complex economic ties due to the terrain with countries located in the north.

Not only India's favorable geographical position attracts many foreign investors, but also the economy, which is rather controversial. Along with the rapid pace of industrial development, agriculture continues to move intensively. It involves 520 million people, of which more than half work in the agricultural sector; a quarter - in the service sector; the remaining amount - in the industry, the main areas of which are engineering, automotive, consumer electronics and much more.

Thus, the economic and geographical position of India is favorable to the development of its economy, and the country manages to achieve success in the development of its economy.

The name of the country and the composition of the territory.

India is one of the largest states in the world, possessing huge natural and human resources and great scientific potential. There are currently 25 states in India. These are Andha Pradesh, Arunagal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujaharat, Jammu and Cammir, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra, Meghalal Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Talielnad , Trinura, Haryana, Himachaya Pradesh, Ushtar Pradesh. In addition to the states, India includes seven union territories - administrative units of central subordination, relatively small in size and population: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nonarhaveli, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Lanshadweep, Puttucheri (Pondicherry), Chandigarh.

2. Economic-geographical and political-geographical position. The impact of EGP on the development of the country. Changing the position of the country in time.

Republic of India, a state in South Asia: 3.3 million sq. km.

India borders Afghanistan and Pakistan in the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the north, Burma and Bangladesh in the east. In the south, the Polk Strait and the Gulf of Manara separate Sri Lanka from India. The Great Channel between the islands of Great Nicobar and Sumatra is the maritime border between India and Indonesia.

India is washed by the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Most of the peninsula of Hindustan is occupied by the Deccan Plateau, in the north - the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the highest mountains of the Himalayas and Karanorum. The climate is subequatorial monsoon, tropical in the south. The main rivers are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Indus. Rainforests savannah and shrubby semi-desert. In the mountains, altitudinal zonality.

From the beginning of the 16th century, there was a gradual conquest of India by European colonizers (Portuguese, Dutch, French). India (in the 19th century) was turned into an object of outright plunder, brutal tax exploitation, a source of raw materials and a market for British manufactured goods.

Until the middle of the 19th century, India was a feudal country with a slow development of socio-economic relations. The specificity of India was the dominance of the communal-caste social structure sanctified by Hinduism. At the end of the 19th century, the development of capitalism intensified, and national monopolies arose. The contradictions between the Indian bourgeoisie and British imperialism sharpened. After World War II, the British government was forced to grant independence to India. In 1950, the Indian Union became a Republic. India adheres to the policy of international cooperation, opposes military blocs and neo-colonialism. Diplomatic relations with Russia.

In international affairs, India pursues an independent course. Having gone through all the hardships of nearly two hundred years of domination by foreign colonialists, it stands on the side of those whose freedom and independence have been and are being trampled underfoot by imperialism. India to no small extent contributed to the national liberation movement in the former colonies, supported the heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people against US aggression, resolutely condemns racism and apartheid in South Africa, and stands for a just settlement in the Middle East. India seeks to develop good bilateral relations with all countries, primarily neighboring ones. In this regard, the Indian leadership attaches great importance to the participation of countries in the Association for Regional Cooperation of South Asia, established in 1985.

3. Features of the population. demographic policy.

India is the most populated country in the world after China. In 1952, the Government of India adopted a nationwide family planning program. The program was modest in its early years, and when the 1961 census showed that the rate of growth was higher than expected, specific time frames and targets were developed for the program. This led to a noticeable decrease in the birth rate - from 4.5% at the turn of the 50s to about 3.3% in the early 80s. In 1986 it is believed to have hovered around 3.1%.

between the 1971 and 1981 censuses. India's population grew by 3.25% per year, and in absolute terms increased by about 137 million people. During the period from 1947 to 1981, the country's population doubled, i.e. a second India appeared within the same borders. India's current population growth rate is approximately 2%. About 24 million babies are born every year and about 8.5 million people die - bringing the total to 15.5 million, equal to the population of Australia. It is assumed that if the population of India continues to grow at the same pace, then by the end of this century its number will outgrow the billion mark. A large number of jobs were created in the country, but it was not enough to cover the unemployed and those who joined the ranks of the working population. In fact, the number of unemployed, including among the educated strata, is increasing. Only at labor exchanges in March 1985 about 14 million people were registered as unemployed (approximately 7.4 million men and 6.5 million women). These data, however, do not reflect the full picture. According to various estimates, the total number of fully or partially unemployed, especially in rural areas, is tens of millions of people.

India is a multinational state. It is inhabited by large peoples, whose representatives differ from each other in appearance, language, and customs.

Hindi and Urdu have a common grammar and a common stock of everyday words, they are often considered as two literary forms of a single Hindustash language. They are mainly located in the North-Central region. In addition to the Hindustanis, languages ​​originating from Sanskrit are spoken by such large peoples as the Bengalis (West Bengal), Marathas (Maharashtra), Gujaratis (Gujarat), Oriya. (Orissa), Punjabis (Punjab), as well as Assamese (Assam) and Kashmiris (Jammui and Kashmir). All these peoples have an external European appearance.

The peoples of South India speak languages ​​of the Dravidian family. These are Tolugu (Andhra Pradish), Kannara (Karnatana), Tamils ​​(Tamil Nadu) and Malayali (Kerala). They are darker-skinned than northerners and have some Australoid characteristics.

In the central regions of India live troupes of Australoid small peoples whose languages ​​belong to the Munda group (Austrasian family).

The northeastern states of India are inhabited by small peoples, in the appearance of which there are Mongoloid features. These are Manipuri, Opipera, Garo, Naga, Lizo, etc. They speak the languages ​​of the Tibetan-Burmese group. The exception is the Khash, whose language belongs to the Mon-Khmer family.

According to the 1982 census, almost 100% of India's population is religious. The main religious and ethical system of India is Hinduism, it is practiced by 83% of the country's population. About 12% are Muslims, the rest are Sunkhs, Christians, Jayugs, Buddhists, Parsis, etc.

4. Natural resources and their use. Assessment of natural resource potential for the development of industry and agriculture.

India is rich in minerals. The country has the world's largest reserves of iron ore, which is estimated at 22 billion tons, which is ¼ of the world's reserves. Iron ore deposits are found everywhere, but the largest are concentrated in the states of Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Karnatana. India exports iron ore mainly to Japan, but also to some European countries. Reserves of manganese ore are estimated at 180 million tons. (3rd place in the world). Its main deposits are located in the central part of the country - the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. India accounts for about 4/5 of the world exports of sheet mica. The mica belt of India stretches from east to west along the northern edge of the Bihar plateau, mica deposits are also being developed in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Bauxite deposits are numerous, the main mining areas of which are concentrated in Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. India is a world exporter of chromium. It occupies a leading place in the reserves of graphite, beryl, thorium, zirconium, and second in the world in titanium mining.

Of the energy minerals, coal is of the greatest importance. Coal reserves of all types in India are estimated at 120 billion tons. The leading producers are the states of Bihar and West Bengal: they account for almost ¾ of the total coal production. However, coking coal reserves are essentially limited to the Jhariya deposit in Bihar. Coal mining is also carried out in Assan (bituminous coals) and in Tamil Nadu (rich deposits in Netveli). In 1974, in the zone of the continental shelf of the Arabian Sea, 120 km north of Bombay, the Bombay arch field was discovered with high-quality oil reserves. However, India meets about half of its needs for oil and oil products through imports.

5. General characteristics of the economy. Reasons affecting the pace of economic development.

India is an agro-industrial country. From the colonial period it inherited considerable economic backwardness and the appalling poverty of the vast masses of the population. The main branch of the economy, agriculture, was in a state of extreme decline. According to official data, in 1947 more than 60% of all land belonged to princes, feudal lords and large landowners-zamindars, and its remaining part was scattered among millions of small and smallest peasant farms, who were in bondage to usurers.

But socio-economic transformations within the framework of the “Nehru Course” pulled the country out of the stagnation of the colonial period and led to its steady economic growth. Industrialization on the basis of five-year plans (the volume of industrial output for 1951-1985 increased by more than 7 times) led to significant progressive shifts in the sectoral structure of the economy. The large absolute size of the Indian economy provides a sufficiently capacious domestic market - despite the low level of per capita income. India, to a much lesser extent than most developing countries, is experiencing the shock of structural and cyclical crises of the world capitalist economy and has a smaller external debt. Foreign aid currently accounts for about 15% of the country's investment budget.

By the beginning of the 1980s, the stage of breaking up the colonial structure had basically ended in the Indian economy, and local capitalism had turned from the leading socio-economic structure into a structure that directly or indirectly dominated the entire system of social production. This was facilitated by a number of factors, including the creation of a powerful state-capitalist sector, the strengthening of the processes of concentration of production and the centralization of capital in the large private capitalist sector, which outpaced the development of small-scale capitalist entrepreneurship in the city and countryside since the second half of the 60s.

The state actively supports small businesses. The number of small and handicraft industrial enterprises has sharply increased. They provide jobs for about 9 million people. The small handicraft sector produces about 5,000 types of industrial products. In India's exports, their share is about 30%.

India's economic development is, however, extremely uneven - as applied to sectors and industries, as well as to the regions and states of the country. Per capita income in the developed states grew 2.3 times faster than in the underdeveloped ones.

Regional uneven development serves as a breeding ground for various autonomist and separatist tendencies actively supported and encouraged by external forces. In terms of total gross domestic product, India ranks 11th in the world. It is the world's leading producer of peanuts and tea, the second largest producer of rice and sugar, and the third largest producer of tobacco and cotton yarn. At the same time, in terms of national income per capita, India ranks 102nd in the world. About 40% of the country's population lives below the official poverty line, which implies incomes of less than $100 per person per year. This clearly reflects the contradictions in the economic development of modern India.

Geography of the main industrial complexes and branches.

India appears as a major industrial power with a diversified national industrial complex, which includes a wide range of full-cycle industries in heavy industry. The specificity of Indian industry is that it combines the most diverse forms of production - from large factories equipped with the latest technology to primitive handicrafts. Moreover, it is characteristic that the output of products at the so-called “registered” enterprises, i.e. with more than 10 workers, is only twice the volume of production in the small-scale sector.

The largest growth in production over the past 10-15 years has been observed in the oil refining industry and the mineral fertilizer industry.

The oil refining industry of India has 14 plants, designed for 44.6 million tons of crude oil per year.

The largest of them are: in Noilli (Gujarat) - with a capacity of 7.3 million tons per year, in Bombay - 6 million tons and 5.3 million tons, in Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) - 6 million tons, as well as in Vimakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Cochin (Kerama), Madras and Haldia (near Calcutta). The location of the main oil refineries near seaports is explained by the fact that they are focused on the use of mainly imported oil.

In terms of steel production (12 million tons), India ranks 16th in the world and 3rd among developing countries. The largest ferrous metallurgy plants are located in Bhilai (Madhya Pradesh), Bonaro (Bihar), Rourkel (Orissa), Durgapur (West Bengal) and Jam Nidpur (Bihar). Of these, the first four are state-owned, the fifth belongs to the private company TISCO, which is part of the Tata monopoly group.

Specialization of agricultural production.

Industrialization had practically no effect on the sectoral structure of employment due to the orientation of modern industry, including small-scale industry, towards capital-intensive technology. India turned out to be the only Asian country where the share of agriculture in the economically active population has remained unchanged since the beginning of the 20th century. unchanged - at the level of 70-72%. The achievement of self-sufficiency in grain is an important success for independent India. At the same time, this self-sufficiency is based on maintaining an extremely low level of consumption. Despite the "green revolution", the level of agricultural technology and productivity in India remains one of the lowest in the world. Despite the fact that the use of chemical fertilizers in the country has doubled over the 70s and now they are used on 55% of the area occupied by wheat and 45% by rice, their consumption per 1 ha of sown area in India was in 1983 .5 times less than in China, cotton - 7 times less than in Mexico. The development of agriculture in India is hampered by the backward socio-economic structure of the countryside.

In India, about 2.5 million tons of fish are caught per year (7th place in the world), including 2/3 - marine. Sea fishing is most developed in the coastal southern and western states, river fishing - in the East and North-East of the country. For the inhabitants of a number of areas, especially Bengal, fish is one of the essential foodstuffs.

Under agricultural land in India, 60% of the territory is used. They are mainly occupied by arable land. Although due to the abundance of heat in almost the entire territory of the country, with the exception of the highlands, year-round farming is possible, only less than 1/5 of the sown area is sown more than once. The main reason is insufficient moisture during the dry season.

Rice is planted mainly in the main kharif field season during the summer rains in the coastal lowlands, as well as in the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys. Wheat is grown mainly during the winter rabi season in Northwest India - in the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradish and surrounding areas. Improved varieties occupy about 83% of wheat fields. Yields range from 30 centners/ha in irrigated areas in Punjab to 6.5 centners/ha in dry areas of Gujabat.

Millet crops (jowar and bajra) are cultivated on about ¼ of the area occupied in India for food crops, legumes - on 1/5. These are predominantly inland dry and poorly irrigated regions of peninsular and Central India, as well as Rajasthan.

Development of the transport complex.

India is one of the largest railway powers in the world. The length of its railways is about 62 thousand km.

Railways account for 55% of India's land transportation, which is 800 thousand tons of cargo and 9 million passengers daily. In terms of cargo transportation - 173 billion tons / km per year - India ranks 5th in the world. By the year 2000, the volume of traffic on the railways of India should almost double compared to 1985. The main increase in traffic is expected on the railway lines connecting the four largest cities - Delhi, Kolkata, Bombay and Madras. Currently, it is planned to electrify more than 10 thousand km. Railways in India are profitable. In 1984/85 they generated Rs 14.57 billion in revenue for the Indian central government.

The main cities of India are interconnected by national highways, which are constantly being expanded and reconstructed. These highways have a very busy traffic, intercity bus service is developed. The total length of roads in India with a hard, so-called "all-weather" surface for the period from 1950/51 to 19984/85 increased from 157 thousand km. Up to 833 thousand. However, only 1/3 of settlements have access to such roads.

Most Indian roads, especially in the outback, are unpaved. During the rainy season, they become impassable, and thousands of Indian villages are then cut off from the outside world.

With a relatively small number of vehicles (5.2 million including 218,000 buses, 734,000 trucks and 1.5 million cars), India has a high accident rate.

India is a maritime power. It has 736 merchant marine vessels with a total capacity of 6.5 million tons. However, 62.9% of maritime trade is handled by the eight main ports. The largest among them is Bombay.

Significant development has been achieved in India by air transport - both on international and domestic lines. Bombay, Delhi and Kolkata are India's major international airports and serve a large number of transit flights of foreign airlines from Europe to Southeast Asia and Australia. International airports also exist in Madras and Trivandrum.

Socio-economic development of individual regions. Reasons for the unevenness in their socio-economic development. Aligning the levels of economic development.

Separate regions of India differ significantly among themselves in terms of the level of socio-economic development and economic specialization. Each such region covers several states connected by a single geographical and economic community, less often limited to one state.

The economic-geographical zoning of India is carried out by different researchers - Indian and foreign - in different ways. India has seven major economic and geographical regions: Northern (Uttar Pradish), Northwestern (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradish), Eastern (West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa), Northeastern ( Assam, Meghala, Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh), Central (Madhya Pradesh), Western (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa) and Southern (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerama, Puttucheri, Lakshadweep). At the same time, the union territory of Delhi is given a special place.

Delhi combines the functions of the political and administrative center of India with transport, industrial, cultural. In the old branches of production - textile and food, precision engineering, metalworking, and the chemical industry were added. There are three universities and dozens of research institutes in Delhi. The northern region is an agricultural state. It has 18.8 million hectares. Irrigated area and is the largest producer of grain, including wheat, rice, barley, corn, potatoes, fruits. The district produces half of Indian sugar cane. Northern India is one of the last places in India in terms of industrial production and economic development.

For the North-West of India, the absence of a large industry is indicative.

The unique combination of mineral resources of East India determines the active industrialization of the region, the main coal and metallurgical base of India.

The North-East is rich in hydropower resources, but due to the remoteness of the region, they are used extremely poorly.

Central India is the largest state in terms of area, the leading center of the cotton industry.

Western India is the main oil-bearing region of the country.

The southern region is important for rice cultivation, a major producer of cotton, oilseeds, and coconuts.

10. Foreign economic relations. Export. Import. Participation in integration economic unions

The share of India in world trade is relatively low, moreover, this indicator tends to decrease: India's share in world exports has decreased from 1.05% to 0.43%. At the same time, the absolute volume of both India's exports and imports is steadily increasing. India's main imports are oil and oil products, machinery and equipment, pearls and precious stones, mineral fertilizers, vegetable oils, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and chemical products.

India's main trading partners: in terms of exports - the USA, Russia, Japan and Great Britain, in terms of imports - Russia, the USA, Germany, Great Britain, Canada.

Main export commodities: tea, iron ore, cotton fabrics, ready-made clothing, jute, leather and leather goods, pearls and precious stones, machinery and equipment.

General information about the country

State in South Asia.

Official name: Republic of India

The official name of the country, India, comes from the ancient Persian word "Sindhu" - the historical name of the Indus River. The Constitution of India also recognizes a second name, Bharat, which comes from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Indian king whose history was described in the Mahabharata.

Capital: New Delhi.

The area of ​​the country is 3165596 km2.

The population is 1.1 billion people.

Official language: Hindi, English is used in business correspondence and 17 other official languages ​​in the states of India.

Monetary unit: Rupee. 1 rupee = 100 paise (about 44 ind. rupees = 1 US dollar).

India is made up of twenty-eight states (which in turn are divided into districts), six union territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Each state has its own elected government, while the union territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the union government. However, some union territories have their own elected governments.

India is a member of the UN, IMF, World Bank, UNESCO, British Commonwealth of Nations.

Geographical position

It is located on the Hindustan Peninsula, washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean and in most of the Indo-Gangetic lowland. In the north it borders on Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Bhutan, in the east - on Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar), in the west - on Pakistan. In the east it is washed by the Bay of Bengal, in the south - by the Polk Strait, which separates it from Sri Lanka, and by the Indian Ocean, in the west - by the Arabian Sea. India includes part of the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, disputed by Pakistan.

Relief

India can be divided into four regions: the Himalayas, the northern river valleys, the Deccan Plateau, and the Eastern and Western Ghats. The Himalayas is a mountain system with a width of 160 to 320 km, stretching for 2400 km along the northern and eastern borders. The Himalayas are the highest mountain range in the world. Among the highest mountain peaks wholly or partly located in India are Kanchenjunga (8598 m), the third peak in the world after Everest and K2 (Godwin Austen); Nanga Parbat (8126 m); Nanda Devi (7817 m); Rakaposhi (7788 m); Kamet (7756 m). To the south, parallel to the Himalayas, lies the region of the northern river valleys - a flat strip with a width of 280 to 400 km. The region occupies most of the area of ​​the plains, through which the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra flow.

Inland waters

The central and western parts of India receive water from the Ganges, sacred to all Hindus, and its tributaries, called the Ganges valley. The Assam region receives its water from the Brahmaputra, which originates in the northern Himalayas and flows into Bangladesh. The Indus rises in Tibet and flows west through Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan.

Due to the abundance of water and fertile land, the region of the northern river valleys is the most populated region of the country and it was there that Indian civilization originated. To the south of this region lies the vast triangular Deccan plateau, which occupies almost the entire Indian peninsula. The height of the plateau is from 300 to 900 m, however, sometimes there are chains up to 1200 m high. In many places it is crossed by rivers. In the east and west, the plateau is framed by mountain ranges: the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats rise to a height of up to 900 m. Between them and the Arabian Sea lies the narrow plain of the Malabar coast. The Eastern Ghats rise to a height of about 460 m. Between them and the Bay of Bengal lies a narrow flat strip of the Koro Mandel coast.

Climate

Due to the large territory and the presence of different climatic zones, the climate of India is diverse, in the north it is tropical monsoon, in the rest of the territory it is predominantly tropical, in the south of the peninsula it is subequatorial. The rainy season is June-October, most pronounced in Bombay. The cool dry season lasts from late October to early March; this is the best time to visit Hindustan peninsula. At this time, most areas have clear, sunny days. In March, the hot season begins, reaching a peak in May, when the thermometer rises to 49 ° C. The southwest monsoon season begins on the west coast at the end of May and is accompanied by precipitation (from 60-6000 mm). Especially heavy rains occur in the north-east of India; here is the rainiest place on Earth (about 12,000 mm of precipitation per year). Tourist resources, due to their geographical location and climatic features, have a seasonal appeal.

In Kolkata, the January temperature ranges from 13 ºС to 27 ºС, July - from 26 ºС to 32 ºС. In Bombay - from 19 ºС to 28 ºС in January, from 25 ºС to 29 ºС in July.

Flora and fauna

In the arid regions bordering Pakistan, the vegetation is quite poor. Bamboo and palm trees grow in some areas. In the Ganges valley, which receives a fairly high amount of rainfall, the flora is more abundant, especially in the southern part of the region, where mangroves and hardwoods predominate. The lower slopes of the Himalayas are covered with fairly dense coniferous forests in the northwest and subtropical forests in the east of the region. Especially a lot of magnolias, rhododendron and oak. The coastal region of southwestern India and the slopes of the Western Ghats are overgrown with dense tropical forests: bamboo, teak, and other evergreen trees. On the Deccan Plateau, the vegetation is less dense, however, there are forests with palm trees, bamboo and deciduous trees. The fauna in India is represented quite widely. Among the representatives of the cat family, the tiger, panther, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, clouded leopard stand out. Other large mammals include the Indian elephant, rhinoceros, black bear, wolf, jackal, buffalo, antelope, several species of monkeys, and deer. There are many mountain goats (ibex, serau) in the Himalayas and other mountainous regions. In India, there are especially a lot of poisonous snakes, including cobras, scales and others. Among reptiles there are also pythons, crocodiles. Among the large number of birds, the peacock, heron, parrots, kingfisher are especially distinguished.

economy

India is an agro-industrial country with a mixed economy. The economy is multifaceted.

In terms of gross domestic product, it ranks 5th in the world (over 2 trillion US dollars), however, when calculated per capita (about 2 thousand dollars a year), it lags far behind the level of more prosperous countries. The miserable level of income of a huge mass of the population, 40% of whom live below the official poverty line - $ 100 per person per year, determines India's inclusion in the category of developing countries in the long term.

The state assumed a decisive role in the financial and banking systems of the country.

Large national private capital dominates the manufacturing industry, expanding its positions in the extractive industries and in the service sector. There are about 120 monopoly groups with billions in capital.

Small and medium business enjoys the support of the state and occupies a prominent place in the national economy.

Foreign capital has always been present in the Indian economy. In the course of the economic reform carried out since 1991, the scope of its application is expanding. Its influx is encouraged into new industries requiring advanced technologies. Transnational corporations operate in the chemical and oil refining industries, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and the automotive industry.

The Indian economy cannot be called a planned one, although the state applies economic planning. Five-year plans are not prescriptive.

Agriculture is dominated by small and tiny farms. Main food crops: rice, wheat, millet, legumes, oilseeds. India is one of the world leaders in the production of sugar cane, peanuts, tea, jute, castor beans, and cotton. They produce rubber, coffee, spices. Cattle, goats, sheep, as well as pigs, camels, and poultry are bred.

The bowels of the country contain reserves of coal, iron ore, natural gas, oil, manganese, titanium ore, chromite, diamonds, mica, bauxite, limestone.

India occupies a leading position in the world in the extraction of manganese ore and mica. Iron ore, coal, bauxite, and oil are also mined.

India's main export commodities are tea, spices, jute, leather, cotton fabrics, iron ore, mica, and diamonds. The main import items are oil and oil products, machinery and high-precision equipment, non-ferrous metals, chemical products, mineral fertilizers, pearls and technical diamonds. The predominance of imports over exports is characteristic.

Transport communication between India and other countries is carried out through large seaports located on the coast of the country, as well as by air. Inside India, there are developed air, road and rail transport networks.

Brief history of the country

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Until the middle of the III millennium BC. On the territory of India, the Dravidian civilization developed, not inferior and in some ways superior to the civilizations of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the period from 2500 to 1500 BC. India was conquered by the Indo-Aryan tribes who displaced the Dravidians. Until the 8th century A.D. on the territory of modern India, various kingdoms developed, with the dominant religious and cultural factor, among which was Hinduism. Since the 8th century, Islam began to penetrate into India, which was brought by Muslim conquerors who captured quite large territories. Muslim rule over most of India continued until 1398, when Tamerlane's armies entered the country. True, the Mongols quickly left the country, and until the end of the first quarter of the 16th century, the Muslim dynasties of Tugluks and Saids ruled the country. In 1526, Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane, conquered almost all of India and founded the Mughal Empire, which lasted until 1857. In 1498-1503, the Portuguese founded several trading posts on the coast, followed by the Dutch and the British. The British East India Company in 1603 received from the Mongols the right to trade in spices and textiles.

As a result of a prudent trade policy, the British gained political influence over most of the country. Full political leadership passed to Great Britain in 1828-1835, and in 1857 India became a de facto protectorate of Great Britain. On August 15, 1947, India gained independence, but was divided into two countries - modern India and Pakistan (from which Bangladesh later separated) - along religious lines. On January 26, 1950, India was proclaimed a democratic republic. From 1947 to the present day, the conflict (at first open, now more hidden) between India and Pakistan over the ownership of the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, separated by the state border and located in both countries (a third of the territory belongs to Pakistan, two thirds to India) has continued.

The modern state structure of the country

Form of government: republic with a federal state system. Head of State: President.

The head of state is President Patil Pratibha (in office since May 22, 2004). Elected by a college of electors consisting of both houses of parliament and state legislatures for a 5-year term. The legislature is a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Council of States and the People's Assembly. Executive power is exercised by the government headed by the prime minister appointed by the president.

Population

The average population density is about 311 people per km2. Ethnic groups: about 300 Indo-Aryan groups - 72%, Dravidian groups - 25%, Mongoloids - 3%. Language: Hindi, English (both official), Urdu, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannara and about 10 more languages ​​used as state languages ​​in various states; In total, more than 1,600 languages ​​and dialects are spoken in India.

Average life expectancy: 60 years - men and women. The birth rate (per 1000 people) is 25.9. Mortality rate (per 1000 people) - 8.7.

Religion: Hindus - 80%, Muslims - 14%, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2.0%, Buddhists - 0.7%, Jains - 0.5%. Largest cities: Bombay (9,900,000 people), New Delhi (7,200,000 people), Calcutta (4,400,000 people), Hyderabad (4,200,000 people), Bangalore (4,100,000 people), Madras (3,795,000 people), another 12 cities have a population of more than one million people .

The main tourist centers of the country

The main tourist center is Delhi. Delhi, the capital of India, is the third largest city in the world with a population of about 16 million people. Its strategic position at the crossroads has played a key role in the country's history; many empires arose here. Monuments and ruins of the past are found throughout the city and often coexist with skyscraper towers.

The main tourist point of the city is the Main Bazaar area. Like Old Delhi, Main Bazaar consists of several interconnected narrow streets with huge shopping arcades stretching along them, almost the most inexpensive hotels and eateries. The New Delhi railway station is located very close - from here you can go to almost anywhere in the country.

The main attractions and places of tourist interest include the Gateway of India, the graceful Red Fort on the very shore of the sacred Yamuna, the Nizamuddin complex, Humayun's Tomb, Lodi Gardens, Jamma Masjid - the largest mosque in the country, the pompous and majestic Lotus temple and many others.

Delhi has 60,000 world-class monuments built over several millennia ago.

Another tourist center of the country - a fairly well-known state of Kerala is located in the southwest. It is said that the name of the resort is due to the fact that there are a large number of palm trees, since Kerala comes from the word "keram", which means coconut tree. The nature of Kerala is a lot of palm trees, as well as mangroves, cashew trees and rice fields.

A certain remoteness of Kerala has influenced the preservation of traditions and festivals that are no longer repeated in any other place in the country. The main difference of this state is peace and quiet. In other parts of India, it is more noisy and has a kind of house atmosphere.

Kerala attracts tourists not only with good beach holidays, the main purpose of visiting this resort is Ayurveda, the world famous treatment system. This treatment is based on all kinds of herbs. The art of this treatment has been kept for centuries, and passed down from father to son. The best doctors practiced Ayurveda in Kerala.

The magnificent state of Goa is located in the south of a magnificent country. The coastline stretches for 110 km. Goa is the most famous beach destination in India. This state is quite different from the rest of India. It has its own special culture, and magnificent beaches and many attractions attract thousands of tourists from all over the world. The entire coastline of Goa is divided into different beaches. The beaches where fun discos are held are Baga and Calangute. The remaining beaches, about six of them, are the most calm, and the beaches called Agonda and Palolem are considered wild.

Day and night, Goa is full of life. There are plenty of restaurants that offer great food, as well as plenty of nightlife options.

The state of Goa has a magnificent nature. What is not here, and beautiful waterfalls, and mangroves, amazing islands and the stunning beauty of the lake.

Goa is famous for its extraordinary parties. It was here that such a famous style of music as Goa Trance was born. Young people from all over the world come to North Goa to visit the beach discos. Yush Goa, suitable for those who want privacy and tranquility.

This extraordinary state of Goa is considered the best place for a beach holiday in India.

Transport accessibility of the country for Russian tourists from Moscow and St. Petersburg

Aeroflot operates direct flights from Moscow to New Delhi and Mumbai.

13. Accommodation facilities

In India, there are quite common types of hotels for every taste and opportunity.

Youth hotels

The cheapest are Youth hostels, where you can rent a bed to rest. This form is especially developed in the south of India.

State hotels

State hotels - rest houses, hotels for the state. officials, forestries, etc. Here you can book a room if they are not occupied by government employees.

Tourist hotels

Tourist hotels - as a rule, owned by state-owned tourist companies, which are available in all states. You can book rooms at the offices of these travel companies. There are several types of hotels here: budget - the cheapest and average prices, premium - expensive and Heritage (cultural monuments) - mostly expensive.

Private hotels and hotels

All hotels and inns in India are divided into "Indian" and "Western" style. Indian style hotels are cheaper. They are mostly found in places of great Indian pilgrimage. Every Hindu should make pilgrimages to holy places. And there are many such places in this country. "Indian" style differs from Western:

a) standing toilet

b) less clean

c) hot water in buckets or one toilet and bathroom on the floor,

d) linen is almost never changed.

There are a lot of hotels and inns of the "western" style in tourist places. The price varies depending on the amenities. Settlement time in northern India is at 12 noon. In the south - in 24 hours. Often a separate service charge is taken (from 10 - 15%). Not all hotels have a restaurant. But you can order food to your room everywhere. Seasonal discounts officially exist in northern India. In southern India, such discounts are much less common, but you can always negotiate with the owner of the hotel or inn. There is no concept of stars in private hotels and inns.

International standard hotels exist all over India, especially in tourist centers and big cities. In many tourist centers, hotels of the highest category do not meet international standards. Only in large cities and tourist centers such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur, Udaipur, Goa, Cochin, Varanasi, Agra, Sanchi, Konark, Mysore, Puri, Orchha, Mount Abu, Udhagamandalag, etc. there are hotels that meet international standards.

Exotic luxury hotels

In India, there are exotic hotels of the highest category. Such as “house boats” (houses on the water) in Kashmir, “house boats” in Kerala, a palace on wheels: Delhi - Jaipur - Udaipur (desert, Rajasthan) - Agra - Delhi and the Royal Orient Express (Delhi - Gujarat - coast - Delhi), as well as monuments - palaces, where the descendants of the Rajas still live.

Catering establishments

When traveling in India with food, tourists will not have problems. There is a well-developed network of restaurants with European cuisine and the Fast Food system, especially in the northern part of the country, large administrative (Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Madras, Mumbai), as well as tourist centers. Along with European, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic cuisines are represented in India. There are a lot of cafes and eateries for tourists along the way. There are restaurants in the hotels. It is better to choose restaurants with air conditioning and a good interior. Such restaurants are not much more expensive, but the food is better and more varied. In the first days of your stay, you should not order exotic Indian and Chinese dishes. They are very sharp. It is better to order a European lunch and say: without spices.

Fruits are very cheap all over India and you are always amazed by their variety. They are usually seasonal.

In India, except for two places (sh. Kerala and the city of Bombay), the slaughter of cows (as well as bulls and calves) is universally prohibited. Under the guise of "beef" in India they sell buffalo meat.

In India, it is necessary to follow the rules of nutrition in a certain season, there are features of each region, and there is also a specific diet in the highlands and the ocean coast.

Features of obtaining a tourist visa

The visa application form for obtaining a tourist visa must be completed in two copies, preferably in English. One photo is pasted on each visa application form. A round-trip air ticket and a printout of the hotel reservation / or invitation from the inviting person in India are presented. The cost is 1250 rubles. (equivalent to $40). Children included in their parents' passports will not be charged. When submitting documents, you must present a photocopy of the first page of the internal passport and registration.

Customs formalities

Upon arrival in India at the international airport, you must go through immigration control. All passengers, including children, arriving in India must fill out in English the special entry cards issued on board the aircraft. Similar cards are filled in by each passenger when leaving the country. Passengers departing on an international flight will be charged an airport tax of Rs 500.

Duty-free import is allowed: cigarettes - 200 pcs. or cigars - 50 pcs. or tobacco - 250 g; alcoholic beverages - 0.95 l; jewelry - in reasonable quantities; food - within the limits of personal needs; items and household items - within the limits of personal needs.

It is forbidden to import: drugs, weapons, gold bullion, gold coins and the national Indian currency, antiques, counterfeit products.

When entering India, it is mandatory to declare the imported currency in the amount of more than five thousand US dollars. The import of foreign currency is not limited. The export of cash foreign currency in excess of 2,000 US dollars is subject to declaration.