India

Population: 1.24 billion (July 2014 est.)

Total area: 3,287,263 square kilometres

Climate: India has three main climate regions: Himalayan region in the north; Plateau region in the south; and the Gangetic Plain. The climate is mainly tropical in the south, but can be more varied and unpredictable in the north.

World heritage sites: Humayun's Tomb, Elephanta Caves, Taj Mahal, Great Himalayan National Park

Capital city: New Delhi

Language(s): Bengali, Bodo, Maithili, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu

Official language: Hindi

Political system: Federal constitutional republic; gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947

Value of Australia goods exports: AUD$9.5 billion (2013)

Australia and India

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website – background information about India and its connections with Australia

Travel advisory information – travel advice about India

Australian High Commission in New Delhi – advice about India and news about current events

Indian High Commission in Canberra – news and events about India and its connections with Australia

Australia–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement

Amit Dasgupta, Consul General of India in Sydney, delivered a stirring presentation at the 2011 AEF National Summit on intercultural understanding.

India in the Media

Times of India

Hindustan Times of New Delhi.

Doordarshan, India's public service broadcaster

BBC country profiles

The Economist topic index

CIA World Factbook

India news and facts from The New York Times

World Music Guide, National Geographic's comprehensive resource on Indian music