India Country Quickfacts
| Area: | 3,287,590 km² |
| Capital: | Delhi |
| Country Code: | 91 |
| Country Population: | 1.28 billion |
| Credit Cards: | All major credit cards are accepted. |
| Currency: | Rupee (INR = 100 Paise) |
| Departure Tax: | Taxes are included with departing air fares. |
| Drives on the: | Left |
| Electricity: | 230 -240V, 50 Hz |
| Ethnic Groups: | Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) |
| Flag: |  |
| National Flower: | Lotus |
| Licence: | An international driving licence is required. However, Goway does not recommend you drive in India. |
| Location: | Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Myanmar and Pakistan. |
| Official Language(s): | English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language |
| Religion: | Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000) |
| Time Zone: | 10.5 hours ahead of Toronto/New York and 13.5 hours ahead of Vancouver/Los Angeles |
| Tipping: |
Tipping in India is a way of life and is generally expected. Here are our suggested guidelines. Tips are accepted in either INR (Indian Rupees) or $USD equivalent.
Tips to Drivers
Tips to Helper Staff (For Bus /Tempo Traveler Vehicles- Small Group)
Tips to Local Guides
Note that INR (Indian Rupees) or USD are both accepted as tips |
India Trivia & Fun Facts
- The British East India Co. chartered in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth is said to be the world’s first corporation.
- The partition of India created the largest migration in history.
- Cochin Jews are said to have arrived in Kerala around 500 BC
- 80% of India’s population is Hindu. It is the world’s third largest religion and probably the oldest with roots back 5000 years.
- India’s largest minority population, Muslims, is actually second only to Indonesia in numbers. They are mostly Sunni.
- Christians make up about 3% of the population. The Apostle “doubting” Thomas is said to have come to Kerala.
- Sikhs, centred in the North Western state of Punjab, were directly affected by the violence of India’s separation.
- Although Buddha attained enlightenment in India in 500BC they are a very low percentage of the world’s Buddhists.
- Many low-caste Hindus converted to Buddhism to improve their social situation.
- Many Tibetan refugees including the Dalai Lama live in India.
- The swastika is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains who place it prominently in their temple.
- Approximately 1000 Bollywood movies are made each year - about twice the number released in Hollywood.
- More people visit Amritsar’s Sikh Golden Temple than the Taj Mahal.
India Travel Information
At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to India.
Learn about the history and culture of India, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about India's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, and 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering India for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our India tours today!
Extend Your Trip
After your India tour, consider taking the time to visit other destinations. Goway offers exciting China vacation packages and Thailand vacation packages plus a comprehensive selection of vacation packages in many other Asian countries.
Book your India tour with Goway!
ASIA by Goway is an exclusive division that specializes in planning and organizing India tours, vacations and experiences. Choose from a simple city stopover, enjoy a small group tour, a stay of distinction, a holiday of a lifetime and much more. We want to be your first choice when next you go globetrotting to incredible India.
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