Know India
The land and its people, languages, food, festivals, knowledge and heritage, drawn from official sources.
Facts follow official Government of India sources: the National Portal (Know India), Census of India, Survey of India, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Culture. Spot an error? Click the ✎ next to any entry, or “Suggest a correction” at the top of its page.
Map of India
Tap any State or Union Territory to explore it.
India at a glance
| Official name | India, that is Bharat (Article 1 of the Constitution) |
|---|---|
| Capital | New Delhi |
| Area | 32,87,263 sq km, the seventh-largest country in the world (official figure, including areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan and China) |
| States and Union Territories | 28 States and 8 Union Territories |
| Population | 1,21,08,54,977 (Census 2011, the latest published census) |
| Next census | Census 2027, India's first digital census. Reference date: 1 March 2027 (1 October 2026 for Ladakh and the snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand) |
| Land frontier | 15,106.7 km, with Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan and Afghanistan |
| Coastline | 11,098.81 km (re-verified by the National Hydrographic Office and Survey of India; the older figure was 7,516.6 km) |
States (28)
Explore
- About IndiaIndia at a glance, the official map, the Constitution, geography, history and science.
- India through timeFrom prehistory to today: who ruled, how people lived, what they did, ate and traded, region by region.
- States & Union TerritoriesAll 28 States and 8 Union Territories: capitals, languages, people and culture.
- National symbolsThe Tricolour, the State Emblem, the anthem, the song and the other symbols of India.
- LanguagesThe 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule: scripts, speakers and classical languages.
- Traditional recipesTime-honoured dishes from every region, with their history and meaning.
- Traditional dancesClassical, folk and tribal dances of every State and UT: how they are performed and what they mean.
- Cultural practicesFestivals, rituals and traditions: how they are performed and why they matter.
- Festivals and New YearsFestivals region by region, and the many New Years of India's calendars.
- Pilgrimages and sacred placesThe 12 Jyotirlingas, Char Dham, Shakti Peethas and other traditional circuits, and the important sacred places of every faith.
- Famous placesTemples, forts, natural wonders and cities that every Indian should know.
- Religions of IndiaThe faiths practised in India: origins, followers (Census 2011), texts, festivals and places of worship.
- Scriptures & sacred textsThe Vedas, Upanishads, epics and Puranas, and the sacred texts of every faith in India.
- Vedic MathematicsThe 16 sutras, how each method works, and an interactive trainer.
- Epics & storiesThe Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the stories that shaped India's values.
- Myths vs factsCommon misconceptions about India, answered with official facts.
- Who was first? Contested originsInventions and ideas whose origin is disputed between India and the West or elsewhere, with the evidence on each side and an honest verdict.
- HeritageIndia's 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 16 elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- Maps not as per IndiaOfficial maps and websites of other countries and organisations that show India's borders wrongly, and India's response.
- Preserve our cultureShare a recipe, song, craft, ritual or word from your region before it is forgotten.
Pages marked “AI-drafted” were written with AI from the official sources listed on each page and have not yet been checked by our team. Spot an error? Click the ✎ next to any entry, or “Suggest a correction” at the top of its page.