Questions on India

Questions on India

Brynly Wilson and Emily Goheen

1.      What is the current population of India?

The current population of India is about 1,173,108,018 people. (CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html)

2.      What is the total fertility rate in India?

The total fertility rate is 2.65 children born/woman. (CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html)

3.      What percentage of the Indian population lives below the poverty line?

It ranges from 37.2% to 77% based on at least three government committees that were formed to count India’s poor. (Understanding the Puzzling Nature of Poverty, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/world/asia/19iht-letter.html?_r=2&ref=india)

4.      Briefly describe two terrorist attacks inside India.

In Pune, India, terrorists set of a bomb in a café killing 9 people and wounding at least 60 in February, 2010.  In November 2008, a train station and Jewish Chabad house in Mumbai, India were attacked and sieged leaving 163 people dead. (New York Times Articles, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/world/asia/14india.html?ref=terrorism, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/15/world/asia/15india.html?ref=terrorism

5.      The Human Development Report of the United Nations ranks the countries of the world by poverty.  Where does India rank on this list?

India is ranked 119th out of 169 countries. (Understanding the Puzzling Nature of Poverty, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/world/asia/19iht-letter.html?_r=2&ref=india)

6.      Briefly describe the effects of the monsoons on India.

Each year India is hit with massive floods, and in some areas they do not receive any water. India’s annual rainfall is approximately 46 inches, and it comes in short, forceful bursts. Much of the water escapes as untapped potential, which flows into the sea and wreaks havoc on small villages and flourishes the bigger cities in its path. Floods are a destructive and costly problem for India.  (Often Parched, India Struggles to Tap the Monsoon, New York Times,

 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/world/asia/01india.html)

7.      What are some of the problems India has getting clean water to its people?

The government cannot give basic services to its people like clean water and sewage disposal. It does not help that Delhi’s population has grown enormously throughout the years, with an estimated 16 million people today. The Yamuna River is the primary source of drinking water for Delhi, but there is not enough for everyone. The distribution network is poor and ill maintained, and many people are not connected to the network. Only 1 in every 4 Delhi residents gets less than three hours of water from their tap every day.  (Often Parched, India Struggles to Tap the Monsoon, New York Times Videos, http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/09/28/world/1194817098866/part-1-water-woes-in-india.html)

8.      What is the literacy rate in India?

The Literacy Rate in India for the whole population is 61%.  For males it is 73.4 % and for women it is 47.8%.  As defined by people over 15 years of age that can read and write. (CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html)

9.      What are the major religions in India?

The major religions in India are Hinduism 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, and Christianity 2.3%. (CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html)

10.  When did India achieve independence, and from what country?

India gained independence from the United Kingdom on the fifteenth of August, 1947. (CIA Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html)