"So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked." - Mark Twain, from Following the Equator

India has the second largest population in the world, with one billion people.

It has been said that India is a continent, not a country. It is full of diverse people, languages and customs. India is one of the few countries worldwide that has such diversity. There are 24 main languages and many dialects throughout the various ethnic groups. There are seven main religions, the dominant of which is Hinduism, making up 80% of the population. India is home to many religions, including the world’s oldest religion Zororastrianism and the ancient religion Jainism, which is unique to India. It is also the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, dominant of which is Hinduism making up 80% of the population.

India is made up of 26 States, and across the country there are a variety of landscapes and climates. When the North is waiting for the snow to melt on the mountains, the South is experiencing the heat at breaking point on the plains. Throughout the year, there are three seasons – the hot, the wet and the cool.

Despite India’s many large cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, the country is still overwhelmingly rural.