Political Geography : Introduction
The diversity of the culture, religion and population of India is matched by the incredible physical diversity. India is the seventh largest country in land area. India extends its boundaries across the seas to Arabia and Africa on the west and to Burma, Malaysia and the Indonesian Archipelago on the east. The Great Himalaya separates India from the rest of Asia.
The distance from North to South is 3214 km and 2933 km from east to west. India being an Oriental country it is surrounded by sea on three sides. The total length of Indian border is 15,106.70 km and the land frontier of India is15, 200 km and coastline extends to 7516.5 km.
India shares its political borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh and is separated by Redcliff line on the west. Line of Control (LoC) serves as the informal boundary between the Indian and Pakistan-administered areas of Kashmir and has a length of 106 km and thus shares its border with Afghanistan in northwestern Kashmir. Bangladesh and Burma shares the eastern border and China, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan shares the northern border of India. Srilanka is located in the south of India. India is seperated from Sri Lanka by a narrow channel of sea and the Gulf of Mannar.
Politically India is divided into 28 states and 7 Union Territories (UT).
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