Discover India – Introduction

India is an Asian subcontinent that reaches into the Indian Ocean.  With over onebillion people it is the second most populous country in the world. India is a land full of contrast, from the snow-capped peaks of the Himalaya Mountains in the north to the tropical forests of southern India. 

Although most people speak English there are many dialects and languages next to Hindi, India’s national language.  Over half a century after it had becomeindependent from Great Britain, India has become one of Asia’s leading powers. However the gap between rich and poor is still present and many millions of Indians live in extreme poverty.

Words

• although = while
• billion = a thousand million
• century = a hundred years
• contrast = differences
• gap = space; difference
• independent = free
• peak = the top part of a mountain
• populous  = full of people
• poverty = the situation of being poor
• reach = extend  into
• snow-capped = covered with snow
• subcontinent = part of a continent