2. 28 states make up India Each has its own state governor and parliament This governor is the chief executive of the state The president appoints the local governors. The Indian people elect the local parliaments Unlike the US, the national government still has ultimate authority over all state matters.

3. India’s government operates as a Federal Republic. Question-How is power distributed in a Federal Republic? Question-How is power distributed in a Federal Republic? ANSWER-In a federal republic, power is divided between the national and state or regional governments.

4. India’s government operates as a federal republic. Power is divided between the national and state governments. The central government has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch consists of the president, vice president, prime minister, and the Council of Ministers. The president serves as the chief of state and acts as the nation’s chief representative. Most of the real power rests with the prime minister. Prime minister - leader of the government and India’s top official. The leader of the majority party in parliament serves as the prime minister. The Council of Ministers serves as the PM’s body of advisors.

5. India’s parliament serves as the legislative branch. It passes the country’s laws. India’s Parliament is bicameral (has two houses). The first house is called the Lok Sabha (House of the People), and the second house is the Rajya Sabha (Council of the States) The judicial branch consists of India’s supreme court. They are responsible for making sure the executive and legislative branches carry out their duties according to India’s constitution.

6. India’s President is President Pranab Mukherjee Question-How is the president of India chosen? ANSWER- ANSWER- The president is elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term.

7. India’s Prime Minister is Manmohan SINGH Question-How is the prime minister of India chosen? ANSWER- ANSWER- prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections.

8. CountryLiteracy Rate Japan99% China91% Indonesia90% India61% Pakistan54% Bangladesh44% Literacy (the ability to read and write) is very important for a nation’s development. Like most other parts of the world, Asian nations work to try and improve their countries literacy rate. More developed nations, like Japan and South Korea, have high rates. Less developed nations, like India, tend to have lower literacy rates. High literacy means that a population is educated and prepared to compete with the rest of the world politically economically, and otherwise. The more nations increase their literacy rate, the easier time they have growing economically and improving their citizens’ quality of life.

9. A country’s location directly affects what it is able to trade, what agricultural products it grows, and what industries it supports. Due to its cotton crops, it also exports a lot of textiles. Much of India’s agriculture takes place on small farms. Among the most common crops are cereal, grains like rice, wheat, sorghum, corn, and millet. Rice is the most popular crop because it grows well in the wet, hot climate that covers much of the country.

10. India has plentiful natural resources including coal, iron ore, diamonds, oil, and a variety of minerals and metals. It has a large population, second only to China. The middle class in India is large and continues to grow. There is, however, a rather large portion (28%) of India’s population that lives ` below the poverty line.

11. India’s economy is a mixed market economy The government still controls industries and businesses to some degree, but not nearly as much as it once did. After years of operating as a command economy, India changed course in the last couple of decades. Leaders discovered that state controlled production hurt India’s economy. In the last twenty years, India has allowed more private ownership and market competition. As a result, India’s economy has grown tremendously and the country is becoming a major player in world trade and international business.

12. Trade has played a crucial role in the development of Asian nations. In recent years, India has moved away from a command economy to a market economy. It sold many state owned industries to private companies and opened its markets to foreign trade. Foreign investment quickly rose. Development and revenue increased. Eventually, this increased India’s production and exports. Poverty and decreased and more middle-class consumers exist in India than ever before. Better health care, more public services, improved education and a higher literacy rate have accompanied the economic improvements.

13. Trade barriers are anything, either man made or natural, that interfere with trade. As the world continues to globalize (become more connected), more and more trade barriers are being removed. For example, when Western nations end tariffs, this helps countries like India. Tariffs raise the price of imports. When nations do away with tariffs, Asian products cost less. This means more people buy them. However, trade barriers can be useful for Asian nations seeking to protect their own markets. Without restrictions on foreign trade, less developed nations sometimes have a hard time catching up to more developed economies.

14. India – Rupee