India, officially the Republic of India is a country in South Asia, consisting of 28 states and eight union territories. [1] All Indian states and some of the union territories have their own elected government and the union territories come under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. India has its own national symbols. [2] Apart from the national symbols, the states and union territories have adopted their own seals and symbols including animals listed below.
| Union territory | Common name [3] | Binomial name [4] | Image | IUCN category [5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Dugong | Dugong dugon |  | Vulnerable |
| Chandigarh | Indian gray mongoose | Herpestes edwardsi |  | Least Concern |
| Delhi | Nilgai | Boselaphus tragocamelus |  | |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Hangul | Cervus hanglu |  | Critically Endangered |
| Ladakh | Snow leopard | Panthera uncia | [[File:Snow Leopards - Gho
| Vulnerable |
| Lakshadweep | Butterfly fish | Chaetodon decussatus |  | Endangered |
| Puducherry | Indian palm squirrel | Funambulus palmarum |  | |
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, states with limited recognition, constituent country, or a dependent territory. Most sovereign states, but not all countries, are members of the United Nations. There is no universal agreement on the number of "countries" in the world since several states have disputed sovereignty status, limited recognition and a number of non-sovereign entities are commonly called countries.
Politics of India works within the framework of the country's Constitution. India is a parliamentary secular democratic republic in which the president of India is the head of state & first citizen of India and the Prime Minister of India is the head of government. It is based on the federal structure of government, although the word is not used in the Constitution itself. India follows the dual polity system, i.e. federal in nature, that consists of the central authority at the centre and states at the periphery. The Constitution defines the organizational powers and limitations of both central and state governments; it is well recognised, fluid and considered supreme, i.e. the laws of the nation must conform to it. India is officially declared a secular and socialist state as per the Constitution.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is a political party in India and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP is aligned with right-wing politics and has close ideological and organisational links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a far-right paramilitary organisation. Its policies adhere to Hindutva, a Hindu nationalist ideology. As of January 2024, it is the country's biggest political party in terms of representation in the Parliament of India as well as state legislatures.
Project Tiger is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India to protect the endangered tiger. The project was initiated in 1973 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the Government of India. As of March 2024, there are 55 protected areas that have been designated as tiger reserves under the project. As of 2023, there were 3,682 wild tigers in India, which is almost 75% of the world's wild tiger population.
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 806 districts and smaller administrative divisions.
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Lakshadweep is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands divided into three island subgroups: the Laccadive Islands in the middle with the Amindivi Islands in the north separated roughly by the 11th parallel north and the atoll of Minicoy to the south separated by the Nine Degree Channel along the 9th parallel north. The islands are sandwiched between the Arabian Sea to the west and the Laccadive Sea to the east with the islands located about 220–440 km (140–270 mi) off the Malabar Coast of mainland India.
The administrative divisions of India are subnational administrative units of India; they are composed of a nested hierarchy of administrative divisions.
The Government of India has designated official national symbols that represent the Republic of India. These symbols serve as the representation of the identity of the country. When India obtained independence from the British Raj on 15 August 1947, the tricolour flag officially became the first national symbol of the Dominion of India. The Indian Rupee which was in circulation earlier was adopted as the official legal tender after independence. The official state emblem with the motto Satyameva Jayate was adopted later on 30 December 1947. The national anthem and song were adopted two days before the Constitution of India was adopted on 26 January 1950. After India became a republic following the enactment of the constitution, the national symbols officially came to represent the Republic of India. The last to be adopted as a national symbol was the national microbe Lactobacillus delbrueckii in October 2012.
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasive species, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.
A union territory is a type of administrative division in the Republic of India. Unlike the states of India, which have their own governments, union territories are federal territories governed, in part or in whole, by the Union Government of India. There are currently eight union territories in India: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Delhi (NCT), Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body established by the Constitution of India empowered to conduct free and fair elections in India. The Election commission is headed by a Chief Election Commissioner and consists of two other Election Commissioners.
