Teeming with over a billion people, India is where people live with variety and thrive on diversity. From the mangroves of the Sunder bans to the Thar Desert, sizzling cities like Mumbai and Delhi to the scintillating villages of Khajuraho and Hampi, from the heights of the Himalayas to the deep blue waters around the Andamans. India is the world’s second most populous nation (after China).Its ethnic composition is complex, but two major strains predominate: the Aryan, in the North, and the Dravidian, in the south. India is a land of great cultural diversity, as is evidenced by the enormous number of different languages spoken. About 80% of the population is Hindu, and 14% is Muslim. Other significant religions include Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists.