India

GEOGRAPHY

Located in Southern Asia, India is a nation that is approximately one-third the size of the United States in area. The country has a widely varied climate. There are deserts in the west, rainforests in the southwest, tundra in the north, and tropical monsoon climate in the rest of the country.

THE PEOPLE

With almost 1.3 billion people, India is the second most populated country in the world behind China, but is expected to take the top spot within the next 10 years. The country is primarily made up of two ethnic groups, the Indo-Aryan (72%), and the Dravidian (25%). The most widely spoken language is Hindi (41%), and other languages spoken by 10% or less of the population include Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu. The most commonly practiced religion is Hinduism (79.8%), followed by Islam (14.2%).

ECONOMY

India has an economy that spans all industries from farming to modern telecommunications. India has the second largest labor force in the world and their Gross Domestic Product has been growing at the 15th fastest rate out of all countries. However, approximately 22% of Indians live below the poverty line and the Food and Agriculture Organization reported that 15% of people in India are malnourished.

EDUCATION

Education is free and compulsory for Indian children up to the age of 14. The country has a literacy rate of 74%, which falls below the worldwide average of 86%. However, youth literacy is 81.1%, indicating an improvement in quality of education in recent years. The quality of facilities is subpar in some regions, as some areas lack usable restrooms and drinking water.

HEALTH CARE

India provides free public healthcare to its citizens. Private healthcare practices provide better care to its patients, but many cannot afford the costs. Rural India has underfunded and understaffed facilities, resulting in poor healthcare for people living outside of cities who cannot make it to an urban hospital.

HEMOPHILIA IN INDIA

According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, India has 17,346 people living with Hemophilia. With poor health services in rural areas, it is likely that there are many Indians who are living undiagnosed and cannot get treatment for the condition. The Hemophilia Federation of India works to provide care and education for those dealing with Hemophilia.