India is known for its rich commercial and cultural heritage and home to some of the oldest civilizations in the world, like the Indus Valley Civilization.

India spreads across both the Eastern and the Northern Hemispheres. India’s latitudinal stretch is between 8.4 degrees N and 37.6 degrees N, and the longitudinal stretch is between 68.7 degrees E and 97.25 degrees E.

The Tropic of Cancer at 23.30 degrees North latitude cuts across the country, dividing it almost into two equal halves. The country has the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the south-east and the Lakshadweep Islands in the southwest.

The total area of the Indian land mass is 3.28 million square kilometres i.e. nearly 2.4% of the total land area of the world. India is the seventh largest country in the world.

India is bordered by the young fold mountains on the north-western, northern and north-eastern side, the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south.

The tapered shape of southern India divides Indian Ocean into the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal! India’s total coastline, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Lakshadweep Islands measures 7,516.6 kilometres.

India’s east-west stretch and north south stretch each measure approximately 3000 kilometres and causes a time lag of 2 hours between the local times at the eastern and the western ends. India’s standard time is the time along longitude 82.30 degrees East. This longitude passes through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and is referred to as the Standard Meridian of India.

While India’s longitudinal stretch gives rise to a time lag between the east and the west, its latitudinal stretch influences the duration of days and nights.