Where to Go - Middle East / India

Click on the links below to view information on a specific country.

India

Population : 1,014,003,817

Literacy rate : 52%

Life expectancy at birth : male – 61.89 yrs, female – 63.13 yrs

Infant mortality rate : 64.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate : 1.58%

GDP growth rate : 5.5%

GDP per capita : £1,200

Unemployment : N/A

Inflation : 6.7%

TI index: 2.8

Climate : varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Time : GMT + 5.30.

Electricity : Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs used are of the round 2- and 3-pin type.

Websites :

Tour India, site of the Indian tourist office, offers a variety of useful information for visitors, and can be found at http://www.tourindia.com

Country Guide

Among the educated classes, English is virtually the first language. The country is enormously varied; the over-populated cities can give way to sparsely-populated deserts. There are 24 languages each spoken by one million speakers; many are mutually unintelligible. 40% of the population is too poor to afford an adequate diet. In 2003, India’s population will exceeded China’s. In spite of a high projected economic growth rate, the country is going to remain poor for quite a while. India is now being mentioned in IT circles as a centre for software development (and counterfeiting) and a future exporter of hi-tech materials.

In spite of a good economic growth rate, inflation and a succession of wishy-washy coalition governments too weak to push through much-needed reforms mean that India is still poorer than it should be. That said, the future looks good for the richer and better-educated members of society, at least.

The chief religions; Hindu, Islam and Sikh, should be respected.

Entry requirements

Permits are generally easy to obtain.

Vaccinations

Prepare to be a pincushion. Hepatitis A, Polio, Tetanus, Malaria, Meningitis, Yellow Fever and Typhoid. Rabies is also a good idea if you are likely to be in an isolated area. The risk of AIDS is quite high.

Tax and Insurance

Get as much comprehensive health cover as you can. Include a repatriation clause.

Income tax exists but no information is available.

Gap Year Programmes

Click here to find gap year programmes and placements in India