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India's
people inherited a civilization that began more than 4,500 years
ago, one that has proven capable of absorbing and transforming
the peoples and cultures that over the centuries have come to the subcontinent.
India has long supported a large population of great diversity. The
people in India’s
intricate network of communities speak literally thousands
of languages, practice all of the world's great religions, and participate
in a complex social structure that incorporates the caste system, a rigid system
of social
hierarchy
India
is one of the world's most populous countries, with a population
(1998
estimate) of 984,003,683, and an average population density
of 311
persons per sq km (805 per sq mi) in 1998. An estimated 73
percent of India's inhabitants live in rural areas. The population grew
by nearly 24 percent between 1981 and 1991, down slightly from 25 percent
growth between 1971 and 1981. It is estimated that the rate of growth
will slow even further in the coming decades, but India’s population
nevertheless is expected to continue to increase. The annual growth rate in
1997 was 1.6 percent.
