India (Republic of India)

India Republic of India
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	95th best
Capital	New Delhi
Land Area	2 973 190km21
Location	Asia
Population	1.4b2
Life Expectancy	67.24yrs (2017)3
GNI	$6 590 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	IN, IND, 3565
Internet Domain	.in6
Currency	Rupee (INR)7
Telephone	+918

1. Overview
2. India National and Social Development
3. India's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. India's Health
6. India's Modernity and Learning
7. National Culture
8. Peace Versus Instability
9. The Natural Environment
10. Economic Inequality and Poverty
11. Religion and Beliefs
12. History
13. Links

---

1. Overview

#india #pakistan

Ninety years of British rule of India from 1858 came to an end in 1947, after several years of commendably peaceful resistance₉ led by Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru₁₀.

“Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. [...] India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991 and a massive youthful population are driving India's emergence as a regional and global power.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₁₀

“India bristles with a mind-stirring mix of landscapes and cultural traditions. Your journey through this intoxicating country will blaze in your memory long after you´ve left its shores. From the snow-dusted mountains of the far north to the sun-washed beaches of the deep south, India´s dramatic terrain is breathtaking. Along with abundant natural beauties, exquisitely carved temples rise out of deserts and crumbling old fortresses peer over plunging ravines. Aficionados of the great outdoors can scout for big jungle cats on wildlife safaris, paddle in the waters of one of many beautiful beaches, take blood-pumping treks high in the Himalaya, or simply inhale pine-scented air on meditative forest walks. [...]

The multitude of sacred sites and time-honoured rituals are testament to the country´s long, colourful and sometimes tumultuous religious history. And then there are the festivals! India hosts some of the world´s most spectacular devotional celebrations - from city parades celebrating auspicious events on the religious calendar to simple harvest fairs that pay homage to a locally worshipped deity.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₁

2. India National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Value12
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
	...
129	Bangladesh	0.661
130	Tuvalu	0.641
131	Marshall Islands	0.639
132	India	0.633
133	Ghana	0.632
134	Micronesia	0.628
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $12
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
	...
124	Swaziland	$7 679
125	Morocco	$7 303
126	Tonga	$6 822
127	India	$6 590
128	Palestine	$6 583
129	Tuvalu	$6 351
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index13,14
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13,14
1	Taiwan	28.6
2	Norway	29.4
3	Denmark	31.2
4	Sweden	32.2
5	Finland	32.6
	...
92	Guatemala	85.8
93	Dominican Rep.	86.0
94	Fiji	86.5
95	India	87.1
96	El Salvador	88.1
97	St Kitts & Nevis	88.5
	Asia Avg	87.1
	World Avg	86.1
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. India's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

India's population is predicted to rise to 1 523.48 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 2.55. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)2
Pos.		Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
6	Brazil	209.5m
7	Nigeria	195.9m
8	Bangladesh	161.4m
9	Russia	145.7m
10	Japan	127.2m
11	Mexico	126.2m
12	Ethiopia	109.2m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate (2013)15
Pos.		2.0 is best15
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
90	Cyprus	1.46
91	Moldova	1.46
92	Cuba	1.45
93	India	2.55
94	Germany	1.44
95	Laos	2.58
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)16
Pos.		Lower is better Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
85	Kyrgyzstan	12.1
86	Indonesia	12.4
87	Myanmar (Burma)	12.5
88	India	12.5
89	Bolivia	12.7
90	Nicaragua	13.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)17
Pos.		%17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
174	Honduras	0.4%
175	Solomon Islands	0.4%
176	Papua New Guinea	0.4%
177	India	0.4%
178	Afghanistan	0.4%
179	Haiti	0.4%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)18
Pos.		%18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
174	Indonesia	1.1%
175	Myanmar (Burma)	1.0%
176	Solomon Islands	1.0%
177	India	0.9%
178	Papua New Guinea	0.9%
179	USA	0.8%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#blasphemy #equality #free_speech #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #india #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)19,20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19,20
1	Sweden	9.2
2	Norway	14.7
3	Denmark	14.7
4	Netherlands	15.8
5	New Zealand	17.5
	...
111	Gabon	95.4
112	Benin	95.9
113	Tanzania	95.9
114	India	96.9
115	Cuba	97.7
116	Kazakhstan	97.9
	Asia Avg	99.8
	World Avg	87.7
q=199.

India is very poor at ensuring human rights and freedom compared to the rest of the world, and it has cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. India does better than average when it comes to its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₁, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₂, speed of uptake of HR treaties₂₃ and in freethought₂₄. It's astounding that in a country of its size, just 1% of the population holds 21.3% of the country's entire income₂₅. But those in power aren't malevolently rich and powerful; Supreme court rulings in 2017 strengthened fundamental human rights in general, for women in particular, and increased the accountability of security forces; it also accepted the right to privacy and improved India's stance on free speech and the rule of law.₂₆ Also in 2017, the court outlawed "triple talaq" which allowed Muslim men to unilaterally divorce their wives with no warning₂₆. India does not succeed in everything, however. India does worse than average in supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₇, opposing gender inequality₂₈, LGBT equality₂₉, supporting press freedom₃₀ and in its nominal commitment to Human Rights₃₁. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₃₂. The constitution gives some protections for freedom of religion but some states and some laws create restrictions that create unfair legal prejudices towards, or against, certain religious groups_33,34 and Hindu extremism has become 'an impediment to the exercise and enjoyment of internationally recognized human rights'₃₅. Abuses committed by security forces persisted including allegations of torture, extrajudicial killings, notably in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir₂₆.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in India

5. India's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #India #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2020)36,37
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank36,37
1	Hong Kong	18.3
2	Maldives	41.0
3	Singapore	42.6
4	Japan	51.0
5	S. Korea	51.3
	...
22	Armenia	78.4
23	Cyprus	78.6
24	Myanmar (Burma)	79.1
25	India	79.6
26	Nepal	80.3
27	Israel	82.1
28	Turkmenistan	83.1
	Asia Avg	80.1
q=50.

Health (2020)36,37
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank36,37
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
	...
43	Cyprus	78.6
44	Malta	78.9
45	Myanmar (Burma)	79.1
46	India	79.6
47	Slovenia	79.9
48	Tunisia	80.1
49	Nepal	80.3
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₃₆. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₃₆.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₃₆, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₃₆.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

India does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. India does better than average for its smoking rate₃₈ (one of the best in Asia), its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₉, its adolescent birth rate₂₈ and in its alcohol consumption rate₄₀ (but bad for Asia). But, things could still be better. India does worse than average for its suicide rate₄₁, its fertility rate₁₅, its average life expectancy₁₂ and in its immunizations take-up₄₂. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016.

Life Expectancy (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
134	Sao Tome & Principe	67.6
135	Indonesia	67.6
136	Kiribati	67.4
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption (2016)40
Pos.		Lower is better Per Capita40
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
	...
84	Armenia	5.5
85	Venezuela	5.6
86	Sierra Leone	5.7
87	India	5.7
88	Cape Verde	5.7
89	Liberia	5.8
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate (2013)15
Pos.		2.0 is best15
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
90	Cyprus	1.46
91	Moldova	1.46
92	Cuba	1.45
93	India	2.55
94	Germany	1.44
95	Laos	2.58
	Asia Avg	2.46
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates (2014)38
Pos.		Higher is worse38
182	Montenegro	4 125
181	Belarus	3 831
180	Lebanon	3 023
179	Macedonia	2 732
178	Russia	2 690
	...
27	Peru	116
26	Haiti	114
25	Eritrea	114
24	India	111
23	Sao Tome & Principe	111
22	Niger	105
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013)41
Pos.		Per 100k41
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
4	Jordan	0.2
5	Maldives	0.7
	...
48	Luxembourg	19.3
49	Portugal	19.6
50	Singapore	20.6
51	India	20.8
52	Trinidad & Tobago	21.7
53	USA	22.2
	Asia Avg	19.50
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
4	UK	4
5	Norway	5
	...
32	Bangladesh	32
33	Hungary	33
34	Macedonia	34
35	India	35
36	Fiji	36
37	Thailand	37
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults (2016)43
Pos.		Lower is better %43
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
4	Ethiopia	20.9
5	Nepal	21.0
6	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	21.6
7	Cambodia	21.7
8	Niger	22.0
9	Eritrea	22.0
10	Burundi	22.2
11	Uganda	22.4
12	Afghanistan	23.0
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)28
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100028
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
	...
71	Russia	23.4
72	New Zealand	23.6
73	Ukraine	24.1
74	India	24.5
75	Samoa	25.0
76	Rwanda	26.3
	Asia Avg	29.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)42
Pos.		Higher is better Avg %42
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
	...
168	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	76.5
169	Indonesia	76.4
170	Mali	76.0
171	India	75.1
172	Ethiopia	73.9
173	Pakistan	73.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. India's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank20
1	Taiwan	10.0
2	Japan	21.9
3	S. Korea	24.0
4	Singapore	27.9
5	Israel	32.2
	...
21	Iran	71.7
22	Kyrgyzstan	71.8
23	Thailand	72.9
24	India	73.8
25	Qatar	75.5
26	Bahrain	75.6
27	Kuwait	77.6
	Asia Avg	79.0
q=51.

Modernity and Learning (2020)20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank20
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
	...
85	Albania	72.4
86	Thailand	72.9
87	Tunisia	73.4
88	India	73.8
89	Andorra	74.5
90	Tonga	75.2
91	New Caledonia	75.5
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.		Higher is better % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2944
2	Israel	4.1144
3	Japan	3.5844
4	Finland	3.1744
5	Sweden	3.1644
	...
37	Slovakia	0.8944
38	Malta	0.8945
39	Greece	0.8444
40	India	0.8246
41	Croatia	0.8145
42	Kenya	0.7947
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education (2018)48
Pos.		Higher is better48
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
106	Colombia	52.0%
107	Ecuador	51.9%
108	Tunisia	51.8%
109	India	51.6%
110	Kuwait	51.5%
111	Congo, DR	50.7%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2021)49
Pos.		Higher is better Years49
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
4	Belgium	19.6
5	Sweden	19.4
	...
138	Lesotho	12.0
139	Namibia	11.9
140	Comoros	11.9
141	India	11.9
142	Kiribati	11.8
143	Nauru	11.7
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

The BJP, a conservative Hindu-first party made popular by its campaigns of hate against minorities in India, have pursued a policy of establishing astrological departments at universities (the last place they belong, perhaps after hospitals!)₅₀, despite academia's longstanding aversion due to the overwhelming evidence that astrology is not founded on any kind of reality. In an unequal nation of 1.4 billion people, the extra funding spent on this campaign (which has included funding posts at universities) could have provided for a large number of teachers, covering sorely-needed topics of maths, the sciences and engineering.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
	...
64	Samoa	64
65	Jordan	65
66	Namibia	66
67	India	67
68	Lebanon	68
69	Senegal	69
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity (2018)51
Pos.		Lower is better %51
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
	...
72	Iran	78
73	Tunisia	78
74	Bangladesh	80
75	India	80
76	Iraq	82
77	El Salvador	85
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ (2006)52
Pos.		Higher is better52
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
89	Tunisia	83
90	Oman	83
91	Syria	83
92	India	82
93	Bangladesh	82
94	Lebanon	82
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users (2016)53
Pos.		Higher is better53
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
124	El Salvador	38%
125	Bhutan	37%
126	Mongolia	36%
127	India	35%
128	Kyrgyzstan	34%
129	Egypt	33%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet (2012)54
Pos.		Lower is better54
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
4	Australia	18
5	Hungary	19
	...
17	Uganda	34
18	Kyrgyzstan	35
19	Mexico	37
20	India	39
21	Indonesia	42
22	Libya	43
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security (2013)55
Pos.		Lower is better55
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
76	Iraq	1.84
77	Bangladesh	1.87
78	Sudan	1.98
79	India	2.10
80	Russia	2.42
81	USA	3.68
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)56
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio56
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
6	Luxembourg	32.4
7	India	26.8
8	Portugal	26.6
9	Ireland	26.1
10	UK	24.7
11	Japan	22.1
12	France	18.8
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

World Giving Index (2013-2021)57
Pos.		Lower is better57
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
	...
93	Zimbabwe	80.4
94	France	81.0
95	Lebanon	82.6
96	India	82.6
97	Peru	82.9
98	Pakistan	83.0
	Asia Avg	62.5
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2022)58
Pos.		Higher is better Points58
1	Denmark	90.0
2	Finland	87.0
3	New Zealand	87.0
4	Norway	84.0
5	Singapore	83.0
	...
86	Suriname	40.0
87	Macedonia	40.0
88	Maldives	40.0
89	India	40.0
90	Guyana	40.0
91	Belarus	39.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness (2018)59
Pos.		Higher is better59
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
130	Myanmar (Burma)	4.3
131	Chad	4.3
132	Congo, DR	4.2
133	India	4.2
134	Niger	4.2
135	Uganda	4.2
	Asia Avg	5.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
	...
54	Thailand	54
55	Macedonia	55
56	Mauritania	56
57	India	57
58	Philippines	58
59	Uruguay	59
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
146	Jamaica	146
147	Syria	147
148	Iran	148
149	India	149
150	Cameroon	150
151	Suriname	151
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index (2021)60
Pos.		Lower is better60
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
132	Chad	2.49
133	Zimbabwe	2.49
134	Burkina Faso	2.53
135	India	2.55
136	Eritrea	2.56
137	Niger	2.59
	Asia Avg	2.22
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
29	Rwanda	29
30	Paraguay	30
31	Jordan	31
32	India	32
33	New Zealand	33
34	Malaysia	34
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)39
Pos.		Lower is better Rank39
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
86	Jamaica	86
87	Nicaragua	87
88	Niger	88
89	India	89
90	Cameroon	90
91	Venezuela	91
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)61
Pos.		Lower is better Score61
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
	...
141	Congo, DR	7.04
142	Philippines	7.14
143	Yemen	7.26
144	India	7.52
145	Somalia	7.80
146	Pakistan	7.89
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)62
Pos.		Higher is better %62
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
38	Denmark	+12.6
39	Lithuania	+12.1
40	Belarus	+10.9
41	India	+10.5
42	Gambia	+10.4
43	Macedonia	+10.3
	Asia Avg	+07.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)63
Pos.		Higher is better63
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
	...
174	Haiti	33.7
175	Madagascar	33.7
176	Nepal	31.4
177	India	30.6
178	Congo, DR	30.4
179	Bangladesh	29.6
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency (2014)64
Pos.		Higher is better64
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
4	Colombia	17.54
5	Ireland	17.54
	...
62	Sweden	08.62
63	Belgium	08.47
64	Guatemala	08.47
65	India	08.40
66	Cameroon	08.33
67	Australia	08.20
	Asia Avg	09.14
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
44	Albania	1994 Apr 05
45	Malawi	1994 May 03
46	Samoa	1994 May 10
47	India	1994 May 19
48	Paraguay	1994 May 25
49	Hungary	1994 May 25
	Asia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)65
Pos.		Higher is better %65
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
61	Singapore	41.6%
62	Ukraine	41.5%
63	Jordan	41.4%
64	India	41.2%
65	Canada	41.2%
66	Serbia	41.1%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)66
Pos.		Higher is worse66
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
134	Eritrea	21.40
133	Senegal	21.20
132	Madagascar	21.10
131	India	19.70
130	Rwanda	19.50
129	Botswana	19.40
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) (2017)67
Pos.		Lower is better %67
1	Ukraine	25.0
2	Belarus	25.4
3	Slovenia	25.4
4	Czechia	25.9
5	Moldova	25.9
	...
61	Italy	35.4
62	Portugal	35.5
63	Macedonia	35.6
64	India	35.7
65	Australia	35.8
66	Mauritius	35.8
	Asia Avg	35.2
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

Multidimensional Poverty (2018)68
Pos.		Lower is better Severity68
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
4	Turkmenistan	.001
5	Jordan	.002
	...
50	Bolivia	.094
51	Laos	.108
52	Congo, (Brazzaville)	.112
53	India	.123
54	Guatemala	.134
55	Zimbabwe	.137
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#blasphemy #buddhism #christianity #free_speech #hinduism #india #islam #new_age #pakistan #sikhism

Religious life in India is rich and diverse₁₁, with traditions dating back into prehistory₆₉. The population of India is Hindu (79.5%), Muslim (14.4%) and Christian (2.5%)₇₀ and 80% of the population say that religion is important to them₇₁. Only 3% don't believe in god(s)₇₁. Belief in heaven and hell is at 20%₇₂. Hinduism was originally a wildly varied mix of traditional local beliefs and practices which only became grouped as "Hinduism" due to Western powers' simplistic descriptions₇₃. In addition to Hinduism, a number of religions and movements have begun in India, including Buddhism and Sikhism₇₄. From the 1960s, Western spiritualists took home some interpretations of Hindu beliefs and the result was the range of small movements called the New Age.

Religion in India is no longer a peaceful affair. The Hindutva movement has seen the rise of intolerant right-wing Hinduism-first parties encourage and instigate a long and bloody series of mob conflicts with Christian and Muslim communities_75,35,76, which has seen many hundreds of churches and mosques destroyed, and a great number killed and displaced. Incompatibility between Hinduism and Islam lead to the breakoff of Pakistan amidst fighting that saw over a million people lose their lives₉, and, three subsequent wars and a nuclear arms race, with the disputed territory of Kashmir as the flashpoint. During this cultural and religious conflict, Hindu extremism has become "an impediment to... human rights"₃₅.

For more, see:

• "Religion in India" by Vexen Crabtree (2023).

India's constitution gives some protections for freedom of belief and religion_33,34, however, some states and some laws create restrictions that create unfair legal prejudices towards, or against, certain religious groups_33,34. The 'Hindutva' movement seeks to place "Hinduism first" and is responsible for stoking intolerance and Hindu extremism₇₇. There is a steady stream of violent events between Muslim, Hindu and Christian communities. In 2017, vigilante violence aimed at religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government–often carried out by groups claiming to support the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–became an increasing threat"₂₆. Section 295 of Indian Penal Code allows convictions for intentionally causing offense, which is frequently abused by religious communities in a way that prevents free speech and intellectual criticism, in the same manner that blasphemy laws come to be used elsewhere too.₃₃. Hindu extremism has become 'an impediment to the exercise and enjoyment of internationally recognized human rights'₃₅.

For more, see:

• "Human Rights and Freedom in India" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

12. History

#bangladesh #india #pakistan

“The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence, which was granted in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring nations have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₇₈