Area comparison map:

slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 13,888 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (6): Bangladesh 4142 km, Bhutan 659 km, Burma 1468 km, China 2659 km, Nepal 1770 km, Pakistan 3190 km

Coastline:
7,000 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

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

Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation:
mean elevation: 160 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,586 m

Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), antimony, iron ore, lead, manganese, mica, bauxite, rare earth elements, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 60.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 52.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 4.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 3.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 23.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 16.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
667,000 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest, including the Thar Desert, and the mountain fringe in the north, a very high population density exists throughout most of the country; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations

Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources; preservation and quality of forests; biodiversity loss

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal