India is the seventh largest country by area located in South Asia. It has over 1.2 billion people, making it the second most populous country and the largest democracy. India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and Bangladesh. It has a long history as a region of ancient civilizations and was under British administration until gaining independence in 1947. India has the tenth largest economy by GDP but faces ongoing challenges of poverty, healthcare, and terrorism. It is a pluralistic, federal parliamentary constitutional republic with many languages and ethnic groups.