Destination Guides & Maps - India

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Time Zone: UK+5½.

Capital City: New Delhi.

Major Cities: Bangalore, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad, Mumbai (Bombay).

International Airports: Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Cochin (Kerala), Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay).

Languages: Hindi; regional languages (in Goa it is Konkani). English widely spoken.

Population: 1029 million

Area: 1,269,338 sq miles. 3,287,590 sq kilometres.

Telephone Code: 91

Climate: INDIA generally: hot tropical weather with considerable regional variations. The climate is dominated by the Asiatic monsoon. From June?Sep the country is influenced by the rainy monsoon from the SW. At this time rainfall can be very heavy, particularly over the higher regions facing the sea. The coolest time with the driest weather is from Nov?Feb. The weather gets hotter from Apr?May with continuing drought. The rains tend to start in late May in the S, arriving up to four weeks later in the N.

GOA: winter (Oct?Mar) has the best weather and is the main tourist season. Temperatures 80?90s F daytime and 70s F at night. Apr/May hotter and more humid. June?Sep is monsoon season, during which rainfall can be heavy or a mere drizzle (swimming in the sea not advisable and there are no water sports operating); cooler temperatures but high humidity.

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR 1 = 100 paise).

Notes: INR: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500.

Coins: INR: 1, 2, 5. Paise: 10, 20, 25, 50.

Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz.

Hotel Classification: Generally in India, hotels are graded by the central tourism department's Hotel Classification Committee in categories from 1 star up to 5 star de luxe. In addition, forts, palaces and other old buildings converted into hotels and approved by the Hotel Classification Committee are designated Heritage Hotels. However, in Goa the State Department of Tourism has officially classified most accommodation using a system which grades properties (in descending order) as A, B, C and D class. In this section we give the letter rating if there is one; otherwise, the star rating is given.

UK Tourist Office: Government of India Tourist Office

7 Cork Street, London W1S 3LH

Tel: 020 7437 3677; 0870 010 2183 (brochures)

Fax: 020 7494 1048

E-mail: info@indiatouristoffice.org

Website: www.indiatouristoffice.org

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