The book explores the geographical factors that underlie the physical, economic, cultural, and political patterns of India's vast and diverse landscapes. Discussion is focused on contemporary India's physical environment, historical setting, population problems, mineral and industrial resources, urbanization, ethnic distributions, cultural diversity, and regional divisions. This popular book is intended to be not just a geography text but a general reader too. It will be useful for general courses in South Asian Studies and for those interested in India's current affairs. "The author well utilize an enormous amount of recent data to discuss various elements of Indian culture and society as well as the "developmental processes" (urbanization, agricultural and industrial development, planning and foreign trade) of that nation. The volume will serve as an excellent reference book...Useful selected bibliography."- Choice "It is an excellent modern introduction for the student or general reader; the cultural insights could not, I think, have come from a foreign geographer, and maybe the perspective might not have been attainable from within India."- A.T.A. Learmonth, formerly Professor of Geography, The Open University, England co-author of the classic study India and Pakistan "The book is... very well-produced, with clear maps and very readable prose."- Joseph Schwartzberg, University of Minnesota, author of A Historical Atlas of South Asia