India Geography — Official Statistics on Area, States & Natural Features
India spans 32,87,263 square kilometres, making it the 7th largest country in the world. India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories, borders 7 countries across 15,106 km of land border, and has a coastline of 7,516 km. This page covers India's key geographic facts from Survey of India, MHA, and CWC.
India Geography — Area, States, Rivers & Facts
Official Indian government data
Total Area
32,87,263 km²
7th largest country
Survey of India
Land Borders
15,106 km
7 countries
MHA
Coastline
7,516 km
Including islands
MHA
States & UTs
28 + 8
Federal structure
MHA
Highest Peak
K2 — 8,611m
Karakoram Range
GSI
Longest River
Ganga 2,525 km
Sacred river
CWC
Forest Cover
7,15,343 km²
21.76% of India
FSI Latest
Arable Land
52.8%
World's largest
FAO
Desert Area
2,08,110 km²
Thar Desert
GSI
Islands
1,382+
A&N + Lakshadweep
MHA
India Geography Facts
Survey of India · MHA
Total area32,87,263 sq km
Land area29,73,193 sq km
Northernmost pointSiachen Glacier
Southernmost pointIndira Point, A&N
Easternmost pointKibithu, Arunachal
Time zoneIST UTC+5:30
Number of districts766
Capital cityNew Delhi
Rivers & Water
CWC · Ministry of Jal Shakti
Major river basins12
Total rivers400+
Ganga basin area8.61 Lakh sq km
Reservoir capacity253 BCM
Dam count5,300+
Groundwater draft230 BCM/year
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions
How big is India in square kilometres?
India covers 32,87,263 square kilometres, making it the 7th largest country in the world. India's land area is 29,73,193 sq km and water bodies cover 3,14,070 sq km.
How many states does India have?
India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories, for a total of 36 administrative divisions. India has 766 districts. The largest state by area is Rajasthan (3,42,239 sq km).
What is India's longest river?
The Ganga is India's longest river at 2,525 km, though the Indus (3,180 km total length) is longer but most of it lies outside India. India has 12 major river basins and over 400 rivers.