Difference Between India and China

India vs China

India or the Republic of India is a country in the southern Asia. The longest borders shared by it are with Pakistan in the west and China in the north and north east. It also shares borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. China or People’s Republic of China is a country in eastern part of Asia. It shares its borders with India in the South West, Mongolia and Russia in the north, North Korea in the North East, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan in the west. The other neighbors are Nepal, Tibet, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

India has a population of more than 1.1 billion and an area of 1,269,219 Square Miles with the density being 344 per Sq Mi. China on the other hand has a population of more than 1.3 billion with 3,705,407 Sq Miles with a density of 138 per Sq Mi.

India which is a multi-cultural society has more than 2000 ethnic groups and almost every major religion of the world has its followers in India with the major religions being Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Janis. Chinese Government officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups. The major religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Christians & Muslims also form the religious minority.

The Indus Valley civilization which included India, Pakistan, etc dates back to the Bronze Age. Following this time various Hindu kingdoms and dynasties that were spread across the Sub-continent. This was followed by the Mughal Period where the Muslim invaders raided the region and eventually settled in the area and later the British ruled India for almost 200 years. India finally gained independence in 1947 but was divided in 2 and eventually 3 countries of India, Pakistan & Bangladesh.

The Chinese civilization on the other hand dates back to the Neolithic era. Following the prehistoric times the region was ruled by various dynasties and towards the 18th and the 19th centuries a systematic method of rule was developed wherein the vast empire could be effectively controlled through a bureaucratic system by the emperor. The 2000 years dynastic rule in China came to end in the early 20th century when a parliament was constituted.

Modern India is a democratic style of government with the entire parliament being elected by the people for a 5 year term. Elections are held at both national and state levels. China on the other hand has a communist government with the power resting with the National People’s Congress. The representatives for the National People’s Congress are elected through Indirect Elections.

India which is still fast developing is largely using its resources dealing with the issues of power, infrastructure, health care, poverty, etc. China on the other hand initiated major market driven reforms in 1978 and was able to quickly implement these being a communist state. It is now a highly industrialized country. These reforms saw an unprecedented growth of almost 70 times in economy.

Both the Indian and Chinese cuisines are world famous and enjoyed in almost every country. The Indian Cuisine is mainly characterized by the abundant use of spices. The cooking styles, however, vary with the regions. The other distinct characteristic of Indian Cuisine is the practice of vegetarianism by a large part of the population. The Chinese cuisine on the other hand can be divided into 8 traditions. Only a small fraction of the population is vegetarian.

Summary
1.India or the Republic of India is a country in the southern Asia while China or People’s Republic of China is a country in eastern part of Asia.
2.India has a democratic  form of government while china is a communist state.
3.India is still a developing country struggling with the basic infrastructure and problems while China is a highly industrialized nation.