63 Interesting Facts About

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The term “marriage” derives from the Latin word masmeaning “male” or “masculine.” The earliest known use of the word in English dates from the thirteenth century.a Due to jobs, kids, TV, the Internet, hobbies, and home and family responsibilities, the average married couple spends just four minutes a day alone together.g The Talmud is very strict about banning extramarital sex—but also enforcing marital sex. The Talmud even lays out a timetable for how often husbands should “rejoice” their wives. For men of independent means, every day; for laborers, twice a week; for ass-drivers, once a week; for camel-drivers, once in 30 days; and for sailors, once in six months.e Over 75% of people who marry partners from an affair eventually divorce.h The Oneida colony established in New York in 1848 advocated “complex” or group marriage in which every woman was married to every man. They also practiced “scientific breeding” where parents where matched by a committee according to physical and mental health.e Traditionally, bridesmaids would be dressed in similar bride-like gowns to confuse rival suitors, evil spirits, and robbers.b Marrying younger than age 25 dramatically raises the divorce risk. Also, the divorce risk is higher when the woman is much older than the man, though the reverse isn’t as a strong factor.l On average, married couples have sex 58 times per year The average married couple has sex 58 times per year, or slightly more than once a week.g At Italian weddings, it is not unusual for both the bride and groom to break a glass. The number of shards will be equal to the number of happy years the couple will have.b The word “wife” is likely from the Proto-Indo-European root weip (“to turn, twist, wrap”) or ghwibh, which has a root meaning “shame” or “pudenda.”o The word “husband” is from the Old Norse husbondi or “master of the house” (literally,hus “house” + bondi “householder, dweller”).i Some scholars trace the word “bride” to the Proto-Indo-European root bru, “to cook, brew, make broth.”b The term “groom” is from the Old English guma, meaning “man.”f In three states—Arkansas, Utah, and Oklahoma—women tend to marry younger, at an average age of 24. Men’s average age is 26. In the northeastern states of New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, men and women wait about four years longer to marry. The U.S. average age for women is 25.6 and for men, 27.7.n A person’s level of education influences the age at which they marry. Couples tend to marry later in states with higher numbers of college-educated adults, while the opposite is true for states with lower education levels.n Nevada, Maine, and Oklahoma have the highest percentage of divorced adults. Arkansas and Oklahoma have the highest rates of people who have been married at least three times.n The probability of a first marriage ending in a divorce within 5 years is 20%, but the probability of a premarital cohabitation breaking up within 5 years is 49%. After 10 years, the probability of a first marriage ending is 33%, compared with 62% for cohabitations.g Hammurabi’s Code (ca. 1790 B.C.), an ancient Babylonian law code, contains some of the oldest known and recorded marriage laws. These early laws defined marriage as a contract that paradoxically served to protect women and restrict them. According to the Code, a man could divorce his wife if she could not bear children or of she was a “gadabout” who humiliated her husband in public and neglected her house. Additionally, she could be “pitched” in a river if she committed adultery.g Washington, D.C., has the lowest marriage rate in the nation.c Approximately $6 billion in revenue is lost by American businesses as a result of decreased worker productivity linked to marriage hardship. Employees in a happy marriage, in contrast, tend to increase a company’s bottom line.g The Great Recession has been one of the greatest strains on marriage in decades CNN reports that the current economy is the biggeststress on married couples in the past 60 years.j A New Woman’s Day and AOL Living poll found that 72% of women surveyed have considered leaving their husbands at some point.g Married couples tend to have fatter waistlines, which can lead to a decrease in sexual attraction and general health. Additionally, a spouse’s chances of becoming obese increase by 37% if his or her partner is obese.g A 2008 study found that marital satisfaction improves once children leave home. However, if marital problems existed before, an empty nest often reveals those otherwise masked issues.g People whose marriage has broken down at the time they are diagnosed with cancer do not live as long as cancer patients who are widowed, have strong marriages, or who have never been married.k In ancient Greece, Solon (638-538 B.C.) once contemplated making marriage compulsory, and in Athens under Pericles (495-429 B.C.), bachelors were excluded from certain public positions. In Sparta, single and childless men were treated with scorn. In ancient Rome, Augustus (63 B.C.-A.D. 14) passed drastic laws compelling people to marry and penalized those who remained single.m A marriage ceremony typically ends with a kiss because in ancient Rome, a kiss was a legal bond that sealed contracts, and marriage was seen as a contract.b Adults who are childhood cancer survivors are 20-25% less likely to marry compared with their siblings and the general American population.k Stress associated with divorce affects the body’s immune system and its ability to fend off the disease. The health benefits of remarriage are reduced the second and third times around.g Throughout most of history, marriage was not necessarily based on mutual love, but an institution devoted to acquiring in-laws and property and to provide the family additional labor forces (by having children).e A white New Orleans man in the late nineteenth century transfused himself with blood from a black woman he loved so he could overcome anti-discrimination laws by claiming he was black and marry her.n One nineteenth-century New York legislator insisted that letting married women own their own property attacked both God and Nature.e A low or no sex marriage has a high probability of separation or divorce within 12 months Just two years after marriage, an estimated 20% of couples make love fewer than 10 times in a year.g One in three American marriages is “low sex” or “no sex.”g The number of marriage therapists in the United States has increased 50-fold between 1970 and 1990.g In the United States, over 50% of first marriages end in divorce, 67% of second marriages end in divorce, and nearly 74% of third marriages end in divorce.g Marriage does more to promote life satisfaction than money, sex, or even children, say Wake Forest University psychologists.g Compared to singles, married people accumulate about four times more savings and assets. Those who divorced had assets 77% lower than singles.g Married elderly people are more likely to maintain daily health-promoting habits, such as exercising, not smoking, eating breakfast, and having regular medical check-ups.g More than friendship, laughter, forgiveness, compatiblility, and sex, spouses name trust as the element crucial for a happy marriage.g Eighty-one percent of happily married couples said their partner’s friends and family rarely interfered with the relationship, compared to just 38% of unhappy couples.g Eighty-five percent of couples have had premarital sex.g Nearly 60 percent of couples have had an affair, with most affairs occurring within the 25-39 age bracket Nearly 60% of married adults have had at least one affair.g The cost of an average wedding is $20,000. The cost of an average divorce is $20,000.g Words form only 7% of our communication with anyone, including spouses. Tone of voice accounts for 38% and body language is responsible for 55% of the messages spouses receive from each other.g Women who report a fair division of housework were happier in their marriages than women who thought their husbands didn’t do their fair share. Wives also spent more quality time with their husbands when they thought the housework was divided fairly.d A 15-year-long study found that a person’s happiness level before marriage was the best predictor of happiness after marriage. In other words, marriage won’t automatically make one happy.d Researchers found a huge decline in happiness four years into a marriage with another decline in years seven to eight. In fact, half of all divorces occur in the first seven years of marriage, which gives rise to the popular term “the seven-year itch.”d More than two in five Catholics marry outside their church, twice as many as in the 1960s. There are at least one million Jewish-Christian marriages in the U.S. Two in five Muslims in America have chosen non-Muslim spouses.d Married people are twice as likely to go to church as unmarried people.g Half of emotional affairs become sexual affairs.g While couples with children are less likely to divorce than childless couples, the arrival of a new baby is more likely to bring more stress and emotional distance than new happiness. Nearly 90% of couples experienced decrease in martial satisfaction after the birth of their first child.g Over 40% of married couples in the U.S. include at least one spouse who has been married before. As many as 60% of divorced women and men will marry again, many within just five years.g Birth order is an important factor in determining the success of a marriage Birth order can influence whether a marriage succeeds or fails. The most successful marriages are those where the oldest sister of brothers marries the youngest brother of sisters. Two firstborns, however, tend to be more aggressive and can create higher levels of tension. The highest divorce rates are when an only child marries another only child.j The number of men and women age 65 and older cohabiting outside of marriage nearly doubled between 1990 and 2000.g Because Virginia law required an ex-slave to leave the state once freed, one freed woman petitioned the legislature in 1815 to become a slave again so she could stay married to her still-enslaved husband.e For many centuries, the Catholic Church argued that contraception was a sin and made the wife no better “than a harlot.” Up until 1930, many Protestant churches agreed.e One seventeenth-century Massachusetts husband was put in stocks alongside his adulterous wife and her lover because the community reasoned she wouldn’t have strayed if her husband had been fulfilling is marital obligations.e Research points to certain characteristics that are most often linked to infidelity, such as being raised in a family where having affairs is considered normal, having a personality that values excitement and risk taking over marital stability, having coworkers and friends who believe affairs are acceptable, and feeling emotionally distant from one’s spouse.l No sex in a marriage has a much more powerful negative impact on a marriage than good sex has a positive impact.d Modern Western marriage traditions have long been shaped by Roman, Hebrew, and Germanic cultures as well as by doctrines and traditions of the Medieval Christian church, the Protestant Reformation, and the Industrial Revolution.a Levirate marriage, where a man is obligated to marry his brother’s widow if she had no sons to care for her, is sometimes required in the Bible (as in Deuteronomy) and sometimes prohibited (as in Leviticus).e The first recorded mention of same-sex marriage occurs in Ancient Rome and seems to have occurred without too much debate until Christianity became the official religion. In 1989, Denmark was the first post-Christianity nation to legally recognize same-sex marriage.a

101 Interesting Facts about India

Whether you are from India looking for some Interesting Facts about India or a foreigner travelling to India and looking to know some facts about India, these 101 Facts about India will blow your mind away.

1. Population: With over 1.2 billion people, India is second only to China and will likely overtake China if current growth continues.

2. Land size: In order to accommodate the huge population, India does have the seventh largest land area in the world.

3. One quarter of the work force: It’s estimated that in the next two to three years, 25% of people entering the workforce will be Indian.

4. Millions: There are over a million Indian millionaires. However, the gap between the rich and poor is still very big, with many living on a poverty level.

5. Language: India has no National Language. Hindi is an official language used in many regions, English is also commonly used in many regions. There are many popular regional languages like Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi spoken and officially used in their respective regions.

6. Value of PI: Baudhayana, an Indian mathematician first calculated the value of PI. He is also said to have discovered other mathematical theorems still in use.

7. University: The first university is said to have been started in Takshila in 700 B.C. Thousands of students from all over the world studied a variety of subjects.

8. Largest postal system: India still uses the postal system and it shows. They still have the largest postal system in the world.

9. Trains: India has the world’s second largest train network, and it is the largest civilian employer.

10. Varanasi: Having been visited by Buddha in 500 B.C. Varanasi is the oldest continuously habituated city in the world.

11. Wonder: The Taj Mahal is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife.

12. Food: Cooking and eating are a large part of Indian culture and tradition. It’s not uncommon for meals to require hours of preparation time and most festivals and gatherings center around food.

13. Roads: The world’s largest road network is in India—over 1.9 million miles of roads cover the country.

14. Chess: Chaturanga—Sanskrit, meaning “four members of an army” was invented in India. Now known all over the world, chess had its beginnings in India.

15. Name: The official Sanskrit name for India is Bharat Ganarajya. Even today, it is often called Bharat by young and old.

16. Origin of India name: The name “India” comes from the Indus River, which is where earliest settlers made their homes. The Indus valley is one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations.

17. British rule: The British ruled India from 1858-1947, although their presence and trade had been going on for some time before then.

18. Independence: On August 15, 1947, India gained independence from the British, after a successful nearly non-violent independence movement.

19. Government: India is governed under a parliamentary system and is a federal constitutional republic. There are 28 states and 7 union territories in India.

20. Capital: The capital city of India is New Delhi. It is the center of government and is also home to 2 UNESCO heritage sites.

21. Diamonds: Until 1986, the only place where diamonds had been officially found was in India.

22. Multi-lingual: There are 1,652 dialects and languages spoken in India. It is not at all unusual for an Indian to speak at least two and often more languages well.

23. Recognized languages: There are currently 22 recognized languages in India, with Standard Hindi and English being the standard languages.

24. English speakers: Because so many Indians speak English, India now has the largest population of English speakers in the world.

25. Borders: India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are neighboring ocean countries.

26. Exports: Going back thousands of years, India has long exported textiles. Current exports include steel, agricultural goods, and many services, such as in the tech or medical industries.

27. Beauties: India has won two Miss Universe and five Miss World titles so far. Many Indian beauty queens are also Bollywood actresses or models.

28. Age demographic: More than 50% of India is younger than 25 and more than 65% are 35 or younger. The average Indian age is much younger than most other nations.

29. Old civilization: Some of the oldest and most long-lasting civilizations can be traced to India, or areas that used to belong to India. Early empires were larger than other neighboring empires of the time, including Egypt and Mesopotamia.

30. Peace loving: India has never invaded any country. It was invaded by other countries and rulers, including Alexander the Great.

31. Movies: No list featuring facts about India would be complete without this tidbit: India has the largest movie industry in the world. Most Indian movies come from Bollywood, but there are many studios around the country who contribute as well.

32. Holy Writings: The Vedic Scriptures date to 2000-500 BC and were composed in the Punjab region.

33. Invented zero: A commonly known, but not to be neglected India fact is that the number and concept of zero was invented and documented first by Indians.

34. Ancient buildings: All over India, ancient buildings and structures can be found. Sculptures and paintings on the buildings often tell stories or describe life at that time period.

35. IT: The Pentium chip and Hotmail were created by Indians—Vinod Dahm and Sabeer Bhatia respectively. The Indian IT population is growing and is highly sought after all over the world.

36. School: The world’s largest Montessori school is in India. It has over 26,000 students!

37. National fruit: While India may not be the biggest mango exporter, over 12 million tons of mangoes are grown each year. That’s the equivalent of over 2,400 Asian Elephants!

38. Cotton: Indian cotton was well known; some of the earliest cotton came from India. Roman and Mongol royalty wore Indian cotton, known for being light and airy.

39. Beans: India produces more dried beans than any other nation on earth. This includes a variety of legumes such as the kidney bean and chick peas as well as a variety of lentils.

40. Bananas: Another top export from India is bananas. No other country exports as many bananas, not even Brazil, which is second.

41. Producer of milk: Because India’s pastoral community is heavily dependent on milk, India has become the largest producer of milk in the world.

42. National drink: Chai, or tea is drunk widely in India. They produce more tea than any other country, exporting to countries all over the world.

43. Spices: While Saffron has its roots in neighboring countries, India uses the most expensive spice in several sweets and other dishes.

44. Staples: The main food staples in India are rice in the south, wheat in the north, and dhal or lentils.

45. Lucky color: Red is the color of good luck and is usually worn for weddings and other celebrations and festivals.

46. Vegetarian: India has the largest amount of vegetarians in the world.

47. Finger food: Most Indian food is still traditionally eaten without silverware. Rotis or chapattis aid with this.

48. Time: All of India — despite the large land-space is on one time zone. This is, however, half-an-hour different to neighboring countries, making for a complicated time zone.

49. Cherrapunji is the wettest spot on earth. It receives at least 425 inches of rain every year, which is over 5 times more than the tropical rain forests of South America!

50. Highest peaks: The Himalaya includes the highest peak in the world—Everest. The mountain range stretches about 1,500 miles long and is over 23,600 ft at its highest.

51. Sacred River: The Ganga is the longest river in India and is considered sacred by Hindus. It has the most populated river basin in the world.

52. Coastline: The actual coastline on the main land is 3,400 miles, but if you include the islands that belong to India, the coastline is closer to 4,700 miles.

53. Mangrove: The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangroves in the world. 1/3 of the Sundarbans is in India. This is also the reserve for the Bengal Tiger.

54. Jungle: Less than 12% of the Indian landmass is covered in jungle. However, the country has a large variety of plant and animal life including 13.7% of all avian creatures.

55. Protected: India has worked hard to preserve endangered species and their shrinking wild-life. There are more than 500 wildlife sanctuaries and 13 reserves.

56. Heritage: There are 27 UNESCO heritage sites in India. These protected areas help to protect the long culture and history of the country.

57. Diversity: India has a lot of geographical diversity, including sand beaches, mountain ranges, desert, rock beaches, and large planes.

58. Climate: The four main climate groups in India are: tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid, and mountain. The four seasons are: winter, summer, monsoon, and post monsoon.

59. Vishnu Temple: This temple in Tirupathi is the most visited pilgrimage destination in the world, even more than Mecca or the Vatican.

60. Lotus Temple: Made from white marble, this temple has 27 free-standing “petals”. The structure is widely recognized for its artistic value as well as a Baha’i place of worship.

61. Humayun’s tomb: A little known fact about India is that the first garden-tomb in the world was built in India. It was built as a tomb for Emperor Humayun, but also houses the graves of his wife and other Mughals.

62. Religious gathering: Every twelve years, the Maha Kumbh Mela happens in Allahabad. This is the largest religious gathering in the world.

63. Brihadeeswara Temple: India’s largest temple which houses the statue of Nandi—carved out of a single 13ft rock. The entire temple is made out of granite and is over 1000 years old.

64. High ground: The world’s highest cricket ground is in Himachal Pradesh. It was built after a hill was leveled at over 2,400 meter above sea level.

65. Largest democracy: India is a democracy and has one of the highest voter turn-outs in the world. Election expenses grow from election to election as well.

66. Flag with meaning: The Indian flag is ‘tri colored’. Saffron—courage and sacrifice; white—truth, peace, and purity; green—prosperity. The Ashok Chakra—righteousness.

67. National Emblem: The Sarnath Lion depicts four lions back to back from which the national emblem stems. It symbolizes courage, confidence, and strength.

68. National animal: The national animal is the Bengal Tiger. Nearly extinct, it enjoys a national reserve where it is protected.

69. National bird: The peacock is the national bird of India and can be seen in many parks, even in the cities.

70. Ganges River Dolphin: Another little known fact about India is this species of dolphin, which includes 2 subspecies and is the only blind dolphin in the world. Both subspecies are in danger of extinction and as such are protected.

71. National flower: The beautiful and fragile lotus is the national flower of India. It’s very common in many bodies of water.

72. National tree: The national tree of India is the bunyan or fig tree. It’s featured in many stories and legends.

73. Gold: India is still the largest buyer of gold in the world. Gold is an important part of Indian culture, including gifts for weddings and other major events or festivals.

74. Largest city: Mumbai is the largest city in India, with over 15 million people.

75. Melting pot: India is home to every major religion in the world. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism all started in India.

76. Hindus: The majority of Indians are Hindus. Most of the religious festivals and holidays are Hindu.

77. Mosques: Home to more mosques than any other country in the world; India has a large Islamic population, the second largest in the country.

78. Cows: The cow is considered a sacred animal and is allowed to roam free in most cities and villages. They often wear a tilak as a symbol of good fortune.

79. Snakes and Ladders: The game of Snakes and Ladders also originated in India, with the lesson being of virtue vs. vices.

80. Music: As diverse as the country itself, music is an integral part of Indian culture, along with dance. There are dozens of local dances, music styles, and theater throughout the country.

81. Cricket: Although the English brought cricket to India, it is still the most popular game in the country. Games are played in parks and official games are watched and cheered by many.

82. National game: The national game of India is field hockey, India has won several gold medals over the years.

83. Mathematics: Indians made noteworthy contributions to trigonometry, calculus, and algebra. In 100 B.C. the decimal system was invented here.

84. Navigation: The word navigation comes from a Sanskrit word as the first navigators made their way along the Sindh River about 6000 years ago.

85. Medical advances: Surgeries were done in India over 2,600 years ago by Sushruta. He also developed Ayurveda and made records of several complicated surgeries and operations.

86. Big business: Vinod Khosla co-founded Sun Microsystems and Rajiv Gupta is the GM of Hewlett-Packard. Many other big international companies are founded or run by or with Indians.

87. Outsourcing: Half of the outsourced IT services in the world come from India. This is a large industry and big part of the current Indian economy.

88. Software: One of the largest exporters of software, India exports to over 60 countries right now.

89. White: Tradition in India holds that white be worn for funerals, in contrast to other countries, where black is more common.

90. Family: The extended family is an important part of Indian life and culture. Many families still live together in extended or ‘joined’ family units.

91. Festivals: Most Indian festivals are religious in origin. The most popular and widely known are Diwali, Holi, Durga Puja, and Ganesh Chaturthi. Festivities can go on for days.

92. Diwali: The festival of lights is celebrated for five days and includes a variety of festivities and traditions, usually done at home with family. Firecrackers and lights are a big part of this festival.

93. Holi: The festival of colors is a bright and colorful festival where playing with colors and water is enjoyed with home-made sweets.

94. Durga Puja: This five day festival is celebrated mostly in the eastern states, though it is celebrated in one form or other all over the country.

95. Ganesh Chaturthi: During the ten-day festival, Hindus remember the Lord Ganesh with decorations, prayers, and celebrations.

96. Rakhi: On this festival, sisters tie a rakhi or holy thread—often a colorful band—on their brother’s wrist while the brothers vow to look after their sisters while presenting them with gifts.

97. Yoga: One of the more known India facts is yoga. Originating in India, yoga is now a world-wide form of exercise and relaxation. Meditation and stretches are an integral part of yoga.

98. Martial arts: Many martial arts have their origins in India. There were said to have been spread throughout Asia by traveling monks.

99. Raziya Sultana: The only woman ruler of both the Mughal period and Sultanate. She dressed as a man and was an efficient and qualified ruler.

100. Dress: Most Indian women prefer ethnic dress, most commonly the sari or salwar kameez. However, for festivals and other events, there are other dresses, some specific for certain occasions.

101. Men’s wear: Men in general wear western clothing, though they often don ethnic wear for festivals, holidays, and occasions. In rural areas, local dress is more common.

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