The democratic and secular state has existed since 1949 and, according to official figures, has a population of well over 1.3 billion. Cultural characteristics vary greatly from region to region due to centuries-old traditions, and British colonial rule can still be felt in many places. Despite constitutional freedom of religion, Indian society is determined by the religious hierarchical caste system. The Hindus are by far the largest religious group, followed by Muslims, Christians and the Sikhs, Buddhists and Jaina, who historically originated in India. Today, despite a significant economic upswing, India's fundamental problems are still widespread poverty as well as severe overpopulation, increasing environmental pollution, and ethnic and religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims. In addition, there is the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over the Kashmir region. Economically, India is considered an emerging economy and belongs to the O5 and BRICS countries and the group of the twenty most important industrialized and emerging countries (G20). According to many observers, the performance of the Indian economy has now reached top international levels in some sectors (information technology, pharmaceuticals). Education Help India (EHI) e.V. is currently supporting aid projects, particularly in Coimbatore and thus an important industrial location in the southwest of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. Of particular importance is the textile industry, which is why Coimbatore is known as the "Manchester of the South". According to the Indian census 2011, the district of Coimbatore has 3.5 million inhabitants. The population density is 731 inhabitants per square kilometer, which is higher than the state average. The area of Coimbatore district, which in its southern Indian appearance is a mixture of the Orient and the Caribbean, is 4,732 square kilometers wide. Around Coimbatore lie enormously large areas used for agriculture, where tea, coffee, cotton and oilseeds, among other things, are grown.