The correct option is (a).
Explanation
India is a vast country located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. Its size and geographical extent place it among the largest nations globally, with distinct measurements for its land frontiers and coastline.Statement 1 is Correct:
India’s total geographical area is approximately 3.28 million square km. This accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical land area of the world.
Statement 2 is Incorrect:
India is the seventh largest country in the world by area. The countries larger than India are Russia, Canada, the United States, China, Brazil, and Australia.
Statement 3 is Incorrect:
The figure 7,516.6 km represents the total length of the coastline of the mainland, including the island groups of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. The land boundary of India is significantly longer, measuring approximately 15,200 km.
Key Takeaway:
India is the 7th largest country covering 2.4% of the global land area. It is crucial to distinguish between its land boundary (~15,200 km) and its total coastline (~7,516.6 km).