INDIA PROPER, or HITHER INDIA, a large peninsula in Asia, bounded on the north by Uffec Tartary, and Thibet; on the east, by another part of Thibet, the kingdom of Asem, Ava, and Pegu; on the south, by the bay of Bengal, and the Indian ocean; and by the same ocean and Persia on the west: situated between 66° and 92° of east longitude, and between 7° and 40° of north latitude; being about 2000 miles in length from north to south, and 1500 miles in breadth from east to west where broadest; though the southern part of the peninsula is not 300 miles broad. All the country within these limits is either subject or tributary to the great Mogul. It is frequently called Indostan, a name supposed to be derived from the river Indus, on its western frontiers: it is also called the Mogulistan, from the imperial family now upon the throne, who trace their pedigree from Tamerlane a Mogul Tartar.
The produce of this country, and what the Europeans import from thence, is chiefly chints, calicoes, muslins, some silk, pepper, and diamonds, which are purchased by most nations with silver; but the Dutch frequently barter spices for them, which makes the India trade doubly advantageous to them.