"Everybody knows that the great reversed triangle of land, with its base in the north and its apex in the south, which is called India, embraces fourteen hundred thousand square miles, upon which is spread unequally a population of one hundred and eighty millions of souls"

In the quote from Jules Verne, we see a geographical and demographic description of India, framed through the lens of 19th-century understanding and exploration. The "terrific reversed triangle of land" refers to the subcontinent's distinct geographical shape, with the broader part, or "base", in the north and narrowing down to the "pinnacle" in the south. This imagery effectively catches the peninsular shape of India, surrounded by water on 3 sides-- the Arabian Sea to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the east, and the Indian Ocean to the south.

The reference to "fourteen hundred thousand square miles" defines the vast acreage of India. Although historic quotes varied, Verne's approximation highlights India's scale, emphasizing its status as a popular and considerable landmass in the international context of the time.

When Verne speaks of the "population of one hundred and eighty countless souls", he is resolving the sheer variety of people living in India, highlighting both its diversity and its density. In the 19th century, this population figure would have made India among the most largely populated areas on the planet. The term "souls" injects a sense of the human aspect, acknowledging the uniqueness and cumulative life of individuals residing there.

Verne's option of language portrays India as a land of enormous scale and human diversity, reflecting the European fascination with the strange and culturally rich subcontinent. At the exact same time, numbers in his narrative offer readers an understanding of India's demographic significance, alluding to the obstacles and characteristics that include handling such a large population spread out across a varied and vast geographical location.

Jules Verne offers a snapshot of 19th-century India, encapsulating its geographical kind and market heft within the more comprehensive themes of exploration and understanding of the world that define his works.