India - Location, Extent, Chapter 9 PDF

# THEME 7: INDIA-GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES ## 9 Political and Physical Features ### Learning Outcomes The learner: - interprets the location and extent of India with reference to other countries of Asia . - locates important mountains, plateaus, deserts, islands and rivers on the map of India. ### Re...

# THEME 7: INDIA-GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES ## 9 Political and Physical Features ### Learning Outcomes The learner: - interprets the location and extent of India with reference to other countries of Asia . - locates important mountains, plateaus, deserts, islands and rivers on the map of India. ### Recall **Skills: Remembering and Understanding** India forms a major part of the Indian subcontinent. - Name the countries that form the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, India is a part of the continent of Asia. It is the seventh largest country in the world in terms of area and has the largest population in the world. However, owing to its large size and its relative isolation from the rest of Asia because of the protective barrier of the Himalayas, it has developed its own distinct physical and cultural identity. India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka form a 'subcontinent' and since India occupies the major part of the subcontinent, the entire region is called the Indian subcontinent. ### LOCATION AND EXTENT India lies entirely in the northern and eastern hemispheres. It extends from 8°4ʼN to 37°6′N latitudes and 68°7'E to 97°25'E longitudes. The Tropic of Cancer passes right through India, dividing it into two parts. The 82/½°E longitude passing through Prayagraj is the Standard Meridian for India. Because of the two hours in the local time of Gujarat in the west and Arunachal Pradesh in the east. India has an approximate area of about 3 million sq. km. The lofty Himalayas separate it from the rest of Asia. India's neighboring countries are Pakistan, Afghanistan, China Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. In the south lies the island country of Sri Lanka, which is separated from India by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. The Maldives, which is located very close to the Lakshadweep Islands is also a neighbouring country. ### India at a Glance | Feature | Description | | - | - | | Latitudinal extent | 8°4′N-37°6′N | | Longitudinal extent | 68°7′E-97°25′E | | Area | 32,87,263 sq. km | | North-south extent | 3,214 km | | East-west distance | 2,933 km | | Length of land frontier | 15,200 km | | Length of coastline | 7,516.6 km | | Number of states | 28 | | Number of union territories | 8 | | Capital | New Delhi | ### POLITICAL DIVISIONS For administrative purposes, India is divided into 28 states and 8 central union territories. The states were formed after Independence on the basis of political, economic and cultural factors. Delhi, one of the union territories, is known as the National Capital, which is also the capital of India, and has immense political and cultural importance. ### PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS OF INDIA India can be divided into six main physical divisions: - The Northern Mountains - The Great Northern Plains - The Peninsular Plateau - The Coastal Plains - The Thar Desert - The Islands #### **Think and Answer** Why has India been divided into 28 states and 8 union territories? What are the advantages and disadvantages? ### The Northern Mountains  The Northern Mountains consist of the Himalayas and the hills of north-east India. Together they form the northern and northeastern boundaries of the country. The Himalayas, literally meaning "abode of snow", form the highest mountain system in the world. The Himalayas extend from Nanga Parbat in the north-west to Namcha Barwa in Arunachal Pradesh, covering a distance of over 2,400 km. The width of this mountain range varies between 15 and 400 km. | Range | Description | | - | - | | The Greater Himalayas (Himadri) | | | The Lesser Himalayas (Himachal) | | | The Outer Himalayas (Shiwalik) | | The Himalayas exert a significant influence on the life of the people of India in several ways: - They form a natural boundary between India and China. The features of each of these three ranges are discussed in the table given on the next page. The hills of the north-east are collectively called the Purvanchal ranges and lie along the eastern borders of India. Their average elevation is less than 3,000 m. They consist of several hill ranges such as the Patkai Bum, Naga, Mizo, Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills. There are a number of passes or gaps in the Himalayas that serve as important passages through the northern mountain wall. Some of the important passes are Shipki La, Tha La, Nathu La and Jelep La. #### The Great Northern Plains The Great Northern Plains lie between the Northern Mountains in the north and the Peninsular Plateau of India in the south. They extend in a great curve from Punjab in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east for a length of about 2,400 km. The plains are one of the most productive and densely populated lowlands in the world. These plains have been formed by sediments deposited by the three major rivers-the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Great Northern Plains are of more recent origin than the Himalayas. They are also one of the largest depositional plains in the world. The alluvial soil of these plains is very fertile. The soil is constantly renewed by the silt deposited by the rivers, which spread over the land during floods. The Great Northern Plains can be divided into the Ganga Plains in the centre, the Punjab Plains in the west and the Brahmaputra Valley in the east. The Ganga Plains are formed by the alluvial deposits of the river Ganga and its tributaries such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Gomti, the Gandak, the Chambal, the Betwa, and the Son. They lie in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Their average height is between 30 and 150 m. The Punjab Plains are formed by the alluvial deposits of the tributaries of the river Indus. They lie in Punjab and Haryana. Their average height is between 200 and 240 m. The Brahmaputra Valley is formed by the Brahmaputra River. It lies in Assam, and flows into the Bay of Bengal. Together, these rivers have built the largest delta in the world-the Sundarbans, home of Royal Bengal tigers. The Great Northern Plains have greatly influenced the lives of the people in India in the following ways: - The fertile soil of the plains has helped in the development of agriculture. - Its soft soil has made irrigation possible. - Their flatness has promoted the growth and development of a dense network of road and rail transport. - Their rivers and tributaries provide cheap water transport. #### **HOTS Question** The Great Northern Plains of India are most densely populated region of India. Give reasons for your answer. #### The Peninsular Plateau  It is an ancient land mass, made up of hard crystalline rocks of igneous and metamorphic origin. This plateau is triangular in shape, having a broad base in the north and tapering towards Kanniyakumari in the south. The plateau extends from the Aravalli Range in the west up to the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east. The Peninsular Plateau is divided by the river Narmada into two parts: - The Malwa Plateau - The Deccan Plateau #### Difference between Malwa and Deccan Plateaux | Plateau | Description | | - | - | | Malwa Plateau | Bounded by the Vindhya Range in the south, the Aravalli Range in the west and the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east. | | Deccan Plateau | Bounded by the Satpura Range in the north, the hills ofthe Western Ghats in the west and the hills of the Eastern Ghats in the east. Important mountain ranges are the Vindhyas and Satpura ranges. The western part is covered by lava sheets and is called the Deccan Trap region. | #### Difference between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats  | Ghats | Description | | - | - | | Western Ghats | They extend from the mouth of river Tapi to Kanniyakumari. The average height is 1,200 m but in some parts it rises to 2,440 m. They are continuous. They are the source of rivers that flow across the Deccan. They are steep and rugged, and rise abruptly from the narrow Western Coastal Plains. They lie close to the Arabian Sea. | | Eastern Ghats | They extend from the Mahanadi Valley up to the Nilgiri Hills. The average height is 450 m, rarely exceeding 1,200 m. They are discontinuous. Many rivers flow through them. They have gentle slopes that rise from the Eastern Coastal Plains. They lie at some distance from the Bay of Bengal. | #### The Thar Desert The Thar Desert has scanty water resources. This vast, sandy low-lying plain with sandy ridges and shifting sand dunes lies mainly between the Aravallis in the east and the Sind Desert of Pakistan in the west. This desert lies primarily in north-western Rajasthan. The region receives very little rain, less than 25 cm annually. The high temperature experienced in the region evaporates the moisture in the air. The region, therefore, lacks water resources and the river Luni is the only significant river in this region, but it carries little water. The Indira Gandhi Canal, which draws water from river Satluj, has changed, to some extent, huge stretches of this desert into fertile land. Crops such as wheat, barley, grapes, and melons are now grown here. #### The Island Groups There are two groups of islands-the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are about 550 in number and are of volcanic origin. Barren Island is the only volcanically active island. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are separated by a wide channel called the Ten Degree Channel.  The Lakshadweep Islands (meaning a hundred thousand) have been formed by the growth of corals-tiny marine organisms called coral polyps that can be found in the shallow ocean water in the tropics. They are fewer in number than the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Many of them are uninhabited. These islands form the smallest union territory of India. #### Knowledge of India - It is difficult to believe that the Thar Desert was full of greenery in the past. Geological and historical evidence suggests that the Thar Desert had a very different climate and physical features in ancient times. Paleoclimate studies and fossil records indicate that the region was once covered by extensive grasslands and had a variety of flora and fauna. The presence of ancient riverbeds, lakes, and fossils of prehistoric animals further indicate the existence of a different environment that supported the growth of plants. - Over the course of thousands of years, climatic changes and human activities have gradually transformed the Thar Desert into a desert. Changes in rainfall patterns and the impact of human settlements and agricultural practices have caused the desertification of the region. ### DRAINAGE India has many large rivers. The Great Northern Plains have been built by the three major rivers of northern India-the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. On the basis of the area of origin, rivers of India may be divided into two categories-the north Indian rivers or Himalayan rivers and the south Indian rivers or peninsular rivers. #### The North Indian Rivers or the Himalayan Rivers The three important rivers-the Ganga, the Indus and the Brahmaputra originate in the snow-capped Himalayas. Each of these rivers with its tributaries and sub-tributaries, forms a distinct river system. The river Indus, which is 2,900 km long, rises in Tibet. About 709 km of its length lies in India in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, from where it enters Pakistan and finally drains into the Arabian Sea, close to Karachi. The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum are the five main tributaries of the Indus (Panchnadi). The river Ganga, which is about 2,510 km long, flows through four states of India-Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Its total basin area is approximately one-fourth of India's total area. The river Ganga, with its source in the Gangotri Glacier, is joined by many tributaries. Its left bank tributaries rise from the glaciers in the Himalayas. The Ramganga, the Gomti, the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi are the main left bank tributaries. The right bank tributaries rise from the peninsular region of the south. The Chambal, the Betwa and the Son are its major right bank tributaries. Only one right bank tributary, the Yamuna, rises from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas. The river Brahmaputra, 2,700 km in length, rises near the Mansarovar Lake and flows eastwards through Tibet as the Tsang Po before entering India in Arunachal Pradesh. Some of the important tributaries of the river Brahmaputra are the Tista, the Barali, the Torsa and the Subansiri, which join it on the right bank. The Buri-Dihing, the Disang, the Kopilli, and the Dhansiri join it on its left bank. River Brahmaputra's upper course lies in Assam and in its lower course, it enters Bangladesh and joins the river Ganga. Both flow into the Bay of Bengal after building a fertile delta. #### The South Indian Rivers or the Peninsular Rivers The leading rivers of south India are the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, the Kaveri, the Narmada and the Tapi. These have been further classified as west-flowing and east-flowing rivers. #### The West-flowing Rivers These rivers drain into the Arabian Sea. They are short, swift-flowing rivers that rise in the Western Ghats. The two most important rivers are the Narmada and the Tapi. The Narmada is the longest (1,312 km) among the west-flowing rivers of the peninsular river system. It rises near the Amarkantak Plateau and flows between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges before emptying itself into the Gulf of Khambhat near the city of Surat. The Tapi (724 km) rises in the hills of Madhya Pradesh, flows south of the Satpura Range and drains into the Arabian Sea near Surat. The two rivers, the Narmada and the Tapi, do not form deltas. The Narmada flows in a narrow rift valley between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras. #### The East-flowing Rivers These rivers flow towards the east and south-east and drain into the Bay of Bengal. The Godavari (1,465 km) is the longest river of the peninsular plateau of India. It is called 'the Ganga of the South'. It rises in Nashik district and flows through the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal. The Mahanadi (851 km) rises in Madhya Pradesh, flows through Odisha and then enters the Bay of Bengal. It has a delta at its mouth. The Krishna (1,400 km) has its source near Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats and flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh before it drains into the Bay of Bengal. #### **Think and Answer** What role do the Indian rivers play in the Indian economy, culture and industry? Give the answer.  ### EXERCISES **A. Choose the correct option.** 1. India is the --largest country in the world in terms of area. - (i) sixth - (ii) seventh - (iii) eighth - (iv) ninth 2. The length of India's coastline is --km. - (i) 6,100 - (ii) 6,500 - (iii) 6,900 - (iv) 7,500 3. The Indira Gandhi Canal draws water from the --river. - (i) Satluj - (ii) Narmada - (iii) Mahanadi - (iv) Godavari 4. Which of these is not an east-flowing river? - (i) Godavari - (ii) Tapi - (iii) Mahanadi - (iv) Kaveri **B. Identify who I am.** 1. I am the river that divides the Peninsular Plateau of India into the Malwa and the Deccan plateaux: 2. I am a vast sandy low-lying plain in north-west Rajasthan: 3. I am the only volcanically active island of India: 4. I am the longest river of south India: **C. Fill in the blanks.** 1. There are 28 -- and 8 union territories in India. 2. The -- divides India into two halves. 3. The Himalayas literally means --. 4. The Lakshadweep Islands have been formed by the growth of --. **D. State whether the following are true or false. Rewrite the false statements correctly.** 1. There is a -- time difference in the local time of Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh 2. The term Himalayas means 'abode of snow'. 3. The Thar region has only one significant river, Luni. 4. The river Ganga flows through five states of India. **E. Distinguish between each of the following pairs.** 1. The Eastern and the Western Ghats 2. The Eastern and the Western Coastal Plains 3. The Himalayan and Peninsular rivers 4. The east and the west-flowing rivers of south India **Answer the following questions in brief.** 1. (i) Name the countries that form the part of the Indian subcontinent. (ii) Why is the entire region called the Indian subcontinent? 2. On what basis were the states reorganized after Independence? 3. What do you know about the Purvanchal ranges? 4. (i) Name the three divisions of the Great Northern Plains. (ii) Mention the rivers responsible for their formation. **Answer the following questions.** 1. Explain how India has benefitted from its location. 2. Explain how the Himalayas have greatly influenced the life of the people of India. 3. Give geographical reasons: The Great Northern Plains are densely populated. 4. Describe: (i) The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ii) The Lakshadweep Islands. **Map and Globe Skills** Mark and label each of the following in an outline map of India: - The Tropic of Cancer - The neighbouring countries of India - The Palk Strait - The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal **Picture-based questions** This is a photograph of the river Ganga. 1. Which are the states through which this river flows? 2. Name any two left-bank tributaries of the river.