Class 9th Geography - Physical Features of India - PDF

Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Major Physiographic Divisions are : Major physiographic divisions The Himalayan Mountain The Northern Plains The Peninsular Plateau The Indian Desert The Coastal Plains T...

Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Major Physiographic Divisions are : Major physiographic divisions The Himalayan Mountain The Northern Plains The Peninsular Plateau The Indian Desert The Coastal Plains The Islands  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Himalayan Mountains Geologically young and structurally fold Mountains Located in the northern borders of India. Runs between Indus and Brahmaputra Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barrier of the world. Cover 2,400 km of distance with it width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal pradesh. Altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern half than those in the western half.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Himalayas consists of three parallel ranges. In its longitudinal extent ➔ Himadri/Great or Inner Himalayas ➔ Himachal or lesser Himalaya/Middle Himalayas ➔ Shiwaliks/outer Himalayas  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Himalayan Ranges: Himadri, Great or Inner Himalayas Great or Inner Himalayas or Himadri Northernmost Range Most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks. [6000 M average height] The folds of Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature. Core is made up of granite and it is perennially snowbound. Number of glaciers descend from this range.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Himadri Range consist all prominent Himalayan peaks.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Himalayan Ranges: Himachal or lesser Himalaya/Middle Himalayas Himachal/Lesser Himalaya/Middle Himalayas Range lying to the south of the Himadri. Composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. Average altitude varies between 3,700 m and 4,500 m and the average width is of 50 km. Pir panjal range forms the longest and most important range. Dhaula Dhar and Mahabharat are other prominent ranges. Famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu valley are found in this range.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Himalayan Ranges: Shiwaliks or outer Himalayas Shiwaliks or outer Himalayas Outermost range of the Himalayas. These ranges are composed of unconsolidated Sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north. Average heights of this range varies from 900 to 1100 metres and they extend over a width of 10-50 km. Shiwalik consist of Duns The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks. E.g. Dehradun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Himalayas: West to East Besides the longitudinal divisions, Himalayas have been divided on the basis of regions from West to East. Demarcated by River Valley Himalayas between Indus and Sutlej rivers Punjab/Kashmir and Himachal Himalayas Himalayas between Satluj and Kali rivers Kumaon Himalayas Himalayas between Kali and Teesta rivers Nepal Himalayas Himalayas between Tista and Dihang rivers Assam Himalayas Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Purvanchal Himalayas Another important part of Himalayas running in north-eastern part are known as Purvanchal Himalayas or Eastern Himalayas. ➔ Beyond Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the South and spread along the eastern boundary of India. ➔ It is composed of strong and stones which are sedimentary rocks. ➔ It is comprised of various hills such as Patkai hills, the Naga hills, the Manipur hills and the Mizo hills. ➔ Dense forest, valleys and rivers are found in this range.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Northern Plain Recall the story of Formation of northern plains. Rivers played a Major Role in its formation. The Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries are responsible for the formation of Northern plain. Deposition of alluvium in the foothills of Himalayas brought by them.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation ❖ Northern plain spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq. km 2400 km long and 240 km to 320 km broad. Northern plain is densely populated physiographic division. Fertile soil Agriculturally a Abundance of water productive part ❖ Various geographical features as Riverine islands,doabs and distributaries are found in Northern plains. Reason  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Riverine Islands River Deposition Formation of land between the river Velocity of the river decreases Formation of Riverine Island ❖ Majuli, in the Brahmaputra river, is the largest inhabited riverine island in the world. ❖ Due to deposition of sediments in in lower course the river split into numerous channels, leading to the formation of Distributaries.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Doab Land between the two rivers is known as doab. Doab is made up of two words ‘do’ meaning two and ‘ab’ meaning water. Ganga-Yamuna Doab  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Division of Northern Plains ❖ Northern plain is broadly divided into three sections. Punjab Plains Western part of Northern plain. Formed by Indus and Its Tributaries. Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas, and the Satluj. This section is dominated by doabs E.g. The word Punjab itself is made up of two words Punj = Five & ab = Water Land between the five rivers.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Ganga Plains Extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It spread over the state of Haryana, Delhi, U.P, Bihar, partly in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Brahmaputra plain East to the Ganga plains lies the Brahmaputra plain. Covers most of the Assam and states of Northeast. Drained by Brahmaputra river.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar and Khadar ❖ Apart from the division on the basis of area, Northern plains can also be divided on the basis of diverse relief features. Northern plain is divided into four regions on the basis of relief features. Bhabar Terai Bhangar Khadar  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Bhabar - Belt of about 8 to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks. The Bhabar area is comprised of pebbles which are brought down by river. Streams disappears in the Bhabar belt. Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation South to the Bhabar belt lies, Terai Region The wet, swampy and marshy region where the streams and rivers re-emerge. This region is thickly forested and full of wildlife. Over the period of time forests have been cleared to create agricultural land and to settle migrants from Pakistan after partition.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Bhangar Khadar ➔ Older alluvium. ➔ New and young alluvium. ➔ It lies above the Floodplains of the river ➔ They are renewed almost every year. and presents a terrace like feature. ➔ Very fertile. ➔ The soil in this region contains ➔ Ideal for agricultures, therefore calcareous deposits. [Kankar] intensive agriculture is performed ➔ This is relatively less fertile. over Bhangar soil.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Peninsular Plateau What is Peninsular? What is Plateau? A landmass which is covered by water A tableland like structure. by three sides.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation A Table land composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. ➔ Formed due to the breaking and drifting of the gondwana land. ➔ The Peninsular plateau is made up of black soil [volcanic origin] ➔ The plateau has broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills. ➔ Two broad divisions of Plateau: Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Peninsular Plateau: Central Highland Part lying to the north of the Narmada river. Major part of themakes up the Malwa Plateau central highland. Covered by Vindhya at North, Satpura at South and Aravallis on the Northwest. Rivers such as the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken flow from it's southwest to Noertheast. [Indicating the slope] The central Highland are wider in the West but narrower in the East known as Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand. Chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension. Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Physical position of Malwa plateau Major rivers of Central and North India  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Peninsular Plateau: Deccan Plateau Triangular landmass lying South of the river Narmada. Borders - Satpura = Northern borders Mahadev , Kaimur hills and Maikal range = Eastern borders Tilted towards East. The Deccan plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards. An extension of these plateau in also found North East. Meghalaya plateau, [Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills], Karbi-Anglong plateau and North Cachar hills. Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and Marks the Western and Eastern edges respectively.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats ❖ Both Western ghats and Eastern ghats lies west and east of the Deccan plateau respectively. What is Ghat? ❖ Both the ghats have some distinctive features and differentiating points. Let us discuss them.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Western Ghats Eastern Ghats Continuous and can be crossed through Discontinuous. Irregular and dissected passes only. by rivers. Higher than eastern ghats. Average Average elevation is 600 metres. elevation is 900-1600 meter. The eastern ghats stretch from the They stretch from Tapi to the South of Mahanadi valley to the Nilgiri. the Nilgiri hills. Highest peak of eastern ghats is Western ghats cause Orographic Rain. Mahendragiri [1,501 M] Height progressively increase from Shevaroy Hills and Javadi Hills are North to South.[Highest peak located to the southeast of it. Anamudi(2695 M)]  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Indian Desert Thar Desert The Indian Desert lies towards the western margin of the Aravali Hills. ➔ Undulating Sandy plains, covered with Sand dunes. ➔ This region receives low rainfall [Below 150 MM], streams appear during the rainy Season and never reach sea. Why? Luni is the only large river in this region. It has arid climate with low vegetation cover.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Barchans Another important features of the Indian desert. Crescent shaped dunes found in Thar desert. Barchans Formation of Barchans  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Coastal Plains Stretch of Narrow Coastal strips at the margins of peninsular plateau. These strips run along the Arabian Sea on the West and the Bay of Bengal on the East. Western Coastal Plains Eastern Coastal Plains  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Western Coast Eastern Coast It is narrow plain sandwiched The coastal area are wide and level along between the Western Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. Arabian sea. It consist of three section: It consist of two section: a. Konkan [Mumbai-Goa] a. Northern Circar b. Kannad Plain [karnataka] b. Coromandel Coast c. Malabar Coast [Kerala] River on Western Coast forms Rivers such as the Mahanadi, the Estuaries. Godavari, Krishna and the Kaveri forms delta on Eastern Coast.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Do You Know? The Chilika Lake is the largest salt water lake in India. It lies in the state of Odisha, to the south of the Mahanadi delta.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation The Islands Besides the vast mainland. The country has two groups of Islands. Lakshadweep Islands Andaman & Nicobar Islands Group lying close to the Malabar coast of kerala. Elongated chain of island in Bay of Bengal. It is composed of small coral islands. Entire group is divided into two broad categories. a. Andaman in the North b. Nicobar in the South Earlier they were known as Laccadive, Minicoy and It is believed that these islands are an elevated Amindivi.[Renamed in 1973] portion of submarine mountains. It covers small area of 32 sq km. Equatorial climate and thick forest care. Administrative headquarter of these islands is kavaratti.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Pitti island, uninhabited island in Lakshadweep has a bird sanctuary. Corals - Short-lived microscopic organism, which live in colonies. They flourish in shallow, mud-free and warm waters. They secrete calcium carbonate. Their skeleton makes up the Reefs.  Class 9th - Geography - Physical Features of India - Full Chapter Explanation Importance of different Physical Features The different physiographic units highlights the unique features of each region. Adds value to the natural resources of the country. Coastal regions Mountains Northern Plains Plateau and Islands Major sources of water Granaries of the Storehouse of Provides sites for fishing and forest wealth. country Minerals and port activities.