India: Location, Extent, and Physical Features

Indian Subcontinent

  • India is a major part of the Indian subcontinent.
  • Countries forming the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
  • India occupies the major part of the subcontinent.
  • Geographically, India is part of Asia.
  • Seventh largest country in the world by area.
  • Largest population in the world.
  • Distinct physical and cultural identity due to large size and isolation by the Himalayas.

Location and Extent

  • Lies entirely in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
  • Extends from 8°4′N8°4'N to 37°6′N37°6'N latitudes and 68°7′E68°7'E to 97°25′E97°25'E longitudes.
  • Tropic of Cancer divides India into two parts.
  • 8212°E82\frac{1}{2}°E longitude through Prayagraj is the Standard Meridian for India.
  • Two-hour time difference between Gujarat (west) and Arunachal Pradesh (east).
  • Approximate area of 3.3 million sq. km.
  • Himalayas separate India from the rest of Asia.
  • Neighboring countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
  • Sri Lanka is separated by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.
  • Maldives located close to the Lakshadweep Islands.

India at a Glance

  • Latitudinal extent: 8°4′N−37°6′N8°4'N - 37°6'N
  • Longitudinal extent: 68°7′E−97°25′E68°7'E - 97°25'E
  • Area: 3,287,263 sq. km
  • North-south extent: 3,214 km (Kashmir to Kanyakumari)
  • East-west distance: 2,933 km (Kuchchh to Arunachal Pradesh)
  • Length of coastline: 7,516.6 km
  • Length of land frontier: 15,200 km
  • Number of states: 28
  • Number of union territories: 8
  • Capital: New Delhi

Political Divisions

  • Divided into 28 states and 8 centrally administered union territories for administrative purposes.
  • States were reorganized after Independence on the basis of language.
  • Delhi is the National Capital Territory.
  • Diverse languages, cultures, religions, and ethnic traits.

Peninsular India

  • South of the Tropic of Cancer.
  • Triangular mass projecting into the Indian Ocean.
  • Surrounded by water on three sides: Arabian Sea (west), Bay of Bengal (east), Indian Ocean (south).
  • Location has helped in the development of trade and commerce.
  • Seas on three sides have encouraged international trade.
  • India has had political, economic, and cultural links with other countries since ancient times.
  • Provides a link between the east and the west.
  • Central position has helped the development of its own industries and trade.

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

The Northern Mountains

  • Consist of the Himalayas and the hills of north-east India.
  • Form the northern and north-eastern boundaries of the country.

The Himalayas

  • Meaning 'abode of snow'.
  • Highest mountain system in the world.
  • Extend from Nanga Parbat in the north-west to Namcha Barwa in Arunachal Pradesh, covering over 2,400 km.
  • Width varies between 15 and 400 km.
  • Consist of three main parallel ranges:
    • The Greater Himalayas (Himadri)
    • The Lesser Himalayas (Himachal)
    • The Outer Himalayas (Shiwalik)
  • Passes serve as important passages through the northern mountain wall.
    • Important passes: Shipki La, Thaga La, Nathu La, and Jelep La.
  • Exert a significant influence on the life of the people of India in several ways.
    • Form a natural boundary between India and China.
    • Act as a climatic barrier, preventing cold winds from Central Asia and rain-bearing monsoon winds from leaving India.
    • Source of perennial rivers: Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
    • Rugged terrain is ideal for hydroelectric power generation.
    • Mountain slopes are forested, providing timber and forest products.
    • Beautiful hill stations: Shimla, Darjiling, Mussoorie, etc.
Greater Himalayas (Himadri)
  • Northernmost range of the Himalayas.
  • Maximum height: 8848.868848.86 m (Mt. Everest).
  • Several peaks with a height of over 8,000 m.
  • Snow-covered throughout the year.
  • Many important rivers originate from glaciers, such as Ganga and Yamuna from Gangotri and Yamunotri glaciers.
Lesser Himalayas (Himachal)
  • Lie between the Outer and the Greater Himalayas.
  • Maximum height: 5,000 m.
  • Width: 75 km.
  • Kashmir, Kulu, and Kangra valleys lie between the Lesser and the Greater Himalayas.
  • Popular hill stations: Darjiling, Shimla, Nainital, Mussoorie.
Outer Himalayas (Shiwalik)
  • Form the foothills of the Himalayas to the south.
  • Maximum height: 1,500 m.
  • Width: 15-50 km.
  • Rich source of timber.
  • Flat longitudinal valleys called Duns, covered with soft rocks, mud, and silt.

Hills of North-East India (Purvanchal Ranges)

  • Lie along the eastern borders of India.
  • Average elevation is less than 3,000 m.
  • Consist of several hill ranges: Patkai Bum, Naga, Mizo, Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills.

The Great Northern Plains

  • Extend from Punjab in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east for about 2,400 km.
  • One of the most productive and densely populated lowlands in the world.
  • Formed by sediments deposited by the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries.
  • Of more recent origin than the Himalayas.
  • One of the largest depositional plains in the world.
  • Lie between the Northern Mountains in the north and the Peninsular Plateau in the south.
  • Alluvial soil is very fertile and constantly renewed by silt deposited by rivers during floods.

Divisions of the Great Northern Plains

  • The Ganga Plains: Formed by the alluvial deposits of the Ganga River and its tributaries (Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gomti, Gandak, Chambal, Betwa, and Son). Lie in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Average height is between 30 and 150 m.
  • The Punjab Plains: Formed by the alluvial deposits of the tributaries of the Indus River. Lie in Punjab and Haryana. Average height is between 200 and 240 m.
  • The Brahmaputra Valley: Formed by the Brahmaputra River. Lies in Assam. Average height is 100 m. The Ganga and the Brahmaputra join in Bangladesh and flow as the Padma into the Bay of Bengal, forming the Sundarbans delta.

Importance of the Great Northern Plains

  • Fertile soil has helped in the development of agriculture.
  • Soft soil has made irrigation possible.
  • Flatness has promoted the growth and development of a dense network of road and rail transport.
  • Rivers and tributaries provide cheap water transport.

The Peninsular Plateau

  • An ancient landmass made up of hard crystalline rocks of igneous and metamorphic origin.
  • Triangular in shape, with a broad base in the north and tapering towards Kanniyakumari in the south.
  • Extends from the Aravalli Range in the west up to the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east.
  • Divided by the river Narmada into two parts:
    • The Malwa Plateau
    • The Deccan Plateau

Malwa Plateau

  • Bounded by the Vindhya Range in the south, the Aravalli Range in the west, and the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east.
  • Drained by the rivers Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Ken, Son, and Damodar.

Deccan Plateau

  • Bounded by the Satpura Range in the north, the hills of the 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.
  • Drained by the rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.

Western Ghats

  • 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

  • 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 Coastal Plains

  • Lie on either side of the Peninsular Plateau of India.
  • The Arabian Sea lies to their west, and the Bay of Bengal to their east.
  • Agriculturally well-developed.
  • Coconut palms grow profusely.

Western Coastal Plains

  • Stretch from Kachchh in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south.
  • Lie between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
  • Narrower and more uneven than the Eastern Coastal Plains.
  • Do not have deltas, only estuaries and lagoons.
  • Different names in different parts: Konkan Coast in Maharashtra, Kanara Coast in Karnataka, and Malabar Coast in Kerala.
  • Lie in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
  • Important ports: Kandla, Mumbai, Marmagao, Mangalore, and Kochi.

Eastern Coastal Plains

  • Stretch from the mouth of the river Ganga in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south.
  • Lie between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
  • Wider than the Western Coastal Plains.
  • Composed of the deltas of all the major rivers of the Deccan.
  • Different names in different parts: Northern Circars in the region north of the river Godavari and the Coromandel Coast in the region south of the river Godavari.
  • Lie in the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
  • Important ports: Vishakhapatnam, Paradwip, Chennai, and Tuticorin.

The Thar Desert

  • 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.
  • Primarily in north-western Rajasthan.
  • Receives very little rain, less than 25 cm annually.
  • High temperature evaporates the moisture in the air.
  • Lacks water resources; the river Luni is the only significant river.
  • Lake Sambhar is an important salt water lake.
  • The Indira Gandhi Canal draws water from the river Satluj and has transformed stretches of the desert into fertile land, where wheat, barley, grapes, and melons are grown.

The Island Groups

  • Two groups of islands: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

  • About 550 in number and of volcanic origin.
  • Barren Island is the only volcanically active island.
  • Separated by a wide channel called the Ten Degree Channel.

Lakshadweep Islands

  • Formed by the growth of corals.
  • Fewer in number than the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • Many are uninhabited.
  • Form the smallest union territory of India.

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.
  • Rivers of India may be divided into two categories based on the area of origin: 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 river with its tributaries and sub-tributaries forms a distinct river system.
The River Indus
  • 2,9002,900 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 (Panchnadi).
The River Ganga
  • About 2,5102,510 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.
  • Originates in the Gangotri Glacier.
  • Joined by many tributaries.
    • Left bank tributaries: Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, and Kosi.
    • Right bank tributaries: Chambal, Betwa, and Son.
    • The Yamuna rises from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas.
The River Brahmaputra
  • 2,7002,700 km in length.
  • Rises near the Mansarovar Lake and flows eastwards through Tibet as the Tsang Po before entering India in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Important tributaries:
    • Right bank: Tista, Barali, Torsa, and Subansiri.
    • Left bank: Buri-Dihing, Disang, Kopilli, and Dhansiri.
  • The upper course lies in Assam, and the lower course enters Bangladesh and joins the river Ganga, flowing 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.
  • Classified as west-flowing and east-flowing rivers.
The West-flowing Rivers
  • Drain into the Arabian Sea.
  • Short, swift-flowing rivers that rise in the Western Ghats.
  • Two most important rivers: the Narmada and the Tapi.
  • The Narmada is the longest (1,3121,312 km) among the west-flowing rivers of the peninsular river system and rises near the Amarkantak Plateau.
  • The Tapi (724724 km) rises in the hills of Madhya Pradesh, flows south of the Satpura Range, and drains into the Arabian Sea near Surat.
  • These do not form deltas. The Narmada flows in a narrow rift valley between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.
The East-flowing Rivers
  • Flow towards the east and south-east and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
  • The Godavari (1,4651,465 km) is the longest river of the peninsular plateau of India and 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 (851851 km) rises in Madhya Pradesh, flows through Odisha, and then enters the Bay of Bengal, forming a delta at its mouth.
  • The Krishna (1,4001,400 km) has its source near Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats and flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The Bhima, the Koyna, and the Tungabhadra are its main tributaries.
  • The Kaveri (800800 km) rises in the Western Ghats in the Brahmagiri Hills and flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before draining into the Bay of Bengal.
  • Besides these, the Pennar, the Palar, and the Vaigai flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal. The west-flowing Sharavati, the Mandovi, and the Periyar rivers flow into the Arabian Sea.