Contemporary India – Size and Location Notes

India – Size and Location

The Tropic of Cancer (23°30'N) divides the country into almost two equal parts. To the southeast and southwest of the mainland lie the Andaman and Nicobar islands and the Lakshadweep islands in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively. Find out the extent of these groups of islands from your atlas.
SIZE
- The land mass of India has an area of A = 3.28 \times 10^{6} \text{ km}^2\$.
- India’s total area accounts for about 2.4\% of the total geographical area of the world.
INDIA – SIZE AND LOCATION
- India is one of the ancient civilisations in the world. It has achieved multi-faceted socio-economic progress during the last five decades. It has moved forward displaying remarkable progress in the field of agriculture, industry, technology and overall economic development.
- India has also contributed significantly to the making of world history.
LOCATION
- India is a vast country lying entirely in the Northern hemisphere. The mainland extends between latitudes 8^{\circ}4'\text{N} $and$ 37^{\circ}6'\text{N} $and longitudes$ 68^{\circ}7'\text{E} $and$ 97^{\circ}25'\text{E}.
- The southernmost point of the Indian Union – Indira Point – got submerged under sea water in 2004 during the Tsunami.
- Note: Figure 1.1 shows India in the World.
INDIA – SIZE AND LOCATION (continued)
- From Figure 1.2 it is clear that India is the seventh largest country of the world.
- India has a land boundary of about L{land} = 1.52 \times 10^{4} \text{ km} $and the total length of the coastline of the mainland, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is$ L{coast} = 7\,516.6 \text{ km}.
- India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and northeast.
- South of about 22° north latitude, it begins to taper, and extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas: the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east.
- The latitudinal extent makes the east–west extent appear smaller than the north–south extent.
- From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of two hours. Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30'E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
- The latitudinal extent influences the duration of day and night, as one moves from south to north.
WHY 82°30'E AS STANDARD MERIDIAN?
- The Standard Meridian of India at 82^{\circ}30'\text{E} was chosen to establish a single time zone for the entire country, simplifying civil life, railway timetables, and communication across long north–south spans.
WHY DAY-LENGTH DIFFERENCE IS SMALL AT Kanniyakumari BUT NOT IN Kashmir?
- The latitudinal range of India is large, but the Earth’s tilt means higher latitudes (like Kashmir) experience longer winter days and shorter summer days, whereas southern latitudes (like Kanniyakumari) have relatively small seasonal variation in day length.
INDIA AND THE WORLD
- The Indian landmass has a central location between East and West Asia. India is a southward extension of the Asian continent.
- Trans-Indian Ocean routes connect Europe (West) with East Asia, giving India a strategic central location.
- The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, helping India establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast, and with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
- No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean, which justifies naming an Ocean after India.
Figure 1.2 : Seven Largest Countries of the World
- Source: United Nations Demographic Year Book 2015
- Since opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, India’s distance from Europe has been reduced by 7{,}000\text{ km}.

Indian Neighbours and Boundaries

India occupies an important strategic position in South Asia. India has 28 states and eight Union Territories (Figure 1.5).
Before 1947 there were two types of states in India — the provinces and the Princely states. Provinces were ruled directly by British officials, who were appointed by the Viceroy. Princely states were ruled by local, hereditary rulers, who acknowledged sovereignty in return for local autonomy.
Sri Lanka and Maldives
- Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.
- Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the Lakshadweep Islands.
India’s geographical and historical links with neighbours
- Look at the physical map of Asia in your atlas; India stands apart from the rest of Asia.
Indian Contacts and Geopolitical Context
- India’s land boundaries: Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest; China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north; Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east.
- To the south across the seas lie Sri Lanka and Maldives as coastal neighbours.
INDIA’S NEIGHBOURS – Historical notes
- Exchanges occurred across mountain passes (ancient travellers), and oceans restricted some interactions for a long time.
- Ideas and cultural exchanges include: Upanishads and Ramayana; Panchtantra; Indian numerals and the decimal system reaching many parts of the world.
- India’s spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken to different countries; Greek sculpture influence and architectural styles (domes/minarets) from West Asia can be seen in parts of our country.
INDIA’S NEIGHBOURS – States and administrative divisions
- India has 28 states and eight Union Territories (as per Figure 1.5).
- The NCERT portal Bhuvan is a map-based learning platform (School Bhuvan, NCERT). It is an initiative of Bhuvan — NRSC/ISRO based on the NCERT syllabus. You can explore maps of India related to the secondary stage on https://bhuvan-app1.nrsc.gov.in/mhrd_ncert/
Historical administrative divisions
- Before 1947, provinces were ruled by British officials; princely states were ruled by local rulers.

India – Size and Location (Further Context)

Figure 1.3: India: Extent and Standard Meridian (reference map)
India’s neighbours and adjacent regions (Figure 1.4) – Key questions and prompts follow in the exercise section.
India’s adjacency with Sri Lanka and Maldives
Sri Lanka and Maldives’ geographic positioning relative to India

Short Answer Questions and Concepts (as in the text)

1. Multiple Choice Questions (from Page 6):
- (i) The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through
- (a) Rajasthan
- (b) Odisha
- (c) Chhattisgarh
- (d) Tripura
- (ii) The easternmost longitude of India is
- (a) 97° 25' E
- (b) 68° 7' E
- (c) 77° 6' E
- (d) 82° 32' E
- (iii) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim have common frontiers with
- (a) China
- (b) Bhutan
- (c) Nepal
- (d) Myanmar
- (iv) If you intend to visit Kavarati during your summer vacations, which one of the following Union Territories of India you will be going to
- (a) Puducherry
- (b) Lakshadweep
- (c) Andaman and Nicobar
- (d) Daman and Diu
- (v) My friend hails from a country which does not share land boundary with India. Identify the country.
- (a) Bhutan
- (b) Tajikistan
- (c) Bangladesh
- (d) Nepal
2. Answer the following questions briefly:
- (i) Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian Sea.
- (ii) Name the countries larger than India.
- (iii) Which island group of India lies to its south-east?
- (iv) Which island countries are our southern neighbours?
3. The sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west but the watches show the same time. How does this happen?
4. The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why?
MAP SKILLS
- Identify the following with the help of map reading:
- (i) The island groups of India lying in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
- (ii) The countries constituting the Indian subcontinent.
- (iii) The States through which the Tropic of Cancer passes.
- (iv) The northernmost latitude in degrees.
- (v) The southernmost latitude of the Indian mainland in degrees.
- (vi) The eastern and the western-most longitude in degrees.
- (vii) The place situated on the three seas.
- (viii) The strait separating Sri Lanka from India.
- (ix) The Union Territories of India.
PROJECT/ACTIVITY
- (i) Find out the longitudinal and latitudinal extent of your state.
- (ii) Collect information about the ‘Silk Route’. Also find out the new developments, which are improving communication routes in the regions of high altitude.
EXERCISE
- Reprint 2025-26

Notes on geography and data references

Extent and meridians are core to understanding time zones and climatic variation across India.
The Tropic of Cancer’s position influences the distribution of climate zones and agricultural patterns.
The Deccan Peninsula’s protrusion into the Indian Ocean facilitates diverse coastal interactions with multiple regions.
India’s long coastline and continental position underpin its historical role in trade, culture exchange, and modern geopolitics.
The 2004 Tsunami event (Indira Point submergence) is a reminder of coastal vulnerability and the need for coastal management.

Summary of key numerical facts

Area: A = 3.28 \times 10^{6} \text{ km}^2
Share of world area: 2.4\%
Latitudinal extent: 8^{\circ}4'\text{N} \text{ to } 37^{\circ}6'\text{N}
Longitudinal extent: 68^{\circ}7'\text{E} \text{ to } 97^{\circ}25'\text{E}
Standard Meridian: 82^{\circ}30'\text{E}
Time lag across country: \Delta t = 2\text{ hours}
Coastline (mainland including islands): L_{coast} = 7{,}516.6\text{ km}
Land boundary: L_{land} \approx 1.52 \times 10^{4} \text{ km}
Distance reduction due to Suez Canal opening: \Delta D = 7{,}000\text{ km}$$
Southern points: Indira Point (submerged in 2004 due to tsunami)

Connections to broader themes

Geography as a basis for political and economic strategy: India's central location in the Indian Ocean has shaped trade routes, security considerations, and cultural exchange for centuries.
The balance between land and maritime boundaries influences domestic policies (coastline development, disaster management, and border security).
Interplay between physical geography (lat/long extents, Tropic of Cancer) and human geography (time zones, population distribution, language, culture).