5.

India has 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: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands consist of more than
300 islands. Most of these are the peaks of a submarine mountain chain. Some, like the Barren
Island, are active volcanoes. The Andaman Islands are separated from the Nicobar Islands by the
145 km-wide Ten Degree Channel. Most of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are uninhabited.
The few that have settlements are peopled mostly by indigenous tribal groups like the Jarawa
and Onge.
The Lakshadweep group of islands: Lakshadweep is an archipelago made up of about 36 islands
that are coral in origin, with fringing reefs. They cover a total area of only 32 sq. km.

6.

Rivers of North India Rivers of South India

They are perennial. They get a regular supply
of water from the melting snow in summer as
well as from the monsoon rains.
They have built broad flood plains and flow
between levees at a slightly higher level than
the surrounding plain. Therefore disastrous
floods can occur anywhere along their course.
Their waters can be easily diverted to the fields It is difficult to use their waters for irrigation.
for irrigation.
They are navigable for great distances. Large
boats and even ships can sail along their lower
courses. It is easy to make roads and railway
lines in their broad valleys.
They are seasonal. They get water only from
the monsoon rains.
They flow in the deep valleys that they have
cut in the Peninsular Plateau. Floods occur only
in the delta regions of these rivers.
They are more important for the generation of
hydroelectric power.
They are navigable only over short distances.
They flow down steep slopes and have rocky
beds that cause rapids. Only small boats and
coracles (round basket boats) can be used on
them.

Look and learn:

1. The Indira Gandhi Canal
2. It is located in the Thar Desert.
3. It is one of the most crucial sources of water in the arid Thar Desert.

INDIA—CLIMATE, NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

A. 1. Equator   2. October, November, December   3. Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal

4. national park   5. Nilgiri

B. 1. False. The climate of India is broadly classified as the tropical monsoon type.
2. False. The Southwest Monsoons in India last from June to September.
3. False. Ladakh receives less than 50 cm of annual rainfall.

32

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 4. False. Lac is a resin secreted by lac insects found in the deciduous forests of the Chota Nagpur
Plateau.
5. False. The Kanha National park is located in Madhya Pradesh.

C. 1. a 2. c 3. b 4. b

D. 1. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the centre of India, dividing it into a tropical southern zone
and a temperate northern zone. The northern half of the country experiences four distinct seasons
while the southern half, being closer to the Equator, does not experience much seasonal variations
in temperature.
2. Mango showers are called so because they help in the ripening of mangoes.
3. Kerala receives rain from both the advancing and the retreating monsoons. Therefore, it receives
more than 400 cm of rainfall annually.
4. The roots of trees and plants bind soil particles together and prevent soil erosion.

E. 1. The four main seasons of India:

● The Summer or the Hot Weather Season (mid-march to May)
● The Rainy Season or Southwest Monsoon Season (June to September)
● The Northeast Monsoon Season (October to mid-December)
● The Winter or the Cold Weather Season (mid-December to mid-March)
2. The north-western parts of the Gangetic Plains receive light rain during winter from cyclonic
depressions (called Western Disturbances) that originate in the Mediterranean region.
3. No, rainfall is unevenly distributed all over India.
● Areas of heavy rainfall: Mawsynram, Cherrapunji, Shillong in Meghalaya, Kerala, the Western
Coast and the slopes of the Western Ghats up to Maharashtra, the southern slopes of the
Garo-Khasi-Jaintia Hills, places in the Purvanchal Range, the states of West Bengal, Assam,
Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
● Desert and semi-desert regions (less than 50 cm in a year): The Ladakh region in North Kashmir,
the Thar Desert, and areas around the Gulf of Kachchh.
4. Trees found in the Himalayas: sal, bamboo, eucalyptus, chestnut, oak, maple, fir, pine, silver fir, chir
pine, deodar, spruce, (any three)
Animals
 found in the Himalayas: Snow leopard, white-bellied musk deer, Himalayan blue sheep
(bharal), Himalayan wild yak, Asian black bear, Himalayan wolf, Himalayan brown bear. (any three)
5. A wildlife sanctuary is a place where the hunting and poaching of birds and animals are
prohibited. However, fishing and grazing of livestock is allowed on a controlled basis. In national
parks, apart from hunting and poaching, fishing and grazing are also totally prohibited.

F. 1. The climate of India is broadly classified as the tropical monsoon type. However, within this
broad classification, there are several regional climatic variations. This variation is caused by the
following factors.
Latitude:
 India extends over almost 30° of latitude, spreading from the tropical to the temperate
zones. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the centre of India, dividing it into a tropical southern
zone and a temperate northern zone. The northern half of the country experiences four distinct
seasons, while the southern half, being closer to the Equator, does not experience much seasonal
variations in temperature.

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 Proximity
 to the sea: Nearness to the sea influences the climate of coastal and peninsular
India. Land and sea breezes make the climate in these regions equable, with low diurnal and
seasonal ranges of temperature. On the other hand, the Northern Plains, being far from the sea,
experience extreme shifts in temperature, with the winters being bitterly cold and the summers,
unbearably hot.
Altitude:
 The height of a place above sea level influences its temperature. Temperature, falls
at the rate of 6°C for every 1000 m of ascent. Hill stations like Udhagamandalam (Ooty)
and Kodaikanal in the south, and Nainital, Shimla and Mussoorie in the north remain cool
throughout the year.
The
 direction of mountain ranges: The Himalayas protect India from the cold, continental air
masses of Central Asia, thereby ensuring that winters in most parts are not too severe. The
Himalayas also bring rainfall to northern and eastern India by blocking the Monsoon Winds and
preventing them from drifting beyond India.
The
 Monsoon Winds: The Monsoon Winds are seasonal winds that bring life-giving rain to most
parts of India. The Monsoons are the most important part of India’s annual cycle of seasons,
impacting millions of lives with their timely arrival or failure to arrive.

2. By the end of May, the trough of low pressure located over northwest India becomes very strong.
The Southeast Trade Winds, which blow towards the Equator in the Southern Hemisphere, are
drawn towards this low pressure area over northwest India. As the winds cross the Equator, they
are deflected to their right and they approach India from the southwest. Hence, they are known
as the Southwest Monsoons. As these warm winds cross the Indian Ocean, they pick up large
amounts of moisture.
As
 the moisture-laden winds reach the Indian landmass, they break into two branches—the
Arabian Sea Branch and the Bay of Bengal Branch.
Together,
 the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal branches of the Southwest Monsoon account for
more than 70% of India’s annual rainfall, covering almost the entire stretch of the country except
for the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu. However, the winds are unable to bring much rain to the
northwestern parts of India as they lose most of their moisture by then.
● The Arabian Sea Branch reaches the coast of Kerala around the first week of June. The Western
Ghats block the winds and force them to rise, causing heavy rain on their windward side. Kerala
and the western coasts of Karnataka and Maharashtra thus get heavy rainfall. However, the
interior parts of the southern peninsula, on the leeward side of the Western Ghats, receive
very little rainfall. The winds then travel across Gujarat and western Madhya Pradesh to enter
Rajasthan. However, northwest Rajasthan hardly receives any rain as the Aravalli Range that lies
parallel to the course of these winds is unable to obstruct them.
● The Bay of Bengal Branch moves across the Bay of Bengal and first hits the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands by the end of May. Moving northward from here, these winds are forced to rise
by the Khasi, Garo and Jaintia Hills, bringing heavy rain to Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Cherrapunji and Mawsynram in the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, in particular, receive such heavy
rainfall that they are two of the wettest places on the Earth. These Monsoon Winds also
bring heavy rainfall to West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and the windward slopes of the Eastern
Himalayas. The Himalayas block the northward movement of the Monsoon Winds and deflect
them westwards. The winds then travel to the Indo-Gangetic Basin and bring rain to the entire
region. By early July the winds reach Delhi, Haryana and Punjab where they eventually merge
with the Arabian Sea Branch.

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 3. a. Tidal forests: The tidal forests are located along the seaward edge of the Ganga-
Brahmaputra delta, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, land around the Gulf of Kuchchh, deltas
of Mahanadi and Godavari. The trees commonly found in these forests are the sundari trees
(in the Sundarbans of the Ganga Delta). Other trees include casuarina and goran. The deltas
formed by the rivers get submerged during high tides. So, the trees here have breathing
roots called pneumatophores that enable them to live in the soft, brackish mud. The animals
that are found in the tidal forests include the Royal Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodile, fishing
cat, olive ridley turtles, spotted deer, king cobra, sandpiper, collared kingfisher and black-
capped kingfisher.
b. Tropical Thorn forests: The tropical thorn forests are found in the rain shadow regions of the
Deccan Plateau and the eastern side of the Aravallis. Trees found here include the khajuri
or the Indian date palm, kikar, khair and different types of acacia (such as babul). The trees
have long roots that grow deep in search of water. They have stunted growth and grow far
apart. They have small fleshy leaves to reduce loss of water and thorns and spines on the
branches to prevent grazing animals from eating them. The common animals found in this
region include the camel, Indian wild ass, great Indian bustard, blackbuck, Asiatic lion and
striped hyena.

4. Uses of forests:
● Trees help in cooling the atmosphere by releasing water vapour. They also help increase rainfall
by causing moist winds to condense.
● The roots of trees and plants bind soil particles together and prevent soil erosion.
● The leaves which fall on the ground decompose to form rich humus. The forest floor acts as a
sponge, enabling the rain water to sink into the ground.
● Forests are homes to innumerable species of wild animals and birds.
● Resins, gums, honey and medicinal herbs are collected by tribal communities who depend on
forests for their livelihood.
● The wood of trees like the rosewood, ebony and mahogany are used to make furniture
and musical instruments. Teak and sal are durable and termite-resistant and are used for
shipbuilding, in the construction of houses, and to make furniture; sal is also used to construct
railway sleepers.
● The oil from the sandalwood tree is used in perfumes and soaps.
● Conifers are used to make paper, matchsticks, pulp and plywood. Resin, turpentine and
creosote are pine wood extracts.
● Wood of the khajuri, kikar and khairtrees is used to make agricultural tools and carts. The thick
barks of these trees can be used for tanning purposes.
● The sundari and casuarina trees help in preventing coastal erosion. These are also used to
produce tannin, which is used as a dye. The hard wood of these trees is used by the locals to
construct boats.

5. Most forests in India are threatened by deforestation. Deforestation happens when trees are cut
for timber and also when forests are cleared for agriculture, settlements or roads. Even forest fires
cause loss of trees.
To
 prevent the destruction of forests and the wildlife, the Government of India has taken several
steps and measures.

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 The
 Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, implements many schemes to maintain healthy forest
cover. The forest department of each state is actively involved in planting trees along the roads
and in replacing felled trees with an equal number of seedlings.
● On the occasion of Vanamahotsava, a festival which takes place in the first week of July, tree
saplings are planted all over India.
● To prevent forest fires from spreading, strips of forests are cleared to form firebreak. Trained
people are employed as forest wardens to look after forests. They are well equipped to fight
forest fires.
● In India, the efforts of the government to protect forests began with the Wildlife (Protection)
Act of 1972. Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks were created under the provisions of
this act. A wildlife sanctuary is a place where the hunting and poaching of birds or animals
is prohibited. However, fishing and grazing of livestock is allowed on a controlled basis. In
national parks, apart from hunting and poaching, fishing and grazing are also prohibited.
● In 1972, India joined UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme, which aims to improve the
relationship between people and their environments. A biosphere reserve is a bio-geographical
region with a distinct natural and cultural landscape. Biosphere reserves aim to conserve
biodiversity while also allowing their use in a sustainable manner. There are 14 biosphere
reserves in India.
● For the conservation of habitats and protection of animals, different projects like Project Tiger
have also been introduced.
● Measures are also being taken to identify and tackle the several environmental problems that
are taking their toll on the rich flora and fauna of India.

Look and learn:

1. This is lac that is secreted by insects.
2. In India it is found in the deciduous forests of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.
3. Lac is used to make varnish, sealing wax and jewellery.

HUMAN RESOURCES

A. 1. resource 2. Arunachal Pradesh   3. Haryana 4. 65%

B. 1. True
2. False. The Coastal Plains of India are heavily populated.
3. False. Odisha and Himachal Pradesh are states with a largely rural population.
4. False. Kerala and Puducherry, which have high sex ratios, have high rates of literacy too.
5. False. There is a shortage of skilled workers across various sectors in India.

C. 1.  The development of a country is closely linked to the resources available to it because resources
are necessary for generating wealth and bringing about economic development.
2.  The Northern Plains of India are heavily populated due to factors like fertile soil, agreeable climate,
better connectivity and better economic opportunities available there.

36

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