GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER – 2 (PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA)
NOTES
TOPICS:
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISONS
The Himalayan Mountains
The Northern Plains
The Peninsular Plateau
The Indian Desert
The Coastal Plains
The Islands
1. INTRODUCTION:
India is a vast country with varied land forms
The country has plains, hilly regions, mountains, deserts, plateaus,
and islands
The Peninsular Plateau is one of the ancient landmasses on the
earth's surface
The Himalayas and the Northern Plains are the most recent landforms
The Himalayan mountains form an unstable zone
The Himalayas have high peaks, deep valleys, and fast-flowing rivers
The Northern Plains are formed of alluvial deposits
The Peninsular Plateau is composed of igneous and metamorphic
rocks
The plateau has gently rising hills and wide valleys
India displays great physical variation in its landforms
2. MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISONS:
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS:
The Himalayas are geologically young and structurally fold mountains
They stretch over the northern borders of India
The mountain ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the
Brahmaputra
The Himalayas cover about 2,400 Km and their width varies from 400
Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh
The altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern half than those in
the western half
The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal
extent
The northern-most range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or
the Himadri
It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an
average height of 6,000 metres
The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite
The range lying to the south of the Himadri forms the most rugged
mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya
The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and the average
width is of 50 Km
The Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range
The Dhaula Dhar and the Mahabharat ranges are also prominent
ones
This range consists of the famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and
Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh
The region is well-known for its hill stations
The folds of the Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature
It is perennially snow bound, and a number of glaciers descend from
this range
The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered
rocks
The Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged
mountain barriers of the world
A number of valleys lie between these ranges
The outer-most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks
The Shiwaliks extend over a width of 10-50 Km
The altitude of the Shiwaliks varies between 900 and 1100 metres
The Shiwaliks are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought
down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges
The valleys between the lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known
as Duns
Some well-known Duns include Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, and Patli Dun
The Himalayas have been divided into regions from west to east
based on river valleys
The part of the Himalayas between Indus and Satluj is known as
Punjab Himalaya, also known regionally as Kashmir and Himachal
Himalaya
The part between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon
Himalayas
The Kali and Teesta rivers demarcate the Nepal Himalayas
The part between Teesta and Dihang rivers is known as Assam
Himalayas
The Brahmaputra marks the eastern-most boundary of the Himalayas
Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the south
and spread along the eastern boundary of India
The eastern boundary of India is known as the Purvachal or the
Eastern hills and mountains
The Purvachal comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, the Manipur
hills, and the Mizo hills
The hills in the north-eastern states are mostly composed of strong
sandstones
The Purvachal hills are covered with dense forests
The Purvachal hills mostly run as parallel ranges and valleys
The Purvachal hills include the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, the Manipur
hills, and the Mizo hills
THE NORTHEN PLAINS:
The northern plain is formed by the interplay of three major river
systems: the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra
The plain is formed of alluvial soil and spreads over an area of 7 lakh
sq. km
It is densely populated and agriculturally productive
The rivers from the northern mountains are involved in depositional
work
In the lower course, the velocity of the river decreases, resulting in the
formation of riverine islands
The Northern Plain is divided into three sections: the Punjab Plains,
formed by the Indus and its tributaries
The larger part of the Punjab Plains lies in Pakistan
The Western part of the Northern Plain is dominated by the doabs
Majuli, in the Brahmaputra River, is the largest inhabited riverine
island in the world
The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to
the deposition of silt
These channels are known as distributaries
The fertile plain has a rich soil cover, adequate water supply, and a
favourable climate
The deposition of alluvium over millions of years formed the fertile
plain
The plain is about 2400 km long and 240 to 320 km broad
The rivers coming from the northern mountains contribute to the
deposition of silt and formation of riverine islands
Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers
Spread over North India in Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly
Jharkhand and West Bengal
Brahmaputra plain lies in the East, particularly in Assam
Northern plains have diverse relief features
Northern plains can be divided into four regions based on relief
features
Rivers deposit pebbles in a narrow belt known as bhabar
Bhabar belt is about 8 to 16 km in width and lies parallel to the slopes
of the Shiwaliks
South of bhabar belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge to create a
wet, swampy and marshy region known as terai
Terai was a thickly forested region full of wildlife
Dudhwa National Park is in the terai region
Largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium, known
as bhangar
Bhangar lies above the floodplains of the rivers and presents a
terrace-like feature
Soil in this region contains calcareous deposits, known as kankar
Newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called khadar
Khadar deposits are fertile and ideal for intensive agriculture
THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU:
Peninsular plateau is made up of old rocks and was formed due to
breaking and drifting of Gondwana land
Plateau has broad valleys and rounded hills
Consists of Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau
Central Highlands is north of Narmada River and includes Malwa
plateau
Vindhyan range is bounded by Satpura range and Aravalis
Westward extension merges with desert of Rajasthan
Rivers draining the region flow from southwest to northeast
Central Highlands are wider in the west and narrower in the east
Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand are the eastward extensions
Chotanagpur plateau is further eastward extension drained by
Damodar River
Deccan Plateau lies to the south of Narmada River
Satpura range is to the north of Deccan Plateau
Mahadev, Kaimur hills, and Maikal range forms the eastern
extensions of Deccan Plateau
Deccan Plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards
Extension of the Plateau is visible in the northeast, known as
Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau, and North Cachar Hills
Separated by a fault from Chotanagpur Plateau
Three prominent hill ranges are the Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia Hills
Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats mark the edges of Deccan Plateau
Western Ghats are parallel to the western coast and can be crossed
through passes like Thal, Bhor, and Pal Ghats
Western Ghats are higher than Eastern Ghats
Average elevation of Western Ghats is 900-1600 metres, while
Eastern Ghats is 600 metres
Eastern Ghats stretch from Mahanadi Valley to Nigiris in the south
Eastern Ghats are discontinuous and irregular
Rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal dissect Eastern Ghats
Western Ghats cause orographic rain by facing rain bearing moist
winds
Western Ghats have different local names
The height of Western Ghats increases from north to south
Anai Mudi (2,695 metres) and Doda Betta (2,637 metres) are the
highest peaks in Western Ghats
Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) is the highest peak in Eastern Ghats
Shevroy Hills and Javadi Hills are located to the southeast of Eastern
Ghats
Famous hill stations of Udagamandalam (Ooty) and Kodaikanal are in
the area
Peninsular plateau has a distinct feature of black soil area known as
Decean Trap
Decean Trap is of volcanic origin and the rocks are igneous
Aravali Hills lie on the western and northwestern margins of the
Peninsular plateau
Aravali Hills are highly eroded and found as broken hills
Aravali Hills extend from Gujarat to Delhi in a southwest-northeast
direction
THE INDIAN DESERT:
Indian desert is located towards the western margins of the Aravali
Hills
It is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes
The region receives very low rainfall, below 150 mm per year
It has an arid climate with low vegetation cover
Streams appear during the rainy season but disappear into the sand
Luni is the only large river in this region
Barchans (crescent-shaped dunes) cover larger areas
Longitudinal dunes become more prominent near the Indo-Pakistan
boundary
Jaisalmer is a place where you can see a group of barchans
The desert is characterized by its low rainfall, arid climate, and sand
dunes
THE COSTAL PLAINS:
Peninsular plateau flanked by narrow coastal strips on the Arabian
Sea and Bay of Bengal
Western coast between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea is a narrow
plain
Western coast consists of Konkan, Kannad Plain, and Malabar coast
Plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level
Northern part of Bay of Bengal referred to as Northern Circar,
southern part as Coromandel Coast
Large rivers have formed extensive delta on the Bay of Bengal coast
Chilika Lake is the largest salt water lake in India
Chilika Lake is in the state of Odisha, south of the Mahanadi delta
Arabian Sea coast has Konkan, Kannad Plain, and Malabar coast
Bay of Bengal coast has Northern Circar and Coromandel Coast
THE ISLANDS:
India has a vast mainland and two groups of islands
The Lakshadweep Islands are close to the Malabar coast of Kerala
The Lakshadweep Islands were previously known as Laccadive,
Minicoy, and Amindive
The Lakshadweep Islands cover a small area of 32 sq km
Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep
The Pitti island in the Lakshadweep Islands is uninhabited and has a
bird sanctuary
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are divided into two categories -
Andaman in the north and Nicobar in the south
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are believed to be an elevated
portion of submarine mountains
The islands are of great strategic importance for India
The islands have a diverse flora and fauna
The islands experience an equatorial climate and have thick forest
cover
The mountains in India are major sources of water and forest wealth
The northern plains are the granaries of the country
The plateau is a storehouse of minerals
The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port
activities
Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms that secrete
calcium carbonate and form coral deposits
Coral reefs are mainly of three kinds: barrier reef, fringing reef, and
atolls
India's only active volcano is found on Barren Island in the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands
diverse physical features of India have immense future possibilities of
development
TOTAL SUMMARY IN PARAGRAPH ALLTOGETHER:
India's geographical diversity is remarkable, spanning plains,
mountains, plateaus, deserts, and islands, each telling a tale of its
rich geological past. The Himalayas, relatively young in geological
terms, stand as a majestic northern border, comprising three
parallel ranges: Himadri, Himachal, and Shiwaliks. Their towering
peaks, deep valleys, and swift rivers form an imposing natural
barrier. The Northern Plains, nourished by the Indus, Ganga, and
Brahmaputra rivers, are a cradle of fertility, densely populated
and agriculturally bountiful. The Peninsular Plateau, an ancient
landmass, consists of the Central Highlands and the Deccan
Plateau, characterized by expansive valleys and gently rolling
hills. This plateau, flanked by the Western and Eastern Ghats,
presents a tapestry of rugged terrain and coastal plains. To the
west of the Aravali Hills lies the Indian Desert, a region of
undulating sandy expanses and sparse vegetation. Along the
coasts, the plains bordering the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal
offer diverse landscapes, from narrow strips on the western coast
to vast expanses along the Bay of Bengal. The Lakshadweep and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with their equatorial climate and
rich biodiversity, are invaluable strategic assets, while their coral
reefs and unique geological formations add to India's natural
heritage. Collectively, these geographical features underscore
India's position as a land of immense beauty, ecological
significance, and geological splendour, shaping its identity and
offering boundless opportunities for exploration and development.
