Indian Geography Articles To Prepare For

Civil Services Online

Section 1 → Indian Physiography + Geographical Regions of

India + Drainage System India

India Physiography – The Northern Mountains (Himalayas)

India Physiography – The Northern Indian Plains

India Physiography – The Indian Peninsular Plateaus

India Physiography – Indian Desert, Coastal regions, Indian Islands

River System of India – Indus River System

River System of India – Ganga River System

River System of India – Brahmaputra River System

India River System – Peninsular Rivers India

Indian Drainage system Features & Patterns

Section 2 → India – Natural Vegetation, Climate, Soils,

Agriculture

Natural Vegetation of India

Climate of India

Soils in India

Salient Features of Indian Agriculture – Part 1

Salient Features of Indian Agriculture – Part 2

Section 3 → India – Energy Resources, Industries, Mineral

Resources

Energy Resources of India

Industries of India

Mineral Resources India – Iron, Coal, Aluminium, Copper, Lead, Zinc

Mineral Resources India – Petroleum, Fibers, Natural Gas

Section 4 → India – Roads, Railways, Waterways, Census

2011, Statistics

India Roads, Railways, Ports & Airways

India Position & Population Statistics

India Physiography – The Northern

Mountains (Himalayas)

Physiography of India

India can be divided into following physical divisions viz.

The Northern Mountains The North Indian Plain The Peninsular Plateau Great Indian Desert The coastal Regions Islands

The Northern Mountains (Himalayas)

The Himalayan Mountains form the northern mountain region of India. They are the highest mountain ranges in the world. These mountain ranges start from Pamir Knot in the west and extend up to Purvanchal in the

east. Youngest & Loftiest mountain range of the world Formed by Tectonic Forces & are 2400 Km in Length Are of varying width → from 400 Km in Kashmir to 160 Km Arunachal Pradesh Altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern part than in the western part Prominent Features → Highest peaks, Deep valleys & Gorges, Glaciers etc.

The Himalayan Mountains can be further divided into following major ranges -

Trans Himalayas

Immediate to the north of the Great Himalayan Range

Most of the part of this Himalayan range lies in the Tibet and hence also called Tibetan Himalaya

Ranges → Zaskar, K2 (Godwin Austin), Ladakh, Kailash and Karakoram Range

Greater Himalaya (Inner Himalaya)

Always covered with snow → Known as Himadri

Average height → 6000 mts Most continuous range Core composed of granite Ranges → Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga Forests type → Needle leaved coniferous

Middle Himalaya

Average height → 3500 – 4500 mts Most of the valleys & hill stations are

located in this range e.g. Kashmir, Kathmandu , Nainital

Ranges → Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar, Mahabharat

Forests type → Broad leaved evergreen

Outer Himalaya (Shivalik Range/ Himachals)

Average height → 600 – 1200 mts Most of the Dun & Duars are located in this

range Ex. Dehradun, Patlidun (longitudinal valleys) Deciduous type forests

Eastern hills / Purvanchal

Brahmaputra marks the eastern border of the Himalayas. Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply towards south and form the Eastern hills

or Purvanchal which run through the NE India & are mostly composed of sandstones Mishmi hills, Patkai Hills, Naga Hills, Manipuri Hills and Mizo Hills

Classification of Himalayas on the basis of Geographic Location

Punjab Himalayas / Kashmir Himalaya / Himachal Himalaya → Between the Indus and Sutlej Kumaon Himalayas → Between Sutlej and Kali rivers Nepal Himalayas → Between Kali and Tista rivers

Assam Himalayas → Between Tista and Dihang rivers

Significance of Himalayas for India

Strategic

significance Acts as a natural frontier of India with other countries (China, Pakistan, Afghanistan)

Climatic

significance

Prevent further northward movement of summer monsoon and also prevent cold

northern winds from Siberia to enter into India

Agricultural

significance

Rivers from Himalayas deposits a lot of sediment on its foothold, from which are

formed India’s most fertile agricultural grounds known as Northern plains

Economic

significance

Huge hydro-electric power potential of Himalayan rivers + Himalayan timber +

Himalayan Herbs & Medicinal plants

Tourism

Significance Comprises of Large ecological biodiversity, natural views & hill stations

India Physiography – The Northern Indian

Plains

Physiography of India

India can be divided into following physical divisions viz.

The Northern Mountains The North Indian Plain The Peninsular Plateau Great Indian Desert The coastal Regions Islands

The North Indian Plain

Formed by depositional work of Rivers viz. Indus, Ganga & Brahamputra 2400 km long & varying in width from 240 to approx. 320 km Divided into three sections, viz. the Punjab Plain (Indus), the Ganga Plain and the Brahmaputra

Plain

Punjab Plains Formed by the Indus and its tributaries with major portion of this plains in Pakistan

Ganga Plains Between Ghaggar and Tista rivers (Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, part of Jharkhand and

West Bengal lie in the Ganga plains)

Brahmaputra

Plains From Tista to Dihang with major portion lying in Assam

Northern plains subdivisions

Bhabhar

Lies along foothills of Shiwaliks, From Indus to Tista

Laid down by streams coming from hills Comprises of pebble studded rocks (Highly

porous bed plain) Due to high porosity, streams disappears

here

Tarai

Lies south of Bhabhar & runs parallel to it Marked by re-emergence of underground

streams of Bhabhar belt Highly alluvial & agricultural land Has a high water table due to groundwater

percolating down from the adjacent zone

Khadar

Flood plains with newer alluvium deposited by flood almost every year

Marked with fertile soil Zone of intensive agriculture Non porous, clayey and loamy

Bhangar

Alluvial terrace lying above the level of flood plains

Composed of the oldest alluvial soil coarse in nature, contain kankar (lime

nodules), pebbles, gravels Soil of this region is locally known as

kankar viz. calcareous concretions

India Physiography – The Indian Peninsular

Plateaus

Physiography of India

India can be divided into following physical divisions viz.

The Northern Mountains The North Indian Plain The Peninsular Plateau Great Indian Desert The coastal Regions Islands

The Peninsular Plateau

Largest of India’s physical divisions – Comprises of broad & shallow valleys with rounded hills Triangular in shape; composed of the oldest rocks & Surrounded by hills Narmada – Tapi divides it into 2 parts viz. Central highland & Deccan plateau

Division of Peninsular Plateau

The Central Highland

Malwa Plateau Bundelkhand Baghelkhand Chotanagpur Plateau

The Deccan Plateau

Deccan Trap Western Ghats Eastern Ghats North-East Extension

The Central Highlands

Lies to the north of the Narmada river between Aravali in North & Vindhya range in south Covers the major portion of the Malwa plateau (Madhya Pradesh) Rivers in this region flow from southwest to northeast; which indicates the slope of this region Further extension of it is Bundelkhand, Bhaghelkhand & Chhota Nagpur Plateau Chambal & Betwa flows through it → Region known as Bedland (Not fit for cultivation)

Malwa Plateau Lies in Madhya Pradesh b/w Aravali & Vindhyas Extension of it is Bundelkhand, Bhaghelkhand & Chota Nagpur Plateau

Bundelkhand

Plateau

Lies along the borders of UP & MP Has been transformed into ravines by extensive erosional activities of river

Chambal & its tributaries

Chhotanagpur

Plateau

NE part of Peninsular plateau Includes Jharkhand, parts of Chhattisgarh & WB, Highest Peak Parasnath Famous as Patland plateau & known as ruhr of India

Deccan Plateau

Largest plateau in India; Lies to the south of the Narmada River; Shaped as inverted triangle. Surrounded by Satpura hills, Mahadeo hills, Maikala range, Amarkantak hills and Rajmahal hills i

the north; Western Ghats in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east Volcanic in origin, made up of horizontal layers of solidified lava forming trap structure with step

like appearance Sedimentary layers are also found in between the layers of solidified lava, making it inter-

trapping in structure Average elevation of Western Ghats is 900 – 1600 metres; compared to 600 metres of Eastern

Ghats Slopes towards east and south and descends abruptly towards west making sahayadri ranges The plateau is suitable for the cultivation of cotton; home to rich mineral resources & a source

to generate hydroelectric power

Western Ghats

Folded parts of Deccan Plateau Also known as Shayadries More Continuous & higher than Eastern Ghats Separated from coast by narrow coastal plains Rich watersheds give birth to large peninsular rivers like Godavari and Krishna Extends from Tapi in North to Kanyakumari in south

Important Passes (Rail Links)

Thalghat → Mumbai —- Kolkata Bhorghat → Mumbai —- Chennai Phalghat → Kochi ——– Chennai

Important Hill Ranges

Nilgiri Range (Highest peak → Doda Betta along ooty (Udhagmandalam) → TN Highest Peak of South India → Anaimudi From which 3 ranges radiates in 3 directions

Cardmom Hills to south, Anamalai hills to north Palni to North East

Eastern Ghats

Extends from Odisha to North of Nilgiri hills Discontinuous & lower then Western Ghats Do not give birth to important rivers like western ghats Separated from coast by very wide coastal plains Geologically older than western ghats Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri cut through this range to merge with Bay of Bengal The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats meet in the Nilgiri hills

Telangana Plateau

Part of deccan plateau located on north of river Krishna

Karnataka Plateau

South of deccan lava region Consist of Bababudan hills Famous for iron ores

Dandakaranya Plateau

Forms parts of Chhatisgarh & Odisha Contains igneous & metamorphic rocks of

Archaen period River Indravati & Mahandi flows throuth

this plateau Largely inhabited by Gond tribes

Shillong Plateau

Part of Peninsular Deccan Plateau Made of Garo, Khasi & Jaintia Hills World’s highest rainfall receiving point

Mawsynram is situated here

End of Preview.

Rest of the book can be read @

http://kinige.com/book/Indian+Geography+For+Civil+S

ervices

* * *