The physical environment of

INDIA

Political geography

• twenty eight states (further subdivided into districts)

• seven union territories:• Andaman and Nicobar Islands• Chandigarh• Dadra and Nagar • Haveli• Daman and Diu• Lakshadweep• National Capital Territory of Delhi

• Puducherry

Indian subcontinentPosition:8°4' and 37°6' north latitude68°7' and 97°25' east longitude Territory:3,287,240 square km Borders with • China, • Nepal, • Burma, • Pakistan,• Bhutan, • Bangladesh.

Geological development

• Indian tectonic plate

• Collision with Asia – 55 mln yrs

• Current movement – 5 cm/yr

Physiographic regions

• The northern mountains

• Northern Plains

• The Peninsular Plateau

• Thar desert

• The Coastal Plains

Mountains• The Himalayan range

• The Karakoram 

• The Patkai, or Purvanchal,

• The Vindhya range

• The Satpura Range 

• The Aravali Range 

• The Western Ghats 

• The Eastern Ghats 

Lowland Plains

Water bodies• The Himalayan rivers(the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) • the Ganges (+Brahmaputra, Meghana)• Deccan rivers(Mahanadi River , Godavari River, Krishna River and Kaveri

River) • Gulf of Cambay, Gulf of Kutch, and the Gulf of Mannar• the Palk Strait, the Ten Degree Channel, and the Eight

Degree Channel• The Arabian Sea, the Laccadive Sea and the Andaman

Sea• the Bay of Bengal • the Indian Ocean • Sambhar Lake

Water bodies

Weather and climate

six major climatic subtypes:• arid desert in the west, • alpine tundra and glaciers in the north, • and humid tropical regions supporting rainforests in the

southwest• the island territories. The nation has four seasons: • winter (January–February), • summer (March–May), • a monsoon season (June–September) • a post-monsoon period (October–December)

Climate

Monsoon

Natural resources• the production of coal - the 3rd highest in the world• the production of iron ore - the 4th

• 5.4 billion barrels in oil reserves • 17th trillion cubic feet of natural gas • uranium • 400 medium-to-high enthalpy thermal springs • production of mica blocks and mica splittings• production of barites and chromites - the 2nd • production of bauxite and crude steel - the 5th

• production of manganese ore - the 7th • production of aluminium - the 8th  • titanium ore• diamonds• limestone• 24 % of world’s thorium

Natural Resources

Natural hazards

Home assignment1. Pronunciation of all Indian

states/territories and their capitals2. Search-and-Find in the map of India3. Presentations: • Indian wildlife• Indian campaign of Alexander the Great4. Discussion: Why do some traditions pale

into insignificance?5. Film: Mountains of the Monsoon (English

Documentary)