Indian Geography
Indian Geography - Physical and Political
Indian Geography covers the diverse physical features, climate, and political divisions of India.
Physical Features
Northern Mountains
Himalayan Ranges
- Greater Himalayas (Himadri): Highest peaks including Everest, K2
- Lesser Himalayas (Himachal): Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar ranges
- Outer Himalayas (Siwalik): Foothills with low elevation
Important Passes
- Khardung La: Highest motorable pass
- Shipki La: Himachal Pradesh-Tibet border
- Zoji La: Srinagar-Leh highway
Northern Plains
Indo-Gangetic Plain
- Punjab Plain: Between Indus and Ganga rivers
- Ganga Plain: From Delhi to West Bengal
- Brahmaputra Plain: Assam region
Major Rivers
- Ganga: Sacred river, 2525 km
- Yamuna: Largest tributary of Ganga
- Brahmaputra: Known as Tsangpo in Tibet
- Indus: Originates in Tibet
Peninsular Plateau
Deccan Plateau
- Bordered by Western and Eastern Ghats
- Rich in minerals and natural resources
- Volcanic origin with black soil
Western Ghats (Sahyadris)
- Continuous mountain range
- Height: 600-900 meters
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Eastern Ghats
- Discontinuous range
- Lower height than Western Ghats
- Source of many rivers
Coastal Plains
Western Coastal Plain
- Konkan Coast: Mumbai to Goa
- Kannada Coast: Goa to Mangalore
- Malabar Coast: Mangalore to Kanyakumari
Eastern Coastal Plain
- Northern Circars: Mouth of Ganga to Krishna
- Coromandel Coast: Krishna to Kanyakumari
Climate
Seasons
Winter Season (December-February)
- Temperature: 10-25°C
- Northeast monsoon brings rain to Tamil Nadu
Summer Season (March-May)
- Temperature: 32-45°C
- Loo winds in North India
Southwest Monsoon (June-September)
- 80% annual rainfall
- Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal branches
Retreating Monsoon (October-November)
- Northeast monsoon
- Cyclones in Bay of Bengal
Rainfall Distribution
- Western Ghats: >200 cm
- Assam: >200 cm
- Rajasthan: <50 cm (Thar Desert)
- Leh: <10 cm (cold desert)
Political Geography
States and Union Territories
28 States
- Largest by Area: Rajasthan
- Smallest by Area: Goa
- Most Populous: Uttar Pradesh
- Least Populous: Sikkim
8 Union Territories
- Delhi: National Capital Territory
- Jammu & Kashmir: Largest UT
- Lakshadweep: Smallest UT
Major Cities
Metropolitan Cities
- Mumbai: Financial capital
- Delhi: National capital
- Bangalore: IT hub
- Chennai: Gateway to South
- Kolkata: Cultural capital
- Hyderabad: Pearl City
Natural Resources
Minerals
- Coal: Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh
- Iron Ore: Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh
- Manganese: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
- Bauxite: Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat
Forests
- Tropical Evergreen: Western Ghats, Northeast
- Tropical Deciduous: Central India
- Mangrove: Sundarbans
- Alpine: Himalayan region
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which is the highest mountain peak in India?
Question 2
The Deccan Plateau is bounded by which mountain ranges?
Question 3
Which river is known as the “Sorrow of Bengal”?
Question 4
The southwestern monsoon brings rainfall to India during which months?
Question 5
Which Indian state has the longest coastline?
BETA
