Some Most Important Quick Facts About Physical Geography Of India
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1. The northern boundary of the Peninsular Block may be taken as an irregular line running from Kachchh
along the western flank of the Aravali Range near Delhi and then roughly parallel to the Yamuna and
the Ganga as far as the Rajmahal Hills and the Ganga delta.
2. The north-eastern parts are separated by the Malda fault in West Bengal from the Chotanagpur
plateau.
3. The Peninsula is formed essentially by a great complex of very ancient gneisses and granites,
4. Since the Cambrian period, the Peninsula has been standing like a rigid block
5. As a part of the Indo-Australian Plate, it has been subjected to various vertical movements and block faulting.
6. The rift valleys of the Narmada, the Tapi and the Mahanadi and the Satpura block mountains are
some examples of it.
7. The river valleys here are shallow with low gradients
8. Aravali hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world
9. The Vindhyas and the Satpuras are the important ranges.
10. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges.
11. These are west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea.
12. Western Ghats are almost continuous,
13. The Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven
14. The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore.
15. The western coastal plains are very narrow
16. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader
17. There are a number of east flowing rivers. The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri drain
into the Bay of Bengal.
18. These rivers have formed fertile deltas at their mouth.
The Peninsula mostly consists of relict and residual mountains like
1. The Aravali hills
2. The Nallamala hills
3. The Javadi hills
4. The Veliconda hills
5. Palkonda range
6. The Mahendragiri hills
.
3) INDO GANGETIC PLAINS
1. The third geological division of India comprises the plains formed by the river Indus, the Ganga and
the Brahmaputra.
2. It was a geo-synclinal depression which attained its maximum development
3. During the third phase of the Himalayan mountain formation approximately about 64 million years
ago.
4. Since then, it has been gradually filled by the sediments brought by the Himalayan and Peninsular
rivers.
5. Average depth of alluvial deposits in these plains ranges from 1,000-2,000 m.
The Northern Plain
1. Formed by the interplay of the three major river systems, namely– the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra
2. Formed of alluvial soil
3. It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq. km.
4. The plain being about 2400 Km long and 240 to 320 Km broad, is a densely populated physiographic
division
5. The velocity of the river decreases which results in the formation of riverine islands
6. Majuli, in the Brahmaputra River is the largest inhabited riverine island in the world.
7. The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to the deposition of silt
8. These channels are known as distributaries
9. The Northern Plain is broadly divided into three sections.
10. The Western part of the Northern Plain is referred to as the Punjab Plains. Formed by the Indus and
its tributaries, the larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan.
11. The Indus and its tributaries–the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in
the Himalaya. This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs.
12. ‘Doab’ is made up of two words- ‘do’ meaning two and ‘ab’ meaning water
13. ‘Punjab’ is also made up two words- ‘Punj’ meaning five and ‘ab’ meaning water.
14. The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers.
15. It is spread over the states of North India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand and West
Bengal to its East, particularly in Assam lies the Brahmaputra plain.
From the north to the south these plains can be divided into three major zones -
Bhabar
1. The rivers, after descending from the mountains deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km
in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks.
2. As a result of this,the streams and rivers coming from the mountains deposit heavy materials of rocks
and boulders.
3. All the streams disappear in this bhabar belt.
Terai
1. South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region
2. This was a thickly forested region full of wildlife
3. The forests have been cleared to create agricultural land and to settle migrants from Pakistan after
partition.
Alluvial Plains
1. The alluvial plains can be further divided into Khadar, Kankar and the Bhangar
Bhangar
1. The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium. They lie above the flood plains of
the rivers and present a terrace like feature.
Kankar
1. The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits
Khadar
1. The newer, younger deposits of the flood plains
2. They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile, thus, ideal for intensive agriculture.
4) The Indian Desert
1. The Indian desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills.
2. It is a land of undulating topography dotted with longitudinal dunes and barchans.
3. Receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year.
4. Arid climate with low vegetating cover.
5. This is also known as Marusthali.
6. Due to extreme arid conditions, its surface features have been carved by physical weathering and
wind actions .
7. Some of the well pronounced desert land features present here are mushroom rocks, shifting dunes
and oasis (mostly in its southern part).
8. Most of the rivers in this region are ephemeral.
9. There are some streams which disappear after flowing for some distance and present a typical case of
inland drainage by joining a lake or playa.
10. The lakes and the playas have brackish water which is the main source of obtaining salt.
11. Luni is the only large river in this region
12. On the basis of the orientation, the desert can be divided into two parts
13. The northern part is sloping towards Sindh and the southern towards the Rann of Kachchh.
Barchans (crescent shaped dunes)
Cover larger areas but longitudinal dunes become more prominent near the Indo-Pakistan boundary.
5) The Coastal Plains (east & west)
• Peninsular plateau is flanked by stretch of narrow coastal strips, running along the Arabian Season
the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east.
• Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea.
• These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala.
• The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of
Bengal.
The western coast
1. Sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a narrow plain. It consists of three
sections.
2. The northern part of the coast is called the Konkan (Mumbai – Goa),
3. The central stretch is called the Kannad Plain
4. The southern stretch is referred to as the Malabar Coast.
The plain along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level
Northern Circar
• In the northern part, it is referred to as the Northern Circar
Coromandal Coast
• The southern part is known as the Coromandal Coast.
• Large rivers such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri have farmed extensive
delta on this coast.
• Lake Chilika is an important feature along the eastern coast
• The Chilika Lake is the largest salt water lake in India. It lies in the state of Orissa, to the south of the
Mahanadi delta.
6) The Islands
1. The country has also two groups of islands.
2. Lakshadweep Islands group lying close to the Malabar coast of Kerala
3. This group of islands is composed of small coral islands.
4. It covers small area of 32 sq. km.
5. Kavaratti Island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
6. This island group has great diversity of flora and fauna.
7. The Pitli Island, which is uninhabited, has a bird sanctuary
Corals
1. Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms, which live in colonies
2. They flourish in shallow, mud free and warm waters.
3. They secrete hard rock like substance
4. The coral secretion and their skeletons from coral deposits in the form of reefs:
5. They are mainly of three kinds
• Barrier reef
• Fringing reef
• Atolls
6. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a good example of the first kind of coral reefs. Atolls are circular
or horse shoe shaped coral reefs
Andaman and Nicobar islands
1. Elongated chain of islands located in the Bay of Bengal extending from north to south
2. They are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered.
3. Divided into two broad categories
• The Andaman in the north
• The Nicobar in the south
4. It is believed that these islands are an elevated portion of submarine mountains.
5. These islands lie close to equator and experience equatorial climate and have thick forest cover.
6. India’s only active volcano is found on Barren Island in Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands.
7. Each region complements the other and makes the country richer in its natural resources.
Conclusion -
The northern mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth.
The northern plains are the granaries of the country.
The plateau is a storehouse of minerals, which has played a crucial role in the industrialization of the country.
The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port activities.
👉👉👉👉👉👉👉👉
1. The northern boundary of the Peninsular Block may be taken as an irregular line running from Kachchh
along the western flank of the Aravali Range near Delhi and then roughly parallel to the Yamuna and
the Ganga as far as the Rajmahal Hills and the Ganga delta.
2. The north-eastern parts are separated by the Malda fault in West Bengal from the Chotanagpur
plateau.
3. The Peninsula is formed essentially by a great complex of very ancient gneisses and granites,
4. Since the Cambrian period, the Peninsula has been standing like a rigid block
5. As a part of the Indo-Australian Plate, it has been subjected to various vertical movements and block faulting.
6. The rift valleys of the Narmada, the Tapi and the Mahanadi and the Satpura block mountains are
some examples of it.
7. The river valleys here are shallow with low gradients
8. Aravali hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world
9. The Vindhyas and the Satpuras are the important ranges.
10. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges.
11. These are west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea.
12. Western Ghats are almost continuous,
13. The Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven
14. The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore.
15. The western coastal plains are very narrow
16. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader
17. There are a number of east flowing rivers. The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri drain
into the Bay of Bengal.
18. These rivers have formed fertile deltas at their mouth.
The Peninsula mostly consists of relict and residual mountains like
1. The Aravali hills
2. The Nallamala hills
3. The Javadi hills
4. The Veliconda hills
5. Palkonda range
6. The Mahendragiri hills
.
3) INDO GANGETIC PLAINS
1. The third geological division of India comprises the plains formed by the river Indus, the Ganga and
the Brahmaputra.
2. It was a geo-synclinal depression which attained its maximum development
3. During the third phase of the Himalayan mountain formation approximately about 64 million years
ago.
4. Since then, it has been gradually filled by the sediments brought by the Himalayan and Peninsular
rivers.
5. Average depth of alluvial deposits in these plains ranges from 1,000-2,000 m.
The Northern Plain
1. Formed by the interplay of the three major river systems, namely– the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra
2. Formed of alluvial soil
3. It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq. km.
4. The plain being about 2400 Km long and 240 to 320 Km broad, is a densely populated physiographic
division
5. The velocity of the river decreases which results in the formation of riverine islands
6. Majuli, in the Brahmaputra River is the largest inhabited riverine island in the world.
7. The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to the deposition of silt
8. These channels are known as distributaries
9. The Northern Plain is broadly divided into three sections.
10. The Western part of the Northern Plain is referred to as the Punjab Plains. Formed by the Indus and
its tributaries, the larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan.
11. The Indus and its tributaries–the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in
the Himalaya. This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs.
12. ‘Doab’ is made up of two words- ‘do’ meaning two and ‘ab’ meaning water
13. ‘Punjab’ is also made up two words- ‘Punj’ meaning five and ‘ab’ meaning water.
14. The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers.
15. It is spread over the states of North India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand and West
Bengal to its East, particularly in Assam lies the Brahmaputra plain.
From the north to the south these plains can be divided into three major zones -
Bhabar
1. The rivers, after descending from the mountains deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km
in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks.
2. As a result of this,the streams and rivers coming from the mountains deposit heavy materials of rocks
and boulders.
3. All the streams disappear in this bhabar belt.
Terai
1. South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region
2. This was a thickly forested region full of wildlife
3. The forests have been cleared to create agricultural land and to settle migrants from Pakistan after
partition.
Alluvial Plains
1. The alluvial plains can be further divided into Khadar, Kankar and the Bhangar
Bhangar
1. The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium. They lie above the flood plains of
the rivers and present a terrace like feature.
Kankar
1. The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits
Khadar
1. The newer, younger deposits of the flood plains
2. They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile, thus, ideal for intensive agriculture.
4) The Indian Desert
1. The Indian desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills.
2. It is a land of undulating topography dotted with longitudinal dunes and barchans.
3. Receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year.
4. Arid climate with low vegetating cover.
5. This is also known as Marusthali.
6. Due to extreme arid conditions, its surface features have been carved by physical weathering and
wind actions .
7. Some of the well pronounced desert land features present here are mushroom rocks, shifting dunes
and oasis (mostly in its southern part).
8. Most of the rivers in this region are ephemeral.
9. There are some streams which disappear after flowing for some distance and present a typical case of
inland drainage by joining a lake or playa.
10. The lakes and the playas have brackish water which is the main source of obtaining salt.
11. Luni is the only large river in this region
12. On the basis of the orientation, the desert can be divided into two parts
13. The northern part is sloping towards Sindh and the southern towards the Rann of Kachchh.
Barchans (crescent shaped dunes)
Cover larger areas but longitudinal dunes become more prominent near the Indo-Pakistan boundary.
5) The Coastal Plains (east & west)
• Peninsular plateau is flanked by stretch of narrow coastal strips, running along the Arabian Season
the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east.
• Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea.
• These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala.
• The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of
Bengal.
The western coast
1. Sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a narrow plain. It consists of three
sections.
2. The northern part of the coast is called the Konkan (Mumbai – Goa),
3. The central stretch is called the Kannad Plain
4. The southern stretch is referred to as the Malabar Coast.
The plain along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level
Northern Circar
• In the northern part, it is referred to as the Northern Circar
Coromandal Coast
• The southern part is known as the Coromandal Coast.
• Large rivers such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri have farmed extensive
delta on this coast.
• Lake Chilika is an important feature along the eastern coast
• The Chilika Lake is the largest salt water lake in India. It lies in the state of Orissa, to the south of the
Mahanadi delta.
6) The Islands
1. The country has also two groups of islands.
2. Lakshadweep Islands group lying close to the Malabar coast of Kerala
3. This group of islands is composed of small coral islands.
4. It covers small area of 32 sq. km.
5. Kavaratti Island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
6. This island group has great diversity of flora and fauna.
7. The Pitli Island, which is uninhabited, has a bird sanctuary
Corals
1. Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms, which live in colonies
2. They flourish in shallow, mud free and warm waters.
3. They secrete hard rock like substance
4. The coral secretion and their skeletons from coral deposits in the form of reefs:
5. They are mainly of three kinds
• Barrier reef
• Fringing reef
• Atolls
6. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is a good example of the first kind of coral reefs. Atolls are circular
or horse shoe shaped coral reefs
Andaman and Nicobar islands
1. Elongated chain of islands located in the Bay of Bengal extending from north to south
2. They are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered.
3. Divided into two broad categories
• The Andaman in the north
• The Nicobar in the south
4. It is believed that these islands are an elevated portion of submarine mountains.
5. These islands lie close to equator and experience equatorial climate and have thick forest cover.
6. India’s only active volcano is found on Barren Island in Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands.
7. Each region complements the other and makes the country richer in its natural resources.
Conclusion -
The northern mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth.
The northern plains are the granaries of the country.
The plateau is a storehouse of minerals, which has played a crucial role in the industrialization of the country.
The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port activities.
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