Question 1

What are some key geographical features of India?

Accepted Answer

India has a wide variety of geographical features, including:
The Himalayas in the north, which protect the country from cold winds and give rise to rivers.
The Northern Plains, which are fertile and support agriculture.
The Thar Desert in the west, which has a dry climate.
The Peninsular Plateau in the south, rich in minerals and forests.
The Coastal Plains and Islands, which support fishing, trade, and tourism.
Major Rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godavari, and Krishna, which are crucial for irrigation, drinking water, and transportation.

Question 2

How does India’s geographical diversity affect our lives?

Accepted Answer

India’s geographical diversity affects our lives in many ways:
Climate: Different regions have different climates, such as the cold Himalayas, hot deserts, and tropical coastal areas.
Agriculture: The fertile plains help in growing crops, while hilly areas support terrace farming and plantation crops.
Resources: Forests provide timber and medicinal plants; plateaus offer minerals.
Occupations: People near coasts do fishing, in plains they farm, in plateaus they mine.
Culture and Lifestyle: Diversity in landforms leads to varied food, clothing, festivals, and ways of living across the country.
Let’s Explore

Question 3

Can you loca te the names of the states in the different parts of the Himalayas? Take the help of both the physical and political maps for this exercise. (Page 6)

Accepted Answer

The Himalayan region is divided into three main parts:
Western Himalayas – Found in the states of:
Jammu and Kashmir
Ladakh
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand (western part)
Central Himalayas – Found mainly in:
Uttarakhand (central region)
Part of Sikkim
Eastern Himalayas – Found in:
Sikkim
Arunachal Pradesh
Northern parts of West Bengal (especially the Darjeeling district)

Question 4

Notice the concentration of lightning in the plains. What could be the reason for this concentration? (Page 11

Accepted Answer

The concentration of lightning in the plains can be attributed to several factors:
Flat Terrain: Plains are flat and have fewer natural obstacles like mountains or hills that can disrupt the flow of air. This allows for the rapid movement of warm, moist air from the surface upwards, creating the conditions for thunderstorms and lightning.
Proximity to Water Bodies: Many plains are near large bodies of water, such as rivers or lakes, which
contribute to high humidity levels. The increased moisture in the air can lead to the formation of thunderstorms and lightning.
Heat during Summer: During the hot summer months, the plains experience high temperatures which lead to the rapid rise of warm air. This creates convective currents, which, when they meet cooler air, lead to the formation of thunderstorms and lightning.
Monsoon Winds: The monsoon winds that bring heavy rainfall also increase the frequency of thunderstorms and lightning, especially in the plains areas during the rainy season.

Question 5

What is the shape of a sand dune? While mountains are made of rock and their shape is fixed, why do you think sand dunes also have a similar shape, even though they are made of sand? (Page 12)

Accepted Answer

A sand dune usually has a crescent or ridge-like shape, with one side gently sloping and the other side steeper. Although sand dunes are made of loose sand and not solid rock like mountains, they often maintain a similar shape because of the consistent direction of wind. Wind carries sand particles and deposits them in a particular pattern, forming a dune. As long as the wind blows in the same direction, the shape of the dune remains stable. Even though the material is loose, the forces of nature especially wind direction and speed keep reshaping the sand in such a way that dunes retain a recognizable form, just like mountains maintain theirs due to the solid structure of rocks.

Question 6

Let’s go back to the map (given on page 8). Trace your path slowly from the Thar Desert towards the east. Do you see the Aravalli Hills? (Page 14)

Accepted Answer

Yes, when we trace the path from the Thar Desert towards the east on the physical map of India, we can see the Aravalli Hills.
The Aravalli Hills are located in the eastern part of the Thar Desert, mainly in the state of Rajasthan. They appear as a narrow hill range running in a southwest to northeast direction. These hills are one of the oldest fold mountain ranges in India and act as a natural boundary, partly separating the desert from the more fertile plains to the east.

Question 7

Look at the political map given below and identify the states that the range spans. Did you see Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat? (Page 15)

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Aravalli Range spans across the following states in the political map of India:
Rajasthan: The Aravalli Hills cover a major part of southeastern and central Rajasthan.
Haryana: The hills extend into southern Haryana.
Delhi: A small extension of the Aravalli Range reaches the Ridge area of Delhi.
Gujarat: The southern end of the range stretches into northeastern Gujarat.

Question 8

Look at the physical map of India (given on page 8) of the book. Notice the direction of the flow of the rivers. (Page 16)

Accepted Answer

We can see the following directions of river flow:
In the Northern Plains, major rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra flow from the north to the east. They originate in the Himalayas and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.
In central and southern India, rivers like the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery generally flow from west to east, also draining into the Bay of Bengal.
However, some rivers like the Narmada and Tapi flow from east to west, draining into the Arabian Sea. These rivers originate from the central highlands and the Satpura range.

Question 9

Tribal communities are largely spread over the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Gujarat. Examine the physical map (on page 8) and political maps given above to locate the states and connect them to their location on the physical map. (Page 17)

Accepted Answer

We can observe the following:
Jharkhand: Located on the Chotanagpur Plateau, a region rich in minerals and forests, which supports many tribal communities.
West Bengal: Especially the western part (Purulia region) is hilly and plateau-like, adjoining the Chotanagpur region.
Odisha: The eastern state with Eastern Ghats and forested hilly areas, home to various tribal groups.
Assam: Located in the northeastern hills and valleys, with tribes living in hilly and forested areas.
Madhya Pradesh: Spread across the central plateau and forested highlands, ideal for tribal settlements.
Chhattisgarh: Lies on the Chhattisgarh plain and forest-covered hills, supporting dense tribal populations.
Maharashtra: Especially in the western and eastern hilly areas, like Vidarbha and Western Ghats, where tribal communities live.
Telangana: Located on the Deccan Plateau, with forested hills and tribal settlements in the northern part.
Gujarat: Especially in the eastern tribal belt near the Satpura ranges and forested regions.

Question 10

Look at the physical map of India in your school atlas or wall map and find the names of five rivers that flow into the Bay of Bengal. Find out India’s coastal states and discuss the difference between the western and eastern coastal plains. (Page 19)

Accepted Answer

Five rivers that flow into the Bay of Bengal are:
Ganga
Brahmaputra
Mahanadi
Godavari
Krishna
India has the following coastal states: Eastern Coastal States (along the Bay of Bengal):
West Bengal
Odisha
Andhra Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Western Coastal States (along the Arabian Sea):
Gujarat
Maharashtra
Goa
Karnataka
Kerala
The difference between the western and eastern coastal plains are as follows.
Feature
Western Coastal Plains
Eastern Coastal Plains
Location
Between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea
Between Eastern Ghats and Bay of Bengal
Width
Narrow (50 to 100 km)
Wide (up to 120 km)
Rivers
Small rivers, e.g., Narmada, Tapi
Large rivers with deltas, e.g., Godavari, Mahanadi and Ganga
Terrain
Rocky and uneven
Flat and fertile
Coastal Features
Features estuaries and lagoons backwaters (e.g., Kerala)
Large deltas and lagoons

Question 11

Do you know what it is called when these rivers split into multiple streams near the coast? Discuss with your teacher in class to find out!

Accepted Answer

Yes, when rivers split into multiple streams near the coast, especially before entering a sea, it is called a delta. This process is called “delta formation”, and the streams are called distributaries. For example, the Ganga-Brahmaputra and Godavari rivers form large deltas.
Class 7 SST Chapter 1 Geographical Diversity of India Question Answer (Exercise)