India: Geographical Features

Purvanchal range

Peninsular Plateau

Peninsula

Sub-continent

The Brahmaputra plain

The latitudinal extent of India is 8°4'N to 37°6'N.

Cape Camorin in Tamil Nadu near Kanniyakumari is the southernmost tip of India.

The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India is approximately 8°N to 37°N and 68°E to 97°E.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands extend further southwards and add to its latitudinal extent.

The north-south extent of mainland India from Kashmir in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south is 3214 km. Its west to east extent from Rann of Kutchh in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east is 2933 km. The length of the coastline along the peninsular India is about 6100 km.

The Tropic of Cancer (23½°N) passes through the middle of the country, dividing it into two latitudinal halves, north temperate and south tropical lands. It passes through the state of Madhya Pradesh, covering the longest distance.

Cape Camorin in Tamil Nadu near Kanniyakumari is the southernmost tip of India.

The term peninsula means a tract of land having water on three sides.

The Indian plateau is called so because it is surrounded by water bodies on three sides-

1. the Indian ocean in the south
2. the Arabina sea in the west
3. the Bay of Bengal in the east

India, along with its neighbouring countries, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives, is called the Indian subcontinent.

The physical divisions of India include-

1. The Himalayas
2. Northern Plains
3. Peninsular Plateau
4. Coastal Regions
5. Islands

The westernmost limit of Northern Arc is Nanga Parbat and the easternmost limit of Northern Arc is marked by Namcha Barwa.

The hills included in Purvanchal range are-

1. Patkai Bum and Naga hills in the north
2. Mizo hills in northwest
3. Garo, Khasi and Jayantia hills in the centre

The Central Arid Zone Research Institute is located in Jodhpur.

Its objectives are as follows:

1. Basic and applied research on sustainable farming systems in the arid ecosystem.
2. Repository of information on the state of natural resources and desertification processes.
3. Livestock-based farming systems and range management practices for the chronically drought-affected areas.
4. Generating and transferring location-specific technologies.

The Deccan plateau is made up of lava flows which are several hundred metres thick.

The northern part of the Deccan has some minor ranges. They are Rajmahal, Mahadeo hills and Maikal range in Madhya Pradesh and Ajanta and Satmala hills in Maharashtra.

The Deccan plateau is triangular in shape and is flanked by the Western Ghats in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east.

Anamudi in the Annamalai hills is the highest peak in Western Ghats.

Malabar coast has a number of lagoons and backwaters called Kayals.

Kayals are a special feature of Malabar coast in Kerala.

The prominent lakes on the East Coast of India are-

1. Lake Chilika in Odisha
2. Lake Kolleru and lake Pulicat in Andhra Pradesh

Rajasthan

Anaimudi

Uttar Pradesh

82½°E

Malabar coast

Subcontinent

Tropic of Cancer

5 hrs 30 minutes

Tamil Nadu

Nanga Parbat

Purvanchal

Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra & its tributaries

Dhrian

Malabar Plain

Andhra Pradesh