Geography

Great Indian Plateau

The Great Indian Plateau lies to the South of the Great Northern Plains. This is the largest physiographic division of our country.

Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere Reserves are multipurpose protected areas to preserve the genetic diversity in representative ecosystems. Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal or marine ecosystems or its amalgamation. The biosphere reserve network was launched in 1976, two years after the initiation of MAB (Man and Biosphere) Programme. The Government of India had established 18 biospheres in the country.

Mechanism of Monsoon

Monsoons refer to a system of winds in the tropical regions under which the direction of winds is reversed completely between the summer and the winter seasons. Under this system, the winds blow from land to sea in winter and from sea to land in summer. Therefore, most of the rainfall in the regions influenced by the monsoons is received in the summer season while winter season is generally dry.

Indus River

After originating from the northern slopes of the Kailash range (Tibet), Indus flows north-westwards through Tibet and Ladakh. The River follows a long and nearly straight course in Ladakh, running between Ladakh Range and Zaskar Range.

Population as a Resource

Generally, population means a collection of people living in a given geographic area or territory. This is how it is used in the census. The collection of people is seen and understood primarily in terms of number. But population is also considered as a resource, a human resource.

Natural Vegetation in India

Flora and Fauna

The term flora denotes plants of a particular region or period. The species of animals are referred to as fauna. The huge diversity in flora and fauna kingdom is due to many factors - land, soil, temperature, sunlight, and precipitation.

Soils in India

Soil is the mixture of rock debris and organic materials which develop on the earth’s surface. The major factors affecting the formation of soil are relief, parent material, climate, vegetation and other life-forms and time. Components of the soil are mineral particles, humus, water and air.

Location and Size of India

India lies wholly in the Northern Hemisphere. The Indian mainland extends between 8°4' N to 37°6' N latitudes and from 68°7' E to 97°25' E longitudes. Thus, the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India is of about 29 degrees. It measures about 3,214 km from north to south, and 2,933 km from east to west.

Great Northern Plains

The great Northern plain extends from west to east, between Himalayas in the north and Great Indian Plateau in the south. The plain extends from the arid and semi-arid areas of Rajasthan in the west to Brahmputra valley in the east.

Great Northern Mountains

The great Northern mountains include the mountains and plateaus of northern Kashmir, the Himalayas and the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya.

Ganga River

The Ganga river rises from the Gangotri Glacier, at the height of 5163 metre, a part of Great Himalayas that lies in Uttarakhand. The river cuts through the Great Himalayas and the lesser Himalayas in narrow gorges. It is called Bhagirathi above Dev Prayag and Ganga below this town.

Questions on Population

1. What is meant by resource?

Something that can be used or reused by us.

Questions on Transport and Communication

1. East-West corridor links ...... and ...... as ......

Silchar, Porbander, they are located in the eastern and western edge of the country.

Questions on Agriculture in India

1. Differentiate between intensive and extensive farming?

The basic difference between these two types of farming is the amount of production from per unit of land. USA, Canada, former USSR are the major countries where extensive farming is practiced whereas Japan is the leading example of intensive farming.

Questions on Biodiversity in India

1. "Bio-diversity is fundamental to the existence of life on the earth" Justify the statement.

Biodiversity is fundamental to the existence of life on the earth because this is extremely valuable in different facets of life which includes providing of food, water, fiber, fuel etc. and regulating of climate and diseases.

Questions on Climate of India

1. Name the latitude which has divided India in two heat zones. Also tell the degree of that latitude.

Tropic of cancer, 23½° N

Questions on Physiography of India

1. Names of two countries lying to the eastern side of India.

Bangladesh, Myanmmar.

Plantation Crops in India

Plantation Crops are crops which are grown on Plantations covering large estates. They include tea and coffee.

Commercial Crops in India

Commercial crops are those crops which are grown for sale either in raw form or semi processed form.

Food Grains in India

Food grains are the crops that are used for human consumption. It includes rice, wheat, millets and pulses.

Wildlife in India

Due to its unique geographical position, India is rich in wildlife. Wildlife of India is a great natural heritage. It is estimated that about 80 percent of all known plant and animal species on the earth are found in India. Many plants synthesise substances that are useful to the maintenance of health in humans and other animals.

Natural Vegetation of India

As in any other part of the world, natural vegetation of India is also determined by climate, physiographic and soil factors. Based on factors of temperature, rainfall and topographic conditions, India has diverse vegetation patterns. Dense natural vegetation is found in North-Eastern region, Western Ghats and Andaman Nicobar. The Northern plain and North-Western Region supports very scanty vegetation and is under cultivation. The Deccan region is full of scrubs and mixed deciduous forests.

Biodiversity in India

Biodiversity is a short form of biological diversity. It is the total number of genes, species and ecosystems of a region.

Drainage Systems in India

The drainage system refers to the system of flow of surface water mainly through rivers. An area drained by a river and its tributaries is called a drainage basin. The drainage system is related to a number of factors like slope of land, geological structure, amount and velocity of water.

Physical Divisions of India

Terrain is an area of land which usually has a particular type of physical feature. Like, Mumbai beach is sandy and Shillong is a hilly. India is a vast country with varied land forms and topography. Topography means the features of a place determined by nature. It is the description of various features and landscape on the surface of the earth.

Location of India

The Indian mainland extends between 8°4′ North and 37°6′ North latitudes and from 68°7′ East and 97°25′ East longitudes. Thus, the latitudinal and the North-south extent is 3214 km and East-west extent is 2933 km. India accounts 2.42% of the total world land area.

Physical Features of India

India has three distinct physical divisions. The northern boundaries of India are provided by the lofty ranges of the Himalayas, which run almost in a wall-like shape from north-west to north-east. India has the Great Plains of northern India formed by the basins of three mighty river systems - the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

Communication in India

Communication keeps people informed about the world’s events and trends. It brings in positive changes in the life of the people and thereby enhancing their economic conditions. Communication is a system of carrying messages to exchange thoughts, ideas and information and also to share your sorrows and pleasures with your family members or friends.

Transport in India

Transport facilitates trade and commerce by carrying goods from the areas of production to that of consumption. Goods from the areas that have surplus are shifted to those areas which are deficient in those items. Movement of people from one place to another place in search of job, education and emergency through transport facility.

Challenges faced by Indian Agriculture

Challenges faced by Indian agriculture can broadly be grouped into two categories. One category belongs to the problems that have been long standing. Second category of problems is new and has been emerging from the prevailing agricultural practices, system, changing climate and economy.

Agriculture of India

In India, around 70% of the population earns its livelihood from agriculture. It fulfils the basic need of human beings and animals. It is an important source of raw material for many agro-based industries. India’s geographical condition is unique for agriculture because it provides many favourable conditions. There are plain areas, fertile soil, long growing season and wide variation in climatic condition, etc. Apart from unique geographical conditions, India has been consistently making innovative efforts by using science and technology to increase production.

Cycle of Seasons

India enjoys variety of seasons due to geographical locations. There are four seasons.

Classification of Industries

Industries are classified in a number of ways.

Constellations

Groups of stars that are visible in definite patterns are called Constellations. Ursa Major (the Big Bear), The Small Bear (Saptarishi), etc. are some well-known constellations.

Spherical Coordinates of Earth

If the whole world was flat, the scheme of rectangular coordinates would serve all map purposes. The earth is not a perfect sphere. It is slightly flattened at the North and the South Poles and bulge in the middle. It is difficult to describe the location of a point on a sphere like the earth.

Tiger Reserves

There are many tiger reserves in India which are governed by Project Tiger which is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. India is home to 70 percent of tigers in the world.

Important Straits in the World

A Strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. It is comparatively narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water.

Wind

Air Pressure

Air pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the weight of air on the earth’s surface. As we go up the layers of atmosphere, the pressure falls rapidly. The air pressure is highest at sea level and decreases with height.

Laterite Soil

The laterite soil is commonly found in area of high altitude and heavy rainfall in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam and Meghalaya extending over 13 million hectares. They generally form under hot and humid climatic conditions.

Black Soil

The black soils are found mainly on the Deccan lava region covering large parts of Maharashtra, some parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and small parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Red Soil

Red soil cover large part of the Peninsular upland in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, South east Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chotanagpur Plateau and Meghalaya Plateau. They encircle the black cotton soil zone.

Desert Soil

The desert soil occur in western Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutchchh, western Haryana and southern Punjab. The occurance of these soils is related to desert and semi-desertic conditions and is defined by the absence of water availability for six months.

Mountain Soil

The mountain soil is complex and extremely varied. The soils vary from deep alluvium in the river basins and lower slopes to highly immature residual gravelly on higher altitudes.

Major Ports in India

Marine transport in India is managed by both the Central and the State governments. While the Ministry of Shipping administers the major ports, the minor and intermediate ports are controlled by the respective State government.

Important Lakes in India

Important Lakes of India with location and important points.

Rivers

River is a general term for water flowing in a definite channel towards the sea, a lake, a desert basin, a main river, a marsh. The quantity and the level of water in a river depend on the sources feeding it and on their variation.

State-wise Highest Peaks of India

The Himalayan Mountain ranges are considered as the abode of the mountains, and the youngest and the highest mountain range in the world. The Himalayan Mountains extend up to 2,500 km in length. It stretches from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The major peaks in the Himalayas are situated in the Karakoram ranges, Garhwal Himalaya and Kanchenjunga. Kanchenjunga, Nanda Devi, and Kamet are the highest Himalayan Mountain Peaks.

Bird Sanctuaries in India

State-wise list of bird sanctuaries in India.

West Flowing Rivers of Peninsular India

The major west flowing rivers in Peninsular India are Narmada and Tapi.

Internal Structure of the Earth

The knowledge of the internal structure of the Earth is derived from the studies and evidences based upon the density, the temperature and the earthquake waves. The earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside another.