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India: Essential Geography and Physical Features.
Basic Facts of India
Area: 3.28 million sq km (2.42% of world land area); 7th largest country.
Latitude: 8°4′N – 37°6′N; Longitude: 68°7′E – 97°25′E.
Indian Standard Time (IST): 82°30′E (Mirzapur, UP); GMT +5:30.
Extent: North–South: 3,214 km; East–West: 2,933 km.
Extreme Points:
North: Indira Col (Ladakh)
South (overall): Indira Point (Great Nicobar)
South (mainland): Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu)
West: Guhar Moti (Gujarat)
East: Kibithu (Arunachal Pradesh)
🌍 Boundaries & Neighbors
Land Frontier: 15,200 km.
Coastline: 7,516.6 km (Mainland: 5,422.6 km; Islands: 2,094 km).
(Updated GIS survey 2025: 11,098.81 km)
Land Neighbors (7): Bangladesh (longest), China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Afghanistan (shortest, in PoK).
Maritime Neighbors: Sri Lanka (Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar), Maldives.
🪨 Movement of the Indian Plate
India was part of Gondwanaland.
Drifted north, collided with Eurasian Plate ~40–50 million years ago.
Collision folded Tethys Sea sediments → Himalayas.
🏛 States & Union Territories
India: 28 States, 8 UTs.
Largest State: Rajasthan; Smallest: Goa.
Largest UT: Ladakh; Smallest: Lakshadweep.
Tropic of Cancer passes through 8 states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram.
🌊 Coastal Plains
Western Coastal Plains
Between Western Ghats & Arabian Sea.
Narrow, submerged coast.
Divisions: Kachchh/Kathiawar, Konkan, Kanara, Malabar.
Features: Backwaters, lagoons, estuaries.
Eastern Coastal Plains
Between Eastern Ghats & Bay of Bengal.
Broad, emergent coast.
Divisions: Utkal, Andhra, Coromandel.
Features: Large deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri).
🏜 Indian Deserts
Thar Desert
Rajasthan, west of Aravallis.
Rainfall <150 mm.
Luni = main river.
Cold Desert (Ladakh)
High‑altitude, rain‑shadow desert.
Extremely cold, dry.
🏝 Islands
Andaman & Nicobar
Group of 572 islands (mostly sedimentary/arc origin).
Highest peak: Saddle Peak (732 m).
Barren Island: India’s only active volcano.
Lakshadweep
Group of 36 coral islands (atolls).
Largest island: Minicoy.
Important Channels
10° Channel: Andaman–Nicobar
9° Channel: Lakshadweep–Minicoy
8° Channel: Minicoy–Maldives
Duncan Passage: South Andaman–Little Andaman
🌾 Northern Plains
Formed by Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra systems.
Bhabar: Pebble belt; rivers disappear.
Terai: Marshy zone; rivers reappear.
Bhangar: Old alluvium with kankar.
Khadar: New fertile alluvium.
Majuli (Assam): Largest inhabited river island.
🪨 Peninsular Plateau
Central Highlands
North of Narmada; includes Malwa & Chota Nagpur.
Deccan Plateau
South of Narmada; triangular plateau.
Western Ghats
Higher, continuous.
Highest peak: Anamudi (2,695 m, Kerala).
Eastern Ghats
Lower, discontinuous.
Highest peak: Jindhagada Peak (1,690 m, Andhra Pradesh).
North Eastern Plateau
Meghalaya Plateau (Garo, Khasi, Jaintia).
Separated by Malda Fault.
🏔 Himalayas
Greater Himalayas (Himadri)
Avg. height: ~6,000 m.
Includes Everest (8,848.86 m) & Kanchenjunga (India’s highest under administration).
Lesser Himalayas (Himachal)
Height: 3,700–4,500 m.
Ranges: Pir Panjal (longest), Dhauladhar, Mahabharat.
Shiwaliks
Height: 900–1,100 m.
Famous for Duns (Dehradun).
Regional Divisions
Kashmir Himalayas: Karewas, Zojila Pass.
Kumaon Himalayas: Between Satluj & Kali rivers.
Sikkim/Darjeeling Himalayas: Teesta River.
Arunachal Himalayas: Namcha Barwa peak.
Purvanchal Hills: Patkai, Naga, Manipur, Mizo Hills.
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