Geography
Part I: Indian Geography
A. Physical Geography about 2.4 percent of Earth’s land surface, and with
roughly 17 percent of the global population. No continent,
1. Geopolitical Overview aside from Asia itself, has a population larger than India's.
India, officially the Republic of India (Bharat Ganarajya), Land Borders
is the seventh-largest country in the world by area India lies at the heart of the South Asian subcontinent
(3,287,263 km²) and the third-largest on the continent of (often called “South Asia”), which comprises India,
Asia after Russia and China. In April 2023, India overtook Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the
China to become the world’s most populous country, with Maldives—with Afghanistan sometimes included due to
over 1.4 billion people, and remains the world’s largest historical and cultural ties. India shares a land frontier of
democracy since independence in 1947. India covers roughly 15,200 km, adjoining seven countries:
Neighbor Approx. Border Length Adjacent States/UTs
Bangladesh 4,096.7 km West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram
China 3,488 km Ladakh (UT), Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
Pakistan 3,323 km Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT)
Nepal 1,751 km Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim
Myanmar 1,643 km Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
Bhutan 699 km Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
Afghanistan1 106 km Ladakh (UT) (through the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir)
Coastline and Maritime Boundaries Standard Meridian: 82° 30′ E (near Prayagraj, Uttar
India’s mainland and island territories (Lakshadweep; Pradesh) sets Indian Standard Time (UTC + 5:30).
Andaman & Nicobar) boast a total coastline of 7,516.6 km. Tropic of Cancer (23° 26′ N) bisects India into tropical
India has maritime separation with Sri Lanka through (south) and subtropical (north) zones, crossing eight
Palk Strait & Gulf of Mannar. India’s Maritime neighbors states viz Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
are Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and
Myanmar, and Bangladesh. India’s Exclusive Economic Mizoram.
Zone (EEZ) extends 200 nautical miles from its coast, Extreme Points
granting resource rights over roughly 2.3 million km² of Northernmost: Indira Col, Ladakh UT (37° 6′ N)
ocean. Southernmost (island): Indira Point, Great Nicobar,
Geographic Coordinates & Dividing Line Andaman & Nicobar Islands (6° 45′ N)
Latitudinal extent: 8° 4′ N (Indira Point, Great Nicobar) to Southernmost (mainland): Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari,
37° 6′ N (Indira Col, Ladakh) – ≈ 3,214 km Tamil Nadu; 8° 4′ N)
Longitudinal extent: 68° 7′ E (Ghuar Mota, Gujarat) to 97° Easternmost: Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh (97° 25′ E)
25′ E (Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh) – ≈ 2,933 km Westernmost: Ghuar Moti / Sir Creek, Gujarat (68° 7′ E).
Significant Demarcations in Indian Subcontinents
Boundary Countries Note
McMahon Line (1914) India-China In Himalaya; not recognized by China
Radcliffe Line (1947) India-Pakistan Initially also separation from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
24th Parallel Line India-Pakistan 24N latitude in Rann of Kutch (Sir Creek); not recognized by India
Durand Line (1893) Afghanistan-Pakistan Not recognized by Afghanistan
1 The India–Afghanistan “border” is a historical frontier in the Wakhan Corridor; India’s claim is via Ladakh but is not a contiguous, internationally
recognized land boundary.
2. Physiography The Himalayas form an expansive mountain arc spanning
Mountains: Mountains play a pivotal role in shaping approximately 2,400 kilometers from the Indus River
India's climate, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. The gorge in the west to the Brahmaputra River gorge in the
main mountain ranges in India include: Himalaya, east. It cross territories of six countries: Nepal, China,
Western Ghat, Eastern Ghat, Aravallis, Vindhya and Pakistan, Bhutan, India and Afghanistan. This range
Satpura. stretches across 12 Indian states and Union Territories,
The Northern Mountains: Hindu Kush Himalayan including Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh,
Region
Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and
The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region spans 8
parts of West Bengal and Assam. It is bordered on the
countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India,
north-west by Karakoram and Hindu Kush, North by
Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan; traversing about 5 million
Tibetan plateau, and South by Indo-Gangetic plain.
sq. km. It can be divided into two parts: 1. Hindu Kush
Formation: The Himalayas resulted from the collision of
Mountain System (North-West boundary of India) and 2.
the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate, beginning
Himalayan System (North of India).
around 50-60 million years ago. Sediments from the
1. The Hindu Kush Mountain System
ancient Tethys Sea were uplifted, forming the ranges over
Runs about 800 km along Afghanistan–Pakistan–POK
millions of years: the Greater Himalayas in the Eocene-
border. Highest peak: Tirich Mir (7,690 m) in Pakistan. Its
Oligocene, the Lesser Himalayas in the Miocene, and the
extensions and associated ranges include the Kirthar and
Shivaliks in the Pliocene. This uplift continues today,
Sulaiman Ranges, primarily in Pakistan (Balochistan,
evidenced by earthquakes and shifting river courses,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab).
making the Himalayas one of the youngest major
2. The Himalayas
mountain ranges globally and the youngest in India.
Detailed Divisions: The Himalayan system is divided into three parallel belts: Himadri, Himachal and Shivalik ranges.
Its extension also includes Trans-Himalaya in the North and Purvanchal in the East.
Himadri or Greater The northernmost and highest range, with an average Peaks: Mount Everest (8,848.86 m,
Himalayas elevation above 6,000 meters. Nepal-China Border, Highest in the
World), Kangchenjunga (8,586 m,
India’ undisputed Highest, claimed
2nd Highest)
Himachal or Lesser South of the Himadri, separated by the Main Central Valley: Kashmir (between Pir Panjal
/Middle Himalayas Thrust (MCT), with altitudes between 3,700 and 4,500 and Zanskar). Hill Resorts: Shimla,
meters. Contains range Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar, Ranikhet, Nainital, Almora
Mussoorie.
Shivalik or Outer The southernmost and youngest range, South of Between Himachal and Sivalik it
Himalayas Himachal, separated by the Main Boundary Thrust features longitudinal valleys known
(MBT), with elevations of 900 to 1,100 meters. as Duns (in the west, e.g., Dehradun)
and Duars (in the east, e.g., in West
Bengal/Assam)
Trans-Himalayas
Purvanchal or
Eastern Himalayas
Regional Divisions: Locally, the Himalayas are divided longitudinally:
Punjab Himalaya: Between Indus–Satluj (includes parts of Kashmir and Himachal)
Kumaon Himalaya: Between Satluj–Kali (primarily Uttarakhand)
Nepal Himalaya: Between Kali–Teesta (extends into Nepal)
Assam Himalaya: Between Teesta–Brahmaputra (includes parts of Arunachal Pradesh).
3. River and Drainage System
4. Climate
5. Soils
6. Natural Vegetation
B. Human Geography
1. Population Geography and Census
2. Economic Geography
3. Regional Development
C. Environmental Geography
1. Deforestation
2. Pollution
3. Conservation
Part II: World and Universe Geography
D.
A. Astronomical Geography
B. Geomorphology
C. Climatology and Meteorology
D. Oceanography
E. Hydrology
F. Biogeography
G. Pedology
H. Environmental Geography and Ecology
Part III: Human Geography
E.
A. Cultural Geography
B. Population Geography
C. Economic Geography
D. Political Geography
