India – Size and Location

Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The latitudinal extent of India is between
(a) 8°4’ North and 37°6’ North.
(b) 8°2’ North and 37°4’ North.
(c) 6°45’ North and 37°6’ North.
(d) 8°6’ North and 37°8’ North.
Ans. (a) 8°4’ North and 37°6’ N
2. The total geographical area of the world which India encompasses is
(a) 32.8 per cent (b) 2.5 per cent
(c) 2.4 per cent (d) 10.0 per cent
Ans. (c) 2.4 per cent

ery Short Answer Type Questions

3. How is the size of India ranked among the countries of the world?
Ans. India is ranked seventh, as per the size, among the countries of the world.
4. What is the name given to the group of islands situated in the Bay of Bengal?
Ans. The group of islands lying in the Bay of Bengal are Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5. Identify the two water bodies that separate India from Sri Lanka.
Ans. The two water bodies that separate India from Sri Lanka are:
(a) Gulf of Mannar
(b) Palk Strait
6. What is the time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh?
Ans. From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time difference of two hours.

7. Name the two island countries which are India’s neighbours.

8. Ans. The two island countries which are India’s neighbours are:
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Maldives

Short Answer Type Questions

9. State the latitudinal extent of India. What does it imply?
Ans. The latitudinal extent of India is 8°4’ N to 37°6’ N. This latitudinal extent tends to influence the
duration of day and night. The duration of day and night changes as one moves from north to south.
The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of our country is almost same in degrees, i.e.
about 30°.
10. Why was 82°30 east selected to be the Standard Meridian of India?
Ans. We know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In this way, the sun rises two hours
earlier in Gujarat as compared to Arunachal Pradesh. It means that sun takes approximately
4 minutes to move across one longitude. There is a time difference of minutes in every longitude. As
a result, the eastern most point of India would be 2 hours ahead of the western most point
(30 × 4 = 120 minutes), in accordance with the local time. Therefore, each country has selected a
central meridian. The local time of this meridian is the standard time of that country. In India,
a longitude passing through the midpoint of 68°7’ East (western most longitude) and 97°25’ East
(eastern most longitude) is taken as the standard prime meridian of India (i.e., 82°30’).
If this standard meridian wouldn’t have been there, all the regions of India would have different time
zones. This would have created problems in bringing a uniform time zone in our country.
11. The tropic of cancer cuts half-way through India.
State its implications.Ans. The tropic of cancer cuts India into two equal parts, Northern India and Southern
India.
Northern India experiences continental climate. This means that summers in Northern India are very hot
and winters are very cold. Southern India experiences maritime climate that is moderate.
Also, the day and night difference exists because of this divide.
 Long Answer Type Questions
12. Highlight the strategic importance of the geographical location of India. Write in points.
Ans. India’s central location has helped the country in a number of ways, namely:
(a) India is located between East and West Asia. Because of India’s location it has a strategic advantage
over both water and land.
(b) Since India stands at the head of the Indian Ocean, it commands trade routes running in all directions.
(c) Sea routes and the land routes have proved to be a huge passage between India and the world to
exchange ideas and commodities.
(d) Since the location of India is central, it has a moderate temperature which is neither too hot nor
too cold.
(e) Tropic of Cancer passes through India. As a result, India is divided into two equal parts. While in the
southern part, i.e. the peninsular India falls in the tropical zone, the northern half lies in the sub-
tropical zone or warm temperate zone.

Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Which of these island groups do not form a part of India?

(a) Daman and Diu (b) Andaman and Nicobar

(c) Maldives (d) Lakshadweep
Ans. (c) Maldives

2. Name the place situated at the meeting point of on the three seas.

(a) Kolkata (b) Lakshadweep

(c) Kanniyakumari (d) Mumbai
Ans. (c) Kanniyakumari

3. In which of the following Union Territories does Kavaratti lie?

(a) Puducherry (b) Lakshadweep

(c) Andaman and Nicobar (d) Daman and Diu
Ans. (b) Lakshadweep

Assertion-Reason Type Questions

For question numbers 4 to 6, two statements are given as Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Read the statements and choose the correct option from (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
4. Assertion (A): India is a vast country.
Reason (R): The main land extends between latitudes 8°4’ N and 37°6’ N and longitudes 68°7’ E and 97°25’ E.
Ans. (a) The main land extent of India is between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and
97°25’E, so it is true to say that India is a vast country.
5. Assertion (A): The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km.
Reason (R): India’s total area accounts for about
4.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the world.
Ans. (c) Reason (R) is wrong because, India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area of
the world.
6. Assertion (A): From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of three hours.
Reason (R): The time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30’ E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar
Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
Ans. (d) Assertion (A) is wrong, because from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of two hours.

Find the Incorrect Option

7. (a) Before 1947, there were two types of states in India – the provinces and the princely states.
(b) India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
(c) The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the Indian mainland is about 25°.
 (d) The total length of the coastline of the mainland, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is
7,516.6 km.
Ans. (c)

Find the Correct Sequence

8. Arrange the following countries in ascending order of their areas.
(a) Brazil, India, USA, Russia
(b) India, Brazil, USA, Russia
(c) Russia, Brazil, India, USA
(d) Russia, USA, Brazil, India
Ans. (b)

Fill in the Blanks

9. India’s neighbours with common land boundaries are Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north west.
10. The ancient travellers took the land routes which were through the mountain passes.
11. The Indian landmass is centrally located between the east and the West Asia.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

12. Name the northernmost latitude of India.
Ans. 37°6’ North is the northernmost latitude of India.
13. What is the total latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India’s mainland?
Ans. The geographical extents of India are:
(a) Latitude - 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N
(b) Longitude - 68°7′ E to 98°25′ N

Short Answer Type Questions

14. Explain how a long coastline is beneficial for India.
Ans. Advantages of having a long coastline are as follows:
(a) Since India has a long coastline, it means it has more ports for its ships. This helps in an easier
connectivity with the neighbouring countries. Also, the trade with other countries become easy.
(b) The longer coastline provides more water for fisheries. This helps in the development and growth of
marine industry of the country.
(c) Indian fisheries in turn benefits ancillary activities such as boat building, plant processing, etc.
(d) Such a large water resource helps in moderating the climate of the country. It helps to moderate
the temperature range of coastal areas through the phenomena like land breeze and sea breeze.
15. Write three main points about how India has contributed in the making of world history.
Ans. India has contributed towards world history in a number of ways. These have been discussed below:
(a) India had trade relations with other countries through land routes. These land routes are older
than the maritime ones.
(d) Through these routes, the ideas of Ramayana and Upanishads reached various parts of the world.
(c) India gave the decimal system to the world.
16. ‘India is a vast country’. Support the statement with suitable examples.
Ans. India lies entirely in the Northern hemisphere. The main land extends between latitudes 8°4’N and
37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
The Tropic of Cancer divides India into almost two equal parts. To the southwest and southeast of the
mainland, lie the Lakshadweep islands and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Arabian Sea and Bay of
Bengal respectively. The total land area
of India is 3.28 million square km. India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total
geographical area of the world.
17. ‘India has had strong geographical and historical links with her neighbours’. Support the statement
with suitable examples.
Ans. India has a strong geographical and historical
link with neighbours because Indian subcontinent is centrally located between east and west Asia.
Asian continent connects India through mountain passes and different land routes. India shares its
land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north-west, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the
north, Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east and Sri Lanka and Maldives in the south.

Paragraph Based Questions

18. Read the sources given below and answer the questions that follow:
 Source A – Size
India is the seventh largest country of the world. India has a land boundary of about 15,200 km and
the total length of the coastline of the mainland, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is
7,516.6 km.
(a) What is the total length of the coastline of the mainland of India?

Source B – India’s Neighbours

India shares its land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and
Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east.
(b) Name the country that shares the longest border with India.
Source C – Location
To the southeast and southwest of the mainland, lie the Andaman and Nicobar islands and the
Lakshadweep islands in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively.
(c) In which of these Islands India’s southernmost point is located?
Ans. (a) The total length of the coastline of the mainland, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is
7,516.6 km.
(b) Bangladesh shares the longest border with India.
(c) Indira Point is the southernmost point of India. It is located in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Long Answer Type Questions

19. With reference to the Prime Meridian, in which hemisphere does India lie? Mention the value of the
Prime Meridian in relation to India.
Ans. Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that divides the earth into eastern and western hemispheres. As per
this divide India lies in the Eastern hemisphere. The 82° 30’ East Longitude is taken as the Prime Meridian
of India. This is the Standard Time Meridian of India which passes through the middle of India. This
imaginary line passes through Mirzapur which is based out of Uttar Pradesh. The local time at this meridian
is taken as the standard time for the whole country. The value of prime meridian with respect to India is
82.58° E longitude.
20. The Deccan Peninsula is jutting into the Indian Ocean. Explain how it is beneficial to India.
Ans. The Deccan Peninsula is jutting into the Indian Ocean. It is beneficial in the following ways:
(a) It has helped India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western
coast and with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
(b) India has a long coastline which is beneficial in a number of ways. This has given India an eminent
position in the Indian Ocean.
21. Where do you think the Sun’s rays would be direct, on Jammu and Kashmir or on the Great Nicobar
island? Give reasons to justify your
answer.
Ans. The Great Nicobar lies in the tropical zone. This means that the Andaman and Nicobar islands are more
closer to the equator as compared to Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir lies in the sub-tropical
zone. Now the sun shines
vertically on the equator. As a result, places closer to equator get more sunshine and become hotter.
Sun rays would be direct on the Great Nicobar as compared to Jammu and Kashmir. On the
other hand, the sun’s rays would be more oblique or slanting on the northern frontiers of India.
Jammu and Kashmir is considered as a part of Indian Northern frontier. Therefore, there would be lesser
amount of heat to these areas. Thus, it may be noted that the Great Nicobar Islands lie quite nearer to the
equator where the sun’s rays are always vertically overhead while Jammu and Kashmir is situated much
beyond the Tropic of Cancer where the sun’s rays are never vertically overhead.
22. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
India’s contacts with the world have continued through ages but her relationships through the land routes are
much older than her maritime contacts. The various passes across the mountains in the north have provided
passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans restricted
such interaction for a long time. These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities
since ancient times. The ideas of the Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of Panchtantra, the Indian
numerals and the decimal
system thus could reach many parts of the world. The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken
from India to different countries. On the other hand, the influence of Greek sculpture, and the
architectural styles of dome and minarets from West Asia can be seen in different parts of our country.
(a) In context to this passage, write about the importance of land routes in ancient times.
(b) Land routes helped in the propagation of which ideas throughout the world? Explain.
 (c) Do you think that land routes were easy to travel in ancient times?
Ans. (a) Land routes were helpful in establishing and maintaining trade relationships across the world. In
ancient times it was easier to establish contacts with foreign countries through land routes in
comparison to sea
routes. These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times.