INDIA – SIZE AND LOCATION (Complete Study Notes)

1) Big Picture: What this chapter does

 Presents India’s location, size, and shape using latitude/longitude and maps.

 Explains why 82°30′E is India’s Standard Meridian and how east–west width creates a two-
hour time lag across the country.

 Shows India’s central position on the Indian Ocean routes and why that matters for trade
and culture.

 Describes neighbouring countries, the island groups, and key straits/gulfs that separate or
connect India with others.

 Includes map tasks and exercises—note down what to look for on an atlas and how the
questions connect to the text.

2) Location: Pinning India on the globe

a) Hemisphere and coordinate spread

 India lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.

 Mainland extent: Latitudes 8°4′N to 37°6′N; Longitudes 68°7′E to 97°25′E.

o How to read this: The latitudes tell you north–south spread (nearer the Equator in
the south, nearer mid-latitudes in the north). The longitudes tell you east–west
spread (from Gujarat in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east).

b) Tropic of Cancer & the two island groups

 Tropic of Cancer (23°30′N) divides India almost into two equal parts—use this as a mental
“centerline” across the country.

 Island groups relative to mainland:

o Andaman & Nicobar lie to the southeast (in the Bay of Bengal).

o Lakshadweep lies to the southwest (in the Arabian Sea).

c) Southernmost point & a 2004 event to remember

 Indira Point (southernmost point of the Indian Union) submerged during the 2004 Tsunami
—use this to remember India’s farthest south.

d) Figures to visualize (from the chapter)

 Figure 1.1: “India in the World”—locates India within global hemispheres and oceans. Use it
to practice finding India’s coordinates relative to continents/oceans.

3) Size: How big is India, really?

a) Area & global ranking

  Total land area: 3.28 million km².

 About 2.4% of the world’s land area → 7th largest country globally.

o Why it matters: Size affects climate variety, resources, agriculture, and diversity of
cultures.

b) Boundaries & coastline

 Land boundary: ~15,200 km.

 Total coastline (mainland + Andaman & Nicobar + Lakshadweep): 7,516.6 km.

o Implication: Long coastline = strong maritime links, ports, fisheries, naval reach.

c) Relief and outline

 Young fold mountains (Himalayas and related ranges) bound India in the northwest, north,
and northeast.

 South of ~22°N, the mainland tapers into the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas:
Arabian Sea (west) and Bay of Bengal (east).

o Shape memory aid: Think of a triangular peninsula pointing south.

d) Extent vs. apparent width

 Latitudinal + longitudinal spread is ~30° each, yet east–west “appears” smaller than north–
south.

o Why it looks that way: Map projection distortions and the tapering peninsula make
north–south feel “taller.”

4) Time across India: Standard Meridian & time lag

a) The two-hour problem

 From Gujarat (west) to Arunachal Pradesh (east), the sunrise differs by ~2 hours because 1°
longitude ≈ 4 minutes of time; India spans ~30° of longitude.

b) One country, one clock: 82°30′E

 To avoid confusion, India uses a single Standard Time: the Standard Meridian of India =
82°30′E, passing near Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh).

o Key idea: A central meridian reduces extreme local time differences and keeps
schedules uniform nationwide.

o Exam cue: “Why 82°30′E?” → It’s near the center of India’s longitudinal stretch,
minimizing average deviation from local solar times across states.

c) Day length changes with latitude

 Latitudinal extent affects day–night duration: as you go north (e.g., Kashmir), the difference
between summer and winter day length is larger than in the far south (e.g.,
Kanniyakumari).
 o Use case: Explains why Kanniyakumari feels little seasonal change in day length
compared to Kashmir.

5) India and the World: Why India’s position is strategic

a) A “central” landmass in South Asia

 India sits between West Asia and East Asia, acting like a bridge across the Indian Ocean. The
Deccan Peninsula juts into the ocean—great for sea lanes both westward and eastward.

b) Ocean routes = historical & modern lifelines

 Trans-Indian Ocean routes link Europe ↔ East Asia, placing India on a highway of trade.

 No other country has such a long continuous coastline on the Indian Ocean, helping explain
why the ocean is named after India.

c) Suez Canal effect (a classic stat to quote)

 Since the Suez Canal opened in 1869, India–Europe sea distance reduced by ~7,000 km →
faster trade, tighter connections.

o Tip: This shows how geography + human engineering reshape economic links.

d) Cultural exchanges via land routes

 Mountain passes in the north historically enabled movement, even when oceans limited
contact.

 Outflow from India: ideas of the Upanishads and Ramayana, Panchatantra stories, Indian
numerals & the decimal system.

 Inflow to India: Greek sculpture influences, West Asian domes and minarets—visible in
Indian art/architecture.

o Exam angle: Be ready to give examples of two-way exchanges (ideas, goods, art).

6) India’s neighbours & surrounding seas

a) Land neighbours (by direction)

 Northwest: Pakistan and Afghanistan

 North: China (Tibet region), Nepal, Bhutan

 East: Myanmar and Bangladesh

o Use a blank map to trace these borders and memorize adjacency.

b) Southern neighbours across the sea

 Sri Lanka and Maldives are India’s southern maritime neighbours.

o Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar.
 o Maldives lie south of Lakshadweep.

c) Administrative units (as per the text)

 India has 28 States and Eight Union Territories.

o Historical note: Before 1947, two types of political units existed—provinces (direct
British rule under the Viceroy) and princely states (local rulers with autonomy under
British suzerainty).

d) Figures to visualize (from the chapter)

 Figure 1.4: “India on International Highway of Trade and Commerce”—conceptual map for
trade routes.

 Figure 1.5: “India and Adjacent Countries”—use it to label borders, seas, and island
positions.

7) Bringing map skills to life (exact prompts echoed from the text)

Use an atlas (political and physical) and a blank outline map of India for the following, as directed by
the chapter:

1. Identify

o Island groups in the Arabian Sea (Lakshadweep) and Bay of Bengal (Andaman &
Nicobar).

o The countries that make up the Indian subcontinent.

o States through which the Tropic of Cancer passes.

o Northernmost and southernmost latitudes of mainland India (in degrees).

o Easternmost and westernmost longitudes (in degrees).

o The place situated on three seas (tip of the peninsula).

o The strait separating Sri Lanka from India.

o All Union Territories.

2. Project/Activity

o Find latitudinal and longitudinal extent of your State.

o Research the “Silk Route” and note new developments improving high-altitude
communication routes.

o Tip: Tie these to modern corridors and mountain passes to connect history with
current infrastructure.

Extra resource mentioned in the chapter: School Bhuvan (NRSC/ISRO)—a map-based portal aligned
to the NCERT syllabus for exploring India’s natural resources and environment. Use it for interactive
map learning.
8) Concept spotlights (with simple explanations)

a) Why a Standard Meridian?

 Without a standard, local solar time differs by minutes for each degree of longitude.

 A single, centrally located meridian (82°30′E) keeps railways, flights, broadcasts, schools,
and offices synchronized.

 Mirzapur (UP) lies close to this meridian—hence often cited in definitions.

b) Two-hour sunrise gap: Gujarat vs. Arunachal

 India spans ~30° longitude → 30 × 4 min ≈ 120 minutes difference in local solar time.

 Yet clocks show the same time because the standard time is legally adopted nationwide.

c) Day length variation with latitude

 Closer to the Equator (e.g., Kanniyakumari), day length is nearly uniform year-round.

 Farther north (e.g., Kashmir), summer days are longer and winter days shorter. Think of the
Earth’s tilt amplifying seasonal contrasts away from the Equator.

d) Central location in the Indian Ocean

 The peninsular projection acts like a forward base into sea lanes—westward to West
Asia/Africa/Europe, eastward to Southeast/East Asia—explaining India’s enduring maritime
and cultural ties.

e) Cultural diffusion via routes and passes

 Ideas (Upanishads, Ramayana, Panchatantra), mathematics (numerals, decimal system)

moved outwards; art/architecture (Greek sculpture, domes/minarets from West Asia) came
inwards—two-way enrichment.

9) Neighbours & seas: memorize smart

 Clockwise recap from the west: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China (Tibet), Nepal, Bhutan,
Myanmar, Bangladesh.

 Seas: Arabian Sea (west), Bay of Bengal (east), and Indian Ocean (south).

 Islands: Lakshadweep (west, Arabian Sea), Andaman & Nicobar (east, Bay of Bengal).

 Sri Lanka via Palk Strait/Gulf of Mannar; Maldives south of Lakshadweep.

10) Figures & what to take away (exam-ready cues)

 Fig. 1.1: Locate India’s position globally; connect hemispheres, surrounding oceans.

 Fig. 1.2: Seven largest countries—remember India’s rank = 7th.

  Fig. 1.3: Extent & Standard Meridian—practice plotting 82°30′E (Mirzapur); notice ~30°
spread.

 Fig. 1.4: Trade & Commerce highways—anchor the “central location” idea.

 Fig. 1.5: India & adjacent countries—practice border labelling and island placement.

11) Exercises mirrored from the text (use these to self-test)

Multiple Choice (as listed in the chapter)

(i) Tropic of Cancer does not pass through: Rajasthan / Odisha / Chhattisgarh / Tripura
(ii) Easternmost longitude of India: 97°25′E / 68°7′E / 77°6′E / 82°32′E
(iii) UKD, UP, Bihar, WB, Sikkim share frontiers with: China / Nepal / Bhutan / Myanmar
(iv) Kavaratti is in which UT? Puducherry / Lakshadweep / Andaman & Nicobar / Daman & Diu
(v) Which country does not share land boundary with India? Bhutan / Tajikistan / Bangladesh / Nepal

 How to approach: Re-scan Location/Size, Neighbours, and Island groups sections above;
verify with Fig. 1.5 and your atlas.

Short Answer Prompts (from the chapter)

 (i) Group of islands in the Arabian Sea.

 (ii) Countries larger than India (use the Seven Largest figure).

 (iii) Island group of India to its southeast.

 (iv) Southern neighbour island countries.

 Tip: Use the island bullets in Section 2(b) and Fig. 1.2 for “larger than India.”

Reasoning/Explainer Prompts

 Why does the sun rise two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh than Gujarat although
watches show the same time?

 Why is India’s central location at the head of the Indian Ocean significant?

 Tip: Tie to Standard Meridian, time-lag math, trade routes, and peninsular projection.

Map Skills & Projects

 Follow the Map Skills list and Project/Activity items exactly as in Section 7 of these notes.

12) Quick formulae & fact bites (last-minute revision)

 Area: 3.28 million km² (≈ 2.4% of world land; 7th largest).

 Coastline: 7,516.6 km (includes A&N + Lakshadweep); Land boundary: ~15,200 km.

 Lat/Long range: 8°4′N–37°6′N and 68°7′E–97°25′E (~30° both ways).

 Standard Meridian: 82°30′E (Mirzapur, UP).

 Tropic of Cancer: 23°30′N—almost halves India.

  Southern tip: Indira Point (noting 2004 tsunami submergence).

 Key straits/gulfs: Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar (with Sri Lanka).

 Ocean routes & Suez: −7,000 km to Europe since 1869.

13) How to structure an answer in exams (template)

1. Define the concept (e.g., Standard Meridian; central location).

2. Quote the key fact/figure (e.g., 82°30′E; 3.28 million km²).

3. Explain the significance (trade, time uniformity, day-length variation).

4. Give a concrete example (Gujarat–Arunachal time lag; Suez Canal effect; Palk Strait).

5. Tie to a map (refer Fig. 1.3 or Fig. 1.5) for full-marks impact.
(Every point above is supported in the chapter text and figures.)

14) Mini-glossary (from this chapter’s usage)

 Latitude / Longitude: Angular distance N/S or E/W of Equator/Prime Meridian—used to

locate places.

 Standard Meridian: Chosen longitude for a country’s official time; India uses 82°30′E.

 Peninsula: Landmass surrounded by water on three sides—the Deccan Peninsula is India’s

southern “triangle.”