India-Size and Location

Grade IX

Glossary

1. Subcontinent: A big geographical unit which stands out distinctly from the rest of the continent.
2. Tropic Of Cancer: An imaginary circle running along the earth’s surface at an angular distance of 23 degrees 30’ from the equator to its
north. Running parallel to the Equator, it marks the northern limit of the Tropical Zone.
3. Standard Meridian of India: The Meridian of 82 degrees 30’ east whose local time serves as the standard time for the whole of the country.
4. Local Time: Time of the place determined by the mid- day Sun.
5. Standard Time: The local time taken as the time for the whole of the country.
6. Indian Standard Time: The local time along the Standard Meridian of India which serves as the Standard Time for the whole of India. It is 5
hours and 30minutes ahead of the Greenwich Time.
7. Indian Mainland: The stretch of the continuous landmass extending from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to
Arunachal Pradesh.
8. Indian Union: Federation of India comprising of 28 states and 7 Union Territories.
9. Peninsula: The landmass bounded by the sea on the three sides.
10. Latitudes: These are the imaginary circles running parallel to the equator.
11. Longitudes: A longitude is the angular distance of a place east or west of Prime Meridian.
12. Oriental World: The countries included in the South-East, South and East Asia.
13. Tropical Zone: The area or the region lying between 23 degree 30’N and 23 degrees 30’S latitudes.
14. Subtropical Zone: The area or the region, extending from 23 degrees 30’N to 66 degrees 30’ N in the Northern Hemisphere and from 23
degrees 30’Sto 66 degrees 30’S in the Southern Hemisphere.
15. Landlocked: It is the term often used for the states and the countries completely surrounded by the land and no coastline.
16. Pastoral Nomads: They constitute a community of the people who move along with their cattle and the other animals from one place to
another in search of the water and the pasture.
17. Strait: A narrow passage of water connecting two larger water bodies.

Important Questions with their answers

1. Differentiate between Local Time and Standard Time

Answer Local Time Standard Time
(i) Local time is the time of the longitude. The local time of the central longitude of a country assumed to be of
the whole country is termed as standard time.
(ii) Local time within the country varies from one longitude to another. Standard time remains the same throughout the country on all the
longitudes.
(iii) The local time of the western most tip and the eastern most tip of The local time of 82 degrees 30’E (Indian Standard Meridian) is the
India varies by two hours standard time of India (IST)

2. Which are the states having the common frontiers with (i) Pakistan (ii) China (iii) Myanmar (iv) Bangladesh
Answer Pakistan: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat
 China: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
Bangladesh: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, West Bengal
3. Give the reason: Why is India often referred to as a subcontinent?
Answer The reasons are:
1. India is the seventh largest country of the world. That is why; it is often called a subcontinent. It is 6 times bigger than France, 9
times the size of Germany, and 23 times larger than Bangladesh.
2. India forms major part of the continent of Asia, separated from the rest of the Asian continent by the natural features such as the
mountains and the rivers. It has its own separate climatic characteristics and a distinct cultural identity.
4. “Tropic of Cancer runs almost halfway through the country.” What does this imply?
Or
Explain why Ahmedabad and Kolkata are able to see the noon sun exactly overhead twice a year but not Delhi?
Or
Ahmedabad will see the sun overhead twice in a year. Give reasons
Answer The Tropic of Cancer runs almost halfway through India. By it India is divided into two separate climatic zones. While the southern parts of
India lie within the tropics and are hotter than the northern parts, the latter (Northern part) belongs to the sub-tropical or warm tropical zones
of the Northern Hemisphere. While the areas lying to the north of the Tropic of Cancer will never have the mid-day sun over-head while in the
areas to the south of the Tropic of Cancer the Sun will be exactly overhead twice a year.
As Delhi lies to the North of the Tropic of Cancer so it is not able to see the noon sun exactly over head twice a year. On the other hand, as
both Kolkata and Ahmedabad lies to the south of the Tropic of Cancer so they are able to see the noon sun exactly over head at least twice a
year.
5. State the implications of the longitudinal extent of India.
Answer The Implications are:
1. Because of her vast east-west extent India is quite close to East Asian countries on the eastern side and to West Asian countries
on the western side. Thus, have close relation both with East Asian and West Asian countries.
2. Because of her vast east-west or the longitudinal extent India is quite near to Japan, Australia and other countries of the East and
also to Africa, Europe and the other countries of the west. As such she can have good commercial and the cultural relations with all
the countries of the world. America lies equidistant to India whether from the eastern or western side.
6. Account for the two hours of the time difference between the two – eastern and the western extremities of India.
Or
When the Sun has already risen in Arunachal Pradesh, it is still dark in Gujarat. Why?
Answer India is situated between 68 degrees 7’ E to 97 degrees 25’E longitudes as such the longitudinal extent of India is about 30 degrees. It
means that the sun rises (30 x 4= 120 minutes) or two hours earlier in the easternmost part of India (Arunachal Pradesh) than in the western
most part (Gujarat or Rajasthan).In other words we can say that if it is 8am in Arunachal Pradesh it will be in 6 am in Gujarat or when the sun
has already risen in Arunachal Pradesh it is dark in Gujarat.
Earth takes 4 minutes to rotate through one degree of longitude and the sun rises earlier in the east than in the west, so if the longitudinal
extent of India is 30 degrees the time lag between eastern most to the western most parts of the country. Thus the sun will rise two hours
earlier in the eastern most part of India than in the western part.

7. Why do we need a standard meridian for India? Explain

Or
The sun rises 2 hours earlier in the eastern parts of Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west but the watches/clocks
show the same time. How does this happen?
Answer The time difference between two east- west extremes is 2 hours. Therefore, to set the time and not follow the local time of each time 82
degrees 30’ East Meridian has been taken as Standard Meridian of India.
8. Describe how the geographical features of the country have fostered unity and homogeneity in the Indian society.
Answer India is separated from the rest of Asia in the north by Himalayas and its eastern and western off-shoots and by the sea in its remaining three
sides. This has helped India to develop its own culture, religion and prosper economically.
9. Why is the difference between the duration of day and night hardly felt in Kanyakumari but it is not so in Kashmir?
Answer Kanyakumari lies in the south are nearer to the equator than Kashmir which lies in the northern most part of the country. Days and nights are
almost of the equal duration on the equator but as we go away from it the difference between day and night goes on increasing. As
Kanyakumari is nearer to equator and Kashmir is far from it so the difference between the duration of the day and night is hardly felt at
Kanyakumari but it is not so in Kashmir. The difference between the duration of Day and night is about 45 minutes but the difference in
Kashmir is about 4 to 5 hours.
10. What are the implications of the Great North-South extent of our country?
Or
What is the latitudinal extent of India? What are its implications?
Answer The effects are:
1. The southern parts of India get more insulation (or heat from the sun than northern parts )
2. The difference between the duration of day and night would be lesser in the southern parts of India as compared to the northern
parts
11. Where do you think that the sun rays would be direct on the Great Nicobar Islands or on Jammu and Kashmir state?
Answer The sun always shines vertically on the Equator as such nearer a place to the equator, the hotter it would be, because the Great Nicobar
islands are nearer to the equator as compared to Jammu and Kashmir so that the sun’s rays would be more direct on the Nicobar islands
than on Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand the sun’s rays would be more oblique or slanting on the northern frontiers of India and thus,
they would bring 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 state is situated much beyond the Tropic of Cancer where the sun’s rays are never vertically overhead.
12. The latitudinal and the longitudinal extent of India are 30 degrees but north-south extent is bigger than the east –west extent.
Explain
Answer The latitudinal extent of India is 37degree 6 minutes to 8 degrees 4 minutes which is approximately 30 degrees and the longitudinal extent is
97 degrees 25 minutes to 68 degrees 7 minutes which is also approximately 30 degrees. Therefore, both are equal. In terms of kilometers
the average distance of 1 degree latitude is about 111km which remains same everywhere but the distance of the 1 degree longitude is 100
km at the equator and 0 at the pole thus it is assumed to be 100 km on an average.
Therefore, in kilometers the latitudinal extent is :
30 x 111 km = 3330 km approximately and
In kilometers the longitudinal extent is:
30 x 100 km = 3000 km
The difference of both the extents is:
3330 – 3000 = 330 km
This explains that the north- south or the latitudinal extent of India is bigger than the east- west extent or the longitudinal extent.

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. India completely lies in :

(a) Northern and the (b) Southern and the (c) Northern and western (d) Southern and eastern hemisphere
Eastern hemisphere western hemisphere
 hemisphere
2. Standard meridian of India is located at:
(a) 82 degrees 32 (b) 82 degrees 30 (c) 82 degrees 32 minutes (d) 82 degrees 30 minutes West
minutes East minutes East West
3. The easternmost longitude of India is:
(a) 97 degrees 25 (b) 77 degrees 6 (c) 68 degrees 7 minutes (d) 82 degrees 32 minutes East
minutes East minutes East East
4. The state of India having the longest coastline on the east coast is:
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Orissa (d) Jharkhand
5. The latitudinal and the longitudinal extent of India is:
(a) 30 degrees (b) 33 degrees (c) 66 degrees (d) 60 degrees
6. Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal , and Sikkim have the common frontiers with:
(a) China (b) Nepal (c) Bhutan (d) Myanmar
7. Which of the given countries does not share the land boundary with India?
(a) Bhutan (b) Bangladesh (c) Tajakistan (d) Myanmar
8. Kavarati is situated in:
(a) Puducherry (b) Andaman and (c) Lakshadweep (d) Daman
Nicobar islands
9. One of India’s southern neighbours are :
(a) Mauritius (b) Maldives (c) Lakshadweep (d) Thailand
10. Which of the following is the southernmost latitude of India?
(a) 8 degrees 4 minutes (b) 6 degrees 4 (c) 6 degrees 4 minutes (d) 8 degrees 4 minutes South
North minutes South North
11. Which one of the following water bodies separate Sri Lanka from India?
(a) Palk Strait and Gulf of (b) 10 degrees (c) Gulf of Mannar and 10 (d) Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar
Khambat channel and Gulf degrees Channel
of Khambat
12. India’s contact with the outside world has continued since ages by the means of:
(a) Land routes (b) Sea routes (c) Air routes (d) All of these
13. Tropic of Cancer does not pass through:
(a) Orissa (b) Chattisgarh (c) Tripura (d) Rajasthan
14. Indian state separating Nepal and Bhutan is:
(a) Sikkim (b) Meghalaya (c) Assam (d) Nagaland

15. State with the longest coastline on the west coast:

(a) Karnataka (b) Kerala (c) Maharashtra (d) Gujarat
16. If you intend to visit Kavarati during your summer vacations, one of the following Union Territories of India you will be going to:
(a) Pondicherry (b) Lakshadweep (c) Andaman and Nicobar (d) Daman and Diu
islands
17. My friend hails from a country which does not share a land boundary with India:
(a) Bhutan (b) Bangladesh (c) Nepal (d) Tajakistan
18. Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie to the :
 (a) North-west of the (b) South-west of the (c) South east of the (d) Northeast of the mailand
main land mainland mainland
19. The land mass of India has an area of :
(a) 4.28 million sq km (b) 3.28 million sq km (c) 5.28 million sq km (d) 6.28 million sq km
20. What is the time lag between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh?
(a) I hour (b) 2 hours (c) 3 hours (d) 4 hours
21. The Standard Meridian of India passes through which city in Uttar Pradesh?
(a) Varanasi (b) Meerut (c) Ghaziabad (d) Mirzapur
22. Since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, India’s distance from Europe has been reduced by:
(a) 7000 km (b) 8000km (c) 9000 km (d) 10, 000 km
23. Which of the following states have the common frontiers with Nepal?
(a) Rajasthan (b) Karnataka (c) Bihar (d) Jharkhand
24. Which of the following states have the common frontiers with Pakistan?
(a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Rajasthan (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala
25. Which of the following states is the smallest state in area?
(a) Goa (b) Haryana (c) Punjab (d) Arunachal Pradesh
26. Area wise which is the largest state in India?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Rajasthan
27. Sri Lanka is separated from India by:
(a) Arabian Sea (b) Bay of Bengal (c) Indian Ocean (d) A narrow channel of sea formed by the
Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar
28. Which countries share the land boundaries with India in east?
(a) Pakistan (b) Myanmar (c) Nepal (d) Sri Lanka
29. Maldives islands are situated to the south of:
(a) Lakshadweep islands (b) Andaman and (c) Bay of Bengal (d) None of these
Nicobar islands
30. Which longitude divides India into two equal parts?
(a) The Tropic of (b) The Tropic of (c) Prime Meridian (d) Standard Meridian
Capricorn Cancer
31. Which country has higher geographical area?
(a) Canada (b) Russia (c) USA (d) China
32. What is the approximate length of the land boundary of India?
(a) 12,500km (b) 13,500km (c) 14,500 km (d) 15, 200 km
33. What is India’s position in the world with the reference to geographical area?
(a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 7
34. Which longitude has been taken as the Standard Meridian of India?
(a) 82 degrees 30 (b) 82 degrees 40 (c) 82 degrees 50 minutes (d) 82 degrees 55 minutes East
minutes East minutes East East
35. What percent of world’s land area is with India?
(a) 2.82 percent (b) 3.15 percent (c) 2.42 percent (d) 2.15 percent
36. Which of the following is in the northwest of India?
(a) Pakistan (b) Bangladesh (c) Sri Lanka (d) China
37. Which of the following is in the east of India?
(a) Pakistan (b) Myanmar (c) Sri Lanka (d) Bangladesh
38. Which of the following country is situated to the south of Lakshadweep Islands?
(a) Andaman and (b) Lakshadweep (c) Maldives Island (d) Moor’s Island
Nicobar Islands Island
39. The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through:
(a) Gujarat (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Chhattisgarh (d) Bihar
40. Which strait separates Sri Lanka from India?
(a) Palk Strait (b) Sumba straits (c) Tablas Strait (d) Bering Strait
41. Which of the following is the island country?
(a) India (b) Pakistan (c) Bangladesh (d) Maldives
42. Which of the following country does not share land border with India?
(a) Sri Lanka (b) Pakistan (c) Bangladesh (d) Nepal
43. Which parallel of the latitude divides India into almost two equal parts?
(a) Equator (b) Tropic of Cancer (c) Tropic of Capricorn (d) Arctic Circle
44. In which of the following water bodies are Lakshadweep islands situated?
(a) Arabian Sea (b) Bay of Bengal (c) Indian Ocean (d) Arctic Circle
45. How much of the total geographical areas of the world does India account for?
(a) 32.8 percent (b) 2.5 percent (c) 2.4 percent (d) 10 percent
35. At which parallel of the latitude does India begin to taper towards south?
(a) 23 degrees North (b) 22 degree North (c) 8 degrees North (d) 68 degree North
36. With which country does India share its northern boundary?
(a) Myanmar (b) Bangladesh (c) China (d) Pakistan
37. How does India stand apart from the rest of the Asia?
(a) Because of being (b) Because of its (c) Because of being (d) Because of all these
separated from rest peninsular situation situated in the south
of Asia by Himalayas
38. How spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different countries in ancient times?
(a) Through oceans (b) Through the routes (c) Through air (d) Through none of these
through the passes
of the mountains

39. How does India occupy an important strategic position in South Asia?
(a) Due to being situated (b) Due to being (c) Due to an independent (d) Due to being a peninsula
on the head of the situated in South country
Indian ocean Asia
40. What helped India to establish close contacts with West Asia, Africa, and Europe from the west coast and with the south east and east Asia
from the east coast?
(a) Its mainland (b) The Indian Union (c) The Central location (d) Its peninsular situation
41. Why is there time lag of two hours from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh?
(a) Because of India’s (b) Because of India’s (c) Because of India’s (d) Because of India’s landmass
east-west extent north-south extent proximity to oceans
 Important Questions

1. Which island group of India lies to its south-east?

Or
Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian sea?
2. What is the latitudinal extent of India?
3. What is the longitudinal extent of India?
4. Give the eastern most and the western most longitudinal extent of India.
5. Which place in India is situated on the three seas?
6. Which is the southernmost point of the Indian Union?
7. What is the length of the Indian coastline?
8. In which hemisphere does India lie?
9. What is the total area of India?
10. Which canal shortened the distance between India and Europe?
11. Which ocean will have to be crossed while going from Singapore to Magadishu (east coast of Africa)?
12. Identify the countries constituting the Indian subcontinent.
13. Name all the neighboring countries of India.
Or
Name the countries which have the international borders with India in the North-west and East
14. Identify the states through which the Tropic of Cancer passes.
15. Identify the southernmost tip of the Indian Union and the Indian mainland.
16. Identify the northernmost latitude of India in degree.
17. Identify the landlocked states of India.
18. Identify the strait separating Sri Lanka from India.
19. Name the Union Territories of India.
20. Why has Meghalaya been named as such?
21. Which island countries are our southern neighbours?
22. Name the socio-economic spheres in which India has made all round development.
23. Work out the total north-south extent of the country in degrees of latitudes and in kilometers.
24. Write the degree of longitude of the westernmost tip of India lying in Gujarat.
25. Find out the degree of longitude of the easternmost tip of India lying in Arunachal Pradesh.
26. Which parallel of latitude divides India into two halves?
27. List six countries of the world bigger than India. Compare the area of India with China.
28. Name the islands groups of our country lying in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and also mention their latitudinal and longitudinal extents.
29. What is the southernmost tip of the Indian Union? What happened to this point during the Tsunami in 2004?
30. Why is the north and south extent of India larger than its East –West extent even though country’s latitudinal and longitudinal extent in
degrees is of the same value?
31. State the time difference between the sunrise on the easternmost and the westernmost horizons of India.
32. State the reason for selecting the standard meridian of India with an odd value of 82 degrees 30 minutes East.
33. State the geographical area of India. What is its percentage in relation to the world area?
34. At what rank does India stand in the world countries in respect of area?
35. State the length of the land boundaries and the coastline of India?
36. From which place of UP does the standard meridian of India pass?
37. Reason out why Ahmedabad in the west and Kolkata in the East are able to see the noon sun exactly overhead twice a year but not Delhi in
the north?
38. Find out why Arunachal Pradesh is befitting name of our easternmost state?
39. What is the total length of the coastline of India?
40. Name the three newly formed states of India.
41. How do we know that in the olden times India was important in respect of the international trade and commerce?
42. Which two types of states did India have before 1947?
43. How is it said that India has made remarkable progress after the independence?
44. Mention the length and breadth of India.
45. Describe the boundaries of India.
46. India is neither a giant nor a pygmy in the world. Comment.
47. Discuss India and its land routes.
48. Describe the contribution of India’s contact with the oriental world.
49. Distinguish between the local time and the standard time.
50. Define a subcontinent. Name the countries that constitute the Indian sub continent.
51. In what way is the central location of India in the Indian ocean has been to its advantage?
52. India occupies a strategic position in South Asia. Explain the statement with reference to the India’s neighbours
53. Write about the islands of India.