PHYSICAL FEATURES

OF INDIA
MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS

1. THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS

2. THE NORTHERN PLAIN
3. THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU
4. THE INDIAN DESERT
5. THE COASTAL PLAINS
6. THE ISLANDS
1.THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS

• The Himalayas ,geologically young and structurally fold mountains

stretch over the northern borders of India.
• The mountain ranges run in west – east direction from the Indus to
Brahmaputra.
• They form an arc, which covers a distance of about 2400 km.
• Their width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal
Pradesh.
• The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal
extent. A number of valleys lie between these ranges.
 LONGITUDINAL DIVISION OF HIMALAYAS

1.HIMADRI –
a) The northern most range is known as the Great or inner Himalayas
or the Himadri.
b) It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks like
mount Everest (8848m.),Nanga Parbat(8126m.)
c) The average elevation of the Himadri is more than 6000m.above the
sea level.
d) The folds of the Great Himalayas are asymmetrical in nature.
e) The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.
2. HIMACHAL
1.The ranges lying to the south of the Himadri forms the most rugged
mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalayas.
. The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered
rocks.
. The altitude varies between 3700to4500 metres and average width is
of 50 km.
. It includes ranges like Pir Panjal,Dhaula Dhar and Mahabharat of
which the Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important
range.
3. SHIWALIKS
a) The outermost range of the Himalayas is known as the Shiwaliks
b) altitude varies between 900 and 1100 metres and extends over a width of 10-50
kilometres.
c) DUNS – The Longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalayas and the shiwaliks
are known as duns. Some of the well-known Duns is DehraDun, Kotli Dun, and Patli
Dun.
THE HIMALAYAS HAVE ALSO BEEN DIVIDED INTO REGIONS FROM
WEST TO EAST:

a) The Himalayan region between the Indus and the Satluj has traditionally been
referred as the Punjab Himalaya, but it is also known as Kashmir and Himachal
Himalaya from west to east.
b) The Kumaon Himalayas are the Himalayas between the Satluj and Kali rivers.
c) The Nepal Himalayas is defined by the Kali and Teesta rivers.
d) Assam Himalayas refers to the area between the Teesta and Dihang rivers.

 The Himalayas curve sharply to the south beyond the Dihang gorge and spread along
India's eastern border, known as the Purvachal, or Eastern hills and mountains.
Purvachal is comprised of the Patkai, Naga, Manipur, and Mizo hills.
The Northern Plains
a) The northern plain was determined by the interplay of India's three major river
systems, namely the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, as well as their tributaries.
b) The northern plain expands over an area of about 7 lakh sq. km. which is 2400 km
long and 240-320 km broad.
c) It comprises alluvial soil deposits which are formed at the basin lying at the foothills
of the Himalayas. They are fertile and densely populated because of their favourable
climate and agricultural productivity.
THE NORTHERN PLAINS CAN BE SEPARATED INTO FOUR
REGIONS BASED ON THE VARIATIONS IN RELIEF FEATURES.
a) The rivers deposit pebbles in a narrow belt 8 to 16 km wide that runs parallel to the
Shiwaliks' slopes, after descending from the mountains. This is known as bhabar.
b) Streams and rivers re-emerge, forming the terai, a damp, swampy, and marshy
region.
c) The majority of the northern plain is made up of older alluvium. It is located above
the floodplains of the rivers and has a terrace-like feature known as bhangar.
d) Kankar is the name given to the soil in the Bhangar region, which comprises
calcareous deposits.
e) Khadar refers to the floodplains' newer, younger deposits
THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU
a) The Peninsular plateau is a tableland, it is made up of ancient crystalline, igneous,
and metamorphic rocks
b) It was formed as a result of the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land
c) The black soil area known as Deccan Trap is one of the Peninsular plateau's
distinguishing features.
THIS PLATEAU CONSISTS OF TWO BROAD DIVISIONS-
 THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
 This division lies to the north of the Narmada River and encompasses a large portion of
the Malwa plateau.
 The central highlands are bounded on the north-west by the Aravalli range and on the
south by the Vindhyan range
 The Central Highlands are wider in the west as compared to the east.
 The Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand are the plateau's eastward extensions.
 The Chhota Nagpur Plateau denotes the farther eastward extension drained by the
Damodar river.
 THE DECCAN PLATEAU
 It is a triangular landmass to the south of the Narmada River.
 The Plateau is also evident (noticeable) in the northeast, where it is known as the
Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau, and North Cachar Hills.
 In the north, the Satpura range flanks its broad base, while the Mahadev, Kaimur Hills,
and Maikal range that comprise of its eastern extensions.
 The Deccan Plateau's western and eastern edges are marked by the Western and
Eastern Ghats, respectively.
 The Western Ghats are higher in elevation than the Eastern Ghats. The highest peak in
the Western Ghats is Anaimudi, which stands at 2695 metres, and the highest peak in
the Eastern Ghats is Mahendragiri, which stands at 1501 metres.
The Indian Desert
a) Near the western margins of the Aravalli Hills, the Indian Desert is an undulating
sandy plain covered with sand dunes.
b) Large areas of the Indian Desert near Pakistan are covered in crescent-shaped dunes
known as barchans.
c) This region receives about 150 mm of rain annually.
d) The Luni River is the only large river in this region, owing to the arid climate and low
vegetation cover
THE COASTAL PLAINS
a) A coastal plain is a low-lying, flat area of land that is adjacent to the ocean.

b) Two narrow strips of plain lands are found to the west and east of the peninsular
plateau, which is known as the Western Coastal Plain and Eastern Coastal Plain,
respectively.

c) The Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea form a barrier along the western coast. It is a
narrow plain divided into three sections.

d) The northern part of the west coast is called the Konkan, from Mumbai – Goa. The
Kannad Plain is the central stretch, and the Malabar Coast is the southern stretch.

e) The Eastern Coastal Plains is a large area of a landmass that stretches between the
Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. The northern part is known as the Northern Circar,
while the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast.

f) On the east coast, large rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri
have formed extensive deltas. Lake Chilika is a significant feature on the east coast.
THE ISLANDS
a) The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands are two groups of
islands in India. These islands lie close to the equator, have an equatorial climate,
and a dense forest cover.
b) In the Arabian Sea, the Lakshadweep Islands group lies near Kerala. The
Lakshadweep Islands were once known as Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindive. The
administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep is located on Kavaratti Island
c) The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an island group in the Bay of Bengal. These
islands are a ridge of submarine mountains. The entire group of islands is divided
into two broad categories i.e the Andaman in the north and the Nicobar in the south.
 India's regions complement one another, making the country's natural resources more
abundant. Mountains serve as a source of both forests and water. The plains provide
grain. Minerals are abundant in plateaus whereas coastal areas are important for
fishing and port development.