Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about India Geographical Position and Physical Features from Class 10 Social_Science. India exhibits unity in diversity from ancient times. This variety is unique to our country in the entire world, and as such, has given a rich heritage. When we observe a diversity of physical features, climatic conditions, natural vegetation, and people, we feel this country can be called a sub-continent. Let us begin with India’s position in the world. India is a peninsula located in South-East Asia. It is also called India and Hindustan. The name India has been derived from river Indus. It has been named Bharat after the ancient Indian king Bharata. The country is entirely in the Northern hemisphere. It is wide in the North, tapering to form a triangle in the south, ending in the Indian Ocean. Looking at a map of India in the world, we can see it positioned clearly between the Arctic region to the far north and Antarctica to the far south, with the Indian Ocean directly below its southern tip. [CHECKPOINT]
Now let us examine the size of our nation. India is 32,87,263 square kilometers in area, which is 32.87 lakh square kilometers. It is the seventh largest country in the world in terms of area. It occupies about 2.4 percent of the world’s total area. There are 28 States and 8 Union Territories. New Delhi is also known as the National Capital Territory. As per the 2011 Census, India has a total population of 121 crores. It has about 17.50 percent of the world’s population. At present India is the largest country as far as population is concerned. Geographically, India lies in between the Northern and Eastern hemispheres. This is an important peninsula in South Asia. Let us note a special fact about Indian states and union territories with two capitals. Jammu and Kashmir has Srinagar as the Summer Capital and Jammu as the other. Uttarakhand has Bhararisain as the Summer Capital and Dehradun as the other. Himachal Pradesh has Shimla and Dharmashala as its two capitals. [CHECKPOINT]
Next, we will study the latitudinal position. The main land of India extends from 8 degrees 4 minutes North to 37 degrees 6 minutes North latitude. The total length from Kanyakumari in the South to Ladakh in the North is 3,214 kilometers. When the islands are also taken into consideration, Indira Point in the Great Nicobar Islands located at 6 degrees 45 minutes North latitude is the southernmost point. In contrast to this, Indira Col of Ladakh is the Northern most tip of India. The Tropic of Cancer or 23 degrees 30 minutes North latitude passes through the Central part of India. Moving to the longitudinal position, India extends from 68 degrees 7 minutes East to 97 degrees 25 minutes East longitude. From East to West it measures about 2,933 kilometers. Indian Standard Time is based on 82 degrees 30 minutes East longitude passing through Prayagraj. It is the central longitude of India and the Indian Standard Time. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us now discuss frontiers and neighbouring countries. India being a peninsula, it has both land and water frontiers too. India has 15,200 kilometers of land frontiers. The main land of India has a coastline of 6,100 kilometers. Including islands India has 7,516.60 kilometers of coastline. India shares land frontier with seven nations. In the North-west, it shares with Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the North, it shares with China, Nepal and Bhutan. In the East, it shares with Myanmar and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka in the south and Maldives in the south-west are also neighbouring countries of India. They have shared water border with India. Let me read out the exact boundary lengths for you. The boundary with Pakistan is 3,310 kilometers. The boundary with Afghanistan is 80 kilometers. The boundary with China is 3,917 kilometers. The boundary with Nepal is 1,752 kilometers. The boundary with Bhutan is 587 kilometers. The boundary with Myanmar is 1,458 kilometers. The boundary with Bangladesh is 4,096 kilometers. [CHECKPOINT]
Here is an important note for your exams. The boundary line between India and Pakistan is called the Radcliffe Line. The boundary line between India and China is called the McMahon Line. The boundary line between India and Afghanistan is called the Durrand Line. Now we move to the physical features of India. India has different types of relief features. These are found in different parts of the country. Their history dates back to different geological periods and there are differences in the structure and surface features. Based on these differences, the country is divided into four major divisions. First, the Northern Mountains. The Himalayan mountain is the highest in the world and consists of highest peaks, deep valleys, glaciers, and rivers. The Himalayan range begins at the Pamir Knot in the west and extends upto Arunachal Pradesh in the East. It is about 2,500 kilometers in length. These folded mountain ranges are three main ranges: Siwalik mountains, The Himachal, and The Greater Himalayas. [CHECKPOINT]
Let us examine the Siwalik Range. These hills are the most recent formations and are located in the southern part of Himalayas. They have lesser height. They are also called the Foothills of the Himalayas. These hills have narrow strips of plains or valleys which are called Duns. For example, Dehradune, Kota, Patli, Chaukhamba, Udhampur and Kotli. These are about 600 to 1500 meters above the sea level. Next is The Himachal or Middle Himalaya. They are about 3,600 meters to 4,500 meters in height and are located between Siwalik and the Greater Himalayas. They are about 60 to 80 kilometers in width. The lesser Himalayas consist of many parallel mountain ranges. For example, Pir Panjal, Mahabharath range, Nagtibba, and Mussoorie. Kangra and Kulu are the famous valleys. Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Ranikhet, Chakrata and Darjeeling are the well known hill stations. [CHECKPOINT]
Now we study the Greater Himalayas, also known as Himadri. These are known for the highest peaks of the Himalayas and the earlier formed ranges of the Himalayas. This range is completely covered with snow. Hence it is called Himadri, which means abode of snow. This is about 6,000 meters to 8,000 meters above sea level. The highest peak, Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters, lies between Nepal and Tibet. Other peaks of this range are Kanchenjunga, Dhaualagiri, Nanda Devi, and Gowrishankara. These peaks have many glaciers, the most famous among them being Gangotri, which is the origin of river Ganga. There are many passes which not only provide transport facilities but are also excellent tourist attractions. They are Kashmir’s Burzil, Zojila, and Barala cha of Himachal Pradesh. The range of fold mountains lying to the North of the Greater Himalayas is called trans Himalayas. This consists of Karakoram range and Kailash range. Godwin Austin or K2 is the highest peak in India at 8,611 meters. Ladakh plateau also lies in this region. [CHECKPOINT]
The importance of the Himalayas cannot be overstated. The Himalayan mountains have influenced the life of Indians to a greater extent. They provide protection to India, by obstructing the cold winds from the North Asian regions. They are the birth-place of many rivers. They form vast plains. They facilitate hydro-electric power generation. They are the home to many types of plants and animals. They are a great treasure-house of minerals, and are also significant for tourism and religious centers. Second major division is the Northern great plain. The Great Plains of the North are also called Sutlej-Ganga plains. They are found between the Himalayan Mountains of the North and the Peninsular Plateau in the south. These plains stretch from the plains of the river Indus in the west to the Brahmaputra valley in the East. Their breadth is around 2,400 kilometers whereas the width is 70 kilometers to 500 kilometers. This plain is completely flat. The entire plain is formed by the deposition of alluvial soil brought by the rivers which rises in the Himalayas. [CHECKPOINT]
Please remember this important classification of soils in the plains. When the Himalayan rivers enter the plains, they deposit rock there. These are called Babar. The area with loamy soil deposited of the ancient times is called Bhangar. The loamy soil formed in recent times is called Khadar. Third is the Peninsular Plateau. The Peninsular Plateau is the largest of all physiographic divisions of India. Moreover, it is the most ancient, and is a part of the Gondwana landmass which existed in the early stages of the earth, as said by the geologists. The Peninsular Plateau stretches from the south of the Sutlej-Ganga plains upto the Indian ocean in the south. Its total area is around 16 lakh square kilometers. It stretches from the Aravalli mountains in the North to Kanyakumari in the South. It extends approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Western Ghats in the West to the Rajmahal hills of Jharkhand in the East. [CHECKPOINT]
This peninsular Plateau is in the form of a triangular shape being broad in the North and narrow towards the South. It is bounded by the Arabian Sea in the West, Bay of Bengal in the East and the Indian ocean in the South. In the North of Peninsular Plateau, we find mainly the Vindhya mountains, Satpura hills, Aravali hills, Malwa plateau, Chotanagpur plateau and rivers like the Narmada, Tapti and Damodar flow amidst these, along with many small rivers. All these are together to the North of Narmada referred to as the Central Plateau. To the South of these, there is the Deccan Plateau. Mahadev and Maikhal ranges, Amarakantak hills, Rajamahal hills are to the North of Deccan plateau. To the west of the Deccan Plateau, there are the Western Ghats. In Maharashtra and Karnataka, these are referred to as Sahyadri. Western ghats are continuous and high. Anaimudi peak at 2,695 meters in Annamalai range is the highest peak in South India. [CHECKPOINT]
To the East of the Deccan Plateau, there are the Eastern Ghats. They meet the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri hills. The Eastern Ghats are not very high or continuous. In the Eastern Ghats, Armaconda and Mahendragiri are the highest peaks. These Ghats are separated by river valleys here and there. The Peninsular Plateau has great economic significance. The reason for this is that it has rich deposits of minerals. As the rivers have formed many waterfalls, they are best suited for the production of hydro-electricity. Fourth division is the Coastal Plains. Apart from the islands, India has a coastal line of 6,100 kilometers. Starting from the Kachchh region of Gujarat, the coastline extends upto Gangetic river basin in the East. The narrow plain along the coast is called the coastal plain. The 9 states of India have coast line. The Indian coastline is divided into West coast and East coast. The West coast spreads from Kutch of Gujarat in the North between the Arabian sea and the Western Ghats upto the Cape of Kanyakumari in the South. It is 1,500 kilometers long. [CHECKPOINT]
The West coast is further divided into Malabar coast in Kerala, Canara coast in Karnataka, Konkan Coast in Goa and Maharashtra and Gujarat coast. Mumbai, Marmugoa, Cochin, Kandla, Karwar and New Mangaluru are the major ports of this coast. The Eastern coastal plains extends from Kanyakumari in the South to the Gangetic river in the North. The East coast is located between the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Ghats. This coastline is very wide and flat. It comprises the deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery rivers. In the East coast, there are some salty, brackish-water lakes or lagoons. Chilka lake of Odisha and Pulicat lake of Andhra Pradesh are the important ones. The East coast is divided into Utkal coast in the North and Coromandel coast in the south. Finally, let us discuss the Islands. There are totally 247 islands belonging to India. Of them, 204 are in the Bay of Bengal and 43 are in the Arabian Sea. In the Gulf of Mannar, there are a few coral islands. Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal are formed from hard volcanic rocks. Lakshadweep islands are coral islands. India’s extreme southern tip is located in the great Nicobar island. This is called Indira Point. [CHECKPOINT]
Now let us proceed to the exercises to ensure you are fully prepared for your examinations. Exercise One asks you to fill in the blanks with suitable words. I will provide each answer clearly. First, the name India is derived from the river Indus. Second, the total area of India is 32,87,263 square kilometers. Third, in the central part of India, 23 degrees 30 minutes North latitude passes. Fourth, the coast line of India with major land mass is 6,100 kilometers. Fifth, the Indian physiography has been divided into four major parts. Sixth, Greater Himalaya is also called Himadri. Seventh, the highest mountain peak in the world is Mount Everest. Eighth, the North Indian plain is made up of alluvial soil. Ninth, the Western Ghats in Karnataka are also called Sahyadri. [CHECKPOINT]
Now for Exercise Two, answer the following questions in brief. Question ten: In which part of the Asian continent is India situated? Answer: India is situated in South-East Asia. Question eleven: In which hemisphere of the earth is India located? Answer: India is located in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres. Question twelve: Which is the southern tip of mainland of India? Answer: Kanyakumari is the southern tip of mainland India. Question thirteen: Which is the southern most point of India? Answer: Indira Point in the Great Nicobar Islands is the southern most point of India. Question fourteen: What is the other name for the foothills of the Himalayas? Answer: The other name for the foothills of the Himalayas is the Siwalik Range. Question fifteen: Which is the recently-formed landmass in India? Answer: The Siwalik hills are the most recent formations in India. Question sixteen: What are the advantages of Himalayas? Answer: They provide protection from cold winds, are the birthplace of rivers, form vast plains, facilitate hydro-electric power, support biodiversity, contain minerals, and are significant for tourism and religious centers. [CHECKPOINT]
Question seventeen: Explain the extent of peninsular Plateau? Answer: It stretches from the Aravalli mountains in the North to Kanyakumari in the South, covering about 16 lakh square kilometers, extending approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Western Ghats in the West to the Rajmahal hills in the East. Question eighteen: Write about the Shivalik range. Answer: They are the most recent formations, located in the southern part of Himalayas, have lesser height, are called the Foothills, and contain Duns like Dehradune, Kota, Patli, Chaukhamba, Udhampur and Kotli at 600 to 1500 meters above sea level. Question nineteen: The Northern plains are called deposited plains. Why? Answer: Because the entire plain is formed by the deposition of alluvial soil brought by the rivers which rise in the Himalayas. Question twenty: Mention the differences between western and Eastern ghats. Answer: The Western Ghats are continuous, high, and include peaks like Anaimudi, while the Eastern Ghats are not very high, discontinuous, separated by river valleys, and include peaks like Armaconda and Mahendragiri. [CHECKPOINT]
Now let us cover the activities and projects for your practical understanding. For activity one, draw a map of India and mark the latitudes and longitudes and also the 23 degrees 30 minutes latitude passing through the central part of India. For activity two, draw a map of India and mark major mountain ranges, the Eastern and Western Ghats. For activity three, share your experiences with your teacher when you are travelling in the ghat sections of Mangaluru, Dharmasthala and also its natural scenes. For project one, draw a map of India and mark the various States and Union territories with the help of your teacher. For project two, draw the outline map of India, mark your neighbouring countries. For project three, collect the information on National diversity in Western ghats and central plains of Karnataka. Make sure to complete these thoroughly to strengthen your geographical understanding. [CHECKPOINT]
Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]