India is said
to occupy (like many other countries) the strategic position in the world map.
Some of the
reasons are:
It has a central location between East and West Asia.
The trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West
and the countries of East Asia provide a strategic central location to India.
The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping 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.
In detail:
Significance of Location: Barring the
plateau of Baluchistan (which form part of Pakistan), the two great ranges of
Sulaiman and Kirthar cut it off from the west. Along the north, the great
mountain wall formed by the Hindukush, Karakoram and the Himalayas, which is
difficult to cross, cuts it off from the rest of the continent. Similarly, the
southward of-shoots of the Eastern Himalayas separate it from Russia. The
tropical monsoon climate of India, which ensures a fair supply of moisture and
forms the basis of farming in India, is also a result of its location in the
southern part of Asia. Since the opening of Suez Canal (1867) India’s distance
from Europe has been reduced by 7,000km. It thus bridges the space between the
highly industrialized nation of the west and the semi-arid, and south-western
Asia and the most fertile and populated regions in the south-east and far-east
countries.
The Trans Himalayas or Tibetan Himalayas: The largest
glaciers are Hispar and Batura (over 57 km long) of Hunza Valley and Biafo and
Baltaro (60 km long) of Shigar Valley. The Siachen of Nubra Valley is the
longest with a length of over 72 km.The Purvachal or the Eastern Hills: In the
east after crossing the Cihang gorge the Himalayas bend towards south forming a
series of hills running through Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram,
Tripura and eastern Assam and form the boundary between India and Burma.
Brahmaputra rivers divide Himalayas into three sections: the main Himalayas,
the northwest Himalayas and the southeast Himalayas. The main Himalayas
running from the Pamir Plateau in the northwest to Arunachal Pradesh in the
southeast are the youngest mountains in the world. The highest peak of
the word, the Mount Everst(8,884m, named after Sir George Everst). There
are about 140 peaks in the Himalayas whose elevation is more than the
Mount Blanc (4,810m),the highest peak of the Alps. The three mountain ranges:
the Himadri in the north(the greater Himalayas)the Himachal in the middle(the
lesser Himalayas) and the Siwalik(the Outer Himalayas),facing thr palins of
India. The Himadri is of grat elevations (6,000m) which remains covered
with everlasting snows. The Siwalik have some flat-floored structural
valleys knowns as duns. Dehradun is well-known. Between the Himadri and
the Himachal are some broad synclincal valleys. We also classify them as Punjab
Himalayas, Kumayun, Assam Nepal and Northern.
Significance of Himalayas: (i) Physical
Barriers (ii) Birthplace of Rivers (iii) Influence on climate (iv) Flora and
Fauna (v) Mineral Resources (vi) Economic Resources (vii) Tourist
II The Great Northern Plains:
Lies between
the great Himalayas in the North and the plateau of Peninsular India in the
south. Nearly 2400 km long around 250-320 km broad, the most extensive plan
indeed. It is said that this region was once a vast depression, filled with
silt – brought down by the three Himalayas River, namely the Indus, the Ganga
and the Brahmaputra and their numerous tributaries. It contains some of the
richest soils. The bhangar refers to the upland formed by deposition of older
alluvium in the river beds and the Khadar are lowlands formed by deposition of
detritus of new alluvium in the river beds.
Bhabar and Terai: Includes those
regions where the Himalayas and other hilly regions join the plains. Coarse
sand and pebbles are deposited. Bhabar lands are narrower in the east and
extensive in the western and north-western hilly. Water converts large areas
along the river into swamps known as Terai.
The Western or Rajasthan Plains: are known as
Marusthali of Thar and the adjoining Bagar areas to the west of Aravalli. Luni
whose water is sweet in the upper reaches and saltish by the time is reaches
the sea. The several salt lakes in the region such as the Sambhar, Degana,
Kuchaman and Didwana; from which table salt is obtained. In most of the region
shifting sand dunes occur.
The Punjab-Haryana Plain: These plains
owe their formation to the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi rivers. Many low lying
flood plains (called bets) are found here. The Bari Doab between Ravi and Beas
rivers, the Bist Doab between the Beas and Sutlej and the Malwa plain are
relatively more fertile plain.
The Ganga Plain: The
Ganga-Yamuna Doab comprising the Rohilkhand and the Avadh Plain is the tile
area that is drained by the tributaries of Ganga.
The North
Bengal Plains: the Plains extending from the foot of Eastern Himalayas to the
northern limb of Bengal basin cover an area of 23,000km2.
Brahmaputra Plains: This is a low level plain, rarely more
than 80km broad, surround by High Mountain on all sides except on the west.
Significance
of the Great Plains: Riverine region, Fertile soil, favorable climate, flat
surface, constructions of roads, extensive system of irrigation.
The Peninsular Plateau: oldest
structure of the Indian subcontinent whose slow and steady movement towards
north and north-east has been responsible for creation of the Himalayas and the
Northern Plains in place of the Tethys sea of geological time. It is marked of
from the Indo-Gangetic plain by the mountain and hill ranges such as the
Vindhyas, the satpura, and Mahadeo, Maikal, and Sarguja ranges with the average
height is usually divided into two major subdivisions with the Narmada valley
as the line of demarcation. The region north of the Narmada valley is known as
the Central Highlands and in south of the Narmada valley lies the Deccan
Plateau.
III The Central Highlands:
Old Aravalli
Mountain on the west and the Vindhyas on the south. This region slopes
northward to the Ganga plains. The western part of the Central highlands is known
as the Malwa Plateau. The Central part has a number of small plateaus like
those of Rewa, Baghelkhand and Bundlekhand. The eastern part of the Central
Highlands comprises the Chotanagpur plateau.
The Deccan Plateau: The Deccan
Plateau extends from the vindhyas to the southern tip of the Peninsula. This
triangle plateau is at its widest in the north. The Vindhya Range and its
eastern extension namely Mahadev hills Kaimuir Hills and Maikal Range from its
northern edge. Western Ghats are known by different regional names such as the
Sahyadris in Maharastra and Karnataka, the niligris in Tamil Nadu and Annamalai
and the Cardamon hill along the Kerala and Tamil nadu border. The elevation of
the ghats increases towards the south. The highest peak, Anaimudi (2,695 m) is
in Kerala. The most important gap in the Western Ghats is the Palghat gap which
links Tamil Nadu with Kerala. The Bhorghat and the Thalghat are other gaps
lying in Maharastra state.
Eastern Ghats: These hills
rise steeply from the Coromandel coastal plain. The Eastern Ghats are well
developed in the region between the Godavari and Mahanadi rivers. The Eastern
Ghats and Western Ghats converge in the Nilgiri hills. Dodda Betta (2,637 m) is
the highest peak in the Nilgiri hills.
Significance of Peninsular Plateau: (i) Geological
richness (ii) Sources of Irrigation and hydroelectricity (iii) Agricultural
Resources (iv) Forest Resources (v) Rich Fauna
(vi) Cultural
Influences.
The Coastal plains: The Peninsular plateau is bounded by
coastal plains on the east and west. There is wide difference between the
eastern and western coastal plain. The west coast is narrower but wet. East
coast much wider but relatively dry. A number of river deltas occur on the east
coast. The deltas of east coast from the ‘granary’ of the five southern states-
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry. The western
coastal strips which have a large number of lagoons and back waters on
other hand are noted for spices, areca nuts, coconuts palms etc.
Western coastal Plain: These lies
between the Western Ghats and the Arabian seas and stretch from Kutch in the
north to Kanyakumari in the south. The Gujarat plain is a broad and flat plain.
The Kutch Peninsula, Gulf of Kutch, and the Gulf of Cambay. The Kathiawar
Peninsula, also known as Saurashtra which lies to the south of Kutch, is also a
plain level area except for some hills rising into Mount Girnar. Sun-divided
regionally into the Konkan coast in Maharastra Canara coast in Karnataka and
Malabar Coast in Kerala.
Eastern Coastal Plain: The eastern
coastal low lands extend from the mouth of the Ganga to Kanyakumari. The
northern half is called Northern Circars or Kalinga coast, while the southern
half is known as the Coromandal coast. The border part is the Carnatic region,
which is about 480 km wide. They are not suitable for harbours as their mouths
being full of sit.
Significance of Coastal plains: (i) Harbours
(ii) Specialized crops (iii) Fisheries and Navigation (iv) Economic Influence
(v) Historical Importance
1.Bay of Bengal Islands: The Andaman
& Nicobar group of islands are separated by 10 Degree channel. These
islands have been formed by extension of tertiary mountain chain of Arakan
Yoma. The Andaman group of island is divided into 3 major groups’ viz., North
Andaman, Middle Andaman and south Andaman, collectively called Great Andamans.
Little Andaman is separated from Great Andamans by Duncan passage. The Nicobar
group of islands of which Great Nicobar is largest and southern most one.
Saddle peak situated in Andaman Islands is the highest peak of Andaman &
Nicobar group.
The Dhuliar
peak is the highest peak of Nicobar group of islands.More habitable and
different origin thanofArabian sea islands. Barran island is dormant volcano
and Narcondam island is extinct volcano.
2) Lakshwadeep islands: Coral- and
have fringing reefs. They are 25 small island groups. The island’s north is
known as Amindivi and spot is Cannonore island. Extreme south is Minicoy
islands which is largest
