Find Out (Page 18)
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1. The names of the glaciers and passes that lie in the Great Himalayas.
• Glaciers: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Siachen, Baltoro, and Biafo.
• Passes: Shipki La, Nathu La, Bomdi La, Zoji La, and Bara Lacha La. -
2. The name of the states where the highest peaks are located.
• Kanchenjunga: Sikkim
• Nanda Devi: Uttarakhand
• Kamet: Uttarakhand -
3. Location of Mussoorie, Nainital, Ranikhet from your atlas and also name the state where they are located.
All these hill stations (Mussoorie, Nainital, and Ranikhet) are located in the state of Uttarakhand in the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal range).
Find Out (Page 22)
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1. Find out some regional names of the Himalayas.
• Punjab Himalayas: Between Indus and Satluj (regionally known from west to east as Kashmir Himalaya and Himachal Himalaya).
• Kumaon Himalayas: Between Satluj and Kali rivers.
• Nepal Himalayas: Between Kali and Teesta rivers.
• Assam Himalayas: Between Teesta and Dihang rivers.
• Purvachal: Beyond the Dihang gorge in the north-eastern states (comprising Patkai hills, Naga hills, Manipur hills, and Mizo hills).
In-Text Question (Page 30)
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1. Can you identify these island groups?
The two island groups of India are:
1. The Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea.
2. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
Exercise (Page 32)
1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
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(i) Consider the following statements:
Assertion(A): India is called a peninsula.
Reason(R): A peninsula is a landmass bounded by sea on three sides and connected to the mainland on one side.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. -
(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar are collectively called
Answer: (c) Purvachal
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(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
Answer: (c) Kannad
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(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
Answer: (c) Mahendragiri
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
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(i) What is the bhabar?
Bhabar is a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks where rivers, descending from the mountains, deposit pebbles. All streams disappear in this bhabar belt.
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(ii) Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south.
The three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south are:
1. The Great or Inner Himalayas (Himadri)
2. The Lesser Himalaya (Himachal)
3. The Outer Himalayas (Shiwaliks) -
(iii) Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges?
The Malwa Plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges.
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(iv) Name the island group of India having coral origin.
The Lakshadweep Islands are of coral origin.
3. Distinguish between
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(i) Bhangar and Khadar
Feature Bhangar Khadar Soil Type Older alluvium Newer, younger deposits Location Lies above the floodplains and presents terrace-like features Found in the floodplains of rivers Composition Contains calcareous deposits locally known as kankar Composed of fine silt and mud; free from kankar nodules Fertility Less fertile; not renewed regularly Renewed almost every year, highly fertile, and ideal for intensive agriculture -
(ii) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
Feature Western Ghats Eastern Ghats Continuity Continuous and can be crossed through passes only (Thal, Bhor, and Pal Ghats) Discontinuous and irregular, dissected by rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal Elevation Higher; average elevation is 900–1600 metres Lower; average elevation is about 600 metres Highest Peak Anai Mudi (2,695 metres) Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) Rainfall Cause orographic rain on western slopes from moisture-laden winds Receive less rainfall, mainly from retreating monsoons
4. Long Answer Questions
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4. Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau.
The major physiographic divisions of India are:
1. The Himalayan Mountains
2. The Northern Plains
3. The Peninsular Plateau
4. The Indian Desert
5. The Coastal Plains
6. The Islands
Contrast in Relief:
• The Himalayan Region: Geologically young and structurally fold mountains. It represents an unstable zone with a youthful topography comprising high pointed peaks, deep valleys, gorges, and fast-flowing rivers.
• The Peninsular Plateau: One of the oldest and most stable landmasses on earth. It is a tableland composed of old crystalline, igneous, and metamorphic rocks featuring gently rising hills, wide and shallow valleys, and rounded tops. -
5. Give an account of the Northern Plains of India.
• Formation: Formed by the interplay of three major river systems—the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra—along with their tributaries. The continuous deposition of alluvium in a vast basin at the foothills of the Himalayas over millions of years created this fertile plain.
• Dimensions: It covers an area of 7 lakh sq. km, stretching about 2,400 km in length and 240 to 320 km in width.
• Sections: It is divided into three sections:
1. Punjab Plains (western part formed by the Indus and its tributaries, dominated by doabs).
2. Ganga Plain (extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers across Haryana, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal).
3. Brahmaputra Plain (lying mainly in Assam).
• Relief Regions: Bhabar (pebble belt), Terai (marshy, swampy forest belt), Bhangar (terrace-like older alluvium with kankar), and Khadar (fertile younger floodplain deposits).
• Significance: High agricultural productivity, rich soil, abundant water supply, and favourable climate make it the most densely populated physiographic division of India. -
6. Write short notes on the following.
(i) The Indian Desert:
• Located towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills.
• An undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes such as barchans (crescent-shaped dunes) and longitudinal dunes.
• Receives very low rainfall (below 150 mm per year) and experiences an arid climate with sparse vegetation.
• Streams appear only during the rainy season and quickly vanish into the sand; Luni is the only large river in this region.
(ii) The Central Highlands:
• The part of the Peninsular plateau lying north of the Narmada river, covering a major area of the Malwa plateau.
• Bounded by the Vindhyan range on the south and the Aravalis on the northwest.
• Drained by rivers like Chambal, Sind, Betwa, and Ken flowing from southwest to northeast.
• Wider in the west and narrower in the east; its eastward extensions are locally called Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand, extending up to the Chotanagpur plateau drained by the Damodar river.
(iii) The Island groups of India:
• Lakshadweep Islands: Located in the Arabian Sea close to the Malabar coast of Kerala. Composed of small coral islands covering an area of 32 sq km with Kavaratti as administrative headquarters. Pitti Island has a bird sanctuary.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: An elongated chain of islands in the Bay of Bengal extending from north to south. Bigger, more numerous, and scattered, divided into Andaman in the north and Nicobar in the south. They are an elevated portion of submerged mountains, have strategic importance, equatorial climate, and thick forests. India's only active volcano is located on Barren Island.
MAP SKILLS (Page 32)
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On an outline map of India show the following:
(i) Mountain and hill ranges:
• Karakoram & Zaskar: In Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Aravali Range: Extends across Rajasthan to Delhi.
• Vindhya Range: North of the Narmada river across Madhya Pradesh.
• Patkai Bum & Jaintia: In Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya respectively.
• Cardamom Hills: At the southern tip of the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
(ii) Peaks:
• K2: In the Karakoram range.
• Kanchenjunga: On the Sikkim-Nepal border.
• Nanga Parbat: In the western Himalayas.
• Anai Mudi: In Kerala (Western Ghats).
(iii) Plateaus:
• Malwa Plateau: In western Madhya Pradesh and south-eastern Rajasthan.
• Chotanagpur Plateau: In Jharkhand and parts of Odisha/West Bengal.
(iv) Features:
• The Indian Desert: In western Rajasthan.
• Western Ghats: Parallel to the western coast from Maharashtra to Kerala.
• Lakshadweep Islands: In the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast.
Project / Activity (Page 34)
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Locate the peaks, passes, ranges, plateaus, hills, and duns hidden in the puzzle. Try to find where these features are located.
Geographical Feature Ans Type / Location NATHULA ( Pass ) Mountain pass in Sikkim KANCHENJUNGA ( Peak ) Highest peak in India, situated in Sikkim GARO ( Hills ) Hill range in Meghalaya JAINTIA ( Hills ) Hill range in Meghalaya CHOTANAGPUR ( Plateau ) Mineral-rich plateau in eastern India (Jharkhand) MALWA ( Plateau ) Plateau region in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan ARAVALI ( Range ) Old fold mountain range in western India VINDHYA ( Range ) Mountain range in central India ZASKAR ( Range ) Mountain range in Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir DEHRADUN ( Dun ) Longitudinal valley in Uttarakhand
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