CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA(The Himalayan range of mountains )

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 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA:

 Geographical Location:

• India occupies about 2.4% of the total geographical area of the world.

• Latitudinal extent: 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N

• Longitudinal extent: 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E

• Located in the Eastern part of the Northern Hemisphere.

• 82°30′ E longitude is the Standard Meridian of India.

• Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

82½° East Longitude (Indian Standard Meridian):

• The 82½° East longitude is the Standard Meridian of India.
• It passes through the following states:
  1. Uttar Pradesh
  2. Madhya Pradesh
  3. Chhattisgarh
  4. Odisha
  5. Andhra Pradesh

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Important Cities (on/near this longitude):

• Prayagraj (Allahabad) – Uttar Pradesh
• Mirzapur – Uttar Pradesh
• Jabalpur – Madhya Pradesh
• Raipur – Chhattisgarh
• Koraput – Odisha
• Kakinada – Andhra Pradesh
• Nagpur (near) – Maharashtra

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Union Territory:

• Puducherry (Yanam District)

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Tropic of Cancer:

The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two nearly equal parts.

The Tropic of Cancer (23½° North latitude) passes almost through the middle of India.

It passes through 8 states of India.

The longest distance of the Tropic of Cancer passes through Madhya Pradesh.

The shortest distance of the Tropic of Cancer passes through Rajasthan.

States through which it passes:

• Gujarat

• Rajasthan

• Madhya Pradesh

• Chhattisgarh

• Jharkhand

• West Bengal

• Tripura

• Mizoram

Tropic of Cancer – Rivers Crossing:

• In Gujarat – Mahi, Sabarmati
• In Madhya Pradesh – Ken, Betwa
• In Jharkhand – Damodar
• In West Bengal – Hooghly 

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 Political Divisions:

• India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories (latest).

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 Neighbouring Countries:

India’s immediate neighbours:

• Pakistan

• Afghanistan

• China

• Nepal

• Bhutan

• Myanmar

• Bangladesh

• Sri Lanka (separated by Palk Strait)

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 Indian States Sharing Borders:

(a) Pakistan:

• Jammu & Kashmir

• Punjab

• Rajasthan

• Gujarat

(b) China:

• Jammu & Kashmir

• Himachal Pradesh

• Uttarakhand

• Sikkim

• Arunachal Pradesh

(c) Myanmar:

• Arunachal Pradesh

• Nagaland

• Manipur

• Mizoram

(d) Bangladesh:

• Mizoram

• Tripura

• Assam

• Meghalaya

• West Bengal
   India shares the longest border with Bangladesh.

(e) Nepal:

• Uttarakhand

• Uttar Pradesh

• Bihar

• West Bengal

• Sikkim

(f) Bhutan:

• Sikkim

• West Bengal

• Assam

• Arunachal Pradesh

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 Physiographic Divisions of India:

1. The Himalayan Mountains

2. The Peninsular Plateau

3. The Great Plains of India

4. The Coastal Plains

5. The Islands of India

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 The Himalayas :

Formation:

• Young fold mountains of the Tertiary period.

• Formed due to continental collision in the Tethys Sea region.

• Extend about 2500 km from Indus to Brahmaputra in an arc shape.

Phases of Upliftment:

1. Inner Himalayas — Oligocene period

2. Middle Himalayas — Miocene period

3. Outer Himalayas — Post-Pliocene period

   (A) Outer Himalaya (Shiwalik Range):

   • Vedic name: Siwalik

   • Youngest and lowest range of the Himalayas.

   • Height: 600 m to 1500 m (rarely exceeds 650 m).

   • Characterized by:

     • Fault scarps

     • Anticlinal crests

     • Synclinal hills

   Important Hills of Shiwalik Range:

   • Dafla, Miri, Mishmi, Abor and Patkai — Arunachal Pradesh

   • Dhang range, Dundwa range, Churia and Muria Ghats — Nepal

   • Jammu hills — Jammu & Kashmir

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   • Between Shiwalik and Himachal ranges, several valleys exist:

     • Example: Kathmandu Valley

     • In western side, these valleys are called Duns or Duars

       • Examples: Dehradun, Haridwar

   • Lower parts of Shiwalik are called Terai

     • Marshy region with thick forests.

     • South of Terai lies the Great Boundary Fault

     • It extends from Kashmir to Assam

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   (B) Middle Himalaya (Lesser Himalaya):

   • Most intricate and rugged mountainous system.

   • Width: 60–80 km

   • Height: 3700 m to 4500 m

   • Vedic name: Himanchal

   Important Features:

   • Major hill stations located here:

     • Dalhousie

     • Manali

     • Shimla

     • Nainital

     • Mussoorie

     • Darjeeling

   • On the Dhauladhar range, Shimla and Pir Panjal are located.

   • Kashmir Valley

     • 150 km long

     • 80 km wide

     • Lies between Pir Panjal and Zaskar ranges

   Important Ranges (West to East):

   1. Pir Panjal range (Jammu & Kashmir)

   2. Dhauladhar range (Himachal Pradesh)

   3. Mussoorie range (Uttarakhand)

   4. Nag Tibba range (Nepal)

   5. Mahabharat range (Nepal)

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   Important Passes in Middle Himalaya:

   Pass	Location	Connectivity
   Pir Panjal Pass	J&K	Jammu–Srinagar road
   Banihal Pass	J&K	Jammu–Srinagar (NH-1A)
   Rohtang Pass	Himachal Pradesh	Kullu–Keylong road

    Jawahar Tunnel (India’s longest road tunnel earlier) is situated on Banihal Pass.

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   (C) Inner Himalaya (Greater Himalaya):

   • Vedic names: Himadri & Bahirgiri

   • Highest mountain range in the world.

   • Average height: 6100 m

   • Most of the world’s highest peaks are located here.

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   Important Peaks in Inner Himalaya:

   1. Mt. Everest (8848 m):

      • Highest peak in the world

      • Located in Nepal

      • Called Sagarmatha (Nepal)

      • Called Chomolungma (China)

   2. Mount K2 (8611 m):

      • Also known as Godwin Austin / Qogir

      • Highest peak of India (as per Indian claim)

      • 2nd highest peak in the world

      • Located in Karakoram range (PoK)

   3. Mt. Kanchenjunga (8598 m):

      • 2nd highest peak of India

      • 3rd highest peak in the world

      • Located in Sikkim

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   Other Important Peaks:

   • Makalu (8481 m) — Nepal

   • Dhaulagiri (8172 m) — Nepal

   • Manaslu (8156 m) — Nepal

   • Cho Oyu (8153 m) — Nepal

   • Nanga Parbat (8108 m) — Jammu & Kashmir

   • Kamet & Nanda Devi — Uttarakhand

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   Important Passes in Inner Himalaya:

   Pass	Location	Connectivity
   Karakoram Pass	J&K	India to China
   Burzil Pass	J&K	Kashmir Valley to Central Asia

   
   

   Disclaimer:

   This content is prepared for educational and informational purposes only. The notes are simplified for better understanding and exam preparation (UPSC and State Exams). Readers are advised to refer to standard textbooks and official sources for detailed study