India is a country of vast geographical expanse. Let us learn about the physical features or the physical division of India. In the north, it is bound by the lofty Himalayas. The Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south wash the shores of the Indian peninsula. India has an area of about 3.28 million sq. km.

The north-south extent from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is about 3,200 km. And the east-west extent from Arunachal Pradesh to Kuch is about 2,900 km. The lofty mountains, the Great Indian Desert, the Northern Plains, the uneven plateau surface, and the coasts and islands present a diversity of landforms.

There is a great variety in the climate, vegetation, wildlife as well as in the language and culture. In this diversity, we find the unity that is reflected in traditions that bind us as one nation. India has had a population of more than a hundred crores since the year 2001. It is the second-most populous country in the world after China.

Location

India is located in the northern hemisphere. The Tropic of Cancer (23�30'N) passes almost halfway through the country. From south to north, India extends between 8�4'N and 37�6'N latitudes. From west to east, India extends between 68�7'E and 97�25'E longitudes.

Due to the great longitudinal extent of about 29�, there could be wide differences in local time of places located at two extreme points of India. As such, the difference between these two points would be of about two hours. As you have learned earlier, the local time changes by four minutes for every one degree of longitude.

The sun rises two hours earlier in the east (Arunachal Pradesh) than in the west (Gujarat). You have already read earlier, why the local time of longitude of 82�30'E has been taken as the Indian Standard Time. This meridian or longitude is also termed the Standard Meridian of India.

INDIA�S NEIGHBOURS

There are seven countries that share land boundaries with India. Across the sea to the south, lie our island neighbors - Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait. On the northwest side, we share our boundaries with Pakistan, china Tibet on the northeast side, and Bangladesh on the east side. Let us now explore the Physical Division Of India.

Physical Division Of India

India is marked by a diversity of physical features. In this section, we will learn about the physical division of India such as mountains, plateaus, plains, coasts, and islands. Standing as sentinels in the north are the lofty snow-capped Himalayas. Him+alaya means �the abode of snow�.

The Himalayan mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges. The northernmost is the Great Himalaya or Himadri.

The world�s highest peaks are located in this range. Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri. Many popular hill stations are situated here. The Shiwalik is the southernmost range. The Northern Indian plains lie to the south of the Himalayas.

They are generally level and flat. These are formed by the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers� the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. These river plains provide fertile land for cultivation.

That is the reason for the high concentration of population in these plains. In the western part of India lies the Great Indian desert. It is a dry, hot, and sandy stretch of land. It has very little vegetation.

To the south of the northern plains lies the Peninsular plateau. It is triangular in shape. The relief is highly uneven. This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys. Aravali hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world, border it on the northwest side.

The Vindhyas and the Satpuras are important ranges. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges. These are west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats or Sahyadris border the plateau in the west and the Eastern Ghats provide the eastern boundary. While the Western Ghats are almost continuous, the Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven.

The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron ore. To the West of the Western Ghats and to the East of Eastern Ghats lie the Coastal plains. The western coastal plains are very narrow. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader. There are a number of fast-flowing rivers. The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri drain into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers have formed fertile deltas at their mouth.

The Sunderban Delta is formed where the Ganga and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal. Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala. The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal.