Class 9th Geography

Geography of India

• India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories

Union Territories List:

1. Jammu & Kashmir

2. Ladakh

3. Chandigarh

4. Delhi (NCT)

5. Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu

6. Puducherry

7. Lakshadweep

8. Andaman & Nicobar Islands

• Largest State (area wise) :- Rajasthan
• Largest State (population wise) :- Uttar Pradesh
• Smallest State (area wise) :- Goa
• Smallest State (population wise) :- Sikkim
• Literacy Rate :- Mizoram
• School Education :- Chandigarh
• Adult Literacy :- Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Delhi
• Lowest Literacy Rates : - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar
• Crime wise Top :- Uttar Pradesh & Delhi
• The states which do not have an international border or lie on the coast. :- Haryana, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana.
• India is one of the ancient civilisations in the world.
• India is a vast country. Lying entirely in the Northern hemisphere
• The main land extends between latitudes 8°4'N and 37°6'N and longitudes 68°7'E and 97°25'E.

• The Tropic of Cancer (23°30'N) divides the country into almost two equal parts. To the southeast and southwest of the mainland, lie the Andaman and Nicobar islands and the Lakshadweep islands in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively.
• The southernmost point of the Indian Union– ‘Indira Point’ got submerged under the sea water in 2004 during the Tsunami.
• The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km. (32,87,263 km2)
• India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area of the world.
• India is the seventh largest country of the world. (1. Russia, 2. Canada, 3. USA, 4. China, 5. Brazil, 6. Australia, 7. India)
• India has a land boundary of about 15,200 km
• The total length of the coastline of the mainland, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is 7,516.6 km.
• India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and northeast.
• India extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on its east.
• The east-west extent appears to be smaller than the north-south extent. पूर्व-पश्चिम विस्तार उत्तर-दक्षिण विस्तार से छोटा प्रतीत होता है।
• From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of two hours. Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30'E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.

Que. Why 82°30'E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India?

Que. Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt at Kanniyakumari but not so in Kashmir?

• The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West Asia. India is a southward extension of the Asian continent.
• No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India.
• Since, the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, India’s distance from Europe has been reduced by 7,000 km.

• The ideas of the Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system thus could reach many parts of the world.
• The spices, muslin (cotton fabric) and other merchandise were taken from India to different countries.

Coastal count:

• Western Coast - Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Mahe district of Puducherry
• Eastern Coast - Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar islands

The States which do not have an international border

• Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana

States sharing a border with Pakistan (4)

• Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat

States sharing a border with China (5)

• Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh

States sharing a border with Myanmar (4)

• Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram

States sharing a border with Bangladesh (5)

• West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram

Note: Before 1947, there were two types of states in India - the provinces and the Princely states. Provinces were ruled directly by British officials, who were appointed by the Viceroy. Princely states were ruled by local, hereditary rulers, who acknowledged sovereignty in return for local autonomy.

• Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar.

Chapter 2

• The peninsular plateau is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks with gently rising hills and wide valleys.

Igneous Rocks

Metamorphic Rocks

The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions :-

(1) The Himalayan Mountains

(2) The Northern Plains

(3) The Peninsular Plateau

(4) The Indian Desert

(5) The Coastal Plains

(6) The Islands

(1) The Himalayan Mountains

• The Himalayas, geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretch over the northern borders of India.
• These mountain ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra.
• They form an arc, which covers a distance of about 2,400 Km.
• Their width varies from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal extent.
• The northern-most range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri. It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest(सबसे ऊंचा) peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres. It contains all prominent Himalayan peaks.
• The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.

Some Highest Peaks of the Himalayas

Mt. Everest Nepal 8848m

Kanchenjunga India 8598m

Makalu Nepal 8481m

Dhaulagiri Nepal 8172m

Nanga Parbat India 8126m

Annapurna Nepal 8078m

Nanda Devi India 7817m

Kamet India 7756m

Namcha Barwa India 7756m

Gurla Mandhata Nepal 7728m

• The range lying to the south of the Himadri forms the most rugged mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya.
• The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks.
• The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and the average width is of 50 Km. While the Pir Panjal range forms the longest and the most important range, the Dhaula Dhar and the Mahabharat ranges are also prominent ones. This range consists of the famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra and Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh. This region is well-known for its hill stations.
• The outer-most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks.
• They extend over a width of 10-50 Km and have an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 metres.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns. Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.
• The part of Himalayas lying between Indus and Satluj has been traditionally known as Punjab Himalaya but it is also known regionally as Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya from west to east respectively.
• The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.
• The Kali and Teesta rivers demarcate(सीमा स्थिर करना) the Nepal Himalayas.
• The part lying between Teesta and Dihang rivers is known as Assam Himalayas.
• The Purvachal comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, Manipur hills and the Mizo hills.

(2) The Northern Plains

• The northern plain has been formed by the interplay of the three major river systems, namely as The Indus, The Ganga & The Brahmaputra along with their tributaries.
• This plain in formed of alluvial soil.
• It spread over an area of 7 lakh sq. km.
• The plain being about 2400km long 240 to 320 km broad.
• The Northern Plain is broadly divided into three sections - Punjab Plains, Ganga Plains, 

Western Part (Punjab Plains) - formed by the Indus River & their tributaries

The large part of this plain lies in Pakistan.

THE INDUS RIVER - JHELUM, CHENAB, RAVI, SATLUJ, BEAS  originate in Himalaya

This section of the plain dominated by the doabs.

Note: 'Doab' is made up of two words 'do' meaning two and 'ab' meaning water. Similarly 'Punjab', is also made up two words - 'Punj' meaning five and 'ab' meaning water.

The Ganga Plains - extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It is spread over North India in Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand and West Bengal. In the East, particularly in Assam lies the Brahmaputra plain.

• The Northern plains can be divided into four regions

1. The Bhabar (a narrow belt of porous land with pebbles at the foothills)
2. The Terai (a wet marshy area with dense forests south of the Bhabar
3. The Bhangar (an area of older alluvium with terrace like features
4. The Khadar (a region of newer, fertile alluvium along the river floodplains.

 the rivers, after descending from the mountains deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8km to 16km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks. It is known as bhabar. All the streams disappear in this bhabar belt. South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region known as terai. This was a thickly forested region full of wildlife. The forests have been cleared to create agricultural land to settle migrants from Pakistan after partition. Locate Dudhwa National Park in this region.

उत्तरी मैदान (Northern Plains) को राहत विशेषताओं (relief features) के आधार पर चार क्षेत्रों में बाँटा गया है। इनमें से एक क्षेत्र है भाबर। भाबर एक संकीर्ण पट्टी है, जो 8 से 16 किमी चौड़ी होती है और शिवालिक पहाड़ियों की ढलानों के समानांतर चलती है। जब नदियाँ पहाड़ों से नीचे उतरती हैं, तो वे इस क्षेत्र में कंकड़-पत्थर (pebbles) जमा करती हैं। भाबर में सभी नदियाँ और धाराएँ गायब हो जाती हैं क्योंकि पानी जमीन में चला जाता है।

भाबर के दक्षिण में एक और क्षेत्र है, जिसे तराई (Terai) कहते हैं। यहाँ नदियाँ और धाराएँ फिर से जमीन पर निकल आती हैं, जिससे यह क्षेत्र गीला, दलदली और नम होता है। पहले यह क्षेत्र घने जंगलों और वन्यजीवों से भरा था। लेकिन, भारत-पाकिस्तान विभाजन के बाद, इन जंगलों को काटकर खेती की जमीन बनाई गई और वहाँ पाकिस्तान से आए प्रवासियों को बसाया गया।

दुधवा नेशनल पार्क (Dudhwa National Park) तराई क्षेत्र में ही स्थित है। यह उत्तर प्रदेश के लखीमपुर खीरी और बहराइच जिलों में फैला हुआ है। यह पार्क तराई के दलदली और जंगली इलाके का एक हिस्सा है, जहाँ अब भी वन्यजीव संरक्षित हैं।

The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium. It lies above the floodplains of the rivers and presents a terrace like feature. This part is known as bhangar. The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits, locally known as kankar. The newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called khadar. They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile, thus, ideal for intensive agriculture.

उत्तरी मैदान का सबसे बड़ा हिस्सा पुरानी जलोढ़ मिट्टी (older alluvium) से बना है, जिसे भंगार कहते हैं। यह हिस्सा नदियों के बाढ़ के मैदानों से ऊपर होता है और छत जैसा दिखता है। भंगार की मिट्टी में चूने के कण (calcareous deposits) होते हैं, जिन्हें स्थानीय भाषा में कंकड़ कहते हैं। इसके अलावा, नदियों के बाढ़ के मैदानों में नई और ताज़ा मिट्टी जमा होती है, जिसे खादर कहते हैं। खादर की मिट्टी हर साल बाढ़ के कारण नवीनीकृत होती रहती है, इसलिए यह बहुत उपजाऊ होती है। इस वजह से खादर में गहन खेती (intensive agriculture) के लिए बहुत अच्छी मिट्टी मानी जाती है।

(3) The Peninsular Plateau

• The Peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. प्रायद्वीपीय पठार एक पठार है जो पुराने क्रिस्टलीय, आग्नेय और रूपांतरित चट्टानों से बना है।
• It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land and thus, making it a part of the oldest landmass.
• The plateau has broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills. This plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau.
• The part of the Peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river, covering a major area of the Malwa plateau, is known as the Central Highlands.
• The Vindhyan range is bounded by the Satpura range on the south and the Aravalis on the northwest.
• The further westward extension gradually merges with the sandy and rocky desert of Rajasthan. The flow of the rivers draining this region, namely the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken is from southwest to northeast, thus indicating the slope.
• The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east.
• The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand.
• The Chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension, drained by the Damodar river. छोटानागपुर पठार पूर्व की ओर विस्तार को दर्शाता है, जिसका जल-प्रवाह दामोदर नदी द्वारा होता है।
• The Deccan Plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada.
• The Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north, उत्तर में सतपुड़ा पर्वतमाला इसके विस्तृत आधार को घेरे हुए है,
• 
  

  

  

Chapter 2

Page 10

### Glaciers in the Great Himalayas

The Great Himalayas host numerous significant glaciers, primarily in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan. Below is a list of some prominent glaciers in this range:

- **Gangotri Glacier**: Located in Uttarakhand, India, it is one of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas and the source of the Ganges River.

- **Siachen Glacier**: Situated in the Karakoram range (part of the greater Himalayan system) in Ladakh, India, and extending into Pakistan, it is one of the longest glaciers outside polar regions.

- **Baltoro Glacier**: Found in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, it is one of the longest non-polar glaciers, feeding the Shigar River.

- **Zemu Glacier**: Located in Sikkim, India, it is one of the largest glaciers in the eastern Himalayas.

- **Nubra Glacier**: Found in Ladakh, India, within the Nubra Valley.

- **Biafo Glacier**: Located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, it is one of the longest glaciers in the Karakoram.

- **Hispar Glacier**: Also in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, it forms a glacial system with the Biafo Glacier.

- **Bara Shigri Glacier**: Situated in Himachal Pradesh, India, it is one of the largest glaciers in the state.

- **Chandra Glacier**: Located in Himachal Pradesh, India, it feeds the Chandra River.

- **Drang Drung Glacier**: Found in Ladakh, India, it is one of the largest glaciers in the Zanskar region.

### Passes in the Great Himalayas

The Great Himalayas feature several high-altitude passes, critical for trade, travel, and military purposes. Notable passes include:

- **Khardung La**: Located in Ladakh, India, at 5,359 meters, it is one of the highest motorable passes in the world.

- **Rohtang Pass**: Situated in Himachal Pradesh, India, at 3,978 meters, it connects Kullu Valley with Lahaul and Spiti.

- **Zoji La**: Found in Ladakh, India, at 3,528 meters, it connects Srinagar with Leh.

- **Nathu La**: Located in Sikkim, India, at 4,310 meters, it is a key pass on the India-China border.

- **Bum La Pass**: Situated in Arunachal Pradesh, India, at 4,400 meters, it lies near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction.

- **Sela Pass**: Found in Arunachal Pradesh, India, at 4,170 meters, it connects Tawang to the rest of India.

- **Karakoram Pass**: Located between Ladakh, India, and Xinjiang, China, at 5,540 meters, it is a historic trade route.

- **Chang La**: Situated in Ladakh, India, at 5,360 meters, it is a high-altitude pass en route to Pangong Lake.

- **Pir Panjal Pass**: Located in Jammu and Kashmir, India, it connects the Kashmir Valley with Rajouri and Poonch.

- **Banihal Pass**: Found in Jammu and Kashmir, India, at 2,832 meters, it lies along the Pir Panjal Range.

### States with the Highest Peaks in the Great Himalayas

The highest peaks in the Great Himalayas are primarily located in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Below are the major peaks and their respective Indian states (or regions):

- **Kangchenjunga (8,586 m)**: Located in **Sikkim**, India (shared with Nepal), it is the third-highest peak in the world.

- **Nanda Devi (7,816 m)**: Situated in **Uttarakhand**, India, it is the second-highest peak in India.

- **Kamet (7,756 m)**: Found in **Uttarakhand**, India, it is the third-highest peak in India.

- **Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m)**: Located in **Ladakh**, India (near the Siachen Glacier), it is one of the highest peaks in the Karakoram.

- **Saser Kangri I (7,672 m)**: Situated in **Ladakh**, India, it is the highest peak in the Saser Muztagh range.

- **Mana Peak (7,272 m)**: Found in **Uttarakhand**, India, near the Indo-Tibetan border.

- **Annapurna I (8,091 m)**: While primarily in Nepal, it is close to the Indian border and accessible from **Uttarakhand** for mountaineering expeditions.

- **Nun Kun (7,135 m)**: Located in **Ladakh**, India, it is a prominent twin-peak massif.

### Notes

- The Great Himalayas span multiple countries, but the above information focuses on glaciers, passes, and peaks relevant to India, as the context implies an interest in Indian geography.

- If you need details on specific peaks, glaciers, or passes in other countries (e.g., Nepal, Bhutan, or Pakistan) or more comprehensive lists, please let me know!

- For real-time or additional information, I can search the web or analyze X posts if required.