India : Political and Physical Features (Excursions)
Workout
A. Fill in the blanks with correct answers.
1. Sri Lanka is separated from India by the ...........
a. Palk Strait. [✓]
b. Gulf of Mannar. [ ]
c. Bering Strait. [ ]
d. Isthmus of Suez. [ ]
2. India is divided into .................. states.
a. 30. [ ]
b. 27. [ ]
c. 28. [✓]
d. 25. [ ]
3. The eastern extension of the Himalayas is known as .................
a. Purvanchal. [ ✓ ]
b. To install Uttaranchal. ,
c. Pear tree. [ ]
d. To install Himadri. ,
4. The Baltoro and Siachen glaciers are found in the ...............
a. Himalayas. [ ]
b. Karakoram Range. [ ✓]
c. Purvanchal. ,
d. Great Northern Plains. [ ]
B. Write T for true and F for false.
1. India is located in South Asia. [T]
2. India shares its boundaries with Afghanistan. [T]
3. The Ten Degree Channel separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands. [T]
4. The Himalayas are divided into five divisions based on their location. [F]
5. Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), which is the highest point in India, is located on the border of India with China. [F]
C. Answer these questions in brief.
1. Explain the location and physical features of the Outer Himalayas.
= The Outer Himalayas from the southernmost range of the Himalayas. They have an average elevation of about 1200 m above the mean sea level. They form the southern-most range of the Himalayas. Interspersed in the Shiwaliks are broad flat longitudinal valleys known as duns. These valleys are heavily populated and vast cultivations are common. Dehra Dun, Patli Dun and Kotli Dun are examples of such valleys.
2. Name the neighbouring countries of India.
= India has a long coastline. It shares its borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Mayanmar, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. There is a small boundary between India and Afghanistan in the northwest part of our country. We share water boundaries with Sri Lanka and Maldives.
3. How were the political divisions in India created?
= India is divided into 28 states and 8 union territories for administrative purposes. The country was divided into its current political divisions based on many factors such as geography, population, culture and language. The people of India speak different languages and have diverse cultural, religious and ethnic traits. Rajasthan is the largest state and Goa is the smallest state in India. Delhi is one of the union territories of India. It is also referred to as the National Capital Territory (NCT). New Delhi, the national capital, is a part of the NCT.
4. State the location of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau.
= The Chhota Nagpur Plateau is located in north-western Chhattisgarh and central Jharkhand. It is higher in the south and its height deceases northwards.
5. Explain the physical features of the Peninsular Plateau of India.
= The Peninsular Plateau is also known as the Indian Plateau. It lies to the south of the Vindhya and the Satpura ranges. The plateau begins from Aravalli in the northwest and the region surrounding it is made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is higher in south and the height decreases northwards.
D. Answer these questions in detail.
1. Name the physical divisions of India. State any two features of each division.
= India can be divided into six major physical divisions:
❐ The Northern Mountains.
❐ The Great Northern Plains.
❐ The Peninsular Plateau.
❐ The Coastal Plains.
❐ The Thar Desert.
❐ The Islands.
❐The Thar Desert :
The Thar Desert is mostly located in north-western Rajasthan. It is a low-lying zone of undulating and shifting sand hills, separated by sandy plains and low barren hills. The sand dunes in this region shift from one place to another continuously and take up different shapes and sizes. However, older dunes are relatively more stable. The Luni is the only significant river that exists in this region. Lake Sambhar, a saltwater lake, is found here. The Indira Gandhi Canal, which draws water from the Sutlej, is the main source of water.
❐ The Islands :
India has two remarkable group of island - the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep island in the Arabian Sea.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of 324 islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are separated by Ten Degree Channel which is a deep sea.
Three islands, namely, Amindivi, Laccadive and Minicoy, together form the Lakshadweep Islands. They are tiny islands of coastal origin surrounded by fringing reefs. They are mostly uninhabited and together form the smallest union territory of India.
2. Draw a flowchart showing the various divisions and subdivisions of the Peninsular Plateau.
=
3. Write a short note on the rivers flowing through the Northern Plains.
= The Great Northern Plains can be divided into three parts from west to east - the Indus river basin, the Ganga river basin and the Brahmaputra river basin.
The Indus river :
The river Indus originates near lake Manasarovar, which is located near Mount Kailash in the Tibetan Plateau. Most of its tributaries rise from the glaciers in the Karakoram, Ladakh and Zanskar ranges. The Indus flows into the Arabian Sea.
The Ganga river :
The river Ganga originates from the Gangotri Glacier at Gomukh. Most of its tributaries originate in the Himalayas, while some originate at the edge of the Peninsulas Plateau. The Ganga flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The Brahmaputra river :
The Brahmaputra River originates from the glaciers of the Kailash Range near the Manasarovar lake, also known as lake Mapam.
4. Differentiate between the eastern and the western coastal plains.
=
|
Eastern Coastal Plain |
Western Coastal Plain |
|---|---|
|
1. The Eastern Coastal Plain
extend from the Subarnarekha river along the West Bengal-Odisha border to
Kanyakumari. |
1. The Western Coastal Plains extend from the Kutch in the north to
Kanyakumari in the south. |
|
2. They are broader. |
2. They are narrower. |
|
3. This plain have more rivers. |
3. This plain has few rivers. |
|
4. There are many deltas in this plain. |
4. There are fewer deltas. |
|
5. The plain is fertile due to those river basins. |
5. The plain is less fertile due to mountains. |
5. Write a short note on the island of India.
= ❐ The Islands : India has two remarkable group of island - the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago in the Bay of Bengal and the Lakshadweep island in the Arabian Sea.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of 324 islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are separated by Ten Degree Channel which is a deep sea.
Three islands, namely, Amindivi, Laccadive and Minicoy, together form the Lakshadweep Islands. They are tiny islands of coastal origin surrounded by fringing reefs. They are mostly uninhabited and together form the smallest union territory of India.