🌏 Indian Geography – Summary Notes

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🟩 1. Introduction to Indian Geography

• India is located in Southern Asia.
• It is the 7th largest country in the world by area and the 2nd most populous.
• Lies entirely in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres.
• Coordinates:
  • Latitude: 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N
  • Longitude: 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E
• Standard Meridian: 82°30′ E (passes through Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh).

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🟩 2. India’s Location and Boundaries

• Bounded by:
  • North: Himalayas
  • South: Indian Ocean
  • East: Bay of Bengal
  • West: Arabian Sea
• Land frontier: ~15,200 km
• Coastline: ~7,500 km

Neighbouring Countries (9):
Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka (sea), Maldives (sea).

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🟩 3. Physical Divisions of India

India can be divided into six major physical divisions:

1️⃣ The Northern Mountains (Himalayas)

• Formed due to collision of Indian Plate & Eurasian Plate.
• Extend from Jammu & Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.
• Three parallel ranges:
  • Himadri (Greater Himalaya) – highest, includes Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga.
  • Himachal (Lesser Himalaya) – hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie.
  • Shiwalik (Outer Himalaya) – foothills, covered with forests.

Importance: Source of rivers, climatic barrier, tourist attraction, natural defense.

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2️⃣ The Northern Plains

• Formed by deposits of Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers.
• Very fertile alluvial soil → best for agriculture.
• Densely populated region.
• Divided into:
  • Punjab Plains (Indus Basin)
  • Ganga Plains
  • Brahmaputra Plains

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3️⃣ The Peninsular Plateau

• Oldest landmass of India, formed from ancient rocks.
• Divided into:
  • Central Highlands (between Aravalli and Chotanagpur Plateau)
  • Deccan Plateau (triangular region between Western & Eastern Ghats)
• Rich in minerals like iron, coal, and manganese.

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4️⃣ The Indian Desert (Thar Desert)

• Located in Rajasthan.
• Sandy soil, arid climate, little rainfall (<150 mm/year).
• Dunes and scarce vegetation.
• Luni River is the only major river.

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5️⃣ The Coastal Plains

• Stretch along Arabian Sea (West) and Bay of Bengal (East).
• Western Coast: Konkan, Karnataka Coast, Malabar Coast.
• Eastern Coast: Coromandel Coast, Northern Circar.
• Fertile deltas (esp. Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi).
• Important ports – Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam.

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6️⃣ The Islands

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) – volcanic origin, tropical forests.
• Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea) – coral origin, small and flat.

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🟩 4. Major Rivers of India

River	Origin	Flows into	Type
Ganga	Gangotri Glacier	Bay of Bengal	Perennial
Yamuna	Yamunotri Glacier	Ganga	Perennial
Brahmaputra	Tibet (Tsangpo)	Bay of Bengal	Perennial
Indus	Tibet	Arabian Sea	Perennial
Godavari	Nasik	Bay of Bengal	Peninsular
Krishna	Mahabaleshwar	Bay of Bengal	Peninsular
Narmada	Amarkantak	Arabian Sea	Peninsular
Tapi	Satpura Hills	Arabian Sea	Peninsular
Mahanadi	Chhattisgarh	Bay of Bengal	Peninsular

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🟩 5. Climate of India

• India has a Tropical Monsoon Climate.
• Seasons in India (as per Indian Meteorological Dept.):
  1. Winter – Dec to Feb
  2. Summer – March to May
  3. South-West Monsoon (Rainy Season) – June to Sept
  4. Retreating Monsoon (Autumn) – Oct to Nov

Features:

• Rainfall mainly from South-West monsoon winds.
• Western Disturbances bring winter rain in north India.
• Thar Desert causes hot and dry climate.

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🟩 6. Natural Vegetation

Type	Region	Example
Tropical Evergreen Forests	Western Ghats, NE India	Mahogany, Ebony
Tropical Deciduous Forests	Central India	Teak, Sal
Thorny Forests	Rajasthan	Babool, Khejri
Mountain Forests	Himalayas	Pine, Deodar
Mangrove Forests	Sunderbans	Sundari tree

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🟩 7. Soils of India

Type	Characteristics	Found In
Alluvial	Fertile, rich in minerals	Northern Plains
Black (Regur)	Good for cotton	Deccan Plateau
Red	Iron-rich	Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
Laterite	Poor in fertility	Western Ghats, NE India
Arid (Desert)	Sandy, dry	Rajasthan
Mountain	Thin, stony	Himalayas

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🟩 8. Minerals and Resources

Mineral	Major States
Coal	Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh
Iron Ore	Odisha, Chhattisgarh
Manganese	Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
Bauxite	Jharkhand, Odisha
Petroleum	Assam, Gujarat, Mumbai High
Natural Gas	Gujarat, Assam
Mica	Bihar, Jharkhand

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🟩 9. Agriculture in India

• India = Agricultural country (about 50% population engaged).
• Main Crops:

Type	Examples	Seasons
Kharif	Rice, Maize, Cotton	Monsoon (June–Oct)
Rabi	Wheat, Barley, Mustard	Winter (Nov–April)
Zaid	Watermelon, Cucumber	Summer (March–June)

Major Producing States:

• Rice: West Bengal, UP, Punjab
• Wheat: UP, Punjab, Haryana
• Cotton: Gujarat, Maharashtra
• Sugarcane: UP, Maharashtra

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🟩 10. Population and Settlements

• India’s population: 1.4+ billion (2024 est.)
• Density: ~464 people/km² (very high)
• Most populated states: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal
• Urbanization: ~36% population lives in cities

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🟩 11. Natural Disasters in India

Disaster	Example / Region
Earthquake	Himalayas, Gujarat
Floods	Bihar, Assam, UP
Drought	Rajasthan, MP
Cyclones	Odisha, Andhra Pradesh
Landslides	Uttarakhand, NE India

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🟩 12. Importance of Indian Geography

• Determines climate, economy, agriculture, and population patterns.
• Rich in natural resources and diverse ecosystems.
• Plays a key role in Asia’s trade, defense, and environment due to its strategic location.

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🧾 Quick Recap Table

Topic	Key Points
Location	8°4′ N to 37°6′ N, 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E
Physical Divisions	6 (Mountains, Plains, Plateau, Desert, Coasts, Islands)
Climate	Tropical Monsoon
Rivers	Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Narmada
Soils	Alluvial, Black, Red, Laterite
Forests	Evergreen, Deciduous, Thorny
Crops	Rice, Wheat, Cotton, Sugarcane
Disasters	Floods, Cyclones, Droughts