Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, extra MCQs, PDF for Geography of India: SEBA Class 9 Geography, which is part of the syllabus for students studying under Assam Board. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
Summary
India is a large and important country located in the northern half of the world, within the continent of Asia. It is a land of great diversity, with many different climates and physical features. In the north, there are the high, snow-covered Himalayan mountains where it is very cold. In contrast, the desert of Rajasthan is very hot and sandy. Some parts of the country receive heavy rainfall and experience floods, while other areas suffer from a lack of water.
The country can be divided into four main physical regions. The first is the Northern Himalayan Region, which contains the world’s highest mountains. These mountains were formed over millions of years by the folding of the earth’s surface. The second region is the Northern Plains, a large, flat, and fertile area created by rivers like the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra. This region is heavily populated because the land is good for farming. The third region is the Deccan Plateau, an old, triangular tableland in southern India, bordered by mountain ranges called the Western and Eastern Ghats. The fourth region is the Coastal Plains, which are narrow strips of land along the east and west coasts. India also has two groups of islands: the Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal.
India is sometimes called the “land of rivers” because it has so many of them. The northern rivers get water from melting snow in the Himalayas and flow all year. The southern rivers depend more on rain. The climate of India is heavily influenced by monsoon winds. The south-west monsoon brings rain to most of the country in the summer. This variation in climate supports different types of vegetation, from dense evergreen forests in areas with heavy rain to thorny bushes in dry deserts.
India has the second-largest population in the world. The population is not distributed evenly; more people live in fertile plains than in mountains or deserts. People also move from one place to another, which is called migration. For good governance, the country is divided into states and union territories. The economy of India depends heavily on agriculture, with a large number of people working on farms. Industry and transportation are also growing in importance. The transport system is often called the “life-line of the country” because it connects all parts of India and is essential for its economy and development.
Exercise
1. Write about the geographical location of India.
Answer: India is an important country situated in the northern hemisphere of the earth and lies in the continent of Asia. It is situated in the southern part of this continent. In the north of India lies the high Himalayas and China, in the south the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka, in the east the Bay of Bengal and Myanmar, and in the west the Arabian Sea and Pakistan.
This country is located between 8°4′28″N and 37°17′53″N latitudes and 68°7′33″E and 97°24’47’E longitudes. The Tropic of Cancer, or the 23°30′N line of latitude, runs through the midway of the country, dividing it into two equal northern and southern parts.
2. What is the total length of Indian coastlines?
Answer: India has about 6,100 km long coastlines along the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south.
3. What is the total length of the land boundaries of India.
Answer: India has a total of 15,200 km long land boundaries with its neighbouring countries.
4. Write a short note on Indian landmass.
Answer: The Indian landmass extends from Kashmir to Cape Comorin in its north-south extension and from Arunachal Pradesh to Saurashtra in its east-west extension. The north-south extension of India’s landmass is 3,214 km, and the east-west extension is 2,933 km.
In terms of its size, India is the seventh largest country in the world. It is 13 times larger than the United Kingdom and 9 times larger than Japan. India has a total area of 3,287,263 km² and occupies about 2.4 per cent of the total area of the earth. Because of its large size and vast extension, it is called the sub-continent.
5. Write down four points of differences between the north and the south Indian rivers.
Answer: Four points of difference between the north and the south Indian rivers are:
- The north Indian rivers have their water flows throughout the year as they are coming out of the snow-covered high mountains. But the rivers of south India generally originate from the mountains and plateaus of comparatively low height and so they get dried out during winter.
- The three courses of the river—upper course, middle course and lower course—are distinctly seen in the north Indian rivers, but these are not so distinct in the case of the south Indian rivers.
- The valleys of the north Indian rivers are wide and as these rivers have their long course in the plains, they flow slowly and hence these are navigable. But the valleys of the south Indian rivers are comparatively narrow and the rivers are flowing rapidly. Hence they are not navigable.
- The rivers of south India are older and they are flowing in a definite course over the hard rocks of Deccan plateau. So, these rivers do not change their channels frequently and their floodplains are also narrow. On the other hand, the rivers of north India are relatively younger in age and these change their channels frequently. So, their floodplains are also wide.
6. What are the physiographic division of India?
Answer: Based on the structure and characteristics of physiography, India can be divided into four physiographic divisions:
(i) The northern Himalayas
(ii) The northern plains
(iii) The Deccan plateau
(iv) The coastal region
Besides these four regions, the Indian islands of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea may also be regarded as another physiographic unit of the country.
7. What are the characteristics of the Northern Himalayan Mountain Region of India?
Answer: The Himalayas are the highest mountains of the world and are known as the Himalayan mountain system. The Himalayan region of India lies in the northern part of the country, extending from the Nanga Parbat of Kashmir to the easternmost border of Arunachal Pradesh. This mountainous region has a length of about 2,500 km, a width ranging from 240 km to 500 km, and covers an area of about 5,00,000 sq. kms. Its height from the mean sea level is more than 8,000 m.
The Himalayas are folded mountains formed during the Tertiary period from sediments in the Tethys sea. The Himalayan ranges are composed of easily erodible rocks, so rivers coming out of them carry an enormous amount of sediment. The higher peaks are covered by snow, from which glaciers originate.
In the east-west direction, the Himalayas can be divided into three parallel ranges:
- The Higher Himalayas: These are the northernmost, snow-covered ranges with an average height of about 6,000 m.
- The Lesser Himalayas: Located south of the Greater Himalayas, these have an average height of 4,000 m.
- The Outer Himalayas: These are adjacent ranges to the south, with an average height of 1,000 m. They are also known as the Siwaliks in some places.
8. Describe the characteristics of the North Indian Plain.
Answer: The northern plain region lies between the Himalayan ranges in the north and the Deccan Plateau in the south. It extends from Assam in the east to the Indo-Pakistan border in the west, with a total length of 2,400 km. This physiographic unit is mainly known as the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra plain and covers a total area of about 7,00,000 km².
The vast northern plain region consists of five plains: the western plain, Punjab-Haryana plain, Ganga plain, North-Bengal plain, and Brahmaputra plain. The three principal Himalayan rivers—the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra—with their innumerable tributaries have created this vast plain. The plain is characterized by fertile alluvial soils, making it densely populated and agriculturally advanced. To the west of this fertile plain is the dry, desertic plain of Rajasthan, which is a part of the Thar Desert.
9. Describe the characteristics of the Deccan Plateau.
Answer: The Deccan Plateau is situated on the south of the north Indian plain. It is triangular in shape and composed of old hard rocks. The Vindhya, Satpura, Mahadev, and Mahakal mountains divide this plateau into northern and southern parts. The southern part is more extensive, extending from the Satpura mountains to Cape Comorin. It is bordered by the Western Ghats on the west and the Eastern Ghats on the east.
The Deccan plateau as a whole is higher towards the Western Ghats and slopes towards the Eastern Ghats. Due to this slope, almost all the south Indian rivers, like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri, flow from west to east into the Bay of Bengal. However, the region between the Satpura and Vindhya mountains slopes from east to west, so the two major rivers there, the Narmada and Tapti, flow westwards into the Gulf of Combay.
10. Mention the characteristics of the Coastal Region of India.
Answer: The coastal region of India is situated on the eastern and western boundaries of the country along the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It is long and narrow, with a general height between 30m and 50m from the mean sea level. It can be divided into two regions:
The Eastern Coastal Region: This region is situated between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, extending from the mouth of the Ganges to Cape Comorin. It is about 1,100 km long with an average width of 120 km. It is made up of coastal plains and deltas created by major rivers, making it wider and more fertile than the western coast. The northern part is known as the North Circars, and the southern part is known as the Coromandel coast.
The Western Coastal Region: This region is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats, extending from the Gulf of Combay to Cape Comorin. It is long but narrow, with a length of about 1,500 km and a width between 10 km and 15 km. The northern part, between Mumbai and Mangalore, is known as the Konkan coast. The southern part, between Mangalore and Cape Comorin, is called the Malabar coast.
11. Write down the characteristics of the climate of India.
Answer: India’s climate is characterized by regional variations in major climatic elements like temperature, wind, atmospheric pressure, and humidity. These variations depend on factors such as the vastness of the country, distance from the equator, varied physiography, differences in elevation, distance from the sea, and the impact of the monsoon.
The Tropic of Cancer divides the country into a northern temperate climatic zone and a southern tropical climatic zone, making the southern part relatively warmer. The high Himalayas protect northern India from cold northern winds. The nearness to the sea causes the climate of coastal places to be moderate. The impact of monsoons on the Indian climate is also significant.
12. Write a note on the impact of monsoons in India.
Answer: The impact of monsoons on the Indian climate is significant. Monsoons have a direct impact on Indian agriculture, as the rainfall they bring helps crops grow well and increases crop production.
- South-west Monsoons: These blow during summer, entering India from the Arabian Sea. They carry enormous moisture, causing heavy rainfall of more than 300 cm annually on the western coasts. After crossing the Western Ghats, this wind flows over the Bay of Bengal, picks up more moisture, and advances towards Assam and the North-East, causing high rainfall. The Cherrapunji area receives about 1250 cm of rainfall annually.
- North-east Monsoons: These blow during winter from Central Asia. This wind is generally dry, but when it flows over the Bay of Bengal, it carries some moisture. This moisture-carrying wind gets obstructed by the Eastern Ghats, causing rainfall on the east coast, especially along the Coromandel coast.
13. Outline the pattern of rainfall distribution in India.
Answer: Rainfall is not uniformly distributed over all the places of the country. Heavy rainfall (more than 300 cm on annual average) occurs along the Himalayan foothills of the North-Eastern region, southern parts of the Meghalaya plateau, and the western slopes of the Western Ghats. The highest amount of rainfall, more than 400 cm, occurs along the outer Himalayan ranges of Arunachal Pradesh.
On the other hand, less than 50 cm of average annual rainfall takes place in the Thar desert of Rajasthan and its neighbouring areas, with some areas receiving even less than 20 cm. The northern and western parts of the Deccan plateau and areas around Gujarat also receive less rainfall, between 50 cm and 100 cm. Rainfall of medium range, between 100 cm and 200 cm on an average annual basis, is found to occur in the northern plains of India, including the Brahmaputra plain.
14. Write about the types of the vegetations of India.
Answer: The vegetations of the country can be broadly classified into six types:
- Evergreen vegetation
- Monsoonal vegetations
- Dry thorny vegetations
- Grassland vegetations
- Mangrove vegetations
- Mountain vegetations
15. What are the characteristics of the Evergreen vegetation of India?
Answer: Evergreen vegetations are found in regions with an average annual rainfall of more than 200 cm and a temperature between 25°C and 27°C. These vegetations form thick forests with tall and big trees that grow up to 45m. Besides tall trees, cane, bamboo, ferns, and creepers are also found as undergrowth. The trees do not shed their leaves in any season of the year, so they are called evergreen forests. Valuable trees like sisum, sandal, and rubber grow in these forests. Evergreen vegetations are mainly found on the western slopes of the Western Ghats, the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, the Upper Assam Region, the hills of Manipur and Mizoram, and in the Andaman islands.
16. Write about the characteristics of the Mountain Vegetation of India.
Answer: In India, different kinds of vegetation are found at different altitudes of mountains and hills due to variations in rainfall, temperature, and soil qualities.
- The Outer Himalayas, including the Siwalik ranges (up to 1000m), are covered by thick monsoonal forests with sal, bamboo, and other valuable trees.
- At altitudes between 1000m and 2000m, forests of evergreen trees like oak and other coniferous trees are found.
- Coniferous forests with deodar and other species are abundantly found between 1600m and 3000m in the Himalayan regions of Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and in the North-Eastern hill regions.
- Above this height, only the alpine types of forests grow.
17. What is the total population of India at present?
Answer: According to the Census of India, the total population of India in 2011 was 1,210,726,932.
18. What are the different types of migration?
Answer: Migration can be divided into two main types:
- Internal Migration: This is the movement of people within a country. It can be further classified into:
- Inter-state migration: Migration that takes place among the states of the country.
- Intra-state migration: Migration that takes place among the districts or regions of a state.
Internal migration has four flows: from village to village, from village to city, from city to village, and from city to city.
- External Migration: This is the movement of people from one country to another. It is also known as international migration.
19. What are the impacts of migration on India?
Answer: Some important impacts of migration are mentioned below:
- Due to migration, variations in communities, religions and languages are increasing and, as a result colourful cultures have grown.
- Changes in the economic sector and expansion of trade and commerce are caused due to migration.
- Migration has changed the demographic structure of the country as well as its different regions. Population growth, density and literacy rates are changing due to migration.
- Migration contributes directly to the growth of India’s population. Problems have arisen due to migration, such as increasing population pressure on land, and effects on forest and wetland ecosystems, health and education sectors, and employment.
- Due to migration, sometimes some serious religious, social and political problems may take place.
- Migrants sometimes suffer from mental pressure as they fail to adjust with the new places as well as new societies.
- Slums generally grow, especially in the urban areas due to migration, causing pollution to the urban environment.
- Due to migration, the political situations of the country or the states are on the way to change.
20. Write down the main features of Indian economy.
Answer: The main characteristics of the present Indian economy are:
(a) Low per capita income
(b) Slow growth of per capita income
(c) Excessive pressure of population
(d) Poverty
(e) Dependence on agriculture
(f) Growing unemployment problem
(g) Planning based development
21. What are the Union Territories of India?
Answer: The Union Territories of India are:
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Chandigarh
- Delhi
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
- Lakshadweep
- Punducherry
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Ladakh
22. How many states are there in India at present and name those.
Answer: At present, there are 28 states in the country. The names of the states are:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chattishgarh
- Goa
- Gujrat
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharastra
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Orissa
- Punjab
- Rajasthan
- Sikkim
- Tamilnadu
- Telengana
- Tripura
- Uttarakhand
- Uttar Pradesh
- West Bengal
23. Name the latest state formed in India. Write the area and population of it.
Answer: The latest state formed in India is Telangana. Its area is 1,14,840 km². The population of Telangana is 3,50,03,674 (2011 Census).
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