SEBA Class 9 Geography: Geography of India

EXERCISE QUESTION

1. Write about the geographical location of India.

Answer: India is situated in the southern part of the continent of Asia. It lies entirely in the northern hemisphere. In the north, India is bounded by the high Himalayas and China; in the south, by the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka; in the east, by the Bay of Bengal and Myanmar; and in the west, by the Arabian Sea and Pakistan.

Geographically, India extends from 8°4′28″N to 37°17′53″N latitudes and from 68°7′33″E to 97°24′47″E longitudes. The Tropic of Cancer (23°30′N) passes almost through the middle of the country, dividing it into two equal parts—northern and southern.

2. What is the total length of the Indian coastlines?

Answer: The total length of the Indian coastlines is about 6,100 kilometres.
These coastlines lie 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: The total length of the land boundaries of India is about 15,200 kilometres.

4. Write a short note on the Indian landmass.

Answer: India has a vast and varied landmass covering an area of 3,287,263 square kilometres, which is about 2.4% of the total land area of the earth. It extends 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km from east to west. Because of its huge size and distinct physical features, India is known as a sub-continent.

The Indian landmass is bounded by the Himalayas in the north, the Indian Ocean in the south, the Bay of Bengal in the east, and the Arabian Sea in the west. It includes a variety of landforms such as mountains, plateaus, plains, deserts, and coastal regions, which give rise to wide physical, climatic, and cultural diversity.

5. Write down four points of difference between the North and the South Indian rivers.

Answer: The following are four main differences between the North Indian rivers and the South Indian rivers:

1. Source:
The North Indian rivers originate from the snow-covered high mountains of the Himalayas and have water throughout the year, while the South Indian rivers rise from the mountains and plateaus of lower height and often dry up in winter.

2. Course:
The North Indian rivers have distinct upper, middle, and lower courses, but these are not clearly seen in the South Indian rivers.

3. Valleys and Navigability:
The North Indian rivers have wide valleys and flow slowly, making them navigable. In contrast, the South Indian rivers have narrow valleys, flow swiftly, and are not navigable.

4. Age and Floodplains:
The North Indian rivers are younger; they frequently change their channels and have wide floodplains. On the other hand, the South Indian rivers are older, flow over hard rocks, and have narrow floodplains.

6. What are the physiographic divisions of India?

Answer: Based on structure and physiographic characteristics, India is divided into four main physiographic divisions. These are:

1. The Northern Himalayas

2. The Northern Plains

3. The Deccan Plateau

4. The Coastal Region

Besides these four divisions, the islands of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are also considered as another physiographic unit of India.

7. What are the characteristics of the Northern Himalayan Mountain Region of India?

Answer: The Northern Himalayan Mountain Region lies in the northern part of India and extends from the Nanga Parbat of Kashmir to the eastern border of Arunachal Pradesh. Its main characteristics are:

1. The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world, extending about 2,500 km in length and 240 to 500 km in width.

2. Their average height is more than 8,000 metres above sea level.

3. The Himalayas were formed during the Tertiary period by the folding of sediments deposited in the Tethys Sea.

4. The Himalayas are folded mountains and consist mainly of easily erodible rocks.

5. They have many glaciers, which are the main sources of several large rivers.

6. The Himalayas can be divided into three parallel ranges — the Higher Himalayas, the Lesser Himalayas, and the Outer Himalayas.

8. Describe the characteristics of the North Indian Plain.

Answer: The North Indian Plain 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, covering a length of about 2,400 km. Its main characteristics are:

1. It is formed by the deposition of alluvial sediments brought by the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra rivers and their many tributaries.

2. It is also known as the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain and covers an area of about 7,00,000 sq. km.

3. The plain is fertile and densely populated, supporting advanced agriculture and transport systems.

4. It consists of several sub-plains — Western Plain, Punjab-Haryana Plain, Ganga Plain, North Bengal Plain, and Brahmaputra Plain.

5. The Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers play a major role in shaping and enriching this plain.

9. Describe the characteristics of the Deccan Plateau.

Answer: The Deccan Plateau lies to the south of the North Indian Plain and forms a major part of southern India. Its main characteristics are:

1. It is triangular in shape and made up of old hard rocks, covering a vast area of southern India.

2. It includes the Malwa Plateau and Vindhya Mountains in the north and the Chotanagpur Plateau in the north-east.

3. The Vindhya, Satpura, Mahadev, and Mahakal Mountains divide it into northern and southern parts, with the southern part being more extensive.

4. It is bordered by the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats, and most rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, and Kaveri flow eastward to the Bay of Bengal.

5. The region between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges slopes westward, so the Narmada and Tapti rivers flow west into the Gulf of Cambay.

10.Mention the characteristics of the Coastal Region of India.

Answer: The Coastal Region of India lies along the eastern and western boundaries of the country beside the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It forms a long and narrow strip of land with great economic importance. Its main characteristics are:

1. The coastal region is long and narrow, having a height of about 30 to 50 metres above sea level.

2. It is divided into two parts — the Eastern Coastal Region and the Western Coastal Region.

3. The Eastern Coastal Region lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, extending from the mouth of the Ganga to Cape Comorin. It is about 1,100 km long and 120 km wide, and it is fertile because of the river deltas formed by rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.

4. The Eastern Coast includes important lakes such as Chilka, Kolar, and Pulicat. Its northern part is called the North Circars, and the southern part is known as the Coromandel Coast.

5. The Western Coastal Region lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, extending from the Gulf of Cambay in the north to Cape Comorin in the south. It is about 1,500 km long and 10 to 15 km wide, making it narrower than the eastern coast.

6. The northern part of the western coast between Mumbai and Mangalore is called the Konkan Coast, and 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 has a vast and varied climate because of its large size, physiography, and latitudinal extent. It lies between 8°4′28″N and 37°17′53″N, and the Tropic of Cancer (23°30′N) divides the country into two parts — the northern part in the temperate zone and the southern part in the tropical zone, making the south warmer. The Himalayas protect northern India from the cold winds of Central Asia, while the Deccan Plateau has moderate temperature due to its elevation.

The distance from the sea also affects the climate. Coastal areas like Mumbai have moderate weather, while inland regions face greater temperature variation. The monsoon winds play a vital role — the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain in summer, and the north-east monsoon causes rainfall on the Coromandel Coast during winter.

12.Write a note on the impact of monsoons in India.

Answer: The monsoons have a major impact on the climate and agriculture of India. They blow in two main seasons — the south-west monsoon in summer and the north-east monsoon in winter. The south-west monsoon enters India from the Arabian Sea, bringing heavy rainfall to the Konkan and Malabar coasts, with over 300 cm of rain annually. After crossing the Bay of Bengal, it causes heavy rainfall in the Meghalaya Plateau, where Cherrapunji receives about 1250 cm of rainfall, and in the Assam plains and Himalayan foothills.

The north-east monsoon, blowing from Central Asia during winter, is mostly dry but picks up moisture over the Bay of Bengal and brings rain to the Coromandel Coast. Thus, monsoons greatly influence India’s rainfall, agriculture, and way of life.

13.Outline the pattern of rainfall distribution in India.

Answer: The rainfall in India is unevenly distributed due to differences in landforms and the effect of monsoon winds. The south-west monsoon brings most of the rain. Regions along the foothills of the Himalayas, the southern slopes of the Meghalaya Plateau, and the western slopes of the Western Ghats receive heavy rainfall of over 300 cm, while the outer Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh get more than 400 cm annually.

The northern plains, including the Brahmaputra Plain, receive moderate rainfall between 100 and 200 cm. The northern and western parts of the Deccan Plateau and Gujarat get 50 to 100 cm, while the Thar Desert of Rajasthan receives very little rainfall, sometimes below 20 cm. Overall, rainfall decreases from the coastal areas to the interior, showing clear regional variation across India.

14.Write about the types of the vegetations of India.

Answer: The main types of vegetation in India are —

1. Evergreen Vegetation

2. Monsoonal Vegetation

3. Dry Thorny Vegetation

4. Grassland Vegetation

5. Mangrove Vegetation

6. Mountain Vegetation

15.What are the characteristics of the Evergreen vegetation of India?

Answer: The Evergreen Vegetation of India has the following characteristics:

1. Found in regions with over 200 cm rainfall and temperatures between 25°C–27°C.

2. Forests are dense with tall trees (up to 45 m) that do not shed leaves throughout the year.

3. Include plants like cane, bamboo, ferns, creepers, and valuable trees such as sisum, sandalwood, and rubber.

4. These forests occur mainly on the western slopes of the Western Ghats, the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Assam, the hills of Manipur and Mizoram, and the Andaman Islands.

16.Write about the characteristics of the Mountain Vegetation of India.

Answer: The Mountain Vegetation of India changes with altitude and is mainly found in the Himalayas and North-Eastern hill regions. Its main characteristics are:

1. Found in hilly and mountainous regions where rainfall, temperature, and soil vary with height.

2. The Outer Himalayas (Siwalik ranges), about 1,000 metres high, have thick monsoonal forests with trees like sal and bamboo.

3. Between 1,000 and 2,000 metres, evergreen and coniferous trees such as oak grow.

4. From 1,600 to 3,000 metres, coniferous forests with deodar and other species are found, mainly in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Darjeeling, and Sikkim.

5. Above this height, only alpine vegetation occurs due to cold conditions.

17.What is the total population of India at present?

Answer: According to the Census of India 2011, the total population of India is 1,210,726,932

18.What are the different types of migration?

Answer: The different types of migration are —

1. Internal Migration

(a) Inter-State Migration

(b) Intra-State Migration

2. External Migration / International Migration.

19.What are the impacts of migration on India?

Answer: Migration has both positive and negative impacts on India. Its main effects are:

1. It increases social and cultural diversity as people of different communities, religions, and languages mix together.

2. It brings economic changes and helps in the development of trade and commerce.

3. It changes the population structure of different regions, affecting population growth, density, and literacy.

4. It increases pressure on land and natural resources, creating problems in employment, housing, health, and education.

5. It sometimes leads to religious, social, or political conflicts in certain areas.

6. It causes the growth of slums in urban areas, leading to unhygienic living conditions and pollution.

7. It can also influence political situations and cause mental stress among migrants due to adjustment difficulties.

20.Write down the main features of the Indian economy.

Answer: The Indian economy has several important features that reflect the country’s social and economic conditions.

1. Low Per Capita Income: India’s per capita income is very low compared to the cost of living. For example, in 2009–10, it was only Rs. 33,731 per year, which is not enough to meet basic needs.

2. Slow Growth of Income: Though income is increasing every year, the rate of growth remains slow, showing limited improvement in living standards.

3. High Population Pressure: India’s population has increased rapidly from 350 million in 1947 to 1210 million in 2011, putting heavy pressure on land, food, and resources.

4. Poverty: About 27.5% of the people live below the poverty line, and nearly 30 crore people in villages and towns suffer from poor living conditions.

5. Dependence on Agriculture: More than 60% of the population depends on agriculture, making it the backbone of India’s economy.

6. Growing Unemployment: With slow development in industries and trade, the problem of unemployment remains serious.

7. Planning-Based Development: India has followed five-year economic plans since 1951 to promote balanced growth in agriculture, industry, and other sectors.

21.What are the Union Territories of India?

Answer: The Union Territories of India are —

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands

2. Chandigarh

3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli

4. Daman and Diu

5. Delhi

6. Lakshadweep

7. Puducherry

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.

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 6,50,03,674 (2011 census)

1. Andhra Pradesh

2. Arunachal Pradesh

3. Assam

4. Bihar

5. Chhattisgarh

6. Goa

7. Gujarat

8. Haryana

9. Himachal Pradesh

10.Jammu and Kashmir

11.Jharkhand

12.Karnataka

13.Kerala

14.Madhya Pradesh

15.Maharashtra

16.Manipur

17.Meghalaya

18.Mizoram

19.Nagaland

20.Orissa

21.Punjab

22.Rajasthan

23.Sikkim

24.Tamil Nadu

25.Telangana

26.Tripura

27.Uttar Pradesh

28.Uttarakhand

29.West Bengal