PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA
Answer the following questions
Q.1 What is meant by doab?
- The land between two rivers is locally known as the doab.
Q.2 What is a delta? Name some deltas of the Indian sub-continent.
-The triangular deposition of sediments at the mouth of a river is known as a delta.
-The Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta.
-The Mahanadi Delta.
-The Godavari Delta.
-The Krishna Delta.
-The Kaveri Delta.
Q.3 What is the difference between a tributary and a distributary?
Answer:
-A Tributary: A tributary is that river which joins the main river, and increases the volume of water. It is generally found in the upper or the middle course of a river. For example, the Yamuna is the main tributary of the river Ganga.
-A Distributary: It is that river which originates from a main river. It is formed near the river’s mouth before it falls into the sea. It is found in the lower course of the river. For example, the Hooghly is the main distributary of the Ganga.
Q.4 Why are Northern Plains agriculturally productive parts of India? Explain.
-The deposition of alluvium in a vast basin lying at the foothills of the Himalaya over millions of years, formed this fertile plain.
- It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sQuestion km.
The plain is about 2400 km. long and 240 to 320 km. broad, is a densely populated physiographic division.
-With a rich soil cover combined with adequate water supply and favourable climate, it is agriculturally a very productive part of India.
Q.5 Name the three major divisions of Himalayas from the north to south.
The three major divisions of Himalayas from north to south are:
-The northernmost range is known as the Great Himalayas or Inner Himalayas or Himadri. It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks. It has an average height of 6000 meters. It consists of all the prominent Himalayan peaks.
-The southern range of Himadri which is known as the Himachal or the lesser Himalayas lies to the South of Himadri. It forms the most rugged mountain system. The ranges are mainly composed of highly compressed and altered rocks. The altitude varies between 3700 and 4500 meters and its average width is 50 kms.
-The outermost range of the Himalayas is known as Shiwaliks. Its height varies between 900 meters and 1100 meters. This range is composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges. These are also called foothill ranges. They represent the southernmost divison of Himalaya.
Q.6 Each physiographic region of India complements the other and makes the country richer in its natural resources.” Justify this statement with five examples.
Or
‘The diverse physical features of India are of immense value’.
Justify the statement by giving suitable examples.
-Importance of diverse physical features of India is as follows:
-The northern mountains are the major sources of water and forest wealth.
-The northern plains are the granaries of the country. They provide the base for early civilisations.
-The plateau is a storehouse of minerals which has played a crucial role in the industrialisation of the country.
-The coastal region and island groups provide sites for fishing and port activities.
-The deserts are the storehouse of solar energy.
Q.7 Which is the oldest landmass of India? Name its two broad divisions and explain any three features of each.
-The Great Peninsular Plateau lies to the south of the great plains and is the oldest landmass of India. It is triangular in shape. The river
Narmada divides it into two parts:
The Central Highlands and
The Deccan Plateau.
The Central Highlands:
It is made up of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks.
It comprises the Malwa Plateau, the small plateau of Bundelkhand and the Chhota Nagpur Plateau while the Western Ghats extend to the west of the Deccan Plateau.
Chambal, Sind and Betwa are three important rivers which flow through the Central Highlands.
It has been drained by tributaries of Yamuna and Ganga.
Bundelkhand in southern UP and Baghelkhand in northern Madhya Pradesh.
The Deccan Plateau:
It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of river Narmada.
It is higher in the west and slopes gendy eastwards.
It is the largest unit of the Peninsular Plateau of India.
Satpura range, Mahadev hills, Maikal range covers the northern edge.
It is the oldest block made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Q.8 Differentiate between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats
|
WESTERN GHATS |
EASTERN GHATS |
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The hills located along the western edge of the Deccan plateau. |
The hills located along the eastern edge of Deccan plateau . |
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Western Ghats are higher than the Eastern Ghats. |
Eastern Ghats are comparatively lower mountains |
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Western Ghats are continuous hills |
Eastern Ghats are not continuous and are split up into many parts by the rivers. |
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They are parallel to the Arabian Sea |
They are parallel to Bay of Bengal |
Q.9 What are barchans? Where can we see them?
-Barchans are crescent-shaped dunes that cover larger areas but longitudinal dunes become more prominent near the Indo-Pakistan boundary. In Jaisalmer, you may see a group of barchans.
