Physical Features of India
'India's PHYSICAL FEATURES are as DIVERSE as its people — from the SNOW-CAPPED Himalayas to the SUN-BAKED Thar Desert, from the FERTILE Northern Plains to the RUGGED Deccan Plateau.'
1. Major Physiographic Divisions — An Overview
India is divided into SIX major physiographic divisions:
| S.No. | Physiographic Division | Key Characteristics |
|---|
| 1 | The Himalayas | Young, fold mountains. Stretch from Indus to Brahmaputra. ~2,400 km long, 240-400 km wide. |
| 2 | The Northern Plains | Alluvial deposits by Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra. ~7 lakh sq km. Most densely populated region. |
| 3 | The Peninsular Plateau | Oldest landmass (Gondwana). Deccan Plateau. Rich in minerals. |
| 4 | The Indian Desert | Thar Desert. Western Rajasthan. Arid climate. |
| 5 | The Coastal Plains | Western (Konkan, Kanara, Malabar) and Eastern (Coromandel, Northern Circars). |
| 6 | The Islands | Andaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal) and Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea). |
2. The Himalayas
'Himalaya' means 'abode of snow' (Him = snow, Alaya = abode). The Himalayas are the YOUNGEST, HIGHEST, and most ACTIVE mountain range on Earth.
Formation — The Plate Tectonic Story
The Himalayas were formed when the Indo-Australian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate about 50 million years ago. India was once a separate landmass that broke off from Gondwanaland and drifted northward at ~15 cm/year before colliding with Asia. The collision is STILL ONGOING — the Himalayas are rising at about 5 mm per year.
Three Parallel Ranges
| Range | Characteristics | Average Height | Notable Peaks |
|---|
| Himadri (Greater Himalayas) | Northernmost, most continuous range. Contains the highest peaks. | 6,000+ m | Mt. Everest (8,848 m — world's highest), K2 (8,611 m — India's highest), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) |
| Himachal (Lesser Himalayas) | South of Himadri. Composed of highly compressed rocks. | 3,700-4,500 m | Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar, Nag Tiba ranges |
| Shiwaliks (Outer Himalayas) | Southernmost range. Formed by soft, unconsolidated sediments. Prone to earthquakes and landslides. | 900-1,200 m | Broad valleys called Duns (Dehradun, Patli Dun, Kotli Dun) |
3. The Northern Plains
The Northern Plains stretch from Punjab in the west to West Bengal/Assam in the east — covering ~7 lakh sq km and comprising the world's most EXTENSIVE alluvial deposit.
The Northern Plains were formed by the deposition of alluvium by three major river systems:
- The Indus System (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum — flowing through Punjab)
- The Ganga System (Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi — flowing through UP, Bihar, West Bengal)
- The Brahmaputra System (Brahmaputra — flowing through Assam, Arunachal Pradesh)
Divisions of the Northern Plains
| Division | Description |
|---|
| Bhabar | Narrow belt (8-16 km) along the foothills of Shiwaliks. Pebbles and boulders. Rivers disappear here. |
| Terai | Wet, swampy region south of Bhabar. Thick forests and wildlife. Re-emergence of underground streams. |
| Bangar | Older alluvium. Higher elevation, contains kankar (calcium carbonate nodules). |
| Khadar | Newer alluvium. Floodplains, renewed every year — most FERTILE. |
4. The Peninsular Plateau
The Peninsular Plateau is the OLDEST landmass of India (formed from the Gondwana landmass). It is composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks and is rich in minerals.
Three Sub-divisions
| Sub-division | Features |
|---|
| Central Highlands | North of Narmada River. Includes the Malwa Plateau, Bundelkhand, Baghelkhand, and Chhota Nagpur Plateau (known as the mineral storehouse of India — rich in coal, iron ore, mica). |
| Deccan Plateau | Triangular landmass south of Narmada. Bounded by Western Ghats (west) and Eastern Ghats (east). Highest peak: Anamudi (2,695 m) in Kerala. |
| Western Ghats (Sahyadris) | Continuous, higher. Average elevation ~900-1,600 m. Runs parallel to western coast. Acts as a rain barrier — blocks the SW monsoon winds → heavy rainfall on the western side, rain shadow on the eastern side (Deccan). |
| Eastern Ghats | Discontinuous, lower (average ~600 m). Runs parallel to eastern coast. Broken by rivers flowing into the Bay of Bengal. |
Western Ghats vs Eastern Ghats
| Feature | Western Ghats | Eastern Ghats |
|---|
| Continuity | Continuous (can be crossed only through passes) | Discontinuous (broken by rivers) |
| Average height | 900-1,600 m | 600 m |
| Highest peak | Anamudi (2,695 m) | Mahendragiri (1,501 m) |
| River drainage | West-flowing rivers (Narmada, Tapi) | East-flowing rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi) |
| Biological diversity | VERY HIGH (UNESCO World Heritage site) | Moderate |
| AP relevance | Does NOT pass through AP | Passes THROUGH AP |
5. The Indian Desert (Thar)
The Thar Desert is located in western Rajasthan and extends into Pakistan (Cholistan).
| Feature | Value |
|---|
| Area | ~2.3 lakh sq km (world's 9th largest subtropical desert) |
| Rainfall | Less than 25 cm/year |
| Temperature | Summer: up to 50°C. Winter: near freezing. |
| Vegetation | Cactus, thorny bushes, acacia, khejri |
| Key features | Sand dunes (barchans), salt lakes (Sambhar — India's largest inland salt lake), Luni River (ephemeral) |
6. The Coastal Plains
| Feature | Western Coastal Plain | Eastern Coastal Plain |
|---|
| Location | Between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea | Between Eastern Ghats and Bay of Bengal |
| Width | 50-80 km (NARROW) | 100-130 km (WIDE, especially in the south) |
| Sub-divisions | Konkan (Mumbai-Goa), Kanara (Karnataka), Malabar (Kerala) | Northern Circars (Odisha-AP), Coromandel Coast (AP-Tamil Nadu) |
| Rivers | Short, fast-flowing (west-flowing) | Long, slow-flowing (east-flowing), form deltas |
| AP relevance | Does NOT affect AP directly | Includes Coromandel Coast (AP south) and Northern Circars (AP north) |
7. The Islands
| Archipelago | Location | Number of Islands | Key Features |
|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar | Bay of Bengal | ~572 | Volcanic origin (submerged mountain chain). Dense tropical forests. Barren Island — India's only ACTIVE volcano. Indira Point — southernmost point of Indian Union. |
| Lakshadweep | Arabian Sea, off Kerala coast | ~36 | Coral origin (atolls). Minicoy — largest. Very small land area (32 sq km total). |
8. Andhra Pradesh — Physical Features
AP is a state of geographic contrasts — from the Eastern Ghats (west) to the Coastal Plains (east), from the Godavari-Krishna delta (north) to the Rayalaseema plateau (southwest).
| Physiographic Region | AP Description |
|---|
| Eastern Ghats | Discontinuous hill ranges crossing AP from north to south. Major ranges: Nallamala Hills (south AP), Seshachalam Hills (Tirupati), Palkonda Hills, Madugula Konda (highest peak in AP at ~1,200 m). |
| Coastal Plains | ~974 km coastline. Subdivided into: Northern Circars (Srikakulam to Krishna district) and Coromandel Coast (Guntur to Nellore). |
| Godavari-Krishna Delta | The two major rivers form one of the largest delta systems in India — known as the 'Rice Bowl of India'. The delta is extremely fertile and densely populated. |
| Rayalaseema Plateau | Semi-arid region in southwestern AP. Low rainfall (500-700 mm/year). Prone to drought. |
| Deccan Plateau interior | Kurnool, Anantapur, Chittoor districts — part of the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. |
9. Common Mistakes
- 'The Himalayas are the oldest mountains in India' — CORRECTION: The Himalayas are the YOUNGEST mountains (fold mountains formed ~50 mya). The Peninsular Plateau is the OLDEST (part of Gondwana landmass).
- 'Western Ghats are higher and continuous; Eastern Ghats are higher and discontinuous' — CORRECTION: Western Ghats are higher AND continuous. Eastern Ghats are LOWER (avg 600 m) AND discontinuous.
- 'The Deccan Plateau is bounded by the Aravalli range' — CORRECTION: The Deccan Plateau is bounded by the Western Ghats (west) and Eastern Ghats (east). The Aravalli range is in the Central Highlands (northwestern India).
- 'The Godavari delta is in Telangana' — CORRECTION: The Godavari delta is in Andhra Pradesh (East and West Godavari districts). Telangana has the upstream portion of the Godavari flow.
- 'The Eastern Ghats are continuous from Odisha to Tamil Nadu' — CORRECTION: Eastern Ghats are DISCONTINUOUS — they are broken by major rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Penna, Kaveri) that flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal.
10. Exam Focus
| Topic | Marks (approx.) |
|---|
| Six physiographic divisions of India | 3-4 |
| Himalayas — three parallel ranges | 3-4 |
| Northern Plains — Bhabar, Terai, Bangar, Khadar | 3-4 |
| Peninsular Plateau — Central Highlands vs Deccan | 3-4 |
| Comparison: Western Ghats vs Eastern Ghats | 4-5 |
| Coastal Plains — Western vs Eastern | 2-3 |
| AP physical features | 2-3 |
Map Skills for AP Exam
- Mark on India map: Himalayas, Northern Plains, Deccan Plateau, Thar Desert, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats.
- Location: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep.
- AP-specific: Mark Eastern Ghats (Nallamala, Seshachalam), Godavari-Krishna delta, Coromandel Coast on AP map.
- Identify: Hills/ranges of Eastern Ghats in AP (Nallamala, Seshachalam, Palkonda, Madugula Konda).
11. Quick Self-Test
- Name the six major physiographic divisions of India. (Answer: Himalayas, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains, Islands.)
- Which is the oldest landmass in India? (Answer: Peninsular Plateau — part of Gondwana.)
- Distinguish between Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats on three points. (Answer: WG — continuous, higher 900-1,600 m, west-flowing rivers. EG — discontinuous, lower ~600 m, east-flowing rivers.)
- What is the difference between Bangar and Khadar? (Answer: Bangar = older alluvium, higher, contains kankar. Khadar = newer alluvium, floodplains, most fertile.)
- Name the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas. (Answer: Himadri/Greater Himalayas, Himachal/Lesser Himalayas, Shiwaliks/Outer Himalayas.)
- What are Duns? Give an example. (Answer: Broad valleys between Shiwaliks and Himachal ranges. Example: Dehradun.)
- On which coast is Andhra Pradesh located? (Answer: Eastern Coastal Plain — Northern Circars and Coromandel Coast.)
- Name the highest peak in the Western Ghats. (Answer: Anamudi, 2,695 m, in Kerala.)
- Which is India's only active volcano? (Answer: Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.)
- What is the significance of the Godavari-Krishna delta for AP? (Answer: It is the 'Rice Bowl of India' — extremely fertile delta region formed by the two largest peninsular rivers.)
