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The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions (Figure 2.2): The Himalayan Mountains. The Northern Plains. The Peninsular Plateau. The Indian Desert. The Coastal Plains. The Islands. The Himalayan Mountains.
- Himalayan Mountains. The northernmost landscape of the country highlights the fold mountains of the Himalayas. Though geologically young, the Himalayan Mountains are the loftiest and the most rugged of the world.
- Northern Plains. The three major river systems of India- Indus, Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries have fed the foothills of the Himalayas.
- Peninsular Plateau. The oldest landmass of India, the Peninsular Plateau was the result of the tectonic shifts of the Gondwana Land. This massive plateau area is further divided as-
- Indian Desert. The undulating sandy plains covered with sand dunes on the western fringes of the Aravali Hills comprise the Indian Desert. With rainfall as low as 150 mm per annum, this region is the aridest in the country and thus, low on greenery.
Feb 11, 2024 · India, a land of diverse landscapes and varied terrain, boasts a rich tapestry of physical features that have shaped its history, culture, and environment. From the towering Himalayas in the north to the expansive coastal plains in the south, India’s geography is as diverse as it is captivating.
CBSE Notes Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 on Physical Features of India helps you understand how the physical features of India are grouped under the physiographic divisions. Download these notes in pdf and study through them.
- Physical features include landforms, bodies of water, climate, natural vegetation and soil.
- A peninsula is a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water but is connected to the mainland on one side.
- Brahmaputra basin spans the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland and the whole of Sikkim in India.
- Formation of Himalayas. The earth crust was divided into a number of pieces by convectional currents. → The Indo-Australian Plate separated from the Gondwana land and drifted towards north which resulted in the collision of the plate with the much larger Eurasian Plate.
- Formation of Northern Plain. The uplift of Himalaya from Tethys sea and settling of the northern flank of the peninsular plateau created a large basin. → In due time, gradually the basin got filled with deposition of sediments by the rivers flowing from the mountains in the north and the peninsular plateau in the south which created a flat land of extensive alluvial deposits known as northern plains of India.
- Major Physiographic divisions of India.
- The Himalayan Mountains. It is geologically young and structurally folded mountains which run along the northern borders of India. → The ranges run from west (from Indus) to east direction (to the Brahmaputra) covering a distance of about 2,400 Km representing loftiest peaks in the world.
mountains and valleys are common features. In fact, our country has practically all major physical features of the earth i.e. mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands. You must be wondering how these physical features have been formed. We will learn more about major physical features of India and how they have been formed.
Geological development. The Indian Plate. India is situated entirely on the Indian Plate, a major tectonic plate that was formed when it split off from the ancient continent Gondwanaland (ancient landmass, consisting of the southern part of the supercontinent of Pangea ).
