IX Geography

Unit 1: India Size and location

India is an ancient civilization but now it is a developing nation. It has shown remarkable progress in various fields.

Location

• India lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.
• India’s mainland extends between latitudes, and longitudes.
• The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two almost equal parts.
• The island groups of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar are also part of India.

Size

• Covering an area of 3.28 million square kilometers, India’s total area is 2.4% of the total geographical area of the world.
• India is the world’s seventh-largest country with a land boundary of about 15,200 km, with the total length of the coastline being 7,516.6 km.
• India’s east-west extent appears to be smaller than the north-south extent.
• India's latitudinal and longitudinal extent is about 30 degrees.
• India's standard time is based on 82.30 degrees E meridian, which passes near Mirzapur in UP.
• Latitudinal extent influences the day and night.

India and the World

• The Indian landmass is centrally located between West and East Asia.
• The trans-Indian ocean routes connect countries in the west and counties in the east.
• India’s protruding Deccan Peninsula helped India to establish close contacts with West Asia, Africa, Europe, Southeast, and East Asia.
• India’s contacts with the world via land routes are much more than her maritime contacts.
• India is the only nation that has an ocean named after it.
• India has contributed a lot to the world in form of ideas, philosophies (Upanishads, Ramayana, Panchtantra), and mathematics (Indian numerals and decimal system).
• In exchange, India’s architecture was influenced by Greek sculpture and architectural styles from West Asia.

India’s Neighbours

• India has an important position in South Asia and has 29 States and 7 Union Territories.
• India shares its boundaries with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Bhutan.
• The southern neighbors across the sea consist of the two island countries, namely the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
• Shri Lanka is separated from India by Pak Strait, a narrow strip of sea.
• India always has had strong geographical and historical links with its neighbors.
• India stands apart from the rest of Asia.

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Unit 2 Physical Features of India:

Location

• India has all major physical features of the Earth, i.e. mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands.
• In India the soil colour varies from place to place as it is formed from different types of rocks.
• India is a large landmass formed during different geological periods.
• India's relief features are outcome of other processes like weathering, erosion and deposition.
• India has varied physical features whose formation can be explained on the basis of the ‘Theory of Plate Tectonics’.
• According to the theory of Plate Tectonics the seven major and minor plates that form the Earth’s crust keep moving, causing stress and thus leading to folding, faulting and volcanic activity.
• Plates can have convergent, divergent and transform boundaries.
• India's peninsular part is made from one of the oldest landmass of the world 'Gondwana land'. It was a single landmass comprising of India, Australia, South Africa, South America and Antarctica.
• The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions   
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(i) The Himalayan Mountains.

(ii) The Northern Plains

(iii) The Peninsular Plateau

(iv) The Indian Desert

(v) The Coastal Plains

(vi) The Islands

1. The Himalayan Mountains

• The Himalayas are young-fold mountains which are the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world.
• The Himalayas are 2500 km long, 400 km to 150 km wide from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh respectively.
• The Himalayas have three parallel ranges in the longitudinal extent namely :

— Great or Inner Himalayas also called Himadri. It is the highest mountain range with an average height of 6000 m.

— Middle Himalayas or Himachal. The altitude varies between 3700 and 4500 m. It includes ranges like Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar and Mahabharat.

— Outer Himalayas or Shivalik. It is the outermost range with 900 to 1100 m average altitudes.

The longitudinal valley between lesser Himalayas and Shiwaliks are known as Duns.

• The Himalayas can be divided into four sections :

— Punjab Himalayas — between Indus and Satluj.

— Kumaon Himalayas — between Satluj and Kali.

— Nepal Himalayas — between Kali and the Tista.

— Assam Himalayas (Eastern Himalayas) — Between Tista and the Dibang (Tsangpo).

The himalayas are the highest and the youngest fold mountains in the world. 

2. The Northern Plains

The northern plains lie to the south of the Himalayas. They are one of the largest areas of alluvial deposits in the world. 

• It is formed by the interplay of the three major river systems - the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra.
• The Northern Plains spread over an area of 7 lakh sq. km, 240 km long, and 240 km to 320 km broad.
• The rivers that flow to the plains from the mountains are involved in depositional work.
• The difference in relief causes the Northern Plain to have four regions.

- Bhabar -laying at the foot of Shiwaliks, a narrow 8 to 16 km wide belt of pebbles.

- Terai - lying next to Bhabar, a wet and marshy area with wildlife and forests.

- Bangar - Older alluvium plain which rises above the level of the flood plains.

- Khadar - Younger alluvium of the flood plains.

3. The Peninsular Plateau

It lies to the south of the northern plains. this region is bounded by the eastern and western ghats. The malwa and the Deccan plateau exist here. 

• The Peninsular Plateau is the tableland formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land.
• It is composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks.
• The plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau.
• Central highlands lie north of river Narmada.
• The eastward extensions of Peninsular Plateau are locally known as Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand. The Chhota Nagpur Plateau marks the further eastward extension drained by the Damodar river.
• The Deccan Plateau, a triangular mass, lies to the south of the river Narmada.
• The western and eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau are marked by the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats respectively.
• The Western Ghats are higher than the Eastern Ghats.
• Anaimudi is the highest peak in Western Ghats ( 2695 m ) and Mahendragiri with 1501 m. is the highest peak in Eastern Ghats.
• A distinct feature of the peninsular plateau is the black soil area known as Deccan Trap.

4. The Indian Desert

The Indian desert lies to the west of the northern plains and extends into the Sind province of Pakistan. It is also known as the Thar desert.  

• The undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes towards the western margins of the Aravalli Hills is the Indian Desert.
• Crescent-shaped dunes called barchans cover large parts of the Indian Desert.
• It has very less rainfall around 150 mm.
• Luni is the only large river in this region.

5. The Coastal Plains

The eastern coastal plain is wider and more fertile than the western coastal plain. 

• The narrow coastal strips flank the Peninsular Plateau.
• On the west, the coastal strips are divided into Konkan (Mumbai-Goa), Kannad Plain, and the Malabar Coast from the northern to the southern part.
• The plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level.
• On the east, the coastal strip is divided into Northern Circars and the Coromandal Coast from northern to the southern part.

6. The Islands

There are two groups of islands: Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands. 

A. Andaman and Nicobar islands lie in the bay of Bengal 

B.  Lakshadweep island lies in the Arabian sea. 

• The Lakshadweep Islands group in the Arabian Sea is close to Kerala.
• The Lakshadweep Islands were formerly known as Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindive.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an elongated chain of islands located in the Bay of Bengal.
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an elevated portion of submarine mountains.

India's regions complement each other and make the country richer in its natural resources. Mountains are the source of forests and water. Plains provide grains. Plateaus are storehouses of minerals. Coastal areas support fishing and ports.

In India, there are a total of 1382 islands are located.

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Chapter - 3  DRAINAGE

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• ‘Drainage’ is a term which describes the river system of an area.
• A drainage basin or river basin is an area which is drained by a single river system.
• An upland that separates two drainage systems that are next to each other is called a water divide.
• On the basis of origin there are two river systems of India — The Himalayan rivers and the Peninsular rivers.
• Himalayan rivers are rainfed and snowfed, so they have water in them throughout the year, i.e. they are perennial.
• Himalayan rivers perform intensive erosional activity in the upper course.
• In the lower course they carry huge loads of silt and sand.
• Himalayan rivers create meanders, oxbow lakes and other depositional features on their course.
• Peninsular rivers are seasonal; mostly depending on rainfall.
• Most of the rivers of peninsular India originate in the Western Ghats and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.

The Himalayan Rivers

• A river along with its tributaries may be called a river system.
• The major Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

The Indus River System

• Rising near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, the Indus enters India in the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Zaskar, the Nubra, the Shyok are the tributaries in Kashmir.
• Rivers Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum join Indus near Mithankot, Pakistan and flow southwards to fall into the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi.
• With a total length of 2900 km, the Indus is one of the longest rivers of the world.
• India and Pakistan have distributed Indus river water according to Indus Water Treaty in 1960.

The Ganga River System

• The headwaters of the Ganga are called ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda at Devprayag in Uttarakhand.
• Ganga meets the tributaries from the Himalayas such as Ghaghara, Gandak and Kosi.
• A major river Yamuna, arising from Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas, joins Ganga at Allahabad.
• Other tributaries — Chambal, Betwa and Son — come from Peninsular uplands to join Ganga.
• Farukka  in West Bengal is the northernmost point of the Ganga Delta.
• Ganga is joined by Brahmaputra and forms river Meghna which flows through Bangladesh to reach the Bay of Bengal.
• The delta formed when the Ganga and the Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal is known as the Sunderban Delta.
• The length of the Ganga is over 2500 km and it develops large meanders in the downstream plain areas.

The Brahmaputra River System

• Originating in Tibet, very close to the sources of Indus and Satluj, Most of its course lies outside the India.
• On reaching Namcha Barwa it takes a 'U' turn and enters in Arunachal Pradesh to flow to Assam joined by many tributaries.
• The tributaries that join Brahmaputra are Dibang, Lohit, and Kenula.
• The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam to form many riverine islands. World's largest riverine island is found in Brahmaputra.
• Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed, causing the riverbed to rise.

The Peninsular Rivers

• Western Ghats form the main water divide in peninsular India.
• The major rivers of the peninsula — Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri — flow eastwards to drain into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Tapi and Narmada are the only rivers which flow west to make estuaries and drain into the Arabian Sea.
• The drainage basins of the peninsular rivers are comparatively small in size.

The Narmada Basin

• Rising in the Amarkantak hills, Narmada flows to create a gorge in marble rocks of Madhya Pradesh.
• Narmada flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting.
• Near Jabalpur it flows in the form of deep gorge in the marble rocks and Dhuadhar falls are picturesque locations.

The Tapi Basin

• Originating in Betul, Madhya Pradesh in Satpura ranges.,
• It also flows in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada but is much shorter than Narmada.
• Tapi flows through a basin that covers Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The main west flowing rivers are Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharathpuzha and Periyar.

The Godavari Basin

• Godavari begins in Nasik district of Maharashtra and is the largest peninsular river about 1500 km.
• Its large basin covers most parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.
• The tributaries which join the Godavari include Purna, Wardha, Pranhita, Manjra, Wainganga and Penganga.
• Because of its length and the area it covers, Godavari is also known as the Dakshin Ganga.
• Godavari drains into the Bay of Bengal.

The Mahanadi Basin

• The Mahanadi, a 860 km long river, rises in Chhattisgarh to flow through Orissa to reach the Bay of Bengal.
• Mahanadi river basin is shared by Maharashtra, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

The Krishna Basin

• The 1400 km long Krishna river rises from a spring near Mahabaleshwar to reach the Bay of Bengal.
• The tributaries of Krishna include Bhima, Musi, Ghatprabha, Koyana and Tungabhadra. The Krishna basin is shared by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

 

The Kaveri Basin

Originating in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats, the Kaveri reaches the Bay of Bengal at Kaveripatnam, sharing its basin with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The river Kaveri makes second biggest waterfall in India known as Sivasamudram.

Other smaller rivers like Damodar, Brahmani, the Baitarani and Subarnlekha.

Lakes

• Most lakes are permanent while other contain water only during the rainy season.
• Some lakes are result of the glacial action and ice sheets and some may have been formed by wind, river action and human activities.
• A river meandering across a floodplain forms cut-offs that later develop into oxbow lakes.
• Glacial lakes are formed when glaciers dig out a basin which is later filled with snowmelt.
• Some lakes like Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir result from tectonic activity.
• Apart from natural lakes, the damming of the rivers for the generation of hydro power has also led to the formation of lakes.
• Lakes help to regulate river water flow, prevent flooding, aid to develop hydropower, moderate climate, maintain aquatic ecosystem, enhance natural beauty, develop tourism and provide recreation.

Role of rivers in the economy

• Rivers are natural sources of water.
• Settlements on the river banks have developed into cities.
• Rivers are used for irrigation, navigation, hydro-power generation, all vital for India, an agricultural economy.

River Pollution

• Quality of river water is affected by the growing domestic, municipal, industrial and agricultural demand.
• A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into the river affecting the river's self-cleansing property.
• Concern over rising pollution in our rivers led to the launching of various action plans to clean the rivers.

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Chapter - 4 CLIMATE

1. Concept 

General weather conditions over a period of thirty years period is said to be the climate of a place.

• Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere over an area at any point of time.
• Temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation are elements of weather and climate.
• Generalised monthly atmospheric conditions determine the basis on which the year is divided into the seasons — summer, winter or rainy.
• India has a monsoon type of climate.
• Monsoon is basically a seasonal reversal in the wind through the year.
• There is huge difference in temperature from one region to another.
• Form of precipitation, its amount and distribution also differ from one part of India to another.
• Coastal areas observe lesser difference in temperature conditions. It is the interior of India that experiences temperature contrasts.
• Decrease in rainfall is seen from east to west in the Northern Plains. All this influences diversity in professions, food, dress and houses of people.

2. Climatic Controls

• The interplay of latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, pressure and wind system, ocean currents and relief features determine climatic conditions of a place.

Meteological Department of India

This institute not only depicts the weather of each state but also illustrates future catastrophe coming in next week. (Link for the same given end of chapter) 

3. Factors Affecting India’s Climate

• Latitude, altitude and pressure and winds affect Indian climate.
• The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of the country from the Rann of Kuchchh to Mizoram.
• Air temperature generally decreases from equator to poles.
• Temperature and air pressure decreases as on moves from surface of the earth to higher altitudes.
• The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from central Asia from entering the subcontinent.
• The climate and associated weather conditions in India are governed by various atmospheric conditions namely pressure and surface winds, upper air circulation, western cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones.
• The sea exerts a moderating influence on climate.People far away from sea experience extreme weather conditions. This is known as 'continentality'.
• Ocean currents also affect the climate of the coastal areas.
• An apparent force caused by the earth’s rotation is the Coriolis Force.
• The wind direction changes as per the season. They are from north east to south wet in winter whereas completely reverse in summer bringing moisture. 
• Jet streams are narrow belts of high-altitude (above 12,000 m) westerly winds in the troposphere.
• The western cyclonic disturbances are weather phenomena of the winter months, brought in by the westerly flow from the Mediterranean region.

4. Distribution of Rainfall

• Owing to the nature of monsoons, the annual rainfall is highly variable from year to year.
• Areas of high rainfall are liable to be affected by floods while areas of low rainfall are drought prone.

The Seasons

• Four main seasons can be identified in India — the cold weather season, the hot weather season, the advancing monsoon and the retreating monsoon with some regional variations.
• In the cold weather season the northeast trade winds prevail over India.
• Days are warm and nights are cold.
• Frost is common in the north and the higher slopes of the Himalayas experience snowfall.
• The summer months experience rising temperature and falling air pressure in the northern parts of the country.
• A striking feature of the hot weather season are strong, gusty, hot, dry winds blowing during the day over the north and northwestern India called loo.
• In the advancing monsoon, i.e. the rainy season, the north-western region of the country receives the maximum rainfall.
• The dust storms in northern India are common.
• The localised thunderstorms, associated with violent winds, torrential downpours, often accompanied by hail. In west Bengal they are known as 'Kaal Baisakhi'.
• From June onwards the monsoon occupies most of the Indian Peninsula and central part within a month.
• Monsoon has ‘breaks’ in rainfall, thus it has wet and dry spells.
• The alternation of dry and wet spells vary in intensity, frequency and duration causing heavy floods in one part and droughts in the others.
• By the beginning of October the monsoon withdraws from Northern plains.
• The conditions of high temperature and humidity, the weather becomes rather oppressive during the day and is called as October heat.
• Rainfall in India ranges from 400 cm in western coast and northeastern India to 60 cm in Western Rajasthan and adjoining area.

6. Monsoon as a Unifying Bond

• The dependence of farmers on rain, a change in seasonal cycle, variance in temperature, the needs of humans, plants and animals, festival dates etc., all depend on monsoon in India. In this way monsoon is a unifying bond for Indians.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

METROLOGICAL STATION

Measuring Tool Ch-3

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Unit 5 Natural Vegetation and Wild Life:

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Unit 6 Population:

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