Download Area

Area
India, is the seventh largest country in the
world extending over 3, 287, 263 square
km. and occupies a strategic location on
the Asian continent. The land extends
from 8o4' to 37o6 north latitudes and from
68o7 to 97o25 degrees east longitude. India
measures 3,214 kilometers from north to
south and 2,933 kilometers from east to
west. The length of the coastline of the
peninsula and the two islands-Andaman
and Nicobar and Lakshadweep together
is 7, 516.6km.
Boundaries
The Indian
peninsula in the south is bounded on the
west by the Arabian Sea, on the east by
the Bay of Bengal and on the south by the
Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka lies off the
southeast coast, and the Maldives
off the southwest coast. In the north,
north east and north west of the
subcontinent lie the Himalayan ranges.
India shares borders to the northwest
with Pakistan, to the north with China,
Nepal and Bhutan, and to the east with
Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Rivers in India may be classified as
Himalayan, Peninsular or Deccan,
Coastal, and rivers of the inland drainage
basin.
The Himalayan Rivers
Ganga- the
largest river
basin in
India
The major rivers in the Himalayan group
are the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra. These rivers are generally
snow fed and have reasonable flow
throughout the year. During the monsoon
months (June to September), the
Himalayas receive very heavy rainfall and
the rivers carry the maximum amount of
water, causing frequent floods.
Himalayan rivers discharge about 70% of
their inflow into the sea. This includes
about 5% from central Indian rivers.
They join the Ganga and drain into the
Bay of Bengal.
The Deccan Rivers
The Peninsular rivers are generally rainfed and, therefore, fluctuate greatly in
volume. A very large number of them are
non-perennial. Peninsular rivers
contribute 30 percent of the total outflow
in India. The major Deccan rivers are
the Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Pennar,
Mahanadi, Damodar, Sharavati,
Netravati, Bharathapuzha, Periyar,
Pamba, Narmada and Tapti.
Rivers in India may be classified as
Himalayan, Peninsular or Deccan,
Coastal, and rivers of the inland drainage
basin.
The Himalayan Rivers
Ganga- the
largest river
basin in
India
The major rivers in the Himalayan group
are the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra. These rivers are generally
snow fed and have reasonable flow
throughout the year. During the monsoon
months (June to September), the
Himalayas receive very heavy rainfall and
the rivers carry the maximum amount of
water, causing frequent floods.
Himalayan rivers discharge about 70% of
their inflow into the sea. This includes
about 5% from central Indian rivers.
They join the Ganga and drain into the
Bay of Bengal.
The Deccan Rivers
The Peninsular rivers are generally
rain-fed and, therefore, fluctuate greatly
in volume. A very large number of them
are non-perennial. Peninsular rivers
contribute 30 percent of the total outflow
in India. The major Deccan rivers are
the Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Pennar,
Mahanadi, Damodar, Sharavati,
Netravati, Bharathapuzha, Periyar,
Pamba, Narmada and Tapti.
The Rivers of the Inland Drainage Basin
The rivers on the inland drainage basin
consists of those in Western Rajasthan
which are very few and short lived, like
the Sambhar which is lost in the desert
sands, and the Loni that drains into the
Rann of Kutch.
The Main Rivers in India
Name Originates
Length from
Ends in
Passes
(km)
through
anga
hagirati)
2,507
Gaumukh
Bay of
Bengal
amuna
amuna)
1370
Garhwal in
Yamunotri
Bay of
Bengal
ChemayungDung glacier,
between lake
Manasarovar
and Mount
Kailash
Hills of Coorg,
Karnataka
Bay of
Bengal
ahmaputra 2,850
averi
765
akshina
anga" or
anges of the
uth)
odavari
1,465
Bay of
Bengal
Trimbakeshwar Bay of
Uttar
Pradesh,
Bihar and
West
Bengal
Delhi,
Haryana an
Uttar
Pradesh
North
Eastern
states of
India
Karnataka
and Tami
Nadu
South-
rKrishna
near Nasik Hills Bengal
in Maharashtra
900
aNarmada 1,300
apti
724
Gomti
805
haghara
Near
Bay of
Mahabaleshwar Bengal
in
Maharashtra
Amarkantak
Arabian
hill in Madhya Sea
Pradesh
easterly
direction,
through
Maharastr
and Andhr
Pradesh
Maharastr
Karnataka
and Andhr
Pradesh
Maharastr
Madhya
Pradesh an
Gujarat
Pachmari,
Arabian Madhya
Madhya
Sea
Pradesh an
Pradesh
Gujarat
Himalaya
Bay of
Uttar
Range of Nepal Bengal
Pradesh
Shivalik
Disappears Haryana,
Mahanadi 860

mountain range
of Himachal
Pradesh
Satpura Range
into the
Thar
Desert
Bay of
Bengal
Chattisgar
Jharkhand
Orissa and
Maharasht
Himalayas extend 2500 km and covers
an area of about 500,000 sq km. It
comprises three almost parallel ranges
interspersed with large plateaus and
Valleys. The Himalayas has some of
the world's highest peaks. The states
of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh
lie mostly in the Himalayas.

Punjab and
Rajasthan
Patkai and other ranges in the north
and the north east. Also called the


Eastern Ghats, it runs from West
Bengal state in the north, through
Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil
Nadu in the south. Average elevation
is about 610 metres.
The Vindhya Range is a low mountain
range of central India. It extends for a
distance of 1050 km and separate the
Indo-Gangetic plain from the Deccan
Plateau on the south
The triangular shaped, Satpura Range
is in central India. The range rises in
eastern Gujarat state near the
Arabian Sea coast, running east
through Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh to Chhattisgarh.


The Aravalli ranges runs along
western India and extends
approximately 300 miles northeastsouthwest across Rajasthan state.
The Sahyadri ranges or the Western
ghats range runs along the western

border of the Deccan plateau
(Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu), from the Tapti river
near the border of Gujarat and
Maharashtra to the southern tip of the
Indian peninsula
(Kanyakumari).
The world's
It runs
highest peak
approximately
Everest is in the
1600km. and
Himalayan
elevation
ranges (7500m)
generally ranges
from 915 to 1,220 metres, rising over
2,440 metres in places.
The Indian sub continent has several
distinct physical divisions. They can be
classified under the following

The northern mountains( The
Himalayan Mountains): Has some of
the tallest peaks in the world which
are mostly covered with snow



throughout the year. Many big rivers
originate from the Himalayas.
The fertile plains of the Ganga (The
Indo- Gangetic Plain): The plains lie
to the south of the Himalayas between
the Indus and the Ganga river. This
region extending from Punjab to
Assam is a densely populated area
and produces the major part of the
country's food grains and is referred
to as the 'Food Bowl of India'
The desert region (The Thar Desert):
The north western part of India is
made up of the Thar desert and
occupies most of Western Rajasthan.
The plateaus (The Malwa, the
Chotanagpur and the Deccan Plateau)
: The plateaus are separated from the
Northern plains by mountains and hill
ranges including the Vindhyas,
Aravalli, Satpura, Maikala and
Ajanta. The Deccan plateau with its
rolling hills and numerous rivers,



occupies most part of central and
southern India.
The coastal plains (The Eastern and
the Western Coastal Plains): They are
narrow strips of plain land that lie on
either side along the coast of the
peninsula, beyond the ghats. The
Eastern Coastal plains includes the
Coromandel Coast in the south and
the Western Coastal plains includes
the Konkan, Kankara, and the
Malabar coasts.
The Two Ghats (Eastern and the
Western Ghats): The Ghats are
mountain ranges on the east and
west coasts of the
subcontinent. To the east and west of
the Deccan plateau lie the Eastern
Ghat and the Western Ghat,
respectively.
The Islands ( The Andaman and
Nicobar, the Lakshadweep Islands):
Lakshadweep lies in the Arabian Sea
on the west of the Indian Peninsula
and Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay
of Bengal on the east.
The Indo gangetic plains, the desert
region and the Himalayas together form
the North India and the south
peninsula with the coastal plains, the two
ghats and the Deccan Plateau form the
South India.


Andaman and

Haryana

Nagaland
Nicobar

Himachal

Orissa
Pradesh

Pondicher
Jammu and

Punjab
Kashmir

Rajasthan
Andhra
Pradesh


Arunachal
Pradesh

Jharkhand

Sikkim

Assam

Karnataka

Tamil Nad

Bihar

Kerala

Tripura

Chandigarh

Lakshadweep

Uttar Pra

Chhattisgarh

Madhya

Uttaranch

Dadra and
Pradesh

West Beng
Nagar

Maharashtra
Daman and

Manipur
Diu

Meghalaya

Delhi

Mizoram

Goa

Gujarat

The Indian subcontinent has varied
physical and climatic conditions and types
of vegetation, stretching from the
northern temperate Zone to the equator
and embracing such contrasting regions
as the Himalayas in the north and
tropical sea-coast in the south.
Based on the distinctive types of flora and
fauna the Indian subcontinent has
been divided in to three sub regions
though they do not form rigid boundaries.
They are (a) Himalayan sub- region (b)
Tropical rain forest (c) Indian
Peninsular region. Certain species are
widespread in the country and cover
more than one region. Thus there is
always an intermingling of species
between these zones.
 47 ,000 species of plants have been
described by the Botanical Survey of
India


India in the tenth county in the world
and fourth in Asia in plant diversity.
There are 86 national parks
and 480 wildlife sanctuaries in
India

India has great variety of fauna
numbering 89,451 species
India
offers big regional variations in its
climate, from cool mountain pastures
beside the glaciers, through windy
plateau, to warm river valleys and
burning deserts. Seasonal winds
determine the climate. India has four
major seasons - Winter - Hot weather
summer, Rainy south western monsoon
and Post monsoon. Winter months
(November-February), Summer time
(March-June), Hot weather summer
(March May). During the Rainy south
Western Monsoon, rainfall is heavy along
the west coast
between June- September and during the
Post Monson, it is heavy along the east
coast between mid October to December.
These are affected by two winds-the
North East Monsoon (Winter Monsoon)
which appears in the Bay of Bengal,
bringing rains to the east coast and South
West Monsoon (Summer Monsoon) which
blows from sea to land after crossing the
Indian ocean
, the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal.
The first National Park in India was set
up in 1935 in the foot hills of Himalayas
in Uttar Pradesh and was known as
Hailey National Park. It is now known as
(after the famed wildlife lover) Corbett
National Park. In 1970, there were only
five National Parks, namely Kanha,
Bandavgarh, Shivpuri, Taroba and
Corbett. Now there are about 87 National
Parks in India.
Tiger Reserves
National Parks
Project Tiger The first
was launched National Park
in India was set
in India in
up in 1935.
1972 as a
conservation Now there are
programme for about 87
National Parks
saving the
Indian Tiger in India
Population..
Anshi National
Park
Balakram National
Park
Bannerghata
National Park
Bandharvgarh
National Park
Bandipur National
Park
Betla National
Mukurthi National Park
Marine National Park
Middle Button National
Park
Mollem (Bhagwan
Mahavir Sanctuary)
National park
Mrugavani National Park
Mouling National Park
Park
Bandhavgarh
National Park
Bhitar Kanika
National Park
Buxa National
Park
City Forest
National Park
Dachigam National
Park
Corbett National
Park
Dibru - Saikhowa
National Park
Dudhwa National
Park
Eravikulam
National Park
Fossil National
Park
Gangotri National
Park
Mount Harriet National
Park
Namdapha National Park
Nanda Devi National Park
Nagarhole National Park
Nameri National Park
Nawegaon National Park
Neora Valley National
Park
Nokrek National Park
North Button Island
National Park
North Simlipal National
Park
Orang National Park
Gir National Park
Gorumara
National Park
Govind Pashu
Vihar National
Park
Great Himalayan
National Park
Gugumal National
Park
Guindy National
Park
Hemis High
Altitude National
Park
Indira Gandhi
Panna National Park
Panch National Park
Pench National Park
Periyar National Park
Pin Valley National Park
Rajaji National Park
Ranthambore National
Park
Saddle Peak National Park
National Park
Indravati National
Park
Kanha National
Park
Kangerghati
National Park
Khangchendzonga
National Park
Kaziranga
National Park
Kasu
Brahmananda
Reddy National
Park
Keibal Lanjao
National Park
Keoldeo National
Park
Kishtawar
National Park
Kudremukh
National Park
Sariska National Park
Sanjay Gandhi National
Park
Satpura National Park
Silent Valley National Park
Singhalila National park
Sirohi National Park
Sri Venkateshwara
National Park
South Button Island
National Park
Sultanpur National Park
Sundarbans National Park
Madhav National
Park
Mahavir Harina
Vanasthali
National Park
Mudumalai
National Park
Manas National
Park
Marine National
Park
Marine National
Park
Tadoba National Park
Valmiki National Park
Valley of Flowers National
Park
Vansda National Park
Van Vihar National Park
Velavadar Black Buck
National Park
The Tropic of Cancer 23° 30 ' N divides
India almost into two halves. The land
frontier of the country is 15, 200 km and
the total length of the coastline is 7, 517
kilometers.
Indian peninsula tapers southward
resulting in the division of the Indian
Ocean into two water bodies - the Bay of
Bengal and the Arabian Sea. In India,
there is a great diversity of landforms
such as lofty mountains, deep valleys,
extensive plains, and a number of islands.
Broadly the physical features of India can
be divided into five physical units - The
Great Mountains of the North, The North
Indian Plain, The Peninsular Plateau, The
Coastal Plains, and The Islands.
Region
South Asia (also known as Indian subcontinent), bordering
Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan.
Area
3,287,590 square kms.
Area Classification
90.44% land.
Coastline
7,516 km
Borders
Total - 14,103 km
Bangladesh - 4,053 km
Bhutan - 605 km
Burma (Myanmar) - 1,463 km
China - 3,380 km
Nepal - 1,690 km
Pakistan - 2,912 km
Highest Point
Kanchenjunga (8,598 m or 28,209 ft)
Lowest Point
Kuttanad (-2.2 m or -7.2 ft)
Longest River
Ganges-Brahmaputra
Largest Lake
Chilka Lake
No. of States
28
No. of Union Territories
7
No. of Districts
600
No. of Villages
6.4 lakhs
























Official Name
Capital
Population
Area
Geographical
Location
Coastline Length
Major Religions
Literacy
President
Prime Minister
National Anthem
National Song
National Emblem
National Animal
National Bird
National Flower
National Tree
National Fruit
National Currency
National Sport
Languages
National Flag























Bharat (Hindi), Republic of India (English)
New Delhi
1, 027, 015, 247 (2001 Census)
3.3 million square kilometers
Between latitudes 8 ° 4' and 37 ° 6 ' north and
longitudes 68 ° 7 ' and 97° 25' east
7600 km
Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism,
Jainism
65.38%
Pratibha Patil
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Jan gana mana written by Rabindranath Tagore
Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by
Bankimchandra Chatterji
Replica of the Lion Capital of Sarnath
Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Peacock
Lotus
Banyan
Mango
Rupee (One Rupee=100 paise)
Hockey
India has two National languages (Central
administrative). They are English (associate official)
and Hindi (in the Devanagiri script). The Indian
Constitution also officially recognizes 22 regional
languages.
Horizontal tricolor in equal proportion of deep saffron
on the top, white in the middle and dark green at the
bottom. In the center of the white band is a wheel in
navy blue color