The Geography of India presents a varied and diverse landscape ranging from snow-clad mountain ranges, deserts, plains, hills and plateaus. Climate ranges from equatorial in the far south, to tundra in the Himalayan altitudes. India has a long coastline of over 7,000 kilometres, most of which lies on a peninsula that protrudes into the Indian Ocean. India is bounded in the west by the Arabian Sea and in the east by the Bay of Bengal.
India's main geographical features are the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain, which occupy most of northern, central and eastern India, while the Deccan Plateau occupies most of southern India. To the west of the country is the Thar Desert, which consists of a mix of rocky and sandy desert. India's east and north-eastern border consists of the lofty Himalayan range. The highest point in India is disputed due to a territorial dispute with Pakistan; according to India's claim, the highest point (located in the disputed Kashmir territory) is the Godwin Austin K2, which is at a height of 8,611 m (28,251 ft). The highest point in undisputedly Indian territory is Kanchenjunga, which is at a height of 8,598 m (28,208 ft).
India is bordered by Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and AfghanistanTemplate:Mn. Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia are the neighbouring island nations lying to the south of India. Politically, India is divided into twenty-eight states, six federally administered union territories and a National capital territory.
Location and extent
India lies to the north of the equator between 8 degree 4 minutes and 37 degree 6 minutes north latitude and 68 degree 7 minutes and 97 degree 25 minutes east longitude. It is bounded on the south-west by the Arabian Sea and on the south-east by the Bay of Bengal. On the north, north-east and north-west lie the Himalayan ranges. Kanyakumari constitutes the southern tip of the Indian peninsula where it gets narrower before ending into the Indian Ocean.
India measures 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km from east to west with a total land area of 3,287,263 square kilometres. It has a land frontier of 15,200 km and a coast line of 7,516.5 km. Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian sea are parts of India. Template:Inote
Geographical regions
India is divided into seven geographic regions. They are
- The northern mountains including the Himalayas and the northeast mountain ranges.
- Indo-Gangetic plains
- Thar Desert
- Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau
- East Coast
- West Coast
- Bordering seas and islands
Mountains
A great arc of mountains, made up of the Hindu Kush, Himalaya, and Patkai ranges, define the Indian subcontinent. These mountains were formed by the ongoing tectonic collision of India with Eurasia. These mountains, the tallest in the world, provided a barrier against cold polar winds, and thus facilitate the monsoons that drive the climate of India. India's fertile plains are watered by the numerous rivers which originate in these mountains. These mountains are recognized by biogeographers as the division between two of the earth's great ecozones, the temperate Palearctic that covers most of Eurasia, and the tropical and subtropical Indomalaya ecozone that includes the Indian subcontinent and extends into Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Historically these ranges have served as barriers to invasions, albeit an imperfect one.
There are seven major mountain ranges in India, all having peaks of over 1,000 metres. The Himalayas are the only mountain ranges to have snow capped peaks.
The Himalaya mountain range is the world's highest mountain range. The Himalayas make up India's north-eastern border, separating it from the rest of Asia. The Himalayas are the world's youngest mountain range and extend almost uninterrupted for a distance of 2,500 km, covering an area of 500,000 km². The mountain chain is thought to have been the result of Tectonic activity; the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates beginning some 50 million years ago.
The Himalayas extend from the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the west to the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the east, passing through the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Sikkim. Some of the peaks of the Himalaya range over 7,000 metres and the snow line ranges between 6,000 metres in Sikkim to around 3,000 metres in Kashmir. The highest point in the country's territory (undisputed) is the Kanchenjunga, which lies in Sikkim, straddling its western border with Nepal. Most of the peaks in the Himalayas are snowbound throughout the year.
The Shiwalik or lower Himalaya is consists of smaller hills towards the Indian side. Most of the rock formations are young and highly unstable, with landslides being a regular phenomenon during the rainy season. Many of India's hill stations are located on this range. The climate ranges from sub tropical in the foothills to tundra in the higher elevations of these mountain ranges.
The Patkai or the Purvachal are mountains on India's eastern border with Myanmar. They were created by the same tectonic processes that resulted in the formation of the Himalaya. They are not as rugged as the Himalayas and their peaks are much shorter in height. Features of the range include conical peaks, steep slopes and deep valleys. Three hill ranges come under the Patkai: The Patkai-Bum, the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia, and the Lushai hills. The Garo-Khasi range is in the Indian state of Meghalaya.
Cherrapunji on the windward side of these hills has the distinction of being the world's wettest place, having the highest annual rainfall. Climate ranges from temperate to alpine due to altitude[1].
The Vindhya range runs across most of central India, covering a distance of 1050 km. The average elevation of these hills are 300 m. They are believed to have been formed by the wastes created by the weathering of the ancient Aravalli. It geographically separates northern India from southern India. The western end of the range rises in eastern Gujarat state, near the border with the state of Madhya Pradesh, and the range runs east and north nearly to the Ganges River at Mirzapur.
The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat near the Arabian Sea coast, running east through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and ending at Chhattisgarh. It extends for a distance of 900 km with many of its peaks rising above 1000 m. It is triangular in shape, with its head at Ratnapuri and the two sides parallel to the Tapi and Narmada rivers. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these two east-west ranges divide the Indo-Gangetic plain of northern India from the Deccan Plateau to the south. The Tapi runs in the depression between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, and draining the northern slope of the Satpura range and running west towards the Arabian Sea.
The Aravalli Range is a range of mountains in western India running approximately 300 miles (500 km) northeast-southwest across Rajasthan state. The northern end of the range continues as isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana, ending near Delhi. The highest peak is Mount Abu. Rising to 1,722 m (5,653 ft), it lies near the southwestern extremity of the range, close to the border with Gujarat. The city of Ajmer with its lake lies on the south slope of the range in Rajasthan. The Aravalli Range is the eroded stub of range of an ancient folded mountain system which were once snow-capped. The range rose in a Precambrian event called the Aravalli-Delhi orogen. The range joins two of the ancient segments that make up the Indian craton, the Marwar segment to the northwest of the range, and the Bundelkhand segment to the southeast.
The Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountains run along the western edge of India's Deccan Plateau, and separate the Deccan plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The range starts south of the Tapti River near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and runs approximately 1,600 km through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, almost to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. The average elevation is around 1,000 metres. Higher peaks occur in the northern section of the range in Maharashtra, notably Kalsubai 1,646 m (5,427 ft), Mahabaleshwar 1,438 m (4,710 ft).
The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains, eroded and cut through by the four major rivers of southern India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. These mountain ranges run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south. These ranges run parallel to the Bay of Bengal. The Eastern Ghats are not as tall as the Western Ghats, though a few of its peaks are over a thousand metres in height.
The Eastern and Western Ghats meet at the Nilgiri knot in Tamil Nadu. One of the highest peaks in the Nilgiris is the Dodabetta at 2,500 metres. The Nilgiris are considered to be a part of the Western Ghats. Further south, in Kerala, the Anai Mudi in the Cardamom Hills at 2,695 metres, is its highest peak.
Indo-Gangetic plain
The Indo-Gangetic plains are large flood plains of the Indus and the Ganga-Brahmaputra river systems. They run parallel to the Himalaya mountains, from Jammu and Kashmir in the west to Assam in the east, draining the states of Punjab, Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The plains encompasses an area of 700,000 km² (270,000 mile²) and vary in width through their length by several hundred kilometres. Major rivers that form a part of this system are the Ganga (Ganges) and Indus River their tributaries; Beas, Yamuna, Gomti, Ravi, Chambal, Sutlej and Chenab.
The Indo-Gangetic belt is the world's most extensive expanse of uninterrupted alluvium formed by the deposition of silt by the numerous rivers. The plains are flat and mostly treeless, making it conducive for irrigation through canals. The area is also rich in ground water sources.
The plains are one of the world's most intensely farmed area in the world. Crops of the the Indo-Gangetic Plain are primarily rice and wheat grown in rotation. Other crops grown in the plains include maize, sugarcane and cotton. Also known as the Great Plains, the Indo-Gangetic plains rank among the world's most densely populated areas.
Thar Desert
The Thar Desert (also known as the Great Indian Desert) is a hot desert that forms a signifcant portion of western India. Spread over four states in India – Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat it covers an area of 208,110 km². The desert continues into Pakistan as the Cholistan Desert. Most of the Thar Desert is situated in Rajasthan, covering 61 % of its geographic area. Most of the desert is rocky, though a small part of the extreme west of the desert is sandy.
The origin of the Thar Desert is a controversial subject. Some geologists consider it to be 4000 to 10,000 years old, whereas others state that aridity began in this region much earlier. The area is characterised by extreme temperatures of above 50 °C in summer to below freezing in winters. Rainfall is precarious and erratic, ranging from below 120 mm in the extreme west to 375 mm eastward.
The lack of rainfall is mainly due to the deserts unique position with respect to the Aravalli range. The desert lies in the rain shadow area of the Bay of Bengal arm of the southwest monsoon. The linear nature of the range to the Arabian Sea arm, also means that the desert does not receive much rainfall.
The desert can be divided into two regions, the great Desert and the little desert. The great Desert extends northwards from the edge of the Rann of Kutch region of Gujarat. The little desert extends from the River Luni between the towns of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, up to the northern areas.
The soils of the arid region are generally sandy to sandy-loam in texture. The consistency and depth vary according to the topographical features. The low-lying loams are heavier and may have a hard pan of clay, calcium carbonate or gypsum.
Due to the low population density, the effect of the population on the enviornment is relatively less compared to the rest of India.
Highlands
The Central Highlands is composed of three main plateaus – the Malwa Plateau in the west, the Deccan Plateau in the south, (covering most of the Indian peninsula); and the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand towards the east.
The Deccan plateau is a large triangular plateau, bounded by the Vindhyas to the north and flanked by the Eastern and Western Ghats. The Deccan covers a total area of 1.9 million km² (735,000 mile²). It is mostly flat, with elevation ranging from 300 to 600 metres (1,000 to 2,000 ft) [2].
The name Deccan comes from the Sanskrit word dakshina, which means "the south". The plateau slopes gently from west to east and gives rise to several peninsular rivers such as the Godavari, the Krishna, the Cauvery and the Narmada. This region is mostly semi-arid as it lies on the leeward side of both Ghats. Much of the Deccan is covered by thorn scrub forest scattered with small regions of deciduous broadleaf forest. Climate ranges from hot summers to mild winters.
The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Orissa, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh. The total area of Chota Nagpur Plateau is approximately 65,000 km². The Chota Nagpur Plateau is made up of three smaller plateaus, the Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Kodarma plateaus. The Ranchi plateau is the largest of the plateaus, with an average elevation of 700 metres. Much of the plateau is forested, covered by the Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests. The plateau is famous for its vast reserves of ores and coal.
East coast
The Eastern Coastal Plain is a wide stretch of land lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. It stretches from Tamil Nadu in the south to West Bengal in the north. Deltas of many of India's rivers form a major portion of these plains. The Mahanadi, Godavari, Kaveri and Krishna rivers drain these plains. The region receives both the Northeast and Southwest monsoon rains with its annual rainfall averaging between 1,000 mm and 3,000 mm. The width of the plains varies between 100 to 130 kilometres [3].
The plains are divided into seven regions: The Mahanadi delta; the southern Andhra Pradesh plain; the Krishna Godavari deltas; the Kanyakumari coast; Coromandel Coast and sandy littoral.
West coast
The Western Coastal Plain is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The strip begins in Gujarat in the north and extends across the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. The plains are narrow, and range from 50 to 100 kilometres in width.
The region is inundated by small rivers and numerous backwaters. The rivers, which originate in the Western Ghats, are fast flowing and mostly perennial. The fast flowing rivers results in the formation of estuaries rather than deltas. Major rivers flowing into the sea are the Tapi, Narmada, Mandovi and Zuari.
The coast is divided into two regions. The northern region comprising of Maharashtra and Goa is known as the Konkan Coast and the southern coastline of Kerala is known as the Malabar Coast. Vegetation in this region is mostly deciduous. The Malabar Coast has its own unique eco-region known as the Malabar Coast moist forests.
Islands
India has two major offshore island possessions: the Lakshadweep islands and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Both these island groups are administered by the Union government of India as a Union Territory.
The Lakshadweep islands lie 200 to 300 km off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea. It consists of twelve coral atolls, three coral reefs, and five banks. Ten of the islands are inhabited.
The Andaman and Nicobar island chain lies in the Bay of Bengal near the Myanmar coast. It is located 950 km from Kolkata and 193 km from Cape Negrais in Myanmar. The territory consists of two island groups, the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands. The Andaman islands consist of 204 islands having a total length of 352 km. The Nicobar Islands, which lie south of the Andamans, consists of twenty-two islands with a total area of 1,841 km². The highest point is Mount Thullier at 642 m. Indira Point, India's southernmost land point is situated in the Nicobar islands, and lies just 189 km from the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southeast.
Significant islands just off the Indian coast include Diu, a former Portuguese exclave; Majuli, Asia's largest freshwater island; Salcette Island, on which Mumbai city is located, Elephanta near Mumbai, Sriharikota off Andhra Pradesh.
Rivers
All major rivers India originate from one of the three main watersheds. They are: Template:Inote
- The Himalaya and the Karakoram ranges
- Vindhya and Satpura range in central India
- Sahyadri or Western Ghats in western India
The Himalayan river networks are snow fed and have a continuous flow throughout the year. The other two are dependant on the monsoons and shrink into rivulets during the dry season.
Twelve of India's rivers is classified as major, whose total catchment area is 2,528,000 km². Himalayan rivers of northern river that flow westward into Pakistan are the Indus, Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and the Jhelum. All originate in the Himalayas.
The Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghana system has the largest catchment area of 1,100,000 km². The river originates at the Gangotri Glacier in Tibet. It flows in a south easterly direction, draining in Bangladesh. The Yamuna and Gomti also arise in the Western Himalayas join the Himalayas in the plains. The Brahmaputra, another tributary of the Ganga originates in Tibet and enters India at Arunachal Pradesh in the far east. It then proceeds westwards, unifying with the Ganga in Bangladesh.
The Chambal River, another tributary of the Ganga originates from the Vindhya-Satpura watershed. The river flows eastward. Westward flowing rivers from this watershed are the Narmada and Tapi (also spelt Tapti) rivers which drain into the Arabian Sea in Gujarat. The river network that flow from east to west constitute 10% of the total outflow.
The Western Ghats are the source of all Deccan rivers. Major rivers in the Deccan include the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri, all draining into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers constitute 20% of India's total outflow.
The rivers can also be classified[4] based on the geographical locations through which they flow in.
- Himalayan rivers
- Deccan rivers (Peninsular rivers)
- Coastal rivers
- Inland drainage basin rivers.
The Himalayan rivers[5] are generally snow-fed and the only ones to flow throughout the year, The Deccan and Coastal rivers are fed by the monsoons and hence non-perennial. The Inland drainage basin rivers generally flow towards their basins/salt lakes or are lost in the sands.
Of the Himalayan rivers, the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries/distributaries are prominent.
The Peninsualar rivers include the Bharatapuzha, Damodar, Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi, Narmada, Periyar, Pamba, Sharavathi, Nethravathi and Tapti. Many of these rivers have been dammed at different locations for irrigation and power generation.
The Coastal rivers have small catchment areas and are thus non-perennial, these include the Luni, Mahi and Sabarmati rivers.
The Ghaghar[6] is one of the inland drainage basin rivers, which disappear into the sand dunes of the Thar desert.
Water bodies
Major gulfs include the Gulf of Cambay, Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Mannar. Straits include the Palk Strait which separates India from Sri Lanka and the Ten Degree Channel, separating the Andamans from the Nicobar Islands. Important capes include Cape Comorin, the southern tip of mainland India, Indira Point, the southernmost location of India, Rama's Bridge and Point Calimere.
Besides the Great Indian peninsula, the Kathiawar Peninsula in Gujarat is the other large peninsula. Smaller seas include the Laccadive Sea and the Andaman Sea.
There are four coral reefs in India located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep and Gulf of Kutch. Template:Inote
Important lakes include Chilika Lake, the country's largest salt-water lake in Orissa; Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh; Loktak Lake in Manipur, Dal Lake in Kashmir, Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan, and the Sasthamkotta Lake in Kerala.
Wetlands
India's wetland ecosystem is widely distributed from the cold and arid Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir to the wet and humid climate of peninsula India. Most of the wetlands are directly or indirectly linked to India's river networks. A total of twenty-two wetlands have been identified by the Indian government for eco-conservation. Among the protected wetlands are the tropical mangrove forests in peninsula India and the salt mud flats in western India.
The mangrove forests occur all along the Indian coastline, in sheltered estuaries, creeks, back waters, salt marshes and mud flats. The mangrove area covers a total of 6,740 km² which comprises of 7% of the world's total mangrove cover. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands; the Sundarbans; Gulf of Kutch; deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna; and parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala have large mangrove covers. Template:Inote
The Sundarbans
The Sundarbans delta is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It lies at the mouth of the Ganges and is spread across areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. Interestingly, the Bangladesh and Indian portion of the jungle are listed in the UNESCO world heritage list separately as the Sundarbans and Sundarbans National Park respectively, though they are simply parts of the same forest. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes.
The area is known for its wide range of fauna. The most famous among these is the Bengal Tiger, but numerous species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes also inhabit it. It is estimated that there are now 400 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.
Rann of Kutch
The Rann of Kutch is a marshy region located in the Gujarat state of India, which borders the Sindh region of Pakistan. The name Rann comes from the Hindi word ran meaning "salt marsh". It occupies a total area of 27,900 km² (10,800 mile²)[7].
The region was originally a part of the Arabian Sea. Geologic forces, most likely by earthquakes, resulted in the damming up of the region, turning it into a large salt-water lagoon. This area gradually filled with silt thus turning it into a seasonal salt marsh. During the monsoons, the area turns into a shallow marsh, often flooding to knee-depth height. After the monsoons, the region turns dry and becomes parched.
Climate
India's climate is largely factored by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. The Himalayas, along with the Hindu Kush mountains in Pakistan, provide a barrier to the cold winds from central Asia. This keeps most of the Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations in similar latitudes. The Thar Desert is responsible for the attracting the moisture laden monsoon winds which provide most of India's rainfall.
It is difficult to generalise India's climate. India's huge size sees climatic conditions in the Kashmir having little relation to that in the extreme south. In addition to this, the unusual topography of the land sees many regions having their own microclimates. Climate in India ranges from tropical in the south to a temperate climate in the north. Parts of India that lie in the Himalaya receive a tundra climate. Despite the diverse climatology seen in India, meteorologists have divided the year into four main seasons.
There are four seasons in India; the monsoons, summer, winter and withdrawal of the monsoons. Parts of India that lie in the Himalayan region see five seasons: spring, summer, monsoons, autumn and winter. Sustained snow falls occur only in the elevated sections.
Summer lasts between March and June in most parts of India. Temperatures exceed 40 °C during the day. The coastal regions exceed 30 °C coupled with high levels of humidity. The Thar desert area exceeds 50 °C.
Summer is followed by the southwest monsoon rains which provide most of India its rainfall. The rain bearing clouds are attracted to the low pressure system created by the Thar Desert. The official date for the arrival of the monsoon is 1 June, when it hits the Kerala coast. The southwest monsoon splits into two arms, the Bay of Bengal arm and the Arabian Sea arm. The Bay of Bengal arm moves northwards hitting northeast India in early June. It then progresses eastwards, hitting Delhi by June 29. The Arabian Sea arm moves northwards and deposits much of its rain on the windward side of Western Ghats. By early July most of India has received rain from the monsoons.
The monsoons start retreating by August from northern India and by October it retreats from Kerala. This short period after the retreat is known as the retreat of the monsoons and characterised by still weather. By November winter starts setting in the northern areas.
Winters start in November in northern India and late December in southern India. Winters in peninsula India see mild to warm days and cool nights. Further north the temperature is cooler. Temperatures in some parts of the Indian plains sometimes fall below freezing. Most of northern India is plagued by fog during this season.
Geology
India has a varied geology spanning the entire spectrum of the geological time period. India's geological features are classified based on their era of formation.
The Pre-cambrian period formations of Cudappah and Vindhyan systems are spread out over the eastern and southern states. A small part of this period is spread over western and central India.
The Palaezoic Era formations from the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian system are found in the Western Himalaya region in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
The Mesozoic Era Deccan Traps formation is seen over most of the northern Deccan. Geologists believe that the Deccan Traps were the result of sub-aerial volcanic activity. The Trap soil is black in colour and conducive to agriculture. The Carboniferous system, Permian System, Triassic and Jurassic systems are seen in the western Himalayas. The Jurassic system is also seen in Rajasthan.
Tertiary Period imprints are seen in parts of Manipur, Nagaland, parts of Arunachal Pradesh and along the Himalayan belt. The Cretaceous system is seen in central India in the Vindhyas and part of the Indo-Gangetic plains. The Gondowana system is also seen in the Narmada River area in the Vindhyas and Satpuras. The Eocene system is seen in the western Himalayas and Assam. Oligocene formations are seen in Kutch and in Assam.
The Pleistocene system is found over central India. It is rich in minerals such as lignite, iron ore, manganese and aluminium. The Andaman and Nicobar Island groups are thought to have been formed in this era by volcanoes. Template:Inote
The Himalayas are a result of the convergence and deformation of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian Plates. Their continued convergence raises the height of the Himalayas by 1 cm each year.
Natural disasters
India is prone to several natural disasters, responsible for huge losses in life and property. Natural disasters in India include droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe cyclones; and earthquakes.
Floods are the most common Natural disaster in India. During the monsoon season, heavy rainfall may cause rivers to distend their banks, often flooding the surrounding areas. The Brahmaputra River is prone to perennial flooding during the monsoon season. Floods are responsible for a number of deaths and property loss in many parts of India. With the exception of a few states, almost all of India is prone to flooding.
Indian agriculture is heavily dependant on the monsoon as a source of water. In some parts of India, the failure of the monsoons results in water deficiency in the region causing extensive crop losses. Drought prone regions include south Maharashtra, north Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat and Rajasthan. In the past, failure of monsoons has led to famines causing great damage.
Tectonic plates beneath the earth's surface are responsible for yearly earthquakes along the Himalayan belt and in northeast India. This region is classified as a Zone V or very high risk area. Parts of western India, around the Kutch region in Gujarat and Koyna in Maharashtra are classified as a Zone IV region (very high risk). Other areas have a moderate to low risk chance of an earthquake occurring. Template:Inote
Cyclones are another natural disaster, affecting thousands living in the coastal regions. Cyclones are severe and bring with it heavy rains which cut off supplies and relief to the affected areas. On 2004-12-26, a tsunami, caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake struck the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and India's east coast resulting in the loss of over a thousand individuals. Until then India was thought to have negligible activity related to tsunamis, though there is historical anecdotal evidence of its occurrence in the past.
India has only one active volcano; the Barren Island Volcano, located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The island is mostly uninhibited.
Landslides are common in the Lower Himalaya owing to labile rock formations due to the young age of the hills. Parts of the Western Ghats also suffer from low intensity landslides. Avalanches occur in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
During the summer months, dust storms cause immense property damage in northern India. These storms bring with it large amounts of dust from arid regions. Hailstones are common in parts of India, and cause severe damage to the standing crops.
Natural resources
India is particularly rich in a variety of natural resources, along with 56% arable land, it has significant sources of Coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), Iron ore, Manganese, Mica, Bauxite, Titanium ore, Chromite, Natural gas, Diamonds, Petroleum, Limestone, Thorium (world's largest along Kerala's shores).
Petroleum is found off the coast of Maharashtra, Gujarat and in Assam, but meets only 40% of India's demand. Uranium is mined in Andhra Pradesh and gold in the Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka.
International agreements
India is a party to several International agreements related to environment and climate, the most prominent among them are:
Treaties and Agreements | |
---|---|
Specific Regions and Seas | The Antartic Treaty, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution, Whaling |
Atmosphere and Climate | Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Nuclear Test Ban |
Biodiversity, Environment and Forests | Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Tropical Timber 83 and Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands |
Wastes | Hazardous Wastes |
Rivers | Indus Water Treaty |
See also
- Geology of India
- Climate of India
- Ecoregions of India
- National parks of India
- Regions of India
- Indian subcontinent
External links
References
- ^ The Land (.doc), The Great Mountains of the North, Accessed on June 6, 2005
- ^ "Deccan Plateau". An eye on India. June 6.
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mismatch (help) - ^ "The Land and the People". Statement of the Official Spokesperson. June 6.
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- "Geology of India". geohead:Earth Science on your desktop. June 6.
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mismatch (help) - "Land and Natural Resources". Terrain. June 6.
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mismatch (help) - "The Rann of Kutch". Rann Of Kutch, Geography Of Rann Of Kutch. June 6.
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mismatch (help) - Asian and ADRC Member Countries and their Disaster Characteristics (PDF), Accessed on June 6, 2005
Footnotes
- Template:Mnb The Government of India considers the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir to be a part of India. This state borders a part of Afghanistan. A ceasefire sponsored by the United Nations in 1948 freezes the positions of Indian and Pakistani held territory. As a consequence, the region bordering Afghanistan is in Pakistani-administered territory.