PHYSICAL FEATURES OF
INDIA
BY: SARBESWAR DAS
Introduction
• India is a vast country with varied landforms which has all major
physical features of the earth i.e. mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus
and islands.
How these physical features formed?
• There are some theories behind the formation of physical features.
One such theory is the “Theory of Plate Tectonics”.
What is “Theory of Plate Tectonics”?
• This theory explained that upper part of earth called crust divided
into seven major and some minor plates called tectonics plates.
• The movements can be classified into three types broadly:
→ Convergent Boundary: When some plates come towards each other,
form convergent boundary.
It may lead to either collide and crumble, or one may slide under the
other.
• → Divergent Boundary: When some plates move away from each
other, it form divergent boundary
• → Transform Boundary: When some plates move horizontally past
each other and form transform boundary.
• What is Gondwana land?
• There was a time when India, Australia, South Africa, South America and
Antarctica were one single land mass known as Gondwana land. It was the
southern part of super continent Pangea. Northern part was known as Angara
land.
• The below-detailed picture of Gondwana land will make you more clear:
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.
• Due to this collision,the sedimentary rocks which were accumulated
in the geosyncline known as the Tethys were folded which resulted in
the formation of mountain system of western asia and Himalaya.
Major Physiographic divisions of India
The Himalayan Mountains
• The outermost range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks. These ranges are composed of
unconsolidated sediments.
→ 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.
• Width varies from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh. Altitude (Height) variation
greater in the eastern half than those in the western half.
• The northern-most range is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or the Himadri. It is the most
continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres.
• The core of this part of Himalayas is composed of granite.
• The range lying to the south of the Himadri forms the most rugged mountain system and is known
as Himachal or lesser Himalaya.
• It is geologically young and structurally folded mountains which run along the northern borders of
India.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns.
DehraDun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun are some of the well-known Duns.
The Himalayas have also been divided on
the basis of regions from west to east.
• Punjab Himalayas: The part of Himalayas lying between Indus and Satluj. From west to
east respectively, regionally known as Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya.
• Kumaon Himalayas: The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers.
• Nepal Himalayas: The part lying between Kali and Tista rivers.
• Assam Himalayas: the part lying between dihang and tista river.
• The purvanchal or eastern hills and mountains:
→ The mountain ranges of Eastern India. It is marked by the Brahmaputra.
→ The Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of
India after the Dihang gorge.
→ These hills running through the north-eastern states i.e., Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
Manipur Mizoram, Tripura, and eastern Assam states and are mostly composed of strong
sandstones which are sedimentary rocks.
→ Hills are covered with dense forests. It comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, Manipur
hills and the mizo hills.
THE NORTHERN PLAINS
• The northern plain has been formed by the interplay of three major river
systems namely- the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with its
tributaries.
• It is formed of Alluvial soil. The vast basin lying at the foothills of the
Himalaya is deposited with alluvium (fine particles of silt and clay and
larger particles of sand and gravel) over a million of years and formed this
plain.
Area of Northern plain: 7 lakh sq. km.
Length of Northern plain: 2400 km.
Breadth of Northern plain:240 to 320 km.
• It is densely populated region. It is agriculturally very productive region of
India due to rich soil cover combined with adequate water supply and
favourable climate.
• The rivers coming from northern mountains brought a huge amount of
eroded soil which help in the depositional work.
→ In the lower course, due to gentle slope, the velocity of the river
decreases which results in the formation of riverine islands (An Island
formed by the river).
• Also, in lower course rivers split into numerous channels due to the
deposition of silt known as distributaries.
The Northern Plain is broadly divided into three parts:
→ The Punjab Plains - The Western part of the Northern Plain, formed by the
Indus and its tributaries, the larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan
→ The Ganga Plains: It extends between Ghaggar and Tista rivers. spread
over the states of north India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar, party Jharkhand
and West Bengal.
the Brahmaputra plain: lies in the east of Ganga plain, particularly in
Assam
Northern plains can be divided into four regions (according to the
variations in relief features)
→ Bhabar: laying at the foot of Shivalik, a narrow 8 to 16 km wide belt
of pebbles.
→ Terai: lying next to Bhabar, a wet and marshy area with wildlife and
forests.
→ Bhangar: Older alluvium plain which rises above the level of the
flood plains.
→ Khadar: Younger alluvium of the flood plains. The soil in the bhangar
region contains calcareous deposits and is known as kankar.
Peninsular Plateau
• The Peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of the old crystalline,
igneous and metamorphic rocks.
• It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land.
The plateau consists of two broad divisions:
→ The Central Highlands
→ The Deccan Plateau
The Central Highlands
• The Central Highlands: It lies to the north of the Narmada river covering a major
area of the Malwa plateau.
→ The Vindhyan range is bounded by the Central Highlands on the south and the
Aravalis on the north west.
→ The further westward extension gradually merges with the sandy and rocky
desert of Rajasthan.
→ Rivers in this area: the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and Ken.
→ The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east.
→ The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand
and Baghelkhand.
→ The Chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension, drained by the
Damodar river.
The Deccan Plateau
• The Deccan Plateau: It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river
Narmada.
→ The Satpura range bound its broad base in the north while the Mahadev, the Kaimur
hills and the Maikal range form its eastern extensions.
→ It is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards.
• An extension of Deccan Plateau is also visible in the northeast– locally known as the
Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau and North Cachar Hills.
→ It is separated by a fault from the Chotanagpur Plateau.
→ Three Prominent hill ranges from the west to east are the Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia
Hill
• A distinct feature of the peninsular plateau is the Black soil area known as the Deccan
Trap.
• The western ghats and eastern ghats marks the western and eastern edges of the Deccan
Plateau respectively
