Test: Himalayas: Northern Mountains - UPSC MCQ

Saramati (3,826 m) in Naga Hills and Blue Mountain (2,157 m) in the Mizo Hills are the highest peaks in their respective hills.

• Statement-I is correct because the Eastern Himalayas indeed have greater biodiversity than the Western Himalayas.
• Statement-II is incorrect, as the Eastern Himalayas have higher elevations compared to the Western Himalayas, which contributes to different climatic conditions.

Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer 

The correct matches for the mountain ranges are as follows:

• Mount Kailash is located in the Trans Himalayas.
• Saramati Peak is part of the Patkai Bum range.
• Mount Everest belongs to the Himalayas, not the Lesser Himalayas.
• Nanga Parbat is in the Himalayas, not the Zanskar Range.

Thus, the correctly matched pairs are:

• Mount Kailash - Trans Himalayas
• Saramati Peak - Patkai Bum

Only two pairs are correctly matched.

The Kumaun Himalayas

• These lie between the Satluj and Kali river

• It is drained by the Indus and the Ganga river systems. It is distinguished by the ‘DUN’ formations like the Chandigarh-Kalka dun and Dehradun. They are inhabited by the Bhutias who migrate to the ‘Bugyals’ which are the summer grasslands. The ‘valley of flowers’ is located here.

• Important Glaciers are Pindari, Gangotri, and Milam.

1. Rohtang Pass - Himachal Pradesh: Correctly matched. Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, located around 51 km from Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

2. Nathu La - Arunachal Pradesh: Incorrectly matched. Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas that connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

3. Khardung La - Ladakh: Correctly matched. Khardung La is a high mountain pass located in the Ladakh region of India.

4. Bomdi La - Sikkim: Incorrectly matched. Bomdi La (more accurately spelled Bomdila) is a pass in Arunachal Pradesh, not Sikkim.

Pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched. Pairs 2 and 4 are incorrectly matched.

Answer: Option B: Only two pairs

1. Western Himalayas extend till west of River Kali whereas Eastern Himalayas extend from Kali to Brahmaputra river.
   This statement is correct. The Western Himalayas generally extend from the Indus River to the Kali River, while the Eastern Himalayas stretch from the Kali River to the Brahmaputra River.

2. Western Himalayas have less biodiversity in comparison to the Eastern Himalayas.
   This statement is correct. The Eastern Himalayas, with their greater variation in climate, topography, and rainfall, generally support more diverse ecosystems and species compared to the Western Himalayas.

3. Altitude is higher in Western Himalayas than the Eastern Himalayas.
   This statement is incorrect. The highest peaks, including Mount Everest, are located in the Eastern Himalayas, making the Eastern Himalayas higher than the Western Himalayas.

Thus, the correct answer is b) 1 and 2 only.

Statement 1: Correct
The Kumaun Himalayas, located between the Sutlej and Kali rivers (mainly in Uttarakhand), are influenced by both the Indus (through Sutlej) and the Ganga (through rivers like Yamuna and its tributaries). So, this region is drained by both river systems.

Statement 2: Incorrect
Karewa soils are lacustrine (lake-origin) deposits found in the Kashmir Valley (Western Himalayas), not in the Assam Himalayas. Assam Himalayas lie in the eastern part of the Himalayas (Arunachal Pradesh region), and are not known for Karewa formations.

 Statement 3: Incorrect
The Central or Nepal Himalayas are not major tea-producing areas. Though Nepal has some tea plantations (like in Ilam), the region is mostly mountainous with rugged terrain. Tea is widely cultivated in Darjeeling (Eastern Himalayas) and Assam, where conditions—rainfall, elevation, and temperature—are more favorable.

Hence,Correct Answer - Option B

Kashmir /Punjab/ Himachal Himalayas 

• These Lie in J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and in some parts of Punjab. Lies between the Indus and Satluj river

• Characterized by high snow-covered peaks, deep valleys, interlocked spurs and High Mountain passes. Karewa soil which is famous for the saffron and other dry fruit cultivation is found here.

• Important ranges are Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Zanskar and Dhauladhar.

Statement 1 is correct: The altitudinal variations (differences in height) of the Himalayas are indeed greater in the eastern half than in the western half. The eastern Himalayas, due to heavy rainfall and a more rugged terrain, have steeper slopes and higher peaks concentrated in a smaller area, leading to greater variation in altitude. In contrast, the western Himalayas have broader valleys and less dramatic changes in elevation.
Statement 2 is correct: The Brahmaputra River marks the eastern-most boundary of the Himalayas. The river makes a sharp southward turn at Namcha Barwa, effectively demarcating the eastern end of the Himalayan range.
Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct. Hence, the Correct Answer is Option B.

• Statement-I is correct: The Himalayas are indeed one of the youngest fold mountain ranges, and their formation occurred during the Tertiary period, particularly in the last 50 million years. The Tertiary period falls under the Alpine or Orogenic earth movement, which is responsible for the formation of major mountain ranges like the Himalayas.

• Statement-II is correct: The Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision between the Eurasian Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate. The collision between these two plates, which were part of the supercontinents Angaraland and Gondwanaland, led to the uplift of the Himalayan mountain range.

Since Statement-II explains the cause of the formation of the Himalayas in Statement-I, both are correct, and Statement-II explains Statement-I.
Therefore,Correct Answer- Option A

Statement  1 is correct
The Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world. They form an arc, which covers a distance of about 2,400 Km spread uninterruptedly from Jammu & Kashmir in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. Their width varies from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh.

Statement  2 is correct 
They are one of the newest fold mountains of the world and they have come up during the Tertiary epoch under Alpine earth movement.

Statement  3 is correct
The altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern half than those in the western half, which is why high mountain peaks like Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga are present in the Eastern Himalayas.

Central/ Nepal Himalayas/Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas 

• These Lie in Nepal also stretches from the Kali River to the Kosi river (Nepal Himalayas) and between Kosi river to Teesta river (Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas).

• These are known for their fast-flowing rivers like ‘TEESTA’ and their Tea plantations due to good rainfall all year and mild winters. They are also known for ‘DUAR’ formations. 

• Important peaks are Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Gosainath.

1. Pir Panjal Range - Karakoram Range: Incorrect. The Pir Panjal Range is a part of the Lesser Himalayas, not the Karakoram Range.

2. Dhauladhar Range - Himachal Pradesh: Correct. The Dhauladhar Range is located in Himachal Pradesh.

3. Nathu La Pass - Kumaun Himalayas: Incorrect. Nathu La Pass is located in the Sikkim Himalayas, not the Kumaun Himalayas.

4. Blue Mountains - Eastern Himalayas: Correct. The Blue Mountains are part of the Eastern Himalayas, specifically in Mizoram.

Thus, only two pairs (2 and 4) are correctly matched.

• Statement-I correctly describes the Lesser Himalayas in terms of their average height and composition.
• Statement-II accurately describes the Sub Himalayas or Shiwaliks in terms of their average height and composition.
• Both statements are factually correct and are not contradictory.
• The Lesser Himalayas and the Sub Himalayas are distinct regions within the Himalayan range, each with its own characteristics as outlined in the statements.

Comparison between Northern and Southern slopes of Himalayas

• Precipitation: Southern Slopes receive more as compared to Northern Slopes as it lies in the rain shadow region.

• Vegetation: Southern Slopes are covered with thick vegetation whereas Northern Slopes are generally barren. The volume of precipitation decreases from the south towards the north

• Snowline: Due to a longer period of sunshine, less snow accumulates on the southern slopes than on the northern slopes.