7. World Geography Part 3 | RAS RPSC Prelims Preparation - Notes, Study Material & Tests - RPSC RAS (Rajasthan) PDF Download

Location

Q: Why is India’s north-south distance (3214 km) more than the east-west distance (2933), though both latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India is about 30 degree?

A: This is because the distance between the longitudes decreases near the pole whereas the distances between latitudes remain the same everywhere.

Time Zone

There is a general convention to select the standard time zone meridian in multiples of 7^o30’ of longitude.  There are 24 time zones on earth, each 15 degree apart.

USA uses multiple time zone system (7 time zones)

India has the longest international boundary with Bangladesh.

Tropic of Cancer passes through the following 8 states

• Gujarat
• Rajasthan
• MP
• CG
• Jharkhand
• WB
• Tripura
• Mizoram

Gujarat has the longest coast line.

UP borders the maximum number of states: 8

• HP
• Haryana
• Uttarakhand
• Rajasthan
• MP
• CG
• Bihar
• Jharkhand

Population

• Highest: UP> Maha> Bihar > WB
• Lowest: Sikkim< Mizoram < Arunachal < Goa

Area

• Highest: Rajasthan>MP> Maha>>Andhra
• Lowest: Goa<Sikkim<Tripura<Nagaland<Mizoram

Indian Geography 

Landforms

Three Geological divisions:

1. The peninsular block
2. The Himalayas and other Peninsular Mountains
3. Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain

• Peninsular block is made of gneisses (metamorphic) and granites (igneous).

Six physiographic divisions:

1. The Northern and North-eastern Mountains
2. The Northern Plain
3. The Peninsular Plateau
4. The Indian Desert
5. The Coastal Plains
6. The Islands

Northern and North-Eastern Mountains

Approximate length of the Great Himalayan range: 2500 KM. Width: 160-400 KM

Impact of Himalayas on the climate of India?

It can be divided into five sub-divisions:

1. Kashmir (or Northwestern) Himalayas
2. Himachal and Uttaranchal Himalayas
3. Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas
4. Arunachal Himalayas
5. Eastern Hills and Mountains

Kashmir Himalayas

• Ranges: Karakoram, Ladhakh, Zaskar, Pir Pinjal
• Glaciers: Baltoro, Siachen
• Passes: Zoji La (Great Himalayas), Banihal (Pir Pinjal), Photu La (Zaskar) and Khardung La (Ladakh)
• Lakes: (freshwater) Dal and Wular; (saltwater) Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri
• Pilgrimage: Vaishno Devi, Amarnath Cave, Charar-e-Sharif
• They are also famous for Karewa formations which are useful for the cultivation of Zafran (a local variety of Saffron). Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines.
• Kashmir is located on the banks of Jhelum River.
• Meanders is a typical feature associated with the rivers in this region.
• In South, there are longitudinal valleys called duns; Jammu dun and Pathankot dun

Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas

• Lies between rivers Ravi and Kali
• Drained by two major river systems: Indus and Ganga
• Northernmost part is an extension of the Ladakh desert, lies in Spiti.
• Ranges: Great Himalayan Range, Lesser Himalayas (Dhaoladhar in HP and Nagtibha in Uttarakhand), Shivalik range
• Pilgrimage: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath,  Hemkund Sahib and the five famous prayags (Refer to Panch Prayag)
• Famous for hill stations: Dharamshala, Mussoorie, Shimla, Kaosani; Cantt.: Kasauli, Almora, Lansdowne, Ranikhet
• The important distinguishing features of this area are the ‘Shivalik’ and ‘Dun formations’.
• Important duns: Chandigarh-Kalka, Nalagarh, Dehra, Harike, Kota
• Dehradun is the largest of all duns: Length – 35-45 KM, Width: 22-25 KM
• Inhabited with the Bhotia tribe. They migrate to higher reaches (Bugyals) in summer and return to the valleys during winters. 

Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

• Between Nepal Himalayas and Bhutan Himalayas.
• Fast flowing rivers such as Tista
• Peaks: Kanchenjunga
• Tribe: Lepcha
• Has a mixed population of Nepalis, Bengalis and tribals from Central India.
• Importance: Due to the moderate slope, it is best suited for tea plantations. <India produces about 26 pc of tea in the world; second after China. Also, accounts for 12 pc of tea exports; fourth in the world.>
• Duar formations are peculiar to this region.

Arunachal Himalayas

• From Bhutan Himalayas to Diphu pass in the east.
• Direction: Southwest to Northeast
• Peaks: Kangtu and Namya Barwa
• Rivers: Brahmaputra, Kameng, Subansiri, Dihang, Dibang and Lohit.
• These rivers are perennial and have the highest hydro-electric power potential in the country.
• Tribes: Monpa, Daffla, Abor, Mishmi, Nishi and Nagas
• These communities practice shifting cultivation known as Jhumming.

Eastern Hills and Mountains

• Direction: North to South
• Ranges: Patkai Bum, Naga hills, Manipur hills, Mizo or Lushai hills
• These are low hills
• Tribes practice Jhum cultivation
• Rivers: Barak. Most of the Nagaland rivers form a tributary of Brahmaputra. Rivers in eastern Manipur are the tributaries of Chindwin, which in turn is a tributary of the Irrawady of Myanmar.
• Lake: Loktak
• Loktak Lake: is an important lake in Manipur which is surrounded by mountains on all sides. It is the largest freshwater lake in northeastern India. Also called the only Floating Lake in the world due to floating masses of organic matter on it. It serves as a source for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply.
• Keibul Kamjao National Park located in the Bishnupur district of Manipur is the only floating park in the world and is an integral part of the Loktak Lake. Home to the endangered Manipur Eld’s Deer or Brow-antlered Deer or Sangai or Dancing Deer.
• Mizoram is also known as the ‘Molassis basin’ which is made up of soft unconsolidated deposits.