INTRODUCTION

❏ Our country has practically all major physical features of

the earth i.e. mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and
islands.

❏ India is a large landmass formed during different geological

periods which has influenced her relief.

❏ A number of processes such as weathering, erosion &

deposition have created & modified the relief to its present
form.
❏ The land of India displays great physical variation.

❏ Geologically, the Peninsular Plateau constitutes one

of the ancient land masses on the earth’s surface,
one of the most stable land blocks.

❏ The Himalayas & the Northern Plains are the most

recent landforms.
❏ Himalayan mountains form an unstable zone.

❏ The northern plains are formed of alluvial deposits.

❏ The peninsular plateau is composed of igneous and

metamorphic rocks with gently rising hills and
wide valleys.
The Peninsular Plateau is composed
of which rock(s)?

A. Igneous Rocks

B. Metamorphic Rocks

C. Both (A) & (B)

D. Granite Rocks
MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC
DIVISION
 THE THE
HIMALAYA NORTHERN
N PLAINS
MOUNTAIN
S

THE THE
ISLANDS PENINSULA
R PLATEAU

THE
THE INDIAN
COASTAL
DESERT
PLAINS
 Ques.

Name the three major divisions of

Himalayas from the north to south.
THE HIMALAYAN
MOUNTAINS
 Ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the
Brahmaputra

Represent the loftiest & one of the most rugged mountain

barriers of the world.

They form an arc, & covers a distance of about 2,400 Km.

Their width varies from 400 Km in Kashmir to 150 Km in

Arunachal Pradesh.

The altitudinal
variations- greater in
the eastern half than
those in the western
half.
 Himadri

3 Parallel
Ranges

Himachal
Shiwaliks ( Lesser
Himalayas)
THE GREAT OR INNER HIMALAYAS OR
THE HIMADRI
● Northernmost & continuous range consisting of the loftiest
peaks with an average height of 6,000 metres.

● Contains of all the famous peaks. The folds are asymmetrical

in nature.

● The core is composed of granite.

● It is perennially snowbound, and a number of glaciers

descend from this range.
 THE LESSER HIMALAYA OR HIMACHAL

● Lies south of the Himadri forms most rugged mountain

system.

● Ranges composed of highly compressed & altered rocks.

● The altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 metres and

the average width is of 50 Km.
 Longest & the most important range Pir Panjal Range.

Other ranges- the Dhaula Dhar & the Mahabharat ranges.

Consist of famous valley of Kashmir, the Kangra & Kullu

Valley in Himachal Pradesh

Well known for hill stations.

 THE SHIWALIKS

● Outermost range of Himalayas.

● Extend over a width of 10-50 Km & have an altitude

varying between 900 and 1100 metres.

● Composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down

by rivers.
 THE SHIWALIKS

● Valley covered- thick gravel & alluvial.

● The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya

and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns.

● Example: Dehradun, Kotli Dun, Patli Dun.

The Himalayas have been divided on the basis of regions
from west to east, demarcated by river valleys.

1.
Punjab Himalayas Or Kashmir &
Himachal Himalaya

2.
Kumaon Himalayas

3.
Nepal Himalayas

4.
Assam Himalayas
 THE PURVANCHAL OR EASTERN HILLS &
MOUNTAINS
● The Brahmaputra marks the eastern most boundary of the
Himalayas.

● Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the

south & spread along the eastern boundary of India.

● Covered with dense forests.

 THE PURVANCHAL OR EASTERN HILLS &
MOUNTAINS
● These hills running through the north-eastern states are
mostly composed of strong sandstones which are sedimentary
rocks.
● Comprises- Patkai hills, the Naga hills, Manipur hills and the
Mizo hills.
 The core of the Himadri is
composed of ______.

A. Granite

B. Alluvial

C. Laterite

D. None of the Above

 Ques.

Why are Northern Plains agriculturally

productive parts of India? Explain.
THE NORTHERN PLAINS
Formed by three major river systems, namely — the Indus, the
Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

Formed of alluvial soil.

Area of the northern plain- 7 lakh sq. km.

Length & breadth of the northern plain- 2400 km & 240-320 km

broad.

Densely populated physiographic division.

Agriculturally productive part of India.

 The rivers coming from northern
mountains are involved in
depositional work.

Formation of Riverine Islands

In the lower course, due to gentle slope, the velocity of the
river decreases.

Distributaries

The rivers in their lower course

split into numerous channels due to
the deposition of silt.
 The Punjab
Plains

Division
of
Northern
The Plains
Brahmaputra The Ganga Plain
Plain
 THE PUNJAB PLAINS

❏ Formed by Indus & its tributaries.

❏ Larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan.

❏ The Indus and its tributaries — the Jhelum, the

Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in
the Himalaya.

❏ This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs.

 THE GANGA PLAINS

❏ Extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers.

❏ Spread over the states of North India, Haryana, Delhi,

U.P., Bihar, partly Jharkhand & West Bengal.
 THE BRAHMAPUTRA PLAINS

Lies in the east of Ganga Plain, particularly in Assam.

According to the variations in relief features, the Northern
plains can be divided into four regions.

1.
Bhabar

2.
Terai

3.
Bhangar

4.
Kankar
 BHABAR

The rivers deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8

to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the
Shiwaliks.

All stream disappear in this bhabar belt.

 TERAI

Lies- South to bhabar belt, the streams and rivers re-

emerge & create a wet, swampy and marshy region known
as terai.

This was a thickly forested region full of wildlife.

The forests have been cleared to create agricultural

land and to settle migrants from Pakistan after
partition.
 BHANGAR

The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older

alluvium.

Lies above the floodplains of the rivers and presents a

terrace- like feature.

The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits, locally

known as kankar.
 KHADAR

Younger alluvial deposits of the floodplains.

They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile,

thus, ideal for intensive agriculture.
Which river has formed the Punjab
plains?

A. Ganga river & its tributaries

B. Indus river & its tributaries

C. Brahmaputra & its tributaries

D. Sutlej river & its tributaries

 Ques.

Describe the features of Western

Ghats and Eastern Ghats in reference
to height, slope, continuity, rivers and
vegetation.
THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU
 A tableland composed of the old crystalline, igneous and
metamorphic rocks.

Formed due to the breaking & drifting of the Gondwana land

and thus, making it a part of the oldest landmass.

The plateau has broad and shallow

valleys and rounded hills.

Consists of two broad divisions,

namely, the Central Highlands and
the Deccan Plateau.
 THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

● Lies- north of the Narmada river, covering a major area of

the Malwa plateau.

● The Vindhya range is bounded by the Satpura range on

the south & the Aravallis on the northwest.

● The further westward extension gradually merges with

the sandy & rocky desert of Rajasthan.

● Rivers in this area: the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and
the 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

● Triangular landmass
that lies to the south of
the river Narmada.

● The Satpura range in

the north.

● The Mahadev, the

Kaimur hills and the
Maikal range form its
eastern extensions.

● Higher in the west and

slopes gently eastwards.
● An extension of the Plateau is also visible in the
northeast, locally known as the Meghalaya, Karbi-
Anglong Plateau & North Cachar Hills.

● Separated by a fault from the Chotanagpur Plateau.

● Three prominent hill ranges from the west to the east are
the Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills.
 THE WESTERN GHATS THE EASTERN GHATS

Mark the western edges of Mark the eastern edges of

Deccan Plateau. Deccan Plateau.

They are continuous and can be They are discontinuous &

crossed through passes only, & irregular and dissected by
causes orographic rain. rivers draining into the Bay of
Bengal.

Higher than Eastern Ghats- Lower than Wesrtern Ghats-

average elevation is 900– 1600 average elevation is 600 metres.
metres.

The highest peaks include the Highest Peak- Mahendragiri

Anamudi (2,695 metres) and (1,501 metres). Shevaroy Hills
the Doda Betta (2,637 metres). and the Javadi Hills are located
to the southeast of the Eastern
Ghats.
 THE DECCAN TRAP

Distinct features of the Peninsular plateau is the black soil

area.

This is of volcanic
origin, hence, the rocks
are igneous.

Actually, these rocks

have denuded over time
and are responsible for
the formation of black
soil.
 THE ARAVALI HILLS

Lie on the western and northwestern margins of the

Peninsular plateau.

These are highly eroded hills and are found as broken hills.

They extend from Gujarat to Delhi in a southwest-northeast

direction.
The Peninsular plateau is composed
of which rocks?

A. Old Crystalline

B. Igneous

C. Metamorphic

D. All of the above

THE INDIAN DESERT
The Indian desert lies towards the western margins of the
Aravali Hills.

It is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes.

Region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year.

Climate- Arid with low vegetation.

 Luni is the only large river in this region.

Barchans (crescent-shaped dunes) cover larger areas but

longitudinal dunes become more prominent near the Indo-
Pakistan boundary.
 Ques.

Describe any three features of coastal

plains of India.
THE COASTAL PLAINS
The Peninsular plateau is flanked by stretch of narrow
coastal strips, running along the Arabian Sea on the
west and the Bay of Bengal on the east.
 THE WESTERN COAST

Sandwiched between the Western Ghats & the Arabian Sea,

is a narrow plain

Consists of three sections

Northern Part Central Stretch Southern Stretch

The Konkan The Kannad The Malabar

(Mumbai – Goa) Plain coast
 THE EASTERN COAST

The plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level.

Northern part- The Northern Circar

Southern part- The Coromandel Circar

Large rivers, such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna &
the Kaveri have formed extensive delta on this coast.

Lake Chilika is an important feature along the eastern coast.

THE ISLANDS
What is an Island?

An island is a piece of land entirely

surrounded by water.

Islands may occur in oceans, seas,

lakes, or rivers.

A group of islands
is called an
archipelago.
 LAKSHADWEEP ISLAND

Lying close to the Malabar coast of Kerala.

Composed of small coral islands.

Earlier they were known as Laccadive, Minicoy and

Amindivi.
In 1973, these were named as Lakshadweep.
 Lakshadweep covers small area of 32 sq km.

Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of

Lakshadweep.

This island group has great diversity of flora and fauna. The
Pitti island, which is uninhabited, has a bird sanctuary.
 ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

Chain of islands located in the Bay of Bengal extending from

north to south.

They are bigger in size and are more numerous & scattered.

The entire group of islands is divided into two broad

categories – The Andaman in the north and the Nicobar in
the south.
 These islands are elevated portion of submarine mountains.

These island groups are of great strategic importance for the

country.

Possess great diversity of flora & fauna.

Lie close to the equator & experience equatorial climate and

has thick forest cover.
 IMPORTANCE OF THESE
DIVERSE PHYSICAL FEATURE
The mountains are the major sources of water and
forest wealth.

The northern plains are the granaries of the country

& provide the base for early civilisations.

The plateau is a storehouse of minerals, which has

played a crucial role in the industrialisation of the
country.

The coastal region & island groups provide sites for

fishing and port activities.
 What are crescent shaped dunes
formed in the Indian Desert?

A. Hills

B. Barchans

C. Oasis

D. None of the Above

HOMEWORK
QUESTION
Majuli is a riverine island located in
the river

A. Ganga

B. Kaveri

C. Indus

D. Brahmaputra
 What is the swampy and marshy
region south to the bhabar belt
known as?

A. Terai

B. Bhangar

C. Khadar

D. Kankar