6.Chapter 6.Geo.India My Motherland

Chapter 6

India my mother land 

India India is our motherland. We also call it 'Bharat'. Ours is one of the oldest civilisations of the world.Oridia is a vast country with an area of ​​3.28 million square kilometres. India ranks sever after Russia, Canada  , China, USA, Brazil and Australia Mata? Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhu. Together form a distinct geographical unit popularly known as the Indian sub - continent. It has avant culture of its own as it is separated from the rest of Asia  by a long chain of lofty mounta in the north independent india, with a population of more than 1.21 billion in 2011, is the second ma populous country in the world after China. India has remarkable cultural diversities where people follow different languages, religions ar traditions  . Despite the regional diversities, there is an underlying unity, which is reflected in o common ways of living throughout the country

Countries larger than India

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INDIA'S LOCATION ON THE GLOBE

India is located in the Northern Hemisphere as it lies to the north of the Equator.  The Tropic of Cancer (23% "N) passes through the middle of the country and divides it into almost two equal parts. The area lying in the north of the Tropic of Cancer is called Sub - tropical India and the southern area is called Tropical  India. 

Being situated to the east of the Prime Meridian, India lies in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean in the south, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the east.

The Indian peninsula lies to  the south of Asia and occupies central location at the head of the Indian Ocean. Towards the west of India, across the Arabian Sea, lie the Arab countries around the Persian Gulf and the east African countries. 

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THE SMILING FACE OF OUR COUNTRY 

The surface of India has diversity in landforms or relief features.  The land features are divided a the Northern Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Plateau, the Coastal Plains and the Islands, 

the Northern Mountains 

these mountains are seen along the northern border of India from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.They are called young mountains because they were formed in the latest geological period.  There are several mountain ranges, such as Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar and the Himalayas.

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India is a vast country.  Its main land extends between 8 * 4 'N and 37 * 6' N latitudes.  The north south extent of the mainland of India is about 3214 km, located at 6 ° 14 'N latitude the longitudinal extent of India is between 687' E and 97 ° 25'exthus, its longitudinal extent is 29 "The east - west extent  of the country is about 2933 km.) 

The southernmost tip of the mainland of India is Kanyakumari. (also known as Cape Comorin) Andaman and Nicobar Island group lies in the Bay of Bengal, and Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian sea.  parts of Indian Union. Indira Point is the southernmost tip of the Indian Territory that lies in Nicobar Island 

The sun rises in Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost point of India. It rises in Gujarat in the west after about two hours. You have already learnt that  The UN DUA difference of time per degree of longitude is four minutes. Each longitude has its own local time. India has selected 82 ° 30'E longitude as the Standard Meridian of India and its local time is the Indian Standard Time for the whole country  .  It is followed all over the country India's extent and neighboring countries and is five and half hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).  

From Jammu & Kashmir to Do You Know?  Kanyakumari, India experiences a large part of the Indira Point gnt submerged in the a wide variety of climatic Tsunami of 2004. Now the sea is gradually retreating bac to its original place.  conditions, natural vegetation,soils, etc.

Do you know 

A large part of Indira Point got submerged in the Tsunami of 2004.Now the sea is gradually retreating back to its original place.

  

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THE SMILING FACE OF OUR COUNTRY 

The surface of India has diversity in landforms or relief features.  The land features are divided a the Northern Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Plateau, the Coastal Plains and the Islands, 

The Northern Mountains 

These mountains are seen along the northern border of India from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.  

They are called young mountains because they were formed in the latest geological period.There are several mountain ranges, such as Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar and the Himalayas.  

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the K2 peak, which is the world's second highest peak, lies in the Karakoram range.There are many big glaciers here a Siachin glacier, the largest glacier in India, lies here. 

Do You Know?  Glacier is extremely slow moving river of ice. 

The Himalayas extend in an arch shape from the north west to the north - east along the border up to a length of about   2500 km.  There are three parallel ranges distinct from each other.

Himalayas means the 'Abode of Snow'. The northernmost range of the Himalayas is called the Great Himalayas or Himadri. It has the world's highest peak and permanent snow - covered areas. Mount Everest (8850 m  ), the highest peak of the world, ljes in this range. Second range of the Himalayas is the Middle Himalaya or Himachal range. It is famous for hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, Nanital, Darjeeling, etc. The southernmost range is the Shivalik  range it (famous for valleys known as' duns. For example, Dehradun, Patli dun, Kotli dun. Purvanchal is the eastward extension of the mountain 

The Northern Plains to the south of the Shivalik range, the Great Northern Plains extend from Punjab to Assam  . They are made of fine silt brought down by the rivers from the Himalayas in the north and the plateau in the south. This is a low - lying flat and uniform land. It has been formed by the Ganga and the Brahmaputr  a rivers and their several tributaries.  River Satluj is the longest tributary of the Indus system.  Ganga basin is the largest basin of India and Yamuna river is  its longest tributary which joins it at Allahabad, known as"Sangam '

Do You Know? 

the rivers which join a major . river are called Tributaries. 

Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers form a great delta - the biggest in the world, before falling into the Bay of Bengal.  delta has a triangular shape. It is a low - lying area where the major rivers are split into several channels. This delta region near the sea is called Sundarbans. The Northern Plains have all ideal conditions to attract human settlements. They are the biggest producers  of food grains. Therefore, this plain is densely populated. 

The Desert 

the Thar Desert, a rocky and sandy area, covers a large part of Rajasthan to the west 

When we move towards south from the Great Plains, there is a triangular landmass.  It is known as the Great Peninsular Plateau.  Its northern part is known as the Central Highlands.  It comprises and 

Page 54 of the Aravalli Mountain Range. It is an arid land with a very high temperature and  little annual rainfall. The desert has scanty natural vegetation, such as cactus and acacia. The Great Plateau 53of the Aravalli mountains, the Vindhya mountains and several small plateaus extending from wege to east, Narmada and Tapi rivers, lying to the south of Vindhyas flow westward into the Arabian Sea the southern part of the plateau is called the Deccan Plateau.  It is triangular in shape.  The Wester Ghats run along the coast of the Arabian Sea.  The Eastern Ghats run along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.  These mountains are cut by rivers at several places.  The entire plateau region is rich minerals 

The Coastal Plains The Eastern Coastal Plains are broader.  The rivers, such as Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri form deltas at their mouths before falling into the Bay of Bengal.  Thus, Coastal Plains are ver fertile and densely populated.  The northern part of this plain is referred as the Northern Circar while the southern part as the Coromandel Coast.  The Western Coastal Plain along the Arabian Sea is narrow, uneven and rocky.  Small rivers rising from the Western Ghats flow swiftly into the sea Some of them form estuaries.  The northern part of this plain is called the Konkan while the southern part is the Malabar Coast.  

The Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands extending in north - south direction, lie in the Bay of Bengal They are the upper parts of the submerged hills.  They are large in size.  Some of them are of volcanic origin, The Lakshadweep Islands are located off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea.  They are very small in size.  They have been formed by the Coral Polyps.  The varied landforms of India are complementary to each other.  The northern mountains are the major source of water and form a long wall along the northern borders.  The Northern Plains provide food to the large population of India, and the Plateau is rich in minerals.  

POLITICAL DIVISIONS  

India, being a vast country, has been divided into 29 States and 7 Union Territories.  Telangana 29th and youngest state India, formed on the June 2, 2014) The States of India have been organized mainly on the basis of the languages.  Look at the political map of India given on the next page and make a list of the States and Union Territories and their capitals.  India is a fast developing nation.  The people of India have the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood.  The partially enclosed character of India has helped in Do You Know?  strengthening the unity in diversity.  India is the largest democracy of the world.  Rajasthan is the largest state and Goa is the smallest state of India.  

Page 55.* Amaravati is the capital of Andhra Pradesh 

Keywords.  coral polyps: they are micro-organism attached to the rocks that flourish in shallow and warm water.  

estuary: it is a place where river joins sea without depositing sediments at its mouth.  peninsula: a large land surrounded by water from three sides.  

strait: it is a narrow passage of water connecting two large water bodies or seas.