RIVERS OF INDIA
In India, the rivers can be divided into two main groups: Himalayan Rivers--1) Indus 2) Ganga 3) Bhramputra Peninsular Rivers--1) East flowing 2) West flowing
HIMALAYAN RIVERS OF INDIA
THE INDUS SYSTEM
It has a total length of 2880 km (709 km in India). Rises in Tibet (China) near Mansarovar Lake. In Jammu and Kashmir, its Himalayan tributaries are: Zanskar, Dras, Gartang, Shyok, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit, etc. Its most important tributaries, which join Indus at various places, are: Jhelum, Chenab (1800 km), Ravi, Beas & Satluj.
Sources: Jhelum from Verinag (SE Kashmir), Ravi from Kullu Hills near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, Beas from a place near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh and Satluj from Mansarovar– Rakas lakes in W. Tibet.
THE GANGA SYSTEM
It is 2525 km long of which 1450 km is in Uttarakhand and UP, 445 km in Bihar and 520 km in West Bengal. The Ganga, thehead stream is constituted of two main rivers–Bhagirthi and Alaknanda, which combine at Devprayag to form Ganga. Sources: Bhagirthi from Gaumukh, Alaknanda from Badrinath, Mandakini from Kedarnath (all from Uttarakhand). Yamuna (1375 km) is its most important tributary (on right bank). It rises at the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand. It runs parallel to Ganga for 800km and joins it at Allahabad. Important tributaries of Yamuna are Chambal, Betwa (480 km) and Ken (all from south). Apart from Yamuna, other tributaries of Ganga are Ghaghra (1080 km), Son (780 km), Gandak (425 km), Kosi (730 km), Gomti (805 km), Damodar (541 km). Kosi is infamous as‗Sorrow of Bihar‘, while Damodar gets the name‗Sorrow of Bengal‘ as these cause floods in these regions. Hooghli is a distributory of Ganga flowing through Kolkata.
THE BRAHMAPUTRA SYSTEM
It has a total length of 2900 km. It rises in Tibet (from Chemayungdung glacier), where it is called Tsangpo, and enters the Indian territory (in Arunachal Pradesh) under the name Dihang. Important TributariesSubansiri, Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas, Teesta. In Bangladesh, Brahmaputra is known by the name of Jamuna while Ganga gets the name Padma. Their combined stream is known as Padma only. Meghna is the most important distributory before it enters the Bay of Bengal. The combined stream of Ganga and Brahmaputra forms thebiggest delta in the world, the Sundarbans, covering an area of 58,752 sq. km. Its major part is in Bangladesh. On Brahmaputra is the river island, Majuli in Assam, the biggest river island in the world. Brahmaputra, or the Red River, is navigable for a distance of 1384 km up to Dibrugarh and serves as an excellent inland water transport route.
RIVERS OF THE PENINSULA IN INDIA
EAST FLOWING RIVERS OF INDIA (OR DELTA FORMING RIVERS)
Mahanadi River (858 km):- Rises in Raipur distt. in Chhatisgarh.Godavari River (1465 km): Also called Vriddha Ganga or Dakshina Ganga. It is the longest peninsular river. Rises in Nasik. Main tributaries: Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Indravati, Wainganga, etc.
Krishna River (1327 km):- Rises in Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar. Main tributaries: Koyna, Dudhganga, Panchganga, Malprabha, Bhima, Tungabhadra, etc.
Cauvery River (805 km):- It is the largest peninsular river (maximum amount of water).
Infact, it is the only peninsular river which flows almost throughout the year.Known as the‗Ganga of the South‘. It rises from the Brahmagir range of Western Ghats. Main tributaries: Hemavati, Lokpawni, Shimsa. Swarnarekha River (395 km) and Brahmani (705 km) : Rises from Ranchi Plateau.
WEST FLOWING RIVERS IN INDIA
Narmada River (1057 km): Rises in Amarkantak Plateau and flows into Gulf of Khambat. It forms the famous Dhuan Dhar Falls near Jabalpur. Main tributaries: Hiran, Burhner, Banjar, Shar, Shakkar, Tawa, etc.
Tapti River (724 km): Rises from Betul distt in Maharashtra. Also known as twin or handmaid of Narmada. Main tributaries: Purna, Betul, Arunavati, Ganjal, etc.
Sabarmati River (416 km): Rises from Aravallis in Rajasthan.
Mahi River (560 km): Rises from Vindhyas in Maharashtra.
Luni River (450 km): Rises from Aravallis. Also called Salt River. It is finally lost in the marshy grounds at the head of the Rann of Kuchchh. Sharavatiis a west flowing river of the Sahyadris. It forms the famous Jog or Gersoppa or Mahatma Gandhi Falls (289 m), which is the highest waterfall in India.
Note:The largest man-made lake in India is Indira Sagar Lake, which is the reservoir of Sardar Sarovar Project, Onkareshwar Project and Maheshwar Project in Gujarat-MP. Chilka Lake (Orissa) is the largest brackish water lake of India. Otherwise also, it is the largest lake of India. Wular Lake (J & K) is the largest fresh water lake of India. Dul Lake is also there in J & K. From Sambhar and Didwana Lake (Rajasthan), salt is produced. Other important lakes are Vembanad in Kerala and Kolleru & Pulicat in Andhra Pradesh. The three important Gulfs in the Indian Territory are: Gulf of Kuchch (west of Gujarat): Region with highest potential of tidal energy generation Gulf of Cambay or Gulf of Khambat (Gujarat): Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati drain into it. Gulf of Mannar (south east of Tamil Nadu): Asia‘s first marine biosphere reserve.
IMPORTANT RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS IN INDIA
Bhakhra Nangal Project - On Satluj in Punjab. Highest in India. Ht 226 m. Reservoir is called Gobind Sagar Lake
Mandi Project - On Beas in H.P
Chambal Valley Project - On Chambal in M.P & Rajasthan. 3 dams are there: Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap sagar Dam and Jawahar Sagar dam
Damodar Valley Project - On Damodar in Bihar.
Hirakud - On Mahanadi in Orissa.World's longest dam: 4801 m
Rihand - On Son(river) in Mirzapur. Reservoir is called Govind Vallabh Pant reservoir
Mayurkashi Project - On Mayurkashi in W.B
Kakrapara Project - On Tapi in Gujarat
Nizamsagar Project - On Manjra in A.P
Nagarjuna Sagar Project - On Krishna in A.P
Farakka Project -On Ganga in W.B. Apart from power and irrigation it helps to remove silt for easy navigation
CLIMATE SEASONS IN INDIA
In India, the year can be divided into four seasons, resulting from the monsoons which occur mainly due to the differential heating of land and movement of the sun‘s vertical rays. The highest temperature experienced in South is in April while in North it is in May and June.‘Cherry Blossoms’are there in Karnataka, beneficial to coffee plantation and‘Mango showers’in elsewhere South India, which are beneficial to mango crops. The south–west monsoon enters the country in two currents, one blowing over the Bay of Bengal and the other over the Arabian Sea. This monsoon causes rainfall over most of the country (except Tamil Nadu and Thar Desert area). The Bay of Bengal branch after crossing the deltaic region enters the Khasi valley in Meghalaya and gets entrapped in it due to funnelshape of the region. It strikes Cherrapunji in a perpendicular direction causing heavies rainfall in Mausryam (Approx. 1400 cm). From mid-Sept to mid-Dec, the monsoon retreats. As the sun‘s vertical rays start shifting towards the Tropic of Capricorn, the low pressure area starts moving south and winds finally start blowing from land to sea. This is callednorth-east monsoon.The withdrawal of monsoon is a much more gradual process than its onset. It causes rainfall in Tamil Nadu as the winds pick some moisture from Bay of Bengal. This explains the phenomenon why Tamil Nadu remains dry when the entire country receives rain and why it gets rain when practically the entire country is dry.
CLIMATIC REGIONS OF INDIA
India can be divided into a number of climatic regions. Tropical Rain Forests in India: Found in the west coastal plains, the Western Ghats and parts of Assam. Characterised by high temperatures throughout the year. Rainfall, though seasonal, is heavy-about 200 cm annually during MayNovember. Tropical Savanna Climate: In most of the peninsula region except the semi-arid zone in the leeward side of the Western Ghats. It is characterized by long dry weather throughout winter and early summer and high temperature (above 18.2 Deg.c); annual rainfall varies from 76 cm in the west to 150 cm in the east. Tropical Semi-Arid Steppe Climate: It prevails in the rain-shadow belt running southward from Central Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu in the leeward side of the Western Ghats and the Cardamom Hills. It is characterized by low rainfall which varies from 38 cm to 80 cm, high temperature between 20 and 30. Tropical and Subtropical Steppes: Large areas in Punjab, Haryana and Kutch region. Temperature varies from 12-35 Deg.
Soils
Alluvial Soil
In India it covers about 40 per cent of the total land area. It is very fertile and contributes the largest share of agricultural wealth. Found mostly in the Northern Plains, starting from Punjab in the west to West Bengal and Assam in the east. The northern parts and the coastal areas of Gujarat also have some deposits of alluvial soil. The fine particles of sand, silt and clay are called alluvium. The alluvial soil can be divided into a. Old alluvium, called bangar b. New alluvium, called khadar. Alluvial soilismost suited to irrigation and can produce bumper crops of rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, jute, oilseeds, etc.
Black Soil
The black soil is locally called regur, a word derived from Telugu word‗reguda‘. It is also called the Black Cotton Soil, as cotton is the most important crop grown in this soil. The black soil is mostly found in the Deccan Trap, covering large areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat and western Madhya Pradesh. The black soil is well-known for its capacity to hold moisture.Black soil is widely used for producing cotton, wheat, linseed, millets, tobacco and oilseeds.
Laterite Soil
The word‗laterite‘ has been derived from a Latin wordmeaning‗brick‘. It is mainly found on the summits of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Rajmahal Hills, Vindhyas, Satpuras and Malwa plateau. It is well-developed in southern Maharashtra, and parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Assam and Meghalaya. Such climatic conditions promote leaching of soil. Leaching is a process in which heavy rains wash away the fertile part of the soil. The laterite soil is red in colour and composed of little clay and much gravel of red sandstones. Due to intensive leaching, the laterite soil generally lacks fertility and is of low value for crop production. But when manured and timely irrigated, the soil is suitable for producing plantation crops like tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, arecanut, etc.
Mountain Soil
The mountain soil is generally found on the hill slopes covered with forests. This soil is also found in the Western and Eastern Ghats and in some parts of the Peninsular India. This soil is rich in humus, but poor in potash, phosphorus and lime. In the Himalayan region wheat, maize, barley and temperate fruits are grown on this soil. This soil is especially suitable for producing plantation crops, such as tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Desert Soil
The desert soil is found mostly in the arid and semiarid regions, receiving less than 50 cm of annual rainfall. Such regions are mostly found in Rajasthan and the adjoining areas of Haryana and Punjab. The Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is an extension of this region. The desert soil has sand (90 to 95 per cent) and clay (5 to 10 per cent). Desert soil can produce a variety of crops, such as wheat, millets, barley, maize, pulses, cotton, etc.
NATIONAL PARKS AND WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
There are 96 National Parks and 510 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India. Madhya Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the maximum number of National Parks (9 each) while Andaman and Nicobar Islands has 96 and
Maharashtra has 36 Wildlife Sanctuaries (maximum in India). CROPPING SEASONS IN INDIA Kharif Crops of India Sown in summers between May and July, and harvested after the rains, in September and October. Eg: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc. Rabi Cropsof India Sown at the beginning of winter and harvested before the onset of the summer season, between Feb and April. Eg: Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc. Zaid Crops They are raised between April and June. E.g. : Melon, watermelon, cucumber, toris, leafy and other vegetables.
Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops) Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion of the product is consumed by the farmers themselves (cotton, sugarcane etc.)
RAILWAYS IN INDIA
Indian railway system is the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. It is the biggest departmental public undertaking in the country. The first train ran in India between Bombay and Thane, a stretch of 34 km. on April 16th 1853. The second train ran between Howrah andHooghly in 1854.
The headquarters of Indian Railway is in New Delhi. The first electric train in India was‗Deccan Queen‘. It was introduced in 1929 between Bombay and Poona. Indian Railways has the second biggest electrified system in the world after Russia. The fastest train in India is the Shatabadi Express whose maximum speed is 140 km/hr. The total route covered is approx 63,000 km. The total number of railway stations in India is 7,100. The longest railway platforms are: Gorakhpur railway station, Uttar Pradesh, India:1,366.33 m (4,483 ft) (longest in the world).
Mumbai is the destination where maximum number of trains in India head for. The first Metro Rail was introduced in Kolkata (W.Bengal) on October 24, 1984. The two stations connected were Dumdum and Belgachhia. Konkan Railways India: It is a project to shorten the distance between Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. The total route length is 786 km between Apta (Maharashtra) and Mangalore (Karnataka).
BOUNDRY LINES
LINES
Durand Line - Pakistan & Afghanistan
MacMohan Line -India & China
Radcliffe Line - India & Pakistan
Maginot Line - France & Germany
Oder Niesse Line - Germany & Poland
Hindenberg Line - Poland & Germany (at the time of First World War)
38th Parallel - North & South Korea
49th Parallel - USA & Canada
Area Geography & Boundaries OF INDIA
1. India stretches 3,214 km from North to South & 2,933 km from East to West.
2. Geography Area of India : 32,87,263 sq. km. Accounts for 2.4% of the total world area and roughly 16% of the world population.
3. Mainland India has a coastline of 6,100 km. Including the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the coastline measures about 7516.6 km.
4. In India, of the total land mass:
• Plains Geography: 43.3%
• Plateaus: 27.7%
• Hills: 18.6%
• Mountains Geography: 10.7%
5. In the South, onthe eastern side, the Gulf of Mannar & the Palk Strait separate India from Sri Lanka.
6. Total land neighbours: 7 (Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar).
7. India‘s Islands include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep, Minicoy & Amindive Islands in the Arabian Sea.
INDIA FACTS
Highest Award - Bharat Ratna
Highest Gallantry Award - Param Vir Chakra
Longest Tributary river of IndiaYamuna
Largest Lake-Wular Lake, Kashmir
Largest Lake (Saline Water)-Chilka Lake, Orrisa
Largest Man-Made Lake-Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)
Highest Lake-Devtal Lake, Gadhwal (Uttarakhand)
Highest Peak-Karkoram-2 of K2 (8,611 meters)
Largest Populated City-Mumbai
Largest State(Area)-Rajasthan
Largest State(Population)-Uttar Pradesh
Highest rainfall-Cherrapunji (426 inches per annum)
State wise largest area under forestMadhya Pradesh
Largest Delta -Sunderbans Delta
Longest River Bridge -Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Patna
Biggest Cave temple -Ellora Longest Road -Grand Trunk Road
Longest Canal -Indira Gandhi Canal or Rajasthan Canal (Rajasthan)
Largest Museum -India Museum at Kolkata
Longest Dam -Hirakud Dam (Orrisa)
Highest Dam -Tehri Dam ( 260 meters , 850 ft )
Largest District -Kutch district
Longest Highway NH -44 (NH-7) which turns from Varanasi to Kanyakumari
Smallest State (Population) -Sikkim
Smallest State (Area) -Goa
Largest State (Area) -Rajasthan
Largest State (Population) -Uttar Pradesh
Largest Cave Temple -Kailash Temple, Ellora (Maharastra) Largest Port -Mumbai
Largest Church -Saint Cathedral (Goa)
Longest Beach -Marina Beach, Chennai
Highest Airport-Leh (Laddakh)
Largest River Island -Majuli (Brahmaputra River, Asom)
Continents of the World
World Continents
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica are the seven continents of the world. · These seven continents were believed to be part of Pangaea which was a single landmass around 250 million years ago. · Due to the tectonic movement, the landmass broke up and the component continents separated and moved away to its present position. All these took around 1 million years to complete. The Continents of the World, · Asia Continents Countries · Africa Continents Countries · North America Continents Countries · South America Continents Countries · Europe Continents Countries · Australia Continents Countries · Antarctica Continents Countries
ASIA
Area: 44,485,900 sq Kms
Straits Strait of Malacca, Bering Strait.
Mountains Pamir Knot, Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Tien Shan, Altai, Hindu Kush, Elburz, Pontic, Sulaiman, Zagros, Taurus, Urals,Yablonovoi, Stanovoi.
Highest Point Everest (8,848 m)
Lowest Point Dead Sea (396.8 m)
Islands---Kurile, Sakhalin, Honshu, Hokkaido, Taiwan, Borneo,Sumatra, Java, Celebes, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Cyprus.
Rivers-Eupharates, Tigris, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Hwang-Ho, Yang-tse, Si-kiang, Amur, Lena-Yenisei, Ob, Irrawady, Salween, Mekong.
Plateaus--Anatolia Plateau, Plateau of Iran, Plateau of Arabia, Plateau Of Tibet, Tarim Basin, Plateau of Mongolia, Plateau of Yunnan, Deccan Plateau.
Peninsulas—Kamchatka Peninsula, Peninsula of Korea, Peninsula of Indo-China, Malay Peninsula. Indian Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula.
Deserts-Arab, Thar
Africa
1 Area 30,259,680 sq Kms
2 Straits--Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, Straits of Gibraltar
3 Mountains--Atlas, Drakensberg, Kilimanjaro
4 Highest Point-Kilimanjaro (5,894 m)
5 Lowest Point-Lake Assai (-156.1 m.)
6 Islands--Madagascar, Cape Verde Islands, The Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles
7 Plateaus--The whole continent is a plateau 8 Deserts--Kalahari, Sahara Namib
North America
1 Area--24,235,280 sq Kms
2 Straits--Bering Strait
3 Mountains--Rockies, Appalachain, Brooks, Kuskolkwim, Alaska Range, Cascade Range, Coastal Range, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre
4 Highest Point--Mckinley (6,194 m.)
5 Lowest Point--Death Valley(-85.9 m)
6 Islands--Greenland, Baffin, Victoria, Newfoundland, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti
7 Rivers--Mississippi, Missourie, St. Lawrence, Mackenzie, Colorado, Hudson, Potomac, Ohio
8 Plateaus--ColumbiaPlateau, Colorado Plateau, Mexican Plateau, Canadian Shield.
9 Deserts--Chihuahuan, Colorado, Mujave, Sonoran
South America
1 Area--17,820,770 sq Kms
2 Straits--Straits of Magellan
3 Mountains--Andes
4 Highest Point-Aconcagua (6,960 m)
5 Lowest-Point Valdes Penin (-39.9 m)
6 Islands-Galapagos, Falkland, Tierra del Fuego.
7 Rivers--Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Uruguay
8 Plateaus--Plateau of Bolivia, Plateau of Equador
9 Deserts--Atacama, Pantagonia
Europe
1 Area--10,530,750 sq Kms
2 Straits--Straits of Gibraltar
3 Mountains--Alps, Pyrenes, Appenines, Dinaric Alps, Carpathians, Transylvanian Mountains, Balkans, Caucasus, Urals
4 Highest Point--Elbrus (5,663 M.)
5 Lowest Point--Caspian Sea (-28.0 m)
6 Islands--British Isles, Iceland, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete.
7 Rivers--Volga, Danube, Rhine, Po, Dnieper, Don, Vistula, Elbe, Oder, Seine, Loire, Garrone, Douro, Tagus, Ural
8 Plateaus--Plateau of Bohemia, Plateau of Spain, Central Massif
Australia
1 Area--7,830,682 sq Kms
2 Straits--Bass Strait
3 Mountains--Great Dividing Range
4 Highest Point--Kosclusko (2,228 m.)
5 Lowest Point--Lake Eyre (-15.8 m.)
6 Islands--Tasmania
7 Plateaus--Western Plateau 8 Deserts--Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Simpson Desert.
Important mountainranges
Andes--South America, Rockies--North America, Atlas---Africa, Kilimancharo---Africa, Appalechian---America,Ural---Europe, Alps---Europe, Karpathyan---Europe, Mount Eribus---Antartica, Himalayam---Asia
LAKES
Important Lakes Superior--North America, Ladol—Europe, Caspian—Asia, Victoria—Africa, Ayar—Australia, Marakkoiba--South America, Vozthok—Antartica, Azad--Syria Nazar,--Egypt
• Land of ten thousand lakes--Minazotta
• Land of thousand lakes--Finland
• Oldest lake, Deepest lake--Baikkal (Russia)
• Largest Island Lake--Manitollin
• Largest freshwater lake--Superior
• Largest salt water lake--Caspian sea
• Largest artificial lake--Volta (Ghana)
In India, the rivers can be divided into two main groups: Himalayan Rivers--1) Indus 2) Ganga 3) Bhramputra Peninsular Rivers--1) East flowing 2) West flowing
HIMALAYAN RIVERS OF INDIA
THE INDUS SYSTEM
It has a total length of 2880 km (709 km in India). Rises in Tibet (China) near Mansarovar Lake. In Jammu and Kashmir, its Himalayan tributaries are: Zanskar, Dras, Gartang, Shyok, Shigar, Nubra, Gilgit, etc. Its most important tributaries, which join Indus at various places, are: Jhelum, Chenab (1800 km), Ravi, Beas & Satluj.
Sources: Jhelum from Verinag (SE Kashmir), Ravi from Kullu Hills near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, Beas from a place near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh and Satluj from Mansarovar– Rakas lakes in W. Tibet.
THE GANGA SYSTEM
It is 2525 km long of which 1450 km is in Uttarakhand and UP, 445 km in Bihar and 520 km in West Bengal. The Ganga, thehead stream is constituted of two main rivers–Bhagirthi and Alaknanda, which combine at Devprayag to form Ganga. Sources: Bhagirthi from Gaumukh, Alaknanda from Badrinath, Mandakini from Kedarnath (all from Uttarakhand). Yamuna (1375 km) is its most important tributary (on right bank). It rises at the Yamunotri glacier in Uttarakhand. It runs parallel to Ganga for 800km and joins it at Allahabad. Important tributaries of Yamuna are Chambal, Betwa (480 km) and Ken (all from south). Apart from Yamuna, other tributaries of Ganga are Ghaghra (1080 km), Son (780 km), Gandak (425 km), Kosi (730 km), Gomti (805 km), Damodar (541 km). Kosi is infamous as‗Sorrow of Bihar‘, while Damodar gets the name‗Sorrow of Bengal‘ as these cause floods in these regions. Hooghli is a distributory of Ganga flowing through Kolkata.
THE BRAHMAPUTRA SYSTEM
It has a total length of 2900 km. It rises in Tibet (from Chemayungdung glacier), where it is called Tsangpo, and enters the Indian territory (in Arunachal Pradesh) under the name Dihang. Important TributariesSubansiri, Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas, Teesta. In Bangladesh, Brahmaputra is known by the name of Jamuna while Ganga gets the name Padma. Their combined stream is known as Padma only. Meghna is the most important distributory before it enters the Bay of Bengal. The combined stream of Ganga and Brahmaputra forms thebiggest delta in the world, the Sundarbans, covering an area of 58,752 sq. km. Its major part is in Bangladesh. On Brahmaputra is the river island, Majuli in Assam, the biggest river island in the world. Brahmaputra, or the Red River, is navigable for a distance of 1384 km up to Dibrugarh and serves as an excellent inland water transport route.
RIVERS OF THE PENINSULA IN INDIA
EAST FLOWING RIVERS OF INDIA (OR DELTA FORMING RIVERS)
Mahanadi River (858 km):- Rises in Raipur distt. in Chhatisgarh.Godavari River (1465 km): Also called Vriddha Ganga or Dakshina Ganga. It is the longest peninsular river. Rises in Nasik. Main tributaries: Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Indravati, Wainganga, etc.
Krishna River (1327 km):- Rises in Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar. Main tributaries: Koyna, Dudhganga, Panchganga, Malprabha, Bhima, Tungabhadra, etc.
Cauvery River (805 km):- It is the largest peninsular river (maximum amount of water).
Infact, it is the only peninsular river which flows almost throughout the year.Known as the‗Ganga of the South‘. It rises from the Brahmagir range of Western Ghats. Main tributaries: Hemavati, Lokpawni, Shimsa. Swarnarekha River (395 km) and Brahmani (705 km) : Rises from Ranchi Plateau.
WEST FLOWING RIVERS IN INDIA
Narmada River (1057 km): Rises in Amarkantak Plateau and flows into Gulf of Khambat. It forms the famous Dhuan Dhar Falls near Jabalpur. Main tributaries: Hiran, Burhner, Banjar, Shar, Shakkar, Tawa, etc.
Tapti River (724 km): Rises from Betul distt in Maharashtra. Also known as twin or handmaid of Narmada. Main tributaries: Purna, Betul, Arunavati, Ganjal, etc.
Sabarmati River (416 km): Rises from Aravallis in Rajasthan.
Mahi River (560 km): Rises from Vindhyas in Maharashtra.
Luni River (450 km): Rises from Aravallis. Also called Salt River. It is finally lost in the marshy grounds at the head of the Rann of Kuchchh. Sharavatiis a west flowing river of the Sahyadris. It forms the famous Jog or Gersoppa or Mahatma Gandhi Falls (289 m), which is the highest waterfall in India.
Note:The largest man-made lake in India is Indira Sagar Lake, which is the reservoir of Sardar Sarovar Project, Onkareshwar Project and Maheshwar Project in Gujarat-MP. Chilka Lake (Orissa) is the largest brackish water lake of India. Otherwise also, it is the largest lake of India. Wular Lake (J & K) is the largest fresh water lake of India. Dul Lake is also there in J & K. From Sambhar and Didwana Lake (Rajasthan), salt is produced. Other important lakes are Vembanad in Kerala and Kolleru & Pulicat in Andhra Pradesh. The three important Gulfs in the Indian Territory are: Gulf of Kuchch (west of Gujarat): Region with highest potential of tidal energy generation Gulf of Cambay or Gulf of Khambat (Gujarat): Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati drain into it. Gulf of Mannar (south east of Tamil Nadu): Asia‘s first marine biosphere reserve.
IMPORTANT RIVER VALLEY PROJECTS IN INDIA
Bhakhra Nangal Project - On Satluj in Punjab. Highest in India. Ht 226 m. Reservoir is called Gobind Sagar Lake
Mandi Project - On Beas in H.P
Chambal Valley Project - On Chambal in M.P & Rajasthan. 3 dams are there: Gandhi Sagar Dam, Rana Pratap sagar Dam and Jawahar Sagar dam
Damodar Valley Project - On Damodar in Bihar.
Hirakud - On Mahanadi in Orissa.World's longest dam: 4801 m
Rihand - On Son(river) in Mirzapur. Reservoir is called Govind Vallabh Pant reservoir
Mayurkashi Project - On Mayurkashi in W.B
Kakrapara Project - On Tapi in Gujarat
Nizamsagar Project - On Manjra in A.P
Nagarjuna Sagar Project - On Krishna in A.P
Farakka Project -On Ganga in W.B. Apart from power and irrigation it helps to remove silt for easy navigation
CLIMATE OF INDIA
India has tropical monsoon type of climate.CLIMATE SEASONS IN INDIA
In India, the year can be divided into four seasons, resulting from the monsoons which occur mainly due to the differential heating of land and movement of the sun‘s vertical rays. The highest temperature experienced in South is in April while in North it is in May and June.‘Cherry Blossoms’are there in Karnataka, beneficial to coffee plantation and‘Mango showers’in elsewhere South India, which are beneficial to mango crops. The south–west monsoon enters the country in two currents, one blowing over the Bay of Bengal and the other over the Arabian Sea. This monsoon causes rainfall over most of the country (except Tamil Nadu and Thar Desert area). The Bay of Bengal branch after crossing the deltaic region enters the Khasi valley in Meghalaya and gets entrapped in it due to funnelshape of the region. It strikes Cherrapunji in a perpendicular direction causing heavies rainfall in Mausryam (Approx. 1400 cm). From mid-Sept to mid-Dec, the monsoon retreats. As the sun‘s vertical rays start shifting towards the Tropic of Capricorn, the low pressure area starts moving south and winds finally start blowing from land to sea. This is callednorth-east monsoon.The withdrawal of monsoon is a much more gradual process than its onset. It causes rainfall in Tamil Nadu as the winds pick some moisture from Bay of Bengal. This explains the phenomenon why Tamil Nadu remains dry when the entire country receives rain and why it gets rain when practically the entire country is dry.
CLIMATIC REGIONS OF INDIA
India can be divided into a number of climatic regions. Tropical Rain Forests in India: Found in the west coastal plains, the Western Ghats and parts of Assam. Characterised by high temperatures throughout the year. Rainfall, though seasonal, is heavy-about 200 cm annually during MayNovember. Tropical Savanna Climate: In most of the peninsula region except the semi-arid zone in the leeward side of the Western Ghats. It is characterized by long dry weather throughout winter and early summer and high temperature (above 18.2 Deg.c); annual rainfall varies from 76 cm in the west to 150 cm in the east. Tropical Semi-Arid Steppe Climate: It prevails in the rain-shadow belt running southward from Central Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu in the leeward side of the Western Ghats and the Cardamom Hills. It is characterized by low rainfall which varies from 38 cm to 80 cm, high temperature between 20 and 30. Tropical and Subtropical Steppes: Large areas in Punjab, Haryana and Kutch region. Temperature varies from 12-35 Deg.
Soils
Alluvial Soil
In India it covers about 40 per cent of the total land area. It is very fertile and contributes the largest share of agricultural wealth. Found mostly in the Northern Plains, starting from Punjab in the west to West Bengal and Assam in the east. The northern parts and the coastal areas of Gujarat also have some deposits of alluvial soil. The fine particles of sand, silt and clay are called alluvium. The alluvial soil can be divided into a. Old alluvium, called bangar b. New alluvium, called khadar. Alluvial soilismost suited to irrigation and can produce bumper crops of rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, jute, oilseeds, etc.
Black Soil
The black soil is locally called regur, a word derived from Telugu word‗reguda‘. It is also called the Black Cotton Soil, as cotton is the most important crop grown in this soil. The black soil is mostly found in the Deccan Trap, covering large areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat and western Madhya Pradesh. The black soil is well-known for its capacity to hold moisture.Black soil is widely used for producing cotton, wheat, linseed, millets, tobacco and oilseeds.
Red Soil
The red soil occupies about 10 per cent area of India, mostly in the south-eastern part of the Peninsular India. The red soil is found in Tamil Nadu, parts of Karnataka, southeast Maharashtra, eastern parts of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Jhark hand. The red colour is due to the high percentage of iron contents.Laterite Soil
The word‗laterite‘ has been derived from a Latin wordmeaning‗brick‘. It is mainly found on the summits of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Rajmahal Hills, Vindhyas, Satpuras and Malwa plateau. It is well-developed in southern Maharashtra, and parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Assam and Meghalaya. Such climatic conditions promote leaching of soil. Leaching is a process in which heavy rains wash away the fertile part of the soil. The laterite soil is red in colour and composed of little clay and much gravel of red sandstones. Due to intensive leaching, the laterite soil generally lacks fertility and is of low value for crop production. But when manured and timely irrigated, the soil is suitable for producing plantation crops like tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, arecanut, etc.
Mountain Soil
The mountain soil is generally found on the hill slopes covered with forests. This soil is also found in the Western and Eastern Ghats and in some parts of the Peninsular India. This soil is rich in humus, but poor in potash, phosphorus and lime. In the Himalayan region wheat, maize, barley and temperate fruits are grown on this soil. This soil is especially suitable for producing plantation crops, such as tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Desert Soil
The desert soil is found mostly in the arid and semiarid regions, receiving less than 50 cm of annual rainfall. Such regions are mostly found in Rajasthan and the adjoining areas of Haryana and Punjab. The Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is an extension of this region. The desert soil has sand (90 to 95 per cent) and clay (5 to 10 per cent). Desert soil can produce a variety of crops, such as wheat, millets, barley, maize, pulses, cotton, etc.
NATIONAL PARKS AND WILD LIFE SANCTUARIES
There are 96 National Parks and 510 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India. Madhya Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have the maximum number of National Parks (9 each) while Andaman and Nicobar Islands has 96 and
Maharashtra has 36 Wildlife Sanctuaries (maximum in India). CROPPING SEASONS IN INDIA Kharif Crops of India Sown in summers between May and July, and harvested after the rains, in September and October. Eg: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc. Rabi Cropsof India Sown at the beginning of winter and harvested before the onset of the summer season, between Feb and April. Eg: Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc. Zaid Crops They are raised between April and June. E.g. : Melon, watermelon, cucumber, toris, leafy and other vegetables.
Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops) Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion of the product is consumed by the farmers themselves (cotton, sugarcane etc.)
RAILWAYS IN INDIA
Indian railway system is the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. It is the biggest departmental public undertaking in the country. The first train ran in India between Bombay and Thane, a stretch of 34 km. on April 16th 1853. The second train ran between Howrah andHooghly in 1854.
The headquarters of Indian Railway is in New Delhi. The first electric train in India was‗Deccan Queen‘. It was introduced in 1929 between Bombay and Poona. Indian Railways has the second biggest electrified system in the world after Russia. The fastest train in India is the Shatabadi Express whose maximum speed is 140 km/hr. The total route covered is approx 63,000 km. The total number of railway stations in India is 7,100. The longest railway platforms are: Gorakhpur railway station, Uttar Pradesh, India:1,366.33 m (4,483 ft) (longest in the world).
Mumbai is the destination where maximum number of trains in India head for. The first Metro Rail was introduced in Kolkata (W.Bengal) on October 24, 1984. The two stations connected were Dumdum and Belgachhia. Konkan Railways India: It is a project to shorten the distance between Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. The total route length is 786 km between Apta (Maharashtra) and Mangalore (Karnataka).
BOUNDRY LINES
LINES
Durand Line - Pakistan & Afghanistan
MacMohan Line -India & China
Radcliffe Line - India & Pakistan
Maginot Line - France & Germany
Oder Niesse Line - Germany & Poland
Hindenberg Line - Poland & Germany (at the time of First World War)
38th Parallel - North & South Korea
49th Parallel - USA & Canada
Area Geography & Boundaries OF INDIA
1. India stretches 3,214 km from North to South & 2,933 km from East to West.
2. Geography Area of India : 32,87,263 sq. km. Accounts for 2.4% of the total world area and roughly 16% of the world population.
3. Mainland India has a coastline of 6,100 km. Including the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the coastline measures about 7516.6 km.
4. In India, of the total land mass:
• Plains Geography: 43.3%
• Plateaus: 27.7%
• Hills: 18.6%
• Mountains Geography: 10.7%
5. In the South, onthe eastern side, the Gulf of Mannar & the Palk Strait separate India from Sri Lanka.
6. Total land neighbours: 7 (Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar).
7. India‘s Islands include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep, Minicoy & Amindive Islands in the Arabian Sea.
INDIA FACTS
Highest Award - Bharat Ratna
Highest Gallantry Award - Param Vir Chakra
Longest Tributary river of IndiaYamuna
Largest Lake-Wular Lake, Kashmir
Largest Lake (Saline Water)-Chilka Lake, Orrisa
Largest Man-Made Lake-Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)
Highest Lake-Devtal Lake, Gadhwal (Uttarakhand)
Highest Peak-Karkoram-2 of K2 (8,611 meters)
Largest Populated City-Mumbai
Largest State(Area)-Rajasthan
Largest State(Population)-Uttar Pradesh
Highest rainfall-Cherrapunji (426 inches per annum)
State wise largest area under forestMadhya Pradesh
Largest Delta -Sunderbans Delta
Longest River Bridge -Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Patna
Biggest Cave temple -Ellora Longest Road -Grand Trunk Road
Longest Canal -Indira Gandhi Canal or Rajasthan Canal (Rajasthan)
Largest Museum -India Museum at Kolkata
Longest Dam -Hirakud Dam (Orrisa)
Highest Dam -Tehri Dam ( 260 meters , 850 ft )
Largest District -Kutch district
Longest Highway NH -44 (NH-7) which turns from Varanasi to Kanyakumari
Smallest State (Population) -Sikkim
Smallest State (Area) -Goa
Largest State (Area) -Rajasthan
Largest State (Population) -Uttar Pradesh
Largest Cave Temple -Kailash Temple, Ellora (Maharastra) Largest Port -Mumbai
Largest Church -Saint Cathedral (Goa)
Longest Beach -Marina Beach, Chennai
Highest Airport-Leh (Laddakh)
Largest River Island -Majuli (Brahmaputra River, Asom)
Continents of the World
World Continents
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica are the seven continents of the world. · These seven continents were believed to be part of Pangaea which was a single landmass around 250 million years ago. · Due to the tectonic movement, the landmass broke up and the component continents separated and moved away to its present position. All these took around 1 million years to complete. The Continents of the World, · Asia Continents Countries · Africa Continents Countries · North America Continents Countries · South America Continents Countries · Europe Continents Countries · Australia Continents Countries · Antarctica Continents Countries
ASIA
Area: 44,485,900 sq Kms
Straits Strait of Malacca, Bering Strait.
Mountains Pamir Knot, Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Tien Shan, Altai, Hindu Kush, Elburz, Pontic, Sulaiman, Zagros, Taurus, Urals,Yablonovoi, Stanovoi.
Highest Point Everest (8,848 m)
Lowest Point Dead Sea (396.8 m)
Islands---Kurile, Sakhalin, Honshu, Hokkaido, Taiwan, Borneo,Sumatra, Java, Celebes, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Cyprus.
Rivers-Eupharates, Tigris, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Hwang-Ho, Yang-tse, Si-kiang, Amur, Lena-Yenisei, Ob, Irrawady, Salween, Mekong.
Plateaus--Anatolia Plateau, Plateau of Iran, Plateau of Arabia, Plateau Of Tibet, Tarim Basin, Plateau of Mongolia, Plateau of Yunnan, Deccan Plateau.
Peninsulas—Kamchatka Peninsula, Peninsula of Korea, Peninsula of Indo-China, Malay Peninsula. Indian Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula.
Deserts-Arab, Thar
Africa
1 Area 30,259,680 sq Kms
2 Straits--Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, Straits of Gibraltar
3 Mountains--Atlas, Drakensberg, Kilimanjaro
4 Highest Point-Kilimanjaro (5,894 m)
5 Lowest Point-Lake Assai (-156.1 m.)
6 Islands--Madagascar, Cape Verde Islands, The Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles
7 Plateaus--The whole continent is a plateau 8 Deserts--Kalahari, Sahara Namib
North America
1 Area--24,235,280 sq Kms
2 Straits--Bering Strait
3 Mountains--Rockies, Appalachain, Brooks, Kuskolkwim, Alaska Range, Cascade Range, Coastal Range, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre
4 Highest Point--Mckinley (6,194 m.)
5 Lowest Point--Death Valley(-85.9 m)
6 Islands--Greenland, Baffin, Victoria, Newfoundland, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti
7 Rivers--Mississippi, Missourie, St. Lawrence, Mackenzie, Colorado, Hudson, Potomac, Ohio
8 Plateaus--ColumbiaPlateau, Colorado Plateau, Mexican Plateau, Canadian Shield.
9 Deserts--Chihuahuan, Colorado, Mujave, Sonoran
South America
1 Area--17,820,770 sq Kms
2 Straits--Straits of Magellan
3 Mountains--Andes
4 Highest Point-Aconcagua (6,960 m)
5 Lowest-Point Valdes Penin (-39.9 m)
6 Islands-Galapagos, Falkland, Tierra del Fuego.
7 Rivers--Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Uruguay
8 Plateaus--Plateau of Bolivia, Plateau of Equador
9 Deserts--Atacama, Pantagonia
Europe
1 Area--10,530,750 sq Kms
2 Straits--Straits of Gibraltar
3 Mountains--Alps, Pyrenes, Appenines, Dinaric Alps, Carpathians, Transylvanian Mountains, Balkans, Caucasus, Urals
4 Highest Point--Elbrus (5,663 M.)
5 Lowest Point--Caspian Sea (-28.0 m)
6 Islands--British Isles, Iceland, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete.
7 Rivers--Volga, Danube, Rhine, Po, Dnieper, Don, Vistula, Elbe, Oder, Seine, Loire, Garrone, Douro, Tagus, Ural
8 Plateaus--Plateau of Bohemia, Plateau of Spain, Central Massif
Australia
1 Area--7,830,682 sq Kms
2 Straits--Bass Strait
3 Mountains--Great Dividing Range
4 Highest Point--Kosclusko (2,228 m.)
5 Lowest Point--Lake Eyre (-15.8 m.)
6 Islands--Tasmania
7 Plateaus--Western Plateau 8 Deserts--Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Simpson Desert.
Important mountainranges
Andes--South America, Rockies--North America, Atlas---Africa, Kilimancharo---Africa, Appalechian---America,Ural---Europe, Alps---Europe, Karpathyan---Europe, Mount Eribus---Antartica, Himalayam---Asia
LAKES
Important Lakes Superior--North America, Ladol—Europe, Caspian—Asia, Victoria—Africa, Ayar—Australia, Marakkoiba--South America, Vozthok—Antartica, Azad--Syria Nazar,--Egypt
• Land of ten thousand lakes--Minazotta
• Land of thousand lakes--Finland
• Oldest lake, Deepest lake--Baikkal (Russia)
• Largest Island Lake--Manitollin
• Largest freshwater lake--Superior
• Largest salt water lake--Caspian sea
• Largest artificial lake--Volta (Ghana)
