India is located in the northern hemisphere between latitudes 8°4’ N and 37°6’ N, and longitudes 68°7’ E and 97°25’ E. It has a land area of 3.28 million square km, making it the 7th largest country by area. India has land borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan to the northwest, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. To the south it faces Sri Lanka and the Maldives across the Indian Ocean.

1. INDIA – SIZE AND LOCATION
CLASS IX
GEOGRAPHY- CHAPTER 1
(By: Mrs. Usha Joy)

2. India - LOCATION
 Location : Northern Hemisphere
 Main Land : Latitude - 8˚4’ N and 37˚6’ N
Longitude - 68˚7’E and 97˚25’E
 Indian Union : Latitude - 6˚45’N and 37˚6’ N
 Tropic of Cancer ( 23˚30’N ) – Divides into almost two equal parts

3. Heat zones

4. INDIA - location
 Southeast : Andaman and Nicobar Islands - Bay of Bengal
 Southwest : Lakshadweep Islands - Arabian Sea
 Southern most point : mainland -Kanyakumari
Indian Union -Indira point
( submerged – 2004 Tsunami )

5. INDIA – POLITICAL MAP

6. INDIA - SIZE
 Land mass : 3.28 million square km
2.4% of the total area of
the world
 Seventh Largest Country :
Russia , Canada ,USA , China , Brazil ,
Australia , India

7. Boundary
Land boundary : 15,200 km
Length of coastline : 7,516.6 km
(including islands)
Northwest, North and Northeast – Young fold mountains
South: From 22˚N onwards it begins to taper and extends towards the
Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas the Arabian Sea on the west and the
Bay of Bengal on its east.

8. Distance
 Latitudinal and longitudinal extension - 30˚
 North-south distance - 3214 km
 East-west distance - 2933 km

9. Standard Meridian of India
 From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of two hours.
 Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30'E) passing
through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the
whole country.
 The latitudinal extent influences the duration of day and night, as one
moves from south to north.

10. India

11. India and the World
 The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West Asia.
 India is a southward extension of the Asian continent.
 The trans Indian Ocean routes, which connect the countries of Europe in the West
and the countries of East Asia, provide a strategic central location to India.
 The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to
establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast and
with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
 No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed,
justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.

12. Do you know?
 Since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, India’s distance from
Europe has been reduced by 7,000 km.
 Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the
Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and
dividing Africa and Asia.
 The canal is part of the Silk Road that connects Europe with Asia.

13. Suez Canal

14. Contact with the world
 India’s contacts with the World have continued through ages
but her relationships through the land routes are much older
than her maritime contacts.
 The various passes across the mountains in the north have
provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans
restricted such interaction for a long time.

15. India’s Contact with the world
 These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and
commodities since ancient times.
 The ideas of the Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of
Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system thus could
reach many parts of the world.
 The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to
different countries.
 On the other hand, the influence of Greek sculpture, and the
architectural styles of dome and minarets from West Asia can be seen in
different parts of our country.

16. Do you know?
 Before 1947, there were two types of states in India — the provinces and
the Princely states.
 Provinces were ruled directly by British officials, who were appointed by
the Viceroy.
 Princely states were ruled by local, hereditary rulers, who acknowledged
sovereignity in return for local autonomy.

17. India’s Neighbors
 28 states and eight union territories
 Northwest – Pakistan and Afghanistan
 North - China, Nepal, Bhutan
 East - Myanmar, Bangladesh
 South - Sri Lanka, Maldives

18. India’s Neighbors
 Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea
formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar, while
Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the
Lakshadweep Islands.