The document provides an overview of the physical features of India, including its major physiographic divisions and underlying geological structures formed by plate tectonics. It discusses the Himalayan Mountains, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains, and Islands. Key points include the formation of the Himalayas, composition of the Northern Plains drained by the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, description of the Peninsular Plateau and its Central Highlands and Deccan sections, and brief overview of the other regions.

1. ARMY PUBLIC SCHOOL UDHAMPUR
WELCOME
TO
ONLINE CLASS
Topic: PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA
Prepared by:
Parvaiz Ahmad Malik
PGT Economics

2. Objectives
• Knowing about India’s Relief, Major Physiographic Units and
Structure.
• To understand the major landforms, features and the
underlying geological structure
• Their association with different rocks and minerals as well
as nature of soil types.

3. Some Facts that Matter
1.India is a large landmass formed during
different geological periods by processes
such as Weathering, Erosion and deposition
have also influenced its relief.
2.According to the Theory of Plate tectonics
developed in 1960s by Alfred Wegener, the
crust or the upper part of the earth has been
formed out of seven major and some minor
plates.
3. The theory of plate tectonics states that
the Earth’s solid outer crust, the lithosphere,
is separated into plates that move over the
asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of
the mantle.
Born: 1 November 1880, Berlin,
Germany
Died: November 1930,
Nationality: German
Full name: Alfred Lothar Wegener

4. 4. There are two other theories as well
i) Continental drift theory
ii) Seafloor spreading
5.These plate movements are of Three
types – convergent boundary, Divergent
Boundary and transform Boundary.
6.The oldest landmass was a part of the
Gondawana land which includes India,
Australia, South Africa, South America and
Antarctica as one single landmass.

7. Continental drift theory
• Continental drift was a theory that
explained how continents shift
position on Earth's surface.
• Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener,
a geophysicist and meteorologist
• continental drift also explained why
look-alike animal and plant fossils,
and similar rock formations, are
found on different continents.

8. Seafloor spreading
• Seafloor spreading is the mechanism by which new
seafloor lithosphere is constantly being created at mid-
ocean ridges.
• This theory, introduced by Harry Hess, was proven
as patterns of magnetic field polarity preserved in
seafloor basalt and by age dating of the rocks.
• Hess argued that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was a
boundary where two lithospheric plates
were rifting (being pulled apart). As that happened,
rising magma from the upper part of the mantle filled
in the cracks that formed in the earth's crust.
• After the magma solidified into basalt and igneous
rock, additional rifting pulled those rocks apart too.
very slowly over time, widening the Atlantic Ocean
basin and pushing apart the continents to either side.

9. MAJOR PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS
(1) The Himalayan Mountains
(2) The Northern Plains
(3) The Peninsular Plateau
(4) The Indian Desert
(5) The Coastal Plains
(6) The Islands

10. • The Himalayas are the youngest mountains in the
world and are; structurally; the folded mountains.
• These Himalayas run along the northern border of
India.
• Himalayas form an arc which is about 2,400 km long.
The width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km
in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The altitudinal variations are greater in the eastern
part than in the western part.
• There are three parallel ranges in its longitudinal
extent.

11. (3) The Shiwaliks:-
This is the outermost range of
the Himalayas.
The altitude varies between
900 and 1100 km in this range
and the width varies between
10 to 50 km.
These ranges are composed of
unconsolidated sediments.
The longitudinal valleys lying
between the Himachal and
Shiwaliks are called ‘Dun’.
• (1) The Great or Inner
Himalayas:-
• This is the northernmost range
and is also known as ‘Himadri’.
• This is the most continuous
range. It contains the loftiest
peaks.
• The average height of peaks in
this range is 6,000 meters .
• All the prominent Himalayan
peaks are in this range.
• The Great Himalayas are
asymmetrical in nature and
the core of this part is
composed of granite.
• Because of the lofty heights,
the peaks of this range are
perennially snow-bound.
• (2) The Lesser Himalaya or
Himachal:
• This lies towards the south of
the Great Himalayas.
• The altitude of peaks in this
range varies from 3,700 m to
4,500 m.
• Average width of this range is
50 km.
• This range is mainly
composed of highly
compressed and altered
rocks.

14. • Greater Himalayas
• It extends southeastward across northern Pakistan,
northern India, and Nepal. it adjoins to the north the
southern Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
• The range’s total length is some 1,400 miles (2,300 km),
and it has an average elevation of more than 20,000 feet
(6,100 metres).
• The Great Himalayas contain many of the world’s tallest
peaks, including (from west to east) Nanga
Parbat, Annapurna, Mount Everest, and Kanchenjunga.

15. • Passes in the Great
Himalayas — Karakoram
pass, Shipkila pass,
Nathula, Bomdila pass.

16. • Which glaciers and passes
lie in great Himalayas?
• Ans. Glaciers in the Great
Himalayas —
• (a) Siachen Glacier –
Jammu and Kashmir
• (b) Godwin Glacier –
Jammu and Kashmir
• (c) Gangotri Glacier –
Uttarakhand
• (d) Yamunotri Glacier –
Uttarakhand
Yamnotri

17. • Location of Mussoorie, Nainital,
• Ranikhet from your atlas and
also name the statewhere they
are located.

18. The Shivaliks
• The outer-most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks.
• They extend over a width of 10-50 Km and have an altitude
varying between 900 and 1100 meters.
• These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought
down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther
north.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the
Shiwaliks are known as Duns.
• Dehra Dun (Jharkhand), Kotli Dun (HP) and Patli Dun (Punjab) are
some of the well-known Duns.

19. • West to East division of Himalayas
• Himalayas have been divided on the basis of regions from west to east.
• Himalayas lying between Indus and Satluj has been traditionally known as
Punjab Himalaya but it is also known regionally as Kashmir and Himachal
Himalaya from west to east respectively.
• Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.
• The Kali and Teesta rivers demarcate the Nepal Himalayas.
• Part lying between Teesta and Dihang rivers is known as Assam Himalayas.
• Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of
India. They are known as the Purvachal or the Eastern hills and mountains.
• The Purvachal comprises the Patkai hills, the Naga hills, the Manipur hills and
the Mizo hills.

23. The Northern Plain
• The northern plain of India is formed by
three river systems, viz. the Indus, the Ganga
and the Brahmaputra; along with their
tributaries.
• This plain is composed of alluvial soil which
has been deposited over millions of years.
• The total area of the northern plain is about
7 lakh square kilometer.
• It is about 2400 km long and about 240 to
320 km broad

24. • The rivers coming from northern
form riverine islands.
• Majuli, in the Brahmaputra river,
is the largest inhabited riverine
island in the world.

25. • The northern plain is divided into three sections,
1. The Punjab Plain
2. The Ganga Plain
3. The Brahmaputra Plain.
Punjab Plains:
• The Punjab plains form the western part of the
northern plain. This is formed by the Indus and its
tributaries; like Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and
Sutlej. A major portion of this plains is in
Pakistan. Doabs are founds in this region.
Ganga Plains:
• This plain extends between Ghaggar and Tista
rivers. The northern states, Haryana, Delhi, UP,
Bihar, part of Jharkhand and West Bengal lie in
the Ganga plains.
Brahmaputra Plains:
• This plain forms the eastern part of the northern
plain and lies in Assam.

28. Relief features of the northern plains
• Bhabar: After descending from the mountains, the rivers
deposit pebbles in a narrow belt. The width of this belt is
about 8 to 16 km and it lies parallel to the Shiwaliks. All
the streams disappear in this region.
• Terai: The terai region lies towards south of the bhabar
belt. In this region, the streams reappear and make a
wet, swampy and marshy region.
• Bhangar: Bhangar is the largest part of the northern plain
and is composed of the oldest alluvial soil. They lie above
the flood plains. The soil of this region is locally known as
kankar and is composed of calcareous deposits.
• Khadar: The floodplains formed by younger alluvium are
called khadar. The soil in this region is renewed every
year and is thus highly fertile.

30. The Peninsular Plateau
• The Peninsular plateau
is a tableland
composed of the old
crystalline, igneous
and metamorphic
rocks.
• It was formed due to
the breaking and
drifting of the
Gondwana land and
thus, making it a part
of the oldest landmass.
• This plateau consists of
two broad divisions,
namely, the Central
Highlands and the
Deccan Plateau.

31. • Central Highland
• The part of the Peninsular plateau lying to the north
of the Narmada river, covering a major area of the
Malwa plateau, is known as the Central Highlands.
• The Vindhyan range is bounded by the Satpura range
on the south and the Aravalis on the northwest.
• The Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the Ken Drain
this region and flows from southwest to northeast,
thus indicating the slope.
• 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.
Narmada

32. • Deccan Plateau
• The Deccan Plateau is a triangular
landmass that lies to the south of the
river Narmada.
• The Satpura range flanks its broad
base in the north, while the Mahadev,
the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range
form its eastern extensions.
• Locate these hills on map.
• The Deccan Plateau is higher in the
west and slopes gently eastwards.

33. • An extension of the Plateau is also
visible in the northeast, locally
known as the Meghalaya, Karbi-
Anglong Plateau and North Cachar
Hills.
• It is 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.
Garo, Khasi,
Jaintia

34. The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats
• These mark the western and the eastern
edges of the Deccan Plateau respectively.
• Western Ghats lie parallel to the western
coast. They are continuous and can be crossed
through passes only.
• Locate the Thal, Bhor and Pal Ghats in the
Physical map of India.
• The Western Ghats are higher than the
Eastern Ghats. Their average elevation is 900–
1600 metres as against 600 metres of the
Eastern Ghats.

35. • The Western Ghats cause
orographic rain by facing the rain
bearing moist winds to rise along
the western slopes of the Ghats.
• The height of the Western Ghats
progressively increases from north
to south.
• The highest peaks include the
Anai Mudi (2,695 metres) and the
Doda Betta (2,637 metres).

36. • The Eastern Ghats stretch from the Mahanadi
Valley to the Nigiris in the south.
•
• The Eastern Ghats are discontinuous and
irregular and dissected by rivers draining into
the Bay of Bengal.
• Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) is the highest
peak in the Eastern Ghats.
• Shevroy Hills and the Javadi Hills are located
to the southeast of the Eastern Ghats.
• Locate the famous hill stations of
Udagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty
and the Kodaikanal.

37. • The Indian Desert
• The Indian desert lies towards the western margins of
the Aravali Hills.
• This region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per
year.
• It has arid climate with low vegetation cover.
• Streams appear during the rainy season. Soon after they
disappear into the sand as they do not have enough
water to reach the sea.
• 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

38. • The Coastal Plains
• The Peninsular plateau is narrow coastal strips,
running along the Arabian Sea on the west and the
Bay of Bengal on the east.
• The western coast, is a narrow plain. It consists of
three sections.
• The northern part of the coast is called the Konkan
(Mumbai – Goa), the central stretch is called the
Kannad Plain, while the southern stretch is referred to
as the Malabar coast.
• The plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level.
In the northern part, it is referred to as the Northern
Circar, while the southern part is known as the
Coromandel Coast.
• Large rivers, such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the
Krishna and the Kaveri have formed extensive delta on
this coast. Chilika Lake is an important feature along
the eastern coast.
Chilika
lake

39. • THE ISLANDS
• Lakshadweep Islands group lying close to the Malabar
coast of Kerala.
• This group of islands is composed of small coral isalnds
(36).
• Earlier they were known as Laccadive, Minicoy and
Amindive. In 1973, these were named as Lakshadweep.
•
• It 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.

40. • Andaman and Nicobar
• Andaman and Nicobar is a chain (572) of Islands
located in Bay of Bengal.
• They are bigger in size and are more numerous and
scattered.
• The Andaman in the north and the Nicobar in the
south.
• It is believed that these islands are an elevated
portion of submarine mountains.
• There is great diversity of flora and fauna in this
group of islands too.
• These islands lie close to equator and experience
equatorial climate and has thick forest cover.