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Class 9 - Chapter 2 - Physical Features of India - Part 2

Chapter 2 Physical Features of India Notes

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24 views

Class 9 - Chapter 2 - Physical Features of India - Part 2

Chapter 2 Physical Features of India Notes

Uploaded by

tanishadas.leo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Part 2

Contents :
• Physical features of India
• Theory of Plate Tectonics
• Movement of the Plates
• Major Physiographic Divisions
The Himalayan Mountains
The Northern Plains
The Peninsular Plateau
The Indian Dessert
The Coastal Plains
The islands
The Northern Plain
The northern plain has been formed by the interplay of the 3 major river
systems – the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their
tributaries. It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq. km.
The Northern Plain is broadly divided into 3 sections as mentioned below:
1. The Western part of the Northern Plain is referred to as the Punjab
Plains. This plain is formed by the Indus and its tributaries – the
Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj.River Indus
originates in the Tibetan Plateau near Lake Manasarovar
2. The Ganga plain extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It is
spread over the states of North India, Haryana, Delhi, U.P., Bihar,
partly Jharkhand and West Bengal.Ganges originates from the
Gangotri Glacier of western Himalayas in the Indian state of
Uttarakhand.
3. Brahmaputra plain lies in the state of Assam which flows
through China, India and Bangladesh.[a] It is the ninth largest
river in the world by discharge, and the 15th longest. Its origin in
the Manasarovar Lake region, near the Mount Kailash, located on
the northern side of the Himalayas

According to the variations in elevation points, the Northern plains can be divided into 4 regions.
1. The rivers, after descending from the mountains, deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8
to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks, which is known as bhabar. All
the streams disappear in this bhabar belt.
2. The streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet, swampy and marshy region known
as terai.
3. The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium. It lies above the floodplains
of the rivers and presents a terracelike feature which is known as bhangar.
4. The soil in the bhangar region contains calcareous deposits and is known as kankar. The
newer, younger deposits of the floodplains are called khadar.
*** "Riverine means anything that is related to rivers. Islands which gets formed in the river when
the water level drops down is called riverine islands. These types of islands are also created
when two rivers interconnect with each other.The remaining land in between is called the
riverine island. Many isles formed in Bangladesh by Brahmaputra are some of the examples of
riverine islands.
Western Ghats Eastern Ghats
Western Ghats lie parallel to the The Eastern Ghats stretch from the
western coast. Mahanadi Valley to the Nigiris in the
South.

They are continuous and can be crossed They are discontinuous and irregular.
through passes only. They can be dissected by rivers draining
into the Bay of Bengal.

They are higher than the Eastern Ghats. Their average elevation is 600 metres.
Their average elevation is 900–1600
metres.

Anamudi is the highest peak in the Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) is the


Eastern Ghats. highest peak in the Eastern Ghats.
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. One of the distinct features of the Peninsular plateau is the
black soil area known as Deccan Trap.
This plateau consists of 2 divisions:
1. The Central Highlands: 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 eastward extensions of this plateau
are locally known as the Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand.
2. The Deccan Plateau: It is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the
river Narmada. An extension of the Plateau is also visible in the northeast
which is known as the Meghalaya, Karbi-Anglong Plateau and North Cachar Hills.
The Coastal Plains
• The narrow coastal strips flank the Peninsular Plateau.

• On the west the coastal strips are divided into Konkan


(Mumbai-Goa), Kannad Plain and the Malabar coast
from northern to southern part.

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

• On the east the coastal strip is divided into Northern


Circars and the Coromandal Coast from northern to
southern part.
The Islands
• The Lakshadweep Islands group in the Arabian Sea is close to Kerala.

• The Lakshadweep Islands were formerly known as Laccadive, Minicoy


and Amindive.

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an elongated chain of islands


located in the Bay of Bengal.

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an elevated portion of


submarine mountains.

The regions in India complements each other and makes the country
richer in its natural resources. Mountains are the source of forests and
water. Plains provide grains. Plateaus are storehouses of minerals. Coastal
areas support fishing and ports activities.

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