India is the seventh-largest country on earth in terms of size. It is located on the Indian Plate, the northernmost portion of the Indo-Australian Plate. On a globe map, the Indian subcontinent is easily discernible and is ringed by three different oceans.
geographical features
The country spans approximately 3.28 million square kilometres. Between latitudes 8°4′ and 37°6′ N and 68°7′ and 97°25′ E, the continent of India can be found. The Tropic of Cancer, located at 23°30′ N, divides India roughly in half. The total length of the seashore is 7,517 kilometres. The Indian Ocean is divided into the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea as a result of the Indian Peninsula’s southern curvature.

India image
India image

India in brief

Destination India is a Nations Online country profile on the large nation in South and Central Asia that makes up the majority of the Indian subcontinent.
The nation’s northern, western, eastern, and southern boundaries are all bordered by the Himalayas, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Laccadive Sea, respectively. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, China (Xizang – Tibet Autonomous Region), and Indonesia are all countries with which India has land borders. Additionally, it shares marine boundaries with Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

India is the second-most populous country in the world, after China, with an estimated 1.37 billion inhabitants (in 2020). The United States is made up of 28 states and 8 union territories.

India is the seventh-largest nation in the world with an area of 3,287,263 km2, making it roughly one-third the size of the United States.

India’s capital and largest city is (New) Delhi, with Mumbai coming in second. The official languages are English, Hindi, and Urdu (the Indian Constitution lists 22 recognised languages).

Geographic Regions

Based on factors like as tectonic history, stratigraphy, and relief features, India can be divided into a variety of physical units.
The Himalayas, which are found in India’s northern and northern-eastern areas, are what divide it from the Tibetan plateau. The Himalayan region is comprised of three parallel ranges:
The Himadri is the longest mountain range, has the highest peaks, and is perpetually covered in snow. It is also known as the Inner Himalaya or Greater Himalaya. Additionally, it is the origin of famous glaciers as the Siachen Glacier, Gangotri Glacier, Yamunotri Glacier, etc.
Himachal, sometimes referred to as the lower Himalaya, contains many magnificent valleys, such as the Kashmir Valley, Kangra Valley, and Kullu Valley. The region is renowned for its hill towns as well. Shimla, Mussoorie, Kufri, Manali, Kullu, Nanital, etc.

The Shivaliks, also known as the Outer Himalaya and extending into Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, are home to the “Dun” valleys and Terai region. The main duns in the region are Kota, Chaukham, Patli, Kothri, and Dehra.

India
India

These can be further divided into a variety of ranges:
The Pir Panjal Range is the largest range in the lower Himalayas, stretching from east-southeast to west-northwest. The Pir Panjal Pass, which is situated to the west of Srinagar, includes the Banihal Pass, Sinthal Pass, Rohtang La, Munawar Pass, and Haji Pir Pass.
The Ladakh Range is present. Khardung La Pass and Digar La Pass make up this region. A harsh environment can be found in the Ladakh mountain range, which is regarded to be a portion of the Karakoram mountain range. Leh, the region’s largest town, is renowned as a commercial centre for pashmina wool of the highest caliber.

Zanskar Range: This range starts at Kashmir’s southern boundaries and extends all the way to its eastern boundary with Baltistan. Singge La Pass, Runrang La Pass, Fotu (Fatu) La Pass, Marbal Pass, and Zoji La Pass are a few of the passes in this range.
The Dhauladhar Range rises in the Indian plains to the north of Mandi and Kangra. Hanuman ji Ka Tiba, also referred to as the “White Mountain,” is the highest peak.
The East Karakoram Range: one of Asia’s biggest mountain ranges, separates India from Central Asia. There is K2, the second-highest summit in the world.

Ocean Plain in India: Other names for the Indo-Gangetic Plain include Indus-Ganga and North Indian River Plain. Between the massive northern mountain and peninsular flat, it is comprised of the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. It covers a region of Northern and Eastern India that is approximately 7, 000,000 square kilometres. The plain is divided into three parts:

a. The Punjab Plains, which are mostly in Pakistan and are created by the Indus and its tributaries (the Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej), as well as other rivers.

b. Ganges Plains: Parts of West Bengal, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand can be found in the Ganga plains. This is produced by the Ganga and its tributaries. There is the bulk of the Northern Plains.

c. Brahmaputra plains and its tributaries created the Bhramaputra Plains, which are primarily in Assam.

A small region in the Himalayan foothills known as the Bhabhar Belt is made up of stones and pebbles that have been deposited there by streams. Rivers in this region move swiftly.
The Terai Belt is a region that abuts the Bhabhar region and is made up of more recent alluvium, making it fertile for farming and home to vast forests.
The Belt of Bangar: The highest part of the plains is made up of this older, less fertile alluvium soil. This region of the Gangetic Plains has laterite soil, which is rich in iron and aluminium.
The Khadar Belt It is found in the lowland plains and is made up of more recent, incredibly fertile alluvium that rivers have carried down.

The Islands: There are two large island groups that are also categorised as Union Territories in India: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) and the Lakshadweep Islands (in the Arabian Sea). 32 square kilometres make up Lakshadweep. This region is made up of 35 coral islands and islets with a wide variety of flora and wildlife. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are larger with 572 islands. While Andaman is in the north, Nicobar is in the south. Because of their proximity to the equator, they have a dense forest cover and an equatorial climate. The arid Andaman Islands are home to India’s sole active volcano.

Some other notable islands in India are Salsette Island (in Maharashtra), Majuli (a river island in Assam’s Brahmaputra), Daman and Diu (in the state of Gujarat), and Sriharikota.

The Peninsular Plateau: It is a tableland with rounded hills and shallow valleys made of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Volcanic eruptions are supposed to have created the region’s black soil. There are generally two regions:
a plateau in the Deccan: The triangular plateau is encircled by the Satpura range in the north, the Western Ghats in the west, and the Eastern Ghats in the east. It slopes from west to east. It is traversed by the Godavari, Kaveri, and Krishna rivers. It traverses eight Indian states and covers a total area of 1.9 million square miles.

The Central highlands: The mountains of the Central The Malwa Plateau, Chotanagpur Plateau, Meghalaya Plateau, Vidhya Range, Satpura Range, and Aravali Range make up this plateau. The Malwa Plateau, which spans parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, covers the majority of the area. It is bordered by the Arravalis in the northwest and the Vindya mountains in the south. This plateau is traversed by the Chambal River and its tributaries, as well as the rivers Mahi, Son, Ken, and Sind.

The Coastal Plains: The Coastal Plains are located between the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Arabian Sea in the west.
Between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal lie the Eastern Coastal Plains, which stretch from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal via Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The Krishna, Kaveri, Godavari, and Mahanadi rivers all pass through it. The Coromandal Coast is situated between the Krishna and Kaveri Rivers, and the Northern Circas is situated between the Krishna and Mahanadi Rivers (West Bengal and Odisha) (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) From Gujarat in the north, the Western Coastal Plain extends to Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is situated between the Arabian and Western Ghats.

The Indian Desert/ Thar Desert

India’s only desert, Thar, is a 200,000 square mile region. The 18th largest desert in the world is the Thar Desert, sometimes referred to as the “Marusthal.” It extends from Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab to a sizable portion of Rajasthan. More than 60% of Rajasthan’s land area is covered by it, and it also reaches Pakistan, where it is known as the Cholistan Desert. There is only one river in this desert, and it rarely gets any rain. Sand dunes, compacted salt lake bottoms, and jagged boulders make up the majority of this desert. Regular soil erosion is caused by the swift winds that blow with great force. It has a dry climate and sparse vegetation.