The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions:
India Physical Divisions Map
Physical Divisions
India is marked by a diversity of physical features such as mountains, plateaus, plains, coasts and islands. Standing as sentinels in the north are the lofty snow-capped Himalayas. Him+alaya mean ‘the abode of snow’. The Himalayan mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges. The northernmost is the Great Himalaya or Himadri. The world’s highest peaks are located in this range. Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri. Many popular hill stations are situated here, Like Shimla, Almora, Nainital etc. The Shiwalik is the southernmost range.
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| Map of Indian Physical Divisions and Relief |
The Northern Indian plains lie to the south of the Himalayas. They are generally level and flat. These are formed by the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers– the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. These river plains provide fertile land for cultivation. That is the reason for high concentration of population in these plains.
To the south of northern plains lies the Peninsular plateau. It is triangular in shape. The relief is highly uneven. This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys. Aravali hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world, border it on the north-west side. The Vindhyas and the Satpuras are the important ranges. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges. These are west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats or Sahyadris border the plateau in the west and the Eastern Ghats provide the eastern boundary. While the Western Ghats are almost continuous, the Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven. The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore.
To the West of the Western Ghats and the East of Eastern Ghats lie the Coastal plains. The western coastal plains are very narrow. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader. There are a number of east flowing rivers. The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri drain into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers have formed fertile deltas at their mouth. The Sunderban delta is formed where the Ganga and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal.
Two groups of islands also form part of India. Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala. The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal. The group of Andaman and the Nicobar Islands were affected by the Tsunami in December 26th, 2004, when Tsunami struck the Indian coast. Tsunami is a huge sea wave generated due to an earthquake on the sea floor.
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| India Relief Map |
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Map of Indian Physical Divisions and ReliefPhysiographic divisions of India भारत के भौगोलिक खंड
The North and Northeastern Mountains उत्तर और उत्तरपूर्वी पर्वत
Regional Classification of the Himalayas हिमालय का प्रादेशिक वर्गीकरण
The Northern Plains उत्तरी मैदान
The Peninsular Plateau प्रायद्वीपीय पठार
The Indian Desert - Thar Desert भारतीय मरुस्थल - थार रेगिस्तान
The Coastal Plains तटीय मैदान
The Islands द्वीपसमूह