India-Size and Location ques and ans

Question 1.
How does India occupy an important strategic position in South Asia ?
Answer:
India occupies an important strategic position in South Asia in the following
ways :
(a) The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West
Asia.
(b) 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.
(c) The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean has helped 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.

Question 2.
What is the name of the southernmost point of India ? Why is it not visible
today ?
Answer:

 The southernmost point of India is Indira Point. The Indira point is

situated in the Great Nicobar Group of Island in Andaman Nicobar island.
 It is not visible today because it was submerged under the sea water in
the 2004 during the Tsunami.

Question 3.
What is latitude? What is the latitudinal extent of India?
Answer:

 The position of a place, measured in degrees north or south of the

Equator. It is mostly calculated because of angular distance of a place
north-south of the equator,
 The main land of India extends between latitudes 8°4′ N and 37°6′ N.
 The latitudinal extension shows that India is located in the Northern
Hemisphere.
Question 4.
Which ocean is named after India ? Give two reasons as to why it was named
after India.
Answer:
The Indian Ocean is named after India. India is the only country which has the
credit of an ocean named after it. The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
extensions of the Indian Ocean, lie to the west and east of Indian Peninsula,
and the Indian Ocean lies to its south. No other country has a long coastline on
the Indian Ocean as India. The central location of India at the head of the
Indian Ocean has provided India a strategic location of great significance
along the trans Indian Ocean routes. It is India’s eminent position in the Indian
Ocean which justifies the naming of the ocean after India.

Question 5.
Why is India called a subcontinent?
Answer:
India is called a subcontinent because :

 It is a big landmass. This stands out as a distinct geographical unit from

the rest of the continent.
 It is separated by natural features like mountains and rivers.
 India is also separated from rest of the continent by the mighty
Himalayas.

Question 6.
How have been mountain passes been helpful in India since historic times?
Explain.
Answer:
India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and
northeast. The various passes across the mountains in the north have
provided passages to the ancient travelers. The spices, muslin and other
merchandise’ were taken from India to different countries through these
passes. Mountain passes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and
commodities since historic times.

Question 7.
What is the latitudinal extent of India? How is the latitudinal spread in India
advantageous to her?
Answer:
The latitudinal extent of India lies between 8°4’ N and 37°6’ N. This means
that the longitudinal expanse is about 30° from west to east.
The advantages of longitudinal spread are :
(a) It influences the duration of the day and night as one moves from South to
North.
(b) It also helps to take advantage of the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea on the
west and the Bay of Bengal on its east for sea movements.

Question 8.
Why do the days and nights are almost of equal duration at Kanniyakumari?
Answer:
Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu is located at the southernmost tip of India’s
main land. The latitude 8°4’ N passes close to it. The place is thus near the
equator and lies close to the Equatorial region. As the sun shines directly over
the Equator throughout the year, the durations of day and night are almost
equal here. Hence, in Kanniyakumari, the difference in the duration of day and
night is very little.

Question 9.
Why Is the knowledge of latitude and longitude important for people?
Answer:
The knowledge of latitude and longitude is important for people because it
helps them to understand and locates the geographical location and globe
better. The use of latitudes and longitudes offer a better and quick grasp of
geographical facts.

It determines the time zones of the different regions of the world. With the
help of longitudes and latitudes, it is easy to calculate local time and standard
time. Longitudes and latitudes also help in calculating the distance from one
place to another.

Question 10.
What do you know about the neighbours of India?
Answer:
India occupies an important strategic position in South Asia. India shares its
land boundaries with Afghanisatan and Pakistan in the northwest; China,
Nepal and Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east. The
island states of Sri Lanka and Maldives are our southern neighbours across
the sea. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed
by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Manner, while Maldives Islands are situated
to the South of the Lakshadweep Islands. Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh
and India form the most natural geographical unit, often referred to as the
Indian subcontinent.

india-Size and Location Class 9 Extra Questions Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How has the long coastline been beneficial to India?
Answer:
The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, extensions of the Indian Ocean, lie to
the west and east of Indian Peninsula, and the Indian Ocean lies to its south.
The total length of the coastline of the main land of India including Andaman
and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is 7516.6 km. The long coastline of India has
helped in maritime trade since ages. The central location of India at the head
of the Indian Ocean has provided it a strategic location along the trans-Indian
Ocean routes. India can establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and
Europe from western coast and with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern
coast. The long coastline has also played a major role in influencing the
climate of India. It provides opportunities for fishing and extraction of
petroleum. It serves as a natural boundary protecting India.

Question 2.
What was the contribution of land routes to India in ancient times? Explain.
Answer:
The contribution of land routes to India in ancient times are given below :
(a) The large land boundaries of India have helped to develop links with her
neighbouring countries.
(b) It contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient
times.
(c) The ideas of the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Geeta, etc. have become
known to the world.
(d) The Indian numerals as well as the decimal system long back crossed the
border. The Arabs took these ideas to the West.
(e) The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken away from India to
different countries through these land routes.
(f) 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. (Any five points)

Question 3.
Write a note on the location and size of India.
Answer:
Location: India is a vast country. Lying entirely in the Northern hemisphere,
the main land extends between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes
68°7’E and 97°25’E. The Tropic of Cancer (23°30’N) divides the country into
almost two equal parts. To the southeast of India’s main land lie the Andaman
and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal and to the southwest lie the
Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea.

Size: The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km. India’s
total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area of the
world.
India is the seventh largest country of the world. India has a land boundary of
about 15,200 km and the total length of the coastline of the mainland,
including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is 7,516.6 km. It has an
east-west extent of 2,933 km from Arunachal Pradesh to Kachchh in Gujarat
and a north-south extent of 3,214 km from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari.The
southern part of the country is in form of a peninsula, tapering towards the
Indian Ocean in the south. It is bounded by the Arabian Sea in the southwest
and the Bay of Bengal in the southeast.

Notes
For example, the latitudinal and longitudinal extension of India, neighbouring
countries of India etc.

 Location of India
 Size of India
 India and the World
 Neighbours of India.

Location
India lies entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.

India’s mainland extends between 8°4’N and 37°6’N latitudes, and 68°7’E and
97°25’E longitudes.

The Tropic of Cancer (23°30’N) divides India into two almost equal parts.

The northernmost point of India which is under Indian administration is near

Indira Col, Siachen Glacier.

The southernmost point in India is Indira Point on Nicobar Island.

Size

Covering an area of 3.28 million square kilometres, India’s total area is 2.4%
of the total geographical area of the world.

India is the world’s seventh largest country with a land boundary of about
15,200 km, with total length of the coastline being 7,516.6 km.
India’s East-West extent appears to be smaller than the north-south extent.

India and The World

The Indian landmass is centrally located between West and East Asia.

India’s protruding Deccan Peninsula helped India to establish close contacts

with West Asia, Africa and Europe, South-East and East Asia.

India’s contacts with the world via land routes are much more than Its
maritime contacts.

India has contributed a lot to the world in forms of ideas, philosophies

(Upanishads, Ramayana, Panchtantra) and in mathematics (Indian numerals
and decimal system, algebra, trigonometry and calculus).

In exchange, India’s architecture was influenced by Greek sculpture and

architectural styles from West Asia.
India’s Neighbours

India has an important position in South Asia and has 29 States and 7 Union
Territories.

India shares its boundaries with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal,

Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.

The southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island countries,
namely Maldives and Sri Lanka.

India stands apart from the rest of Asia and is called a sub-continent.

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Geograpgy chapter2 extra ques and ans

Location

India has all major physical features of the Earth, i.e., mountains, plains, deserts,
plateaus, and islands.

In India, the soil colour varies from place to place as it is formed from different types of
rocks.

India has varied physical features whose formation can be explained on the basis of the
‘Theory of Plate Tectonics’.

According to the theory of Plate Tectonics, the seven major and minor plates that form
the Earth’s crust keep moving, causing stress and thus leading to folding, faulting and
volcanic activity.

The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic
divisions:
  The Himalayan Mountains or the Northern Mountains
 The Northern Plains or the Indo-Gangetic Plains
 The Peninsular Plateau
 The Great Indian Desert
 The Coastal Plains
 The Islands

The Himalayan Mountains

The Himalayas are young-fold mountains which are the loftiest and one of the most
rugged mountain barriers of the world.

The Himalayas are 2400 km long, 400 km to 150 km wide from Kashmir to Arunachal
Pradesh respectively.

The Himalayas have three parallel ranges in the longitudinal extent namely :

 Great or Inner Himalayas also called Himadri.

 Middle Himalayas or Himachal.
 Outer Himalayas or Shiwaliks.

The Himalayas can be divided into four sections :

 Punjab Himalayas – between Indus and Satluj.

 Kumaon Himalayas – between Satluj and Kali.
 Nepal Himalayas – between Kali and the Tista.
 Assam Himalayas (Eastern Himalayas) – Between Tista and the Dibang
(Tsangpo).

The Northern Plains

The Northern Plains spread over an area of 7 lakh sq. km, 240 km long and 240 km to
320 km broad.

The rivers that flow to the plains from the mountains are involved in depositional work.

The difference in relief causes the Northern Plains to have four regions.

 Bhabar – Adjacent to the foothills of Shiwaliks, a narrow 8 to 16 km wide belt of

pebbles and boulders.
 Bangar – Older alluvial plain which rises above the level of the flood plains.
  Khadar – Newer and younger alluvial of the flood plains deposited by the rivers
flowing down the plain.
 Tarai – Lies adjacent to Bhabar region, composed of newer alluvium and is
thickly forested.

The Peninsular Plateau

The Peninsular Plateau is the tableland formed due to the breaking and drifting of the
Gondwanaland.

The plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Central Highlands and the
Deccan Plateau.

The eastward extensions of Peninsular Plateau are locally known as Bundelkhand and
Baghelkhand. The Chhota Nagpur Plateau marks the further eastward extension
drained by the Damodar river.

The Deccan Plateau, a triangular mass, lies to the south of the river Narmada.

The western and eastern edges of the Deccan Plateau are marked by the Western
Ghats and the Eastern Ghats respectively.

The Western Ghats are higher than the Eastern Ghats.

The Malwa Plateau is spread across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and
slopes towards the
north.

A distinct feature of the peninsular plateau is the black soil area known as Deccan Trap.

The Indian Desert

The undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes towards the western margins of
the Aravalli Hills is the Indian Desert.

Crescent-shaped dunes called barchans cover large parts of the Indian Desert.

Luni is the only large river that flouts in this region.

The Coastal Plains

The narrow’ coastal strips flank the Peninsular Plateau.

On the west, the coastal strips are divided into Konkan (Mumbai-Goa), Kannada Plain
and the Malabar Coast from northern to the southern part.

On the east the coastal strip is divided into Northern Circar and the Coromandel Coast
from northern to southern part.

The Islands

The Lakshadweep Islands group in the Arabian Sea is close to Kerala.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the two island groups. Andaman Island consists
of 204 small islands. India’s only active volcano, Barren Island is situated here.
 Geography chapter 2
Question 1.
How the Himalayas have been divided on the basis of regions from west to east?
Answer:

 Punjab Himalayas: These divisions have been demarcated by river valleys. The
part of 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.
 Kumaon Himalayas: The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali
rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.
 Nepal Himalayas: The Kali and Teesta rivers demarcate the Nepal Himalayas.
 Assam Himalayas: the part lying between Teesta and Dihang rivers is known as
Assam Himalayas.

Question 2.
Which are the three main ranges of the Himalayas?
Answer:
The Himalayas have three ranges which run almost parallel to each other. The distance
between these ranges is wider in the west and becomes narrow in the east.
These ranges are—

 the Outer Himalayas or the Shiwalik Range

 the Middle Himalayas or the Himachal Range and
 the Inner or Great Himalayas or the Himadri.

Question 3.
Describe the “Theory of Plate Tectonics”.
Answer:
Earth scientists have attempted to explain the formation of physical features with the
help of some theories based on certain evidences. One such Plausible theory is the
‘Theory of Plate Tectonics’. According to this theory, the crust (upper part) of the earth
has been formed out of seven major and some minor plates. The movement of the
plates results in the building up of stresses within the plates and the continental rocks
above, leading to folding, faulting and volcanic activity
Question 4.
Why is the soil in the Northern Plain fertile?
Answer:
The soil of this plain has been formed by the sediments brought down by the rivers from
the Himalayas. Such plain is called an alluvial plain and it is very fertile. This plain is one
of the largest and most fertile plains of world. It is the most thickly populated plain. This
is also the major crop growing area in India. This plain is drained by river Ganga,
Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The slope of this plain in the west is south-west and
in the east is south-east.

An area through which a river and its tributaries flow is called its basin.

Question 5.
Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhya range? Write a brief note on
this plateau.
Answer:
The Malwa Plateau lies between the Aravali hills and the Vindhya range. The Aravali
hills lie to the west of the plateau and the Vindhya range lies to its south. 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 Malwa plateau lies in Madhya Pradesh. It is composed of extensive lava flows.
There are rolling plains separated by flat-topped hills. The plateau is largely broken in
form of ravines near the Chambal Valley in its east.

Question 6.
What do you mean Great Himalayas? Write its two characteristics.
Answer:
The northern most range of the Himalayas is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas or
the Himadri.
(a) It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average
height of 6000 metres. It contains all prominent Himalayan peaks.
(b) Its folds are asymmetrical in nature and its core is composed of granite rock. It is
perennially snow bound, and several glaciers descend from this range.

Question 7.
How was the Great Northern Plains of India formed?
Answer:
The formation of the Himalayas due to upliftment of sediments out of the Tethys Sea
and subsidence of the northern flank of the Peninsular Plateau resulted in the formation
of a large basin. In due course of time this depression, gradually got filled with
deposition of sediments by the rivers flowing from the mountains in the north and the
peninsular plateau in the south. A flat land of extensive alluvial deposits led to the
formation of the northern plains of India.
Question 8.
Write a short note on ‘coral polyps’.
Answer:
Coral polyps are short-lived microscopic organisms, which live in colonies. They flourish
in shallow, mud-free and warm waters. They secrete hard rock like substance. The coral
secretion and their skeletons from coral deposits in the form of reefs.
They are mainly of three kinds—barrier reef, fringing reef and atolls. The Great Barrier
Reef of Australia is a good example of the first kind of coral reefs. Atolls are circular or
horse shoe-shaped coral reefs.

Question 9.
Write a short note on the Western Coastal Plains.
Answer:
The Peninsular plateau is flanked by stretch of narrow coastal strips, running along the
Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. The western coast,
sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, 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.

Question 10.
Why are the Himalayas called as young mountains?
Answer:
The Himalayas were formed recently in the earth’s history as a result of compression.
The sediments beneath the ocean were folded due to the compression and got uplifted.
Therefore, they are known as young fold mountains. These mountains are still rising.
The whole mountain represents a very youthful topography with high peaks, deep
valleys and fast flowing rivers.

Question 11.
Write any three features of the Shiwalik range.
Answer:
The three features of the Shiwalik range are :
(a) This is the outermost range of the Himalayas.
(b) The average altitude varies from 900 to 1100 metres.
(c) These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers
from the main Himalayan ranges.

Question 12.
Describe the river systems of the Northern Plains.
Answer:
The three river systems in the Northern plains from east to west are the Brahmaputra,
Ganga and Indus. A large part of the Indus system lies in Pakistan. The Indus and its
tributaries – the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in the
Himalayas. This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs. The Ganga plain
extends between the Ghaggar and Teesta rivers. It spreads over the states of Haryana,
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal. It has tributaries like
the Yamuna, Gomati, Ghaghara, Son, Gandak and Kosi. The Brahmaputra Plain lies in
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Question 13.
“The northern plains have diverse relief features”. Explain.
Answer:
Northern plains have great diverse relief features. According to the variations in relief
features, the Northern plains can be divided into four regions. 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. It is known as bhabar. All the streams
disappear in this bhabar belt. South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and
create a wet, swampy and marshy region known as terai. The largest part of the
northern plain is formed of older alluvium. It lies above the floodplains of the rivers and
presents a terrace like feature. This part is known as bhangar. The soil in this region
contains calcareous deposits, locally known as kankar. The newer, younger deposits of
the flood plains are called khadar.

Question 14.
Write a short note on Deccan Plateau.
Answer:
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. The Deccan Plateau is higher in
the west and slopes gently eastwards. 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. The
Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats mark the western and the eastern edges of the ‘
Deccan Plateau respectively.
 Geography chapter3
Question 1.
Give an account of the Tapi Basin.
Answer:
The Tapi rises in the Satpura ranges, in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. It also
flows in a rift valley parallel to the Narmada, but it is much shorter in length. Its
basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The coastal plains between Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea are very narrow.
Hence, the coastal rivers are short. The main west flowing rivers are Sabarmati,
Mahi, Bharathpuzha and Periyar.

Question 2.
Write the salient features of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.
Answer:
The salient features of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta are :

 It is the largest delta of the world on the mouth of the Bay of Bengal.
 This has formed owing to split of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra in several
rivulets i.e., distributaries.
 Its lower portion is marshy owing to mess up of the sea and the freshwater
together.
 It is the most fertile and densely populated delta.

Question 3.
What are the major sources of river pollution?
Answer:
The major source of river pollutants are :

 A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into
the river.
 The leakage of oil from ships.
 Excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

Question 4.
Why are the Peninsular rivers not navigable?
Answer:
Peninsular rivers are not navigable because :

 These all are seasonal rivers and generally dries up in summer.

 River beds are uneven, rocky and have sharp slopes.
 Construction of dams is difficult as a result of which navigation is not
possible.

Question 5.
Describe some specific characteristics of the Brahmaputra river system.
Answer:
Some specific characteristics of the Brahamputra river system are :

 It originates from Tibet and is slightly longer than the Indus.

 It carries huge amount of silt.
 It flows parallel to the Himalayan Mountains in Tibet.
 It takes a ‘U’ turn at Namcha Barwa (height 7757 mts.) and enters Arunachal
Pradesh.

Question 6.
Write a short note on National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
Answer:
The river cleaning programme in the country was initiated with the launching of the
Ganga Action Plan (GAP) in 1985. The Ganga Action Plan was expanded to cover
other rivers under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) in the year 1995.
The objective of the NRCP is to improve the water quality of the rivers, which are
major water sources in the country, through the implementation of pollution
abatement work.

How does the trellis and rectangular patterns of drainage develop? Trellis patterns :
In the trellis pattern of drainage, the tributaries join the main river at approximately
right angles and make it look like a rectangular arrangement. It develops where
hard and soft rocks exist parallel to each other.

Rectangular patterns : This drainage pattern develops on a strongly jointed rocky

terrain Trellis Drainage.

Question 9.
Which basin rises in the range of the Western Ghats.
Answer:
  The Kaveri rises in the Brahmagri range of the Western Ghats and it reaches
the Bay of Bengal in sojith of Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu.
 The total length of the river is about 760 km.
 Its main tributaries are Amravati, Bhavani, Hemavati and Kabini. Its basin
drains parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Question 10.
Why are most of the freshwater lakes found in the Himalayan region?
Answer:
Most of the freshwater lakes are found in the Himalayan region. They are of glacial
origin. In other words, they are formed when glaciers dug out a basin, which was
later filled with snowmelt. The Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir, in contrast, is the
result of the tectonic activity. It is the largest freshwater lake in India. The Dal lake,
Bhimtal, Nainital, Loktak and Barapani are some other important freshwater lakes.

Question 11.
What is drainage and drainage basin?
Answer:
Drainage: The term ‘drainage means the river system of an area. It is a system of
flowing water from the higher level to the lower level. Drainage Basin : Some small
streams flowing from different directions come together to form the main river,
which ultimately drains into a large water body such as a lake or a sea. The area
drained by a single river system is called a drainage basin.

Question 12.
Name the three Himalayan river systems. Give two tributaries of each.
Answer:
Three Himalayan river systems are :

 The Indus river system

 The Ganga river system
 The Brahamaputra river system.

Tributaries of the Himalayan rivers are :

 Indus river system – Satluj and Beas

 Ganga river system – Yamuna and Ghaghara
 Brahmaputra river system – Dibang and Lohit.

Question 13.
How is Sundarban delta formed?
Answer:
When the Ganga flows eastwards till Farakka in West Bengal, here the river splits
into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly (a distributary) flows southwards through the deltaic
plains to the Bay of Bengal. The main stream flows southwards into Bangladesh and
is joined by the Brahmaputra. Further downstream, it is known as the Meghna. This
mighty river, with waters from the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, flows into the Bay
of Bengal. The delta formed by these rivers is known as the Sundarban Delta.

The Sundarban Delta derived its name from the Sundari tree, which grows well in
marshland. It is the world’s largest and fastest growing delta.

Question 14.
Mention some of the characteristics of the lakes.
Answer:
India has many lakes. These differ from each other in size and other characteristics.
Most lakes are permanent; some contain water only during the rainy season, like the
lakes in the basins of inland drainage of semi-arid regions. There are some lakes
which are the result of the action of glaciers and ice sheets, while the others have
been formed by wind, river action, and human activities.

Question 15.
From where does the river Ganga originates? Name the tributaries of the the Ganga
river.
Answer:

 The headwaters of the Ganga, called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri
Glacier,
 The Ganga is joined by many tributaries from the Himalayas, a few of them
being major rivers, such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Gandak and the
Kosi.

Question 16.
What are the different types of lakes found in India?
Answer:
The types of lakes found in India.

 Freshwater lake : Most of the freshwater lakes are in the Himalayan region.
They are of glacial origin. They formed when glaciers dug out a basin, which
was later filled with snowmelt.
  Salt water lake : India’s famous salt water Lake is the Sambhar lake, found in
Rajasthan. It is a salt water lake and its water is used for producing salt.

Question 17.
Which river is known as ‘Dakshin Ganga’? Describe its main features.
Answer:
The Godavari river is known as the ‘Dakshin Ganga’.
The main features of the river Godavari are :

 It is the largest Peninsular river, which rises from the slopes of the Western
Ghats in the Nasik district of Maharashtra.
 Its length is about 1500 km that drains into the Bay of Bengal.
 A number of tributaries joins the Godavari river such as the Purna, the
Wardha, the Penganga, the Manjra, the Wainganga, and the Pranhita.

Question 18.
Describe the three main features of the Narmada basin.
Answer:
The river Narmada emerges from the Amarkantak hills in Madhya Pradesh.
The main features of the Narmada basin are :
(a) It flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting.
(b) It creates many picturesque location like the Marble Rocks near Jabalpur and
Dhuandhar Falls.
(c) All the tributaries of the Narmada are very short and most of them join the main
stream at right angles. The Narmada Basin covers parts of Madhya Pradesh and
Gujarat.

Question 19.
What is a lagoon? Which state of India is known for it?
Answer:

When a small portion of sea in the coastal areas is separated from the main body of
water by sand bars of spits, a salt lake is formed. It is called lagoon.

These are found in Kerala and Odisha. The Chilka lake in Odisha is an example of a
lagoon.

An upland that separates two drainage systems that are next to each other is called
a water divide.
On the basis of origin, there are two river systems of India — The Himalayan
rivers and the Peninsular rivers.

 Himalayan rivers are rainfed and snowfed, so they have w?ater in them
throughout the year, i.e., they are perennial and thus navigable.
 Himalayan rivers create meanders, oxbow lakes and other depositional
features on their course.
 Peninsular rivers are seasonal; mostly depending on rainfall and thus non-
navigable.
 Most of the rivers of peninsular India originate in the Western Ghats and flow’
towards the Bay of Bengal.
 The Himalayan Rivers
 A river along with its tributaries may be called a river system.
 The major Himalayan rivers are the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra.
 The Indus River System
 Rising near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, the Indus enters India in the Ladakh
district of Jammu and Kashmir.
 Rivers Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum join Indus near Mithankot,
Pakistan and flow southwards to fall into the Arabian Sea, east of Karachi.
 With a total length of 2,900 km, the Indus is one of the longest rivers of the
world.
 The Ganga River System
 The headwaters of the Ganga are called ‘Bhagirathi’.
 Bhagirathi is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda at
Devprayag.
 Ganga meets the tributaries from the Himalayas such as Ghaghara, Gandak,
Kosi and the Yamuna.
 A major river Yamuna, arising from Yamunotri Glader in the Himalayas, joins
Ganga at Allahabad.
 Other tributaries — Chambal, Betwa and Son — come from Peninsular
uplands to join Ganga.
 Ganga is joined by the Brahmaputra and flows through Bangladesh to reach
the Bay of Bengal.
 The delta formed when the Ganga and the Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of
Bengal is known as the Sunderban Delta.
 The length of the Ganga is over 2,500 km and it develops large meanders.
 The Brahmaputra River System
 Originating in Tibet, very close to the sources of Indus and Satluj,
Brahmaputra enters India in Arunachal Pradesh and flows to Assam, joined
by many tributaries.
 The tributaries that join the Brahmaputra are Dibang, Lohit, and Kenula.
 The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam to form
many riverine islands.
 Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge
deposits of silt on its bed, causing the riverbed to rise.
 The Peninsular Rivers
 The major rivers of the peninsula—Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri
—flow eastwards to drain into the Bay of Bengal.
 The Thai and Narmada are the only rivers which flow west to make estuaries
and drain into the Arabian Sea.
 The drainage basins of the peninsular rivers are comparatively small in size.
 The Godavari Basin
 The Godavari begins in Nasik district of Maharashtra. It is the largest
peninsular river.
 Its large basin covers most parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and
Andhra Pradesh.
 The tributaries which join the Godavari include Purna, Wardha, Pranhita,
Manjra, Wainganga and Penganga.
 Because of its length and the area, it covers, the Godavari is also known as the
Dakshin Ganga.
 The Godavari drains into the Bay of Bengal.
 The Mahanadi Basin
 The Mahanadi, a 860 km long river, rises in Chhattisgarh to flow through
Orissa to reach the Bay of Bengal.
 Principal tributaries of Mahanadi river are Sheonath, Jonk, Hasdeo, Mand, lb,
Ong and Tel.
 Mahanadi river basin is shared by Maharashtra, Orissa, Jharkhand and
Chhattisgarh.
 Is is one of the major east flowing peninsular rivers draining into Bay of
Bengal.
 The Krishna Basin
 The 1,400 km long Krishna river rises from a spring in the Mahadev range
near Mahabaleshwar and falls into the Bay of Bengal.
 The tributaries of Krishna include Bhima, Musi, Ghatprabha, Koyana and
Tungabhadra. The Krishna basin is shared by Maharashtra, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh.
 The Narmada Basin
 Rising in the Amarkantak Plateau of Maikala Range, Narmada flows to create
a gorge in marble rocks of Madhya Pradesh.
 Narmada flows towards the west in a rift valley formed due to faulting. •
 Narmada river has 41 tributaries. The important ones are: Barna, Ganjal,
Chhota Tawa, Hiran, Janatara, Kolar, Orsang, Sher.
 The Tapi Basin
 Originating in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, the Tapi flows through a basin that
covers Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
 The main west flowing rivers are Sabarmati, Mahi, Bharatpuzha and Periyar.
 The entire Tapi basin can be divided into three sub-basins: upper, middle and
lower and into two well- defined physical regions, viz, the hilly regions and
the plains or Tapi Basin.
 The Kaveri Basin
 Originating in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats, the Kaveri reaches
the Bay of Bengal at Kaveripatnam, sharing its basin with Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry or Pondicherry.
 The main soil types found in the basin are red and yellow soils.
 Lakes
 Most lakes are permanent while others contain water only during the rainy
season.
 Some lakes are the result of the glacial action and ice sheets and some may
have been formed by wind, river action and human activities.
 A river meandering across a floodplain forms cut-offs that later develop into
oxbow lakes.
 Glacial lakes are formed when glaciers dig out a basin which is later filled
with snowmelt.
 Some lakes like Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir result from tectonic
activity.
 Apart from natural lakes, the damming of the rivers for the generation of
hydel power has also led to the formation of lakes.
 Lakes help to regulate river water flow, prevent flooding, aid to develop hydel
power, moderate climate, maintain aquatic ecosystem, enhance natural
beauty, develop tourism and provide recreation.
 Role of Rivers in the Economy
 Rivers are a natural source of water. It forms the main backbone for
agriculture.
 Settlements on the river banks have developed into cities.
 Rivers are used for irrigation, navigation, hydropower generation, all vital for
India, and agricultural economy.
 River Pollution
 Quality of river water is affected by the growing domestic, municipal,
iftdustrial and agricultural demand.
 A heavy load of untreated sewage and industrial effluents are emptied into
the river affecting the river’s self-cleansing property.
 Concern over rising pollution in our rivers led to the launching of various
action plans to clean the rivers like Narmada Bachao Movement.