INDIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY- PART 3

CLASSIFICATION OF HIMALAYA ON THE BASIS OF GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION:


INDIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

As continued.....

SUBDIVISION OF GREAT PLAINS

THE RAJASTHAN PLAIN
Extent: 650km long.
Average width:250-300 km wide
Thar or Great Indian Desert is the westernmost region of Great Indian Plains in the western Rajasthan.
A semi arid plain, lying to the east of Thar desert is known as Rajasthan Bagar.
The Luni is the only southwest flowing rivers of this region.
The Sambhar(largest), the Kuchaman, and the Didwana are important lakes situated to the north of Luni Basin.


THE PUNJAB HARYANA PLAINS:
Extent: 640km in northwest to southeast and 300km in east west direction.
Extends from Punjab in the west to Yamuna River (Haryana)in the east.
Land of five rivers-is primary made up of ‘doabs’-the land between two rivers.
They are composed by Bet (Khadar plains)and Dhaya(Heavily gullied bluffs).



THE GANGA PLAINS:
The largest Great Plain stretching from Delhi to Calcutta across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
The Ganga and its tributaries like Yamuna, Ghagra,Gomti, Kosi, and Son deposit large amount of alluvium and make this extensive plain more fertile.
They comprise of Gango-Yamuna Doab in the west, to the east of this Doab are the Rohilkhand plains which merges which merges with Avadh plain in the east.


THE BRAHMAPUTRA PLAIN
The low level plain formed by the Brahmaputra river system is situated between Eastern Himalaya (Arunachal Pradesh) in the North, Patkai and Naga hills in the east, Garo-Khasi-Haintia and Mikir Hills and lower Ganga Plain and Indo Bangladesh border in the west.

PENINSULAR MOUNTAINS

ARAVALLI RANGE
Total length: 800km
Highest peak: Guru Sikhar(1,722m) of the Abu Hills.
Extending from the north east to the south-west of India and separates to semi desert regions of Rajasthan from the fertile Udaipur and Jaipur regions.
It is an example of relict mountain.
One of the oldest fold mountains in the world.

VINDHYAN RANGE

A block mountain which separates northern India from the southern mainland. Composed of sandstones, shales and quartzites.

South of it, Narmada River flows in the rift valley.

Acts as a natural watershed between north and south India.

SATPURA RANGE

Highest peak: Dhupgarh(1,350m) near Panchmarhi.

Average elevation: 1,030m above sea level.

Extending in east west direction, to the south of Vindhyans.

Situated between Narmada and Tapi River.

Starting from Rajpipla hills in the west through Mahadeo hill to Maikal range.

MAIKAL RANGE

Eastern part of Satpura system is situated in Madhya Pradesh.

Mount Amarkantak is the highest peak

AJANTA RANGE, BALAGHAT RANGE, AND HARISH CHANDRA RANGE:

Extending in east west direction, are all spurs of Western Ghats forming local watersheds.

Kalsubai(1,646m) the highest peak of Western Ghat forming local watersheds.

RAJMAHAL HILLS

Extends in north south direction and is situated in the northeaster edge of the Chhotanagpur Plateau.

SAHYADRIS(WESTERNGHATS)

Total length: about 1600km.  Average height: 1200m.  Highest Peak: Kalsubai(1646m)
Runs along the western coastal plain from the south of valley of Tapi to Kanya Kumari, the southernmost point of mainland India.
Region which receives maximum rainfall and is covered with evergreen forest The Western Ghats meet with Eastern Ghats in the Nilgiri hills.
Acts as a main watershed of Peninsular Rivers.

NILGIRI HILLS
It is the meeting point of Western and Eastern Ghats.
Doda Betta(2,637m) is the highest peak of Nilgiri Hills.
The hills are separated from southern hills by a gap called Palghat Gap

ANAIMALAI HILLS
Anai Mudi(2,695m) the highest peak of South India is in Anaimalai Hills.

CARDAMON HILLS
It is situated in the extreme south of Peninsular India. Formed of gneisses and schists.

EASTERN GHATS:


Runs along the eastern coast of India from northern Orissa to the Nilgiri Hills.
Characterised by unbroken hills between Mahanadi and Godavari.
Mahendragiri is the highest peak of Eastern Ghats.
Nallamalli Hills is situated between Krishna and Penneru Rivers.

The differences between the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats of India can be summarized as follows : 1. Direction: Western Ghats runs parallel to the western coast in a north-south direction from the Tapi River to Kanayakumari. But Eastern Ghats runs in a north-east to south-west direction parallel to the eastern coast from Orissa to the Nilgiri hills.

2. Width: Western Ghat’s average width is 50 to 80 km. But Eastern Ghat’s width varying from 100 to 200 km.

3. Source of rivers: Western Ghats is source of many large rivers which flow in the Peninsular India. But no big river originates from the Eastern Ghats.

4. Rainfall: Western Ghats is almost perpendicular to the south-west monsoons coming from the Arabian Sea and causes heavy rainfall in the west coastal plain. But Eastern Ghats is almost parallel to the monsoons coming from the Bay of Bengal and does not cause much rainfall.

5. Physical divisions: Western Ghats continuous and can be crossed through passes only. But Eastern Ghats has been divided into several parts by large rivers.

6. Elevation: Western Ghats average elevation is 900 to 1,100 meters above sea-level. But the average elevation of Eastern Ghats is about 600 metres above sea level.

The differences between India's eastern & western coastal plains are as follows:

1. Eastern coastal plains lie along India's east coast and is washed by the Bay of Bengal. Western Coastal Plains, on the other hand, are washed by the Arabian Sea.

2. While the Western Coastal Plain(WCP) is intersected by the mountain ridges, Eastern Coastal Plain(ECP) runs smoothly from North to South with a broad plain and a level surface.

3. ECP (width 80-100 km) is wider than WCP (50-65 km). WCP are sometimes so narrow that Western Ghats touch the sea water.

4.Large rivers make deltas on the ECP but short swift rivers do not form any deltas on the WC.

5. EC is sandy with alluvium and slopes gently towards the sea.It is formed by fertile alluvial soil. Hence, experiences well developed agriculture.

WC is relatively rocky with sand and sand dunes.It is mainly formed by coarse grained soil and thus is infertile. It slopes abruptly down to the sea.

6. EC is smooth and unfit for making ports. But, WC is broken and indented for ports. Hence, large number of ports are along the WC.

7. Heavy rainfall in WC as compared to EC.