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Static GK: Geography of India
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Geographical Location of India
Indian Geographical Location
Lying between latitude 4 N to 376 N and from longitude 687 E to 9725 E, the country is
divided into almost equal parts by the Tropic of Cancer (passes from Jabalpur in MP).
The southernmost point in Indian Territory, (in Great Nicobar Island) is the Indira Point
(645), while Kanyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin, is the southernmost point of Indian
mainland. The country thus lies wholly in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
The 8230 E longitude is taken as the Standard Time Meridian of India, as it passes through
the middle of India (from Naini, near Allahabad).
Area Geography & Boundaries Geography

1. India stretches 3,214 km from North to South & 2,933 km from East to West.
2. Geography Area of India : 32,87,263 sq. km. Accounts for 2.4% of the total world area and
roughly 16% of the world population.
3. Mainland India has a coastline of 6,100 km. Including the Lakshadweep and Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, the coastline measures about 7516.6 km.
4. In India, of the total land mass:
Plains Geography: 43.3%
Plateaus: 27.7%
Hills: 18.6%
Mountains Geography: 10.7%
5. In the South, on the eastern side, the Gulf of Mannar & the Palk Strait separate India from Sri
Lanka.
6. Total land neighbours: 7 (Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and
Myanmar).
7. Indias Islands include the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep,
Minicoy & Amindive Islands in the Arabian Sea.
India- Physiography
India can be divided into four physical divisions. They are:
1. THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS:

The Himalayan mountains form the northern mountain region of India.
They are the highest mountain ranges in the world. They have the highest peaks, deep
valleys, glaciers etc.
They are (a) The Greater Himalayas or Himadri, (b) The Lesser Himalayas or Himachal
and (c) The Outer Himalayas or Siwaliks.
The Pamir, popularly known as the Roof of the World, is the connecting link between the
Himalayas and the high ranges of Central Asia.
The Great Himalayas or The Himadri

Average elevation extends upto 6000m & some of the worlds highest peaks.
There are few passes and almost all of them have a height above 4,500 m. they include Shipki
La and Bara Lapcha La in Himachal Pradesh, Burzil and Zozi La in Kashmir, Niti, Lipulekh and
Thag La in Uttarankhand, and Jelep La and Nathu La in Sikkim.
Lesser Himalayas or The Himachal

Average height of mountains is 3700 4500 m.
Mountains and valleys are disposed in all direction (mountains rising to 5000 m and the valleys
touching 1000 m).
Its important ranges are : Dhauladhar, Pir Panjal, Nag Tibba, Mussoorie.
Important hill resorts are : Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Almora, Darjeeling.
Outer Himalayas or The Shiwaliks

Lowest range (average elevation is 900-1200 m).
Forms the foothills and lies between the Lesser Himalayas and the plains. It is the newest
range.
Trans Himalayan Zone
This range lies to the north of the Great Himalayas. It has some important ranges like
Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar, etc. the highest peak in this region is K2 or Godwin Austin
(8611m, in Pak occupied Kashmir).
The longest glacier is Siachin in the Nubra valley, which is more than 72 km long (biggest
glacier in the world).
This area is the largest snow-field outside the Polar Regions.
Peninsular Mountains
While the Himalayas are Fold Mountains, they are not.
The Aravalli Mountains (Rajasthan) : Worlds oldest. Guru Shikhar is the highest peak on
which Mount Abu (1,722 m) is situated.
The Vindhya Mountains
The Satpura Mountains (highest point at Dhupgarh [1,350 m] near Pachmarhi)
The Western Ghats or Sahyadris : Average height 1200mtrs, 1600km long.
The Eastern Ghats: Highest peak : Mahendra Giri (1501 m)).
The Nilgiris or The Blue Mountains : Meeting place of the Western and the Eastern Ghats.
Two highest peaks are Dodda Betta and Makurti.
The highest peak of Peninsular India is Anaimudi (2695 m) in Anaimalai Hills.
Cardamom hills or Ealaimalai is the southernmost mountain range of India.
2. NORTH INDIAN PLAIN:

The North Indian plain is also called the Gangetic plain.
The total area of this plain is about 6,52,000 sq. km.
This plain is situated between the Himalayan Mountains in the north and the Peninsular
plateau in the south and is formed by the alluvium brought down by the rivers.
The plain is very fertile and agriculture is the main occupation of the people. Many perennial
rivers flow across the plain. Since the land is almost flat, it is very easy to construct
irrigation canals and have inland navigation.
It has excellent roads and railways, which are helpful for the establishment of many
industries.
40% of the total population of India lives here and it is called The heart of India.
The vast plains of north India are alluvial in nature and the westernmost portion is occupied
by the Thar Desert.
The thickness of the alluvium is maximum in the Ganga plains and minimum in the Western
Plains.
In the Kerala plains are the backwaters or Kayak, which are the shallow lagoons or inlets
of the sea, lying parallel to the coastline. The largest among these is the Vembanad Lake.
The plains consist of four divisions based on type of allluvium:
Bhabar : Along the foothills of Shiwaliks. Highly porous
Tarai : Re-emergence of streams. Zone of excessive dampness
Bhangar : Older alluvium of the plains. Studded with calcareous formations called
kankar
Khadar : New alluvium and forms the flood plains along the river banks.
3. PENINSULAR PLATEAU:
It is the largest of Indias physical divisions.
It is the oldest and is formed of hard rocks.
The Narmada rift valley divides the peninsular plateau into two parts. They are the
Malwa plateau and the Deccan plateau.
The Malwa plateau is bounded by the Aravalli hills in the north-west and the Vindhya
Mountains in the south. The total area of both these plateaus is 7,05,000 sq. km. and the
shape is triangular.
The Malwa plateau slopes towards the Gangetic Plain.
The highest peak on the Aravallis is Mt. Guru Shikhar.
The Deccan plateau is surrounded by the Satpura hills, the Mahadeo hills, the Maikala
range, the Amarkantak hills and the Rajmahal hills in the north and the Western Ghats in
the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east.
The Western Ghats are called Sahyadris in Maharashtra and Karnataka and further south
they are called Nilgiris in Kerala and Annamalai range, Cardamom and Palani hills in
Tamilnadu. Anaimudi in Annamalai range (2,695 mts.) is the highest peak in South India.
The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats meet in the Nilgiri hills.
The Peninsular plateau has economic importance because of its rich mineral resources
and many rivers, which have waterfalls. They help in the generation of hydroelectric
power.
4. COASTAL PLAINS AND ISLANDS:

Excluding the islands, the mainland of India has 6,100 kms length of coastline.
It extends from Kachchh in Gujarat in the west to the Gangetic delta in the east.
The coast of India is divided into western coast and eastern coastal plains.
The western coastal plain lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea and from the
Gulf of Kachchh in the north upto Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari) in the south, with a length
of about 1,500 km. It is divided into Malabar coast, Karnataka coast(Canara), Konkan coast,
Gujarat coast and Kachchh and Kathiawad peninsulas.
So, there are only a few good harbours Mumbai, Marmagoa, Cochin, Mangalore, Karwar,
Nhava-Sheva and Kandla are the important ports on the West Coast.
The eastern coast extends from Kanyakumari to the Gangetic delta and between the Eastern
Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
It consists of the deltas of rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. It is a broad and
flat land.
There are some salt water lakes or lagoons. Chilka Lake of Orissa and Pulicat Lake of Tamil
Nadu are the best examples.
The Eastern Coast is divided into Coromandel coast in the south and Utkal coast in the
north.
ISLANDS OF INDIA:
There are 247 islands in India, out of which there are 204 islands in the Bay of Bengal and
43 islands in the Arabian Sea.
There are a few coral islands in the Gulf of Mannar also.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal consist of hard volcanic rocks. The
middle Andaman and Great Nicobar Islands are the largest islands of India. Lakshadweep
islands in the Arabian Sea are formed by corals.
The southern - most point of India is in the Greater Nicobar Island. It is called Indira Point
(formerly it was called Pigmalion Point) now submerged after 2004 Tsunami.
Four coral reefs have been identified for conservation and management.
o 1. Gulf of Mannar (fringing reef)
o 2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands(fringing reef)
o 3. Lakshadweep Islands (atoll reef)
o 4. Gulf of Kachchh (platform reef)
The Andaman and Nicobar Group

Andaman is a group of 204 islands of which the largest is Middle Andaman.
Saddle Peak (737 m) in N.Andaman is the highest peak.
The Nicobar is a group of 19 islands of which the largest is Great Nicobar. Most of them are
volcanic in nature.
Great Nicobar is the southernmost island and is only 147 km away from Sumatra island of
Indonesia.
Volcanic Islands: Barren and Narcondam Islands. Barren is in the process of eruption these
days after lying dormant for 200 years.
The Arabian Sea Group

All the islands in the Arabian Sea (Total 25) are coral islands and are surrounded by Fringing
Reefs (North : Lakshadweep, South: Minicoy).
Note :
Ten Degree Channel separates Andamans from Nicobars (Little Andaman from Car Nicobar)
Duncan Passage lies between South Andaman and Little Andaman.
Nine Degree Channel separates Kavaratti from Minicoy Island.
Eight Degree Channel separates Minicoy Island (India) from Maldives.
Rivers of India
Drainage is the water flow through well-defined channels. Drainage pattern is an outcome of
geological time period, nature and structure of rocks, topography, slope, amount of water
flowing and periodicity of the flow.
In India, the rivers can be divided into two main groups:

1. Himalayan Rivers
2. Peninsular Rivers
Himalayan Rivers of India

In this three major river systems are there:
The Indus System
It has a total length of 2880 km (709 km in India). Rises in Tibet (China) near Mansarovar
Lake.
Its most important tributaries: Jhelum (725 km), Chenab (1800 km), Ravi (720 km), Beas (470
km) & Sutlej (1050 km).
According to the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, India can
utilize only 20% of the total discharge of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.
The Ganga System

It is 2525 km long
The Ganga, the head stream is constituted of two main rivers Bhagirthi and Alaknanda, which
combine at Devprayag to form Ganga.
Yamuna (1375 km) is its most important tributary (on right bank). It rises at the Yamunotri
glacier in Uttarakhand.
It runs parallel to Ganga for 800km and joins it at Allahabad.).
Apart from Yamuna, other tributaries of Ganga are Ghaghra (1080 km), Son (780 km), Gandak
(425 km), Kosi (730 km), Gomti (805 km), Damodar (541 km). Kosi is infamous as Sorrow of
Bihar, while Damodar gets the name Sorrow of Bengal as these cause floods in these regions.
Hooghli is a distributory of Ganga flowing through Kolkata.
The Brahmaputra system
It has a total length of 2900 km. It rises in Tibet (from Chemayungdung glacier), where it is
called Tsangpo, and enters the Indian territory (in Arunachal Pradesh) under the name Dihang.
Important Tributaries: Subansiri, Kameng, Dhansiri, Manas, Teesta.
The combined stream of Ganga and Brahmaputra forms the biggest delta in the world, the
Sundarbans, covering an area of 58,752 sq. km. Its major part is in Bangladesh.
On Brahmaputra is the river island, Majuli in Assam, the biggest river island in the world.
Rivers of the Peninsula in India

Different from the Himalayan rivers because they are seasonable in their flow (while
Himalayan rivers are perennial).
They can be divided into two groups:
A. East Flowing Rivers of India (or Delta forming rivers)
Godavari River (1465 km) : Also called Vriddha Ganga or Dakshina Ganga. It is the longest
peninsular river.
Krishna River (1327 km) : Rises in Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar.
Cauvery River (805 km) : It is the largest peninsular river (maximum amount of water).
Infact, it is the only peninsular river which flows almost throughout the year. Known as the
Ganga of the South.
B. West Flowing Rivers in India

Narmada River (1057 km) : Has only l/10th part in Gujarat. Rises in Amarkantak Plateau and
flows into Gulf of Khambat.
It forms the famous Dhuan Dhar Falls near Jabalpur
Luni River (450 km) : Rises from Aravallis. Also called Salt River. It is finally lost in the
marshy grounds at the head of the Rann of Kuchchh.
Sharavati is a west flowing river of the Sahyadris. It forms the famous Jog or Gersoppa or
Mahatma Gandhi Falls (289 m), which is the highest waterfall in India.
Note:
The largest man-made lake in India is Indira Sagar Lake, which is the reservoir of Sardar
Sarovar Project, Onkareshwar Project and Maheshwar Project in Gujarat-MP.
Chilka Lake (Orissa) is the largest brackish water lake of India. Otherwise also, it is the largest
lake of India.
Wular Lake (J & K) is the largest fresh water lake of India. Dal Lake is also there in J & K.
Important River Valley Projects of India

Bhukra Nangal Project On Satluj in Punjab. Highest in India. Ht 226 m. Reservoir is
called Gobind Sagar
Lake Mandi Project On Beas in H.P
Chambal Valley Project On Chambal in M.P & Rajasthan. 3 dams are there: Gandhi Sagar
Dam, Rana Pratap sagar Dam and Jawahar Sagar dam
Damodar Valley Project On Damodar in Bihar. Based on Tennessee Valley Project, USA
Hirakud On Mahanadi in Orissa. World's longest dam: 4801 m
Rihand On Son in Mirzapur. Reservoir is called Govind Vallabh Pant
reservoir
Kosi Project On Kosi in N. Bihar
Mayurkashi Project On Mayurkashi in W.B
Kakrapara Project On Tapi in Gujarat
Nizamsagar Project On Manjra in A.P
Nagarjuna Sagar Project On Krishna in A.P
Tungabhadra On Tungabhadra in A.P & Karnataka
Shivasamudram Project On Cauvery in Karnataka
Tata Hydel Scheme On Bhima in Maharashtra
Sharavathi Hydel Project On Jog Falls in Karnataka
Kundah & Periyar Project In TN
Farakka Project On Ganga in W.B. Apart from power and irrigation it helps to
remove silt for easy navigation
Ukai Project On Tapti in Gujarat
Mahi Project On Mahi in Gujarat
Salal Project On Chenab in J & K
Mata Tila Multipurpose On Betwa in U.P & M.P
Project
Thein Project On Ravi, Punjab
Pong Dam On Beas, Punjab
Climate of India
India has tropical monsoon type of climate. It is greatly influenced by the presence of the
Himalayas in the north as they block the cold the cold air masses from Central Asia. It is because
of them only that the monsoons have a watershed in India.
Traditionally, India has six seasons with each being two months long in duration. They are based
on the astronomical division of 12 months into 6 parts. These seasons are reflected in the ancient
Hindu calendar. These are listed with their traditional names below:
1. Spring (Vasanta)
2. Summer (Grishma)
3. Monsoon (Varsha)
4. Early Autumn (Sarada)
5. Late Autumn (Hemanta)
6. Winter (Sisira)
Climate Seasons in India

In India, the year can be divided into four seasons, resulting from the monsoons which occur
mainly due to the differential heating of land and movement of the suns vertical rays.
The vertical rays of the sun advance towards Tropic of Cancer from mid-March, due to which
hot and dry weather arrives. As temperatures rise over most of northern and Central India, a vast
trough of low pressure is created.
The highest temperature experienced in South is in April while in North it is in May and June.
This part of the year is marked by a dry spell and the north-western parts of the country
experience hot, dry winds, called loo. In this period, the country also experience storms / dust
storms at various places.
1. Tornado like dust storms in Punjab and Haryana, called Andhis in UP and Kalbaisakhis in
West Bengal.
They involve strong convectional movements causing some precipitation.
2. The Norwesters originate over the Chhotanagpur Plateau and blow in the north-east direction
which brings about 50 cm of rainfall in Assam and about 10 cm rainfall in West Bengal and
Orissa. This rainfall is very useful for Assam tea and spring rice crops of West Bengal.
3. Similarly, Cherry Blossoms are there in Karnataka, beneficial to coffee plantation and
Mango showers in elsewhere South India, which are beneficial to mango crops.
This weather is followed by hot, wet weather from June to September. In May, the south west
monsoon sets in.
The normal dates of onset of the monsoon are May 20 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, June
3 in the Konkan, June 15 in Kolkata and June 29 in Delhi.
The south west monsoon enters the country in two currents, one blowing over the Bay of
Bengal and the other over the Arabian Sea. This monsoon causes rainfall over most of the
country (except Tamil Nadu and Thar Desert area).
The Bay of Bengal branch after crossing the deltaic region enters the Khasi valley in
Meghalaya and gets entrapped in it due to funnel shape of the region. It strikes Cherrapunji in a
perpendicular direction causing heavies rainfall in Mawsinram (Approx. 1400 cm).
El-Nino and the Indian Monsoon

El-Nino is cold ocean current that flows along the western coast of South America. The system
involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of warm currents off the coast
of Peru in the eastern pacific and affects weather in many places including India. This results in
two things:
The distortion of equatorial atmosphere circulation
Irregularities in the evaporation of sea water.
Reduction in the amount of Planktons which further reduces the amount of fish in the sea.
It is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years, bringing drought,
floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world.
Soils in India
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has divided Indian soils into eight major
groups:
Alluvial Soil in India
They are by far the largest and the most important soil group of India. They are composed of
sediments deposited by rivers and the waves. Their chemical composition makes them one of the
most fertile in the world.
Usually deficient in nitrogen and humus (thus fertilizers are needed).
Occupy the plains (from Punjab to Assam) and also occur in the valleys of Narmada and Tapti
in M.P. & Gujarat
Black Soil in India

Also called Regur and is ideal for cotton crop. These soils have been formed due to the
solidification of lava spread over large areas during volcanic activity in the Deccan Plateau,
thousands of years ago.
They are black due to compounds of iron and aluminium (also because of titaniferous
magnetite).
Mainly found in Deccan Plateau Maharashtra, Gujarat, M.P, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu.
Red Soil in India

They are mainly formed due to the decomposition of ancient crystalline rocks like granites and
gneisses and from rock types rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium. The term red soil is
due to the wide diffusion of iron oxides through the materials of the soil.
Covers almost the whole of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, S.E. Maharashtra,
Chhatisgarh, parts of Orissa, Jharkhand and Bundelkhand.
Laterite Soil in India

Found in typical monsoon conditions under conditions of high temperature and heavy
rainfall. The alterations of wet and dry season leads to the leaching away of siliceous matter and
lime of the rocks and a soil rich in oxides of iron and aluminium compounds is left behind.
Found in parts of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Rajmahal hills
Best for tea, coffee, rubber, cinchona
Forest and Mountain Soils

Such soils are mainly found on the hill slopes covered by forests. The formation of these soils
is mainly governed by the characteristic deposition of organic matter derived from forest growth.
In the Himalayan region, such soils are mainly found in valley basins, depressions and less
steeply inclined slopes. Apart from the Himalayan region, the forest soils occur in higher hills in
south and the peninsular region.
Plantation of tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits.
Arid and Desert Soils

A large part of the arid and semi-arid region in Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Punjab and
Haryana lying between the Indus and the Aravallis
Saline and Alkaline Soils

In the drier parts of Bihar, Up Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, are the salt-
impregnated or alkaline soils.
The accumulation of salts makes the soil infertile and renders it unfit for agriculture.
Peaty and Marshy Soils

Originate in the humid regions as a result of accumulation of large amounts of organic matter in
the soil. They contain considerable amounts of soluble salts and 10 40% of organic matter.
Natural Vegetation in India

Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests
In areas over 250cm rainfall. In Western Ghats, hilly areas in N.E. India and Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
Trees are rosewood, shisham, ebony, ironwood, etc.
Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests
In areas having rainfall between 100 200 cm. In peninsular region and along the foothills of
Himalayas in Shivaliks, Bhabhar and Tarai.
The trees of these forests drop their leaves for about 6-8 weeks during the spring and early
summer when sufficient moisture isnt available.
Trees are teak, sal, bamboo, sandalwood, rosewood, etc.
Thorn Forests
In areas having rainfall between 25 and 80cm. In arid regions of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana
and Gujarat.
Trees are palm, acacia, etc.
Hill Forests
In hills of S.India and the Himalayas.
The type of trees depends upon the height of the mountain : Sal and bamboo below 1000 m;
oaks, chestnuts and other fruit trees, and chir forests between 1000 and 2000 m; pine, deodar,
silver fern and spruce between 1600 and 3300 m; above 3600 m alpine forests with trees like
silver firs, pines, birches, etc. Alpine forests give way to Alpine grasslands and scrubs as we
move up further.
Tidal or Mangrove Forests

Also known as Littoral or Swamp Forests.
Occur along the sea coast and in the estuaries of rivers, especially in Sunderbans and the
Andamans.
Most important tree is Sundari. It provides hard and durable timber which is used for
construction and building purposes as well as for making boats.
Note :
According to the National Forest Policy, the minimum desired area which is considered safe for
a tropical country like India is about 33%.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under forests followed by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,
Orissa and Arunachal Pradesh.
As per percentage of forest area to total area, first is Andaman and Nicobar Islands, followed
by Mizoram, Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Nagaland. They are
in a very comfortable position as more than half of their area is under forests.
Arunachal Pradesh has the highest per capita forest area.
In Mangrove forests, West Bengal holds the first position, followed by Gujarat and Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
The lowest forest percentage is in Haryana and Punjab, because of the extensive agriculture.
Lakshadweep has 0% forest area.
Eight categories of wetlands in India:

1. Reservoirs of Deccan plateau in south along with lagoons and other wetlands of Southern
West Coast .
2. Saline Saline expanses of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Gulf of Kachchh.
3. Freshwater lakes and reservoirs from Gujarat through Rajasthan and MP.
4. Delta wetlands and lagoons of East coast (Chilaka lake).
5. Freshwater marshes of Gangetic plain.
6. Floodplains of Brahmaputra, marshes and swamps in hills of northeast India and
Himalayan foothills.
7. Lakes and rivers of Montane region of Kashmir and Ladakh.
8. Mangrove forest and other wetlands of Andaman and Nicobar island arcs.
Forest cover:
Forest area is the notified area as forest land irrespective of existence of trees. 23.28% based on
slate revenue department records. Actual forest cover is the area occupied by forest with canopy,
20.55% based on aerial photographs and Satellite imageries.
Biosphere Reserves in India
The biosphere reserve program was launched by the UNESCO in 1971 under the aegis of its
Man and Biosphere (MAB) Program, to provide a global network of protected areas for
conserving natural communities.
In India, the first biosphere reserve Nilgiri biosphere reserve came into being in 1986.
Out of these 14, Nilgiri, Sunderbans, Manas and Gulf of Mannar have been recognized on
World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO.
Project Tiger
It was launched on April 1, 1973 to ensure maintenance of viable population of the tigers in
India.
Nagarjunasagar Tiger Reserve in AP is the largest, while Pench in Maharashtra is the smallest.
Bandipur in Karnataka was the first (1973-74).
Wildlife sanctuaries in India
National Parks List In India:
Bandipur National Park: This National Park is located in Karnataka. It was established
in the 1945 for the preservation of Tigers.
Bandhavgarh National Park: It is located in Madhya Pradesh and in the year 1968.
Bandhavgarh was declared as a national park. It has the highest population of Tigers in
India.
Campbell Bay National Park: It is located in Andaman and Nicobar. It was
established in the year 1992, for the protection of various flora such as orchids and
flowering plants and fauna such as Nicobar pigeons, giant robber crab, megopode
Dudhwa National Park: This national park is located in Uttar Pradesh, established
in 1977 for Deer.
Dachigam National Park: This is located in Jammu and Kashmir, established in the
year 1981 for various fauna and flora out of which most famous is the Kashmiri Stag.
Gir National Park: Gir national park is located in Gujarat, and was established in the
year. It serves as a natural habitat for a large number of Asiatic Lions.
Hazaribagh National Park: This park is located in Jharkhand. This park has Panthers,
Tigers, Sambhars, Spotted deer, Bisons and also faunas (mammals). Established in 1976.
Jim Corbett National Park: It is located in Uttarakhand. It is one of the oldest national
park, it was established in 1936. Older name of this park was Hailey National park. It was
established for the purpose of preservation of Tigers.
Kaziranga National Park: This national park is famous for its One-horned
rhinoceroses. It is located in Assam was established in 1974.
Kanha National Park: Kanha national park located in Madhya Pradesh was
established in 1955. It has a vast population of Leopards, Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian
wild dog and also serves as a home for about 1000 species of plants.
Keoladeo National Park: Keoladeo national park established in the year 1982 is located
in Rajasthan. It has protected Great Egret, Painted Storks, Eurasian Spoonbill
Navegoan National Park: It is located in Maharashtra.
Periyar National Park: This is located in Kerala, it is mostly know as a Tiger and
Elephant reserve. It was established in 1982.
Rajaji National Park: This national park located in Uttarakhand was established in
1982. It has a distribution of both Tigers and Elephants. Other wildlife species are also
found in this park.
Ranthambore National Park: This national park is known for Tigers, it is located in
Rajasthan and was established in 1980.
Sundarbans National Park: Sundarbans national park which is located in Kolkata was
established in 1984. It is famous for Mangroove trees, Crocodile, Bengal Tiger and
various other birds, invertebrates and reptiles.
Silent Valley National Park: This is the largest park in Kerala which was established in
It is a home for Lion-tailed Macaques.
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary: This sanctuary is famous for Gangetic
Dolphin and is located in Gangetic Dolphin is known as the National Aquatic Animal of
India
Agriculture in India
Kharif Crops of India
Sown in summers between May and July, and harvested after the rains, in September and
October.
Eg: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc.
Rabi Crops of India

Sown at the beginning of winter and harvested before the onset of the summer season, between
Feb and April.
Eg: Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc.
Zayad Crops
They are raised between April and June.
E.g. : Melon, watermelon, cucumber, toris, leafy and other vegetables.
Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops)
Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion of the product is consumed by the farmers
themselves (cotton, sugarcane etc.)
Food Crops of India

Rice:
It requires early growing stage 16-20 degree celcius and at ripening stage, temperature of
18-32 degrees Celcius.
Rainfall is required in range of 150-300 cm, described as heavy rainfall.
grown extensively in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Orissa,
Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and Maharashtra.
Wheat:
It grows best when it receives temperature in range of 10-15 degree celcius and ripening
stage temperature of 25-28 degrees celcius.
Rainfall is required in the range of 50-100 cm.
The area and state where wheat is grown are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana.
Maize:
The temperature range required 21-27 degrees Celsius cannot stand frost at any stage of
its development.
The rainfall required is 50-100 cm along with sunshine which promotes growth. While
cold and dry conditions are required at the ripening stage.
It is grown in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab.
Millets- Jowar, Bajra, Ragi:

They require temperature 27-32 degrees celcius and survive high temperatures and
drought conditions.
The rainfall required is 50-120 cm, that is why it is known as dry crop does not require
much rain.
Jowar and Bajra grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajsthan. Ragi is grown in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh.
Pulses:
The temperature required is 20-30 degrees Celsius. The rainfall required is 50-75 cm. It is grown
all over India.
Important cash crops of India

Sugarcane:
The temperature required is in range of 20-30 degree Celcius.
The rainfall is required in range of 75-150 cm, where plenty of water is required in the
growing stage.
Grown Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar,
Haryana and Punjab.
Cotton:
The temperature required is between 21-27 degrees celcius.
The rainfall required is 50-80 cm of well distributed rain.
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan produce long staple cotton.
Jute:
It requires temperature of 27-34 degrees Celsius.
The rainfall required is 170-200 cms.
It is chiefly grown in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam.
Tobacco:
It requires temperature of 20-40 degrees celcius and rainfall of 75-100 cms.
grown in Andhra Pradesh(about 90%), then in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Himachal
Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and Rajasthan.
Types of Irrigation:
Depending upon the availability of surface or ground water, topography, soil and rivers, various
types of irrigation practised in India are as follows:
Tanks:
It is prevalent in the uneven and relatively rocky plateau of Peninsular India.
Tanks are commonly used in Deccan Plateau, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Maharashtra.
About 8% of total irrigated area is irrigated by tanks.
Wells:
It is more widespread in plains, coasts and some regions of peninsular India.
It is less costly and more flexible as water can be drawn whenever needed and
evaporation loss is minimised and no fear of over irrigation.
Canals:
Canals are the main source of irrigation in India.
Canals are big water channels taken out from rivers to carry water to places far away
from the river.
Punjab and Haryana have become the first granaries of country due to these canals which
include Western Yamuna Canal, Sirhind Canal, Upper Bari Doab canal & Bhakra Canal.
The important canals of Uttar Pradesh are upper and lower Ganga Canal, Agra and
Sharda Canal and Rajasthan has become third granary due to Rajasthan canal proje
Important Multipurpose Projects & Hydro-Electric Projects in India
Principal Mineral Resources of India
Coal Resources in India
West Bengal (Raniganj, Burdwan, Bankura, Purulio, Birbhum, Jalpaigudi, Darjeeling)
Jharkhand (Jharia, Giridih, Kharhawadi, Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Kamapura, Rampur, Palamau)
Power sector is the largest consumer of coal in India followed by steel industry, cement industry.
Manganese
Orissa, Maharashtra (Nagpur, Bhandara, Ratnagiri)
Karnataka(Keonjhar, Bonai, Kalahandi)
Copper Minerals
Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat) Rajasthan (Khetri)
Jharkhand (Singhbhum, Masobani, Surda)
Mica Minerals
Jharkhand (Hazaribagh, Giridih, Kodarma) Bihar (Goya, Bhagalpur)
Petroleum Resources in India

Assam (Digboi, Naharkatiya, Badarpur, Masinpur and Pallharia)
Gujarat (Ankleshwar, Khambat, Kalol)
Mumbai High, Bassein (south of Mumbai High)
Iron Resources
India possesses Haematite, a very high-grade iron ore in
Madhya Pradesh (Bailadila, Jabalpur)
Goa (North Goa)
Karnataka (Bababudan hills, Chikmagalur, Hospet)
Jharkhand (Singhbhum, Naomundi)
India is the fifth largest exporter of iron ore in the world. Japan is the biggest buyer accounting
for about 3/4th of Indias total exports.
Bauxite Resources
Chief ore for producing aluminium.
Orissa (Kalahandi, Koraput, Sundargarh, Bolangir, Sambalpur)
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu.
Gold Resources in India

Karnataka (Kolar, Hutti, Raichur)
Andhra Pradesh (Ramgiri and Yeppamanna goldfields in Chittor and Anantapur
districts).
Uranium Resources in India

Jharkhand (Jaduguda)
Rajasthan (Ajmer)
Andhra Pradesh (Nellore, Nalgonda)
Karnataka (Gulbarga)
Thorium Resources in India

Kerala coast (From Monazite sand)
Rocks of Aravallis in Rajasthan.
Oil Refineries
There are 19 refineries in India, 16 in public sector, one in joint sector and two in private sector.
Public sector refineries are located at Digboi, Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Barauni, Haldia,
Koyali, Mathura, Kochi, Chennai, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai (2), Panipat, Narimanam,
Numanigarh and Tatipaka.
Joint sector refinery is at Mangalore.
The private sector refinery of Reliance Limited is at Jamnagar, Gujarat and Essar
Refinery at Vadinar, Gujarat.
Industries in India
Cotton Textile Industry in India
Most important industry in terms of employment and production of export goods.
Maharashtra (Mumbai, Sholapur, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Wardha, Hajipur)
Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Vododara, Rajkot, Surat, Bhavnagar
Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore-Manchester of South India) - has the largest number of cotton
textile mills in India.
Silk Textile Industry in India

The location of silk industry is governed by two factors- prevalence of sericulture practices and
availability of skilled labour.
Karnataka is the leading producer, followed by West Bengal, Bihar, etc.
Woolen Textile Industries

Punjab (Dhariwai, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Ferozpur) Maharashtra (Mumbai)
UP (Kanpur, Mirzapur, Agra, Tanakpur)
Jute Industries India

India manufactures the largest quantity of jute goods in the world.
Mainly located in West Bengal, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, UP, MP.
Iron and Steel Industries

Located near the sources of raw materials and fuel (coal).
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) Durgapur, Burnpur (W.B.)
Bhadrawati (Karnataka) Bokaro (Jharkhand)
Rourkela (Orissa) Bhilai (Chhatisgarh)
Salem (T.N.) Vishakhapatnam (A.P.)
Railway Equipments
Locomotives in Indian Railways: In Chittaranjan (WB), Varanasi, Jamshedpur, Bhopal.
Coaches: Perambur (TN), Kapurthala (Punjab), also at Bangalore and Kolkata.
Ship Building India
Hindustan Shipyard at Vishakhapatnam Cochin Shipyard
Mumbai (Mazgaon Dock) Kolkata (Garden Reach Workshop).
Fertilizers
The location of fertilizer industry is closely related to petro-chemicals. About 70% of the plants
producing nitrogenous fertilizers use naphtha as raw material.
Naphtha is a by-product of oil refineries. Phosphate plants are dependent on mineral phosphate
found in UP and MP. Now natural gas based fertilizer plants are also being set up.
The Fertilizer Corporation of India (FCL) was set up in 1961. National Fertilizer Limited
(NFL) was set up in 1974.
In Sindri (Bihar), Nangal, Trombay, Gorakhpur, Durgapur, Namrup
Aircraft Industry
Hindustan Aeronautics India Ltd. was formed by merging two aircraft factories at Bangalore and
Kanpur.
Four other factories are at Nasik, Hyderabad, Koraput (Orissa), Lucknow.
RENEWABLE ENERGY IN INDIA

contributes around 7.7% of total electricity generation in the country.
comes under the purview of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
The largest contributor to renewable energy in India is Tamil Nadu (about 33%), largely
from wind power.
India ranks first in the world (along with USA) in annual solar power generation. It also
ranks fifth in wind power generation.
BIOFUELS IN INDIA
Biofuel development in India is primarily focused on Jatropa plant seeds
The Jatropa curcas is a flowering plant whose seeds contain about 35% oil.
Jatropa is easily grown in dry and non-agricultural lands, thereby allowing villagers to
use non-farmland for income generation
Conventional Power Generation
NUCLEAR ENERGY IN INDIA

Nuclear energy contributes about 4.1% of power generation in India. The share of nuclear
energy is expected to reach 9% by 2035
Australia has the largest reserves of Uranium in the world. Canada, which has the second
largest reserves, is the largest exporter of Uranium
Railways in India
Indian railway system is the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world. It is the biggest
departmental public undertaking in the country.
The first train ran in India between Bombay and Thane, a stretch of 34 km. on April 16 1853.
The Indian Railways celebrated its 150th anniversary on April 16, 2003. To commemorate the
occasion, 16 January Shatabadi inter city express trains were announced to be inducted.
The second train ran between Howrah and Hooghly in 1854.
The headquarters of Indian Railway is in New Delhi.
The first electric train in India was Deccan Queen. It was introduced in 1929 between
Bombay and Poona.
Indian Railways has the second biggest electrified system in the world after Russia.
The fastest train in India is the Shatabadi Express whose maximum speed is 140 km/hr.
The total route covered is approx 63,000 km.
The total number of railway stations in India is 7,100.
The longest railway platform in India is at Kharagpur (W.B.).
Mumbai is the destination where maximum number of trains in India head for.
The longest train route is of Himsagar Express from Jammu Tavi to Kanyakumari. It covers a
distance of 3,726 km and passes through ten states.
The first Metro Rail was introduced in Kolkata (W.Bengal) on October 24, 1984. The two
stations connected were Dumdum and Belgachhia.
Indian railways are divided into 16 zones, headed by a General Manager who is responsible to
the Railway Board, for all matters.
Railway Zones Head Quarters

Central Mumbai VT
Eastern Kolkata
Northern New Delhi
North Eastern Gorakhpur
North-East Frontier Maligaon-Guwahati
Southern Chennai
South Central Secunderabad
South Eastern Kolkata
Western Mumbai Churchgate
East Coast Bhubaneshwar
East Central Hajipur
North Central Allahabad
North Western Jaipur
South Western Bangalore (Hubli)
West Central Jabalpur
South-East Central Bilaspur
Road Transport in India

Indias road network is one of the largest in the world. The total length of roads is more than 33
lakh km.
Some of the Important National Highways are:

NH 1: New Delhi Ambala Jalandhar Amritsar.
NH 2: Delhi Mathura Agara Kanpur Allahabad Varanasi Kolkata.
NH 3: Agra Gwalior Nasik Mumbai
NH 4: Thane and Chennai via Pune and Belgaun.
NH 5: Kolkata Chennai
NH 6: Kolkata Dhule
NH 7: Varanasi Kanyakumari
NH 8: Delhi Mumbai (via Jaipur, Baroda and Ahmedabad)
NH 9: Mumbai Vijaywada
NH 10: Delhi Fazilka
NH 11: Agra Bikaner
NH 12: Jabalpur Jaipur
NH 24: Delhi Lucknow
NH 27: Allahabad Varanasi
NH 28: Barauni Lucknow
NH 29: Gorakhpur Varanasi
NH 56: Lucknow Varanasi
NH 7 is the longest highway of India.
Note:
The Golden Quadrilateral Project connecting the four Metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai and Kolkata covering a total distance of 5846 km is currently being processed. It is the
first phase of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP).
The North South East West Corridor (NS-EW) is the largest ongoing expressway project in
India. It is the second phase of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), and
consists of building 7300 kilometers of four/six lane expressways connecting Srinagar,
Kanyakumari, Porbandar and Silchar.
Maharashtra has the maximum length of surfaced roads in India.
Air Transport in India

J.R.D. Tata was the first person to make a solo flight from Mumbai to Karachi in 1931.
1. In 1935, the Tata Air Lines started its operation between Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram
and in 1937 between Mumbai and Delhi.
2. In 1953, all the private Airline companies were nationalised and Indian Airlines and Air India
came into existence.
3. Air India administers international flights while Indian Airlines caters to the domestic circuit.
4. Indian Airlines is now known by the name of Indian.
5. Vayudoot Limited started in 1981 as a private air carrier and later on it merged with Indian
Airlines.
6. Pawan Hans Limited operates helicopter support services to oil sector, hill stations and remote
areas.
7. A number of private airlines also operates is India. They are Jet Airways, Sahara, etc.
8. The Civil Aviation Centre in Fursatgarh near Allahabad provided, among other things, ground
training to the pilots.
Water Transport in India

Most efficient, least costly and environment friendly means of transportation. The total length of
navigable waterways in
Indian comprising rivers, canals, backwaters, etc, is 14,500 km out of which 3700 km is
navigable by mechanised boats.
The government has recognised the following National Waterways of India:
NW 1: Allahabad to Haldia 1,629 km
NW 2: Sadia to Dhubari (on Brahmaputra river) 819 km
NW 3: Kollam to Kottapuram 186 km
NW 4: Kakinada to Marakkanam (Along Godawari and Krishna river) 1,100 km
Ports in India
Kolkata Port (including Haldia) : Kolkata is a riverine port, located about 128 km from the
Bay of Bengal on the banks of river Hooghly. Haldia was developed because excessive silting
prevented the entry of large marine vessels in Kolkata.
Paradip Port : Located on the Orissa coast along the Bay of Bengal. India exports raw iron to
Japan from here.
Chennai Port : Oldest artificial harbour. This port ranks only second after Mumbai in terms of
the traffic handling capacity.
Mumbai Port : A natural port, Indias busiest. A new port, Nhava Sheva, is being developed
near Mumbai port.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port : Occupies the 5th position in the worlds faster growing ports.
Kandla Port : Called the offspring of partition as it was developed after the partition as a
substitute of Karachi port. It is a tidal port and a free trade zone located in the Rann of Kachchh.
Miscellaneous:
Monuments:
Name of the monument Location Built by

Ajanta- Ellora Caves Aurangabad , Maharashtra Gupta rulers
Aram Bagh Agra , UP Babur
Agra Fort Agra , UP Akbar
Akbars Mausoleum Sikandra ,UP Akbar
Itmad-ud-daula Fort Agra , UP Noorjahan
Bibi Ka Maqbara Aurangabad , Maharashtra Aurangzeb
Char Minar Hyderabad , Andhra Pradesh Quli Qutub Shah
Shahjahan
Deewan-e- Khas Agra Fort ,UP
Elephantas cave Mumbai,Maharashtra Rashtrakuta rulers

Fatehpur Sikri Agra ,UP Akbar
Ferozshah Kotla Delhi Ferozshan Tughlaq
Gateway of India Mumbai , Maharashtra British Govt.
Hawa Mahal Jaipur,Rajasthan Maharaja Pratap Singh
Humayuns Tomb Delhi Humayuns wife
Jama Masjid Agra ,UP Shahjahan
Jama masjid Delhi Shahjahan
Jagannath Temple Puri , Orissa Anantvarman Ganga
Jantar-Mantar Anantvarman Ganga Sawai Jai Singh
Jim Corbett Park Nainital , Uttarakhand Sir Malcom Hailley
Jodhpur Fort Jodhpur , Rajasthan Rao Jodhaji
Makka Masjid Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh Quli Qutub Shah
Moti Masjid Agra Fort ,UP Shahjahan
Moti Masjid Delhi Fort Aurangzeb
Qutub Minar Delhi Qutubuddin Aibak
Red Fort Delhi Shahjahan
Sabarmati Ashram Ahmadabad,Gujarat Mahatma Gandhi
Shantiniketan West Bengal Rabindra Nath Tagore
Shish Mahal Agra ,UP Shahjahan
Shalimar Garden Srinagar ,J & K Jahangir
Sun Temple Kornak,Odisha Narsimhadeva I
Swarna Mandir (Golden
Amritsar,Punjab Guru Ramdas
Temple)
Tajmahal Agra,UP Shahjahan
Vellure Math Kolkata,West Bengal Swami Vivekanand
Important Tribes in India

Name of the tribe Location and importance
Gonds Largest tribe found in M.P., Jharkhand, A.P., Orissa & Maharashtra.
Bhils M.P, Gujarat, Rajasthan, A.P., Karnataka, Tripura
Santhals West Bengal, Bihar-Jharkhand & Orissa
Minas Rajasthan & MP. Account for 50% tribal population of Rajasthan
Oraons Bihar-Jharkhand, M.P.-Chattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal &

Maharashtra. Speak Kurukh Language
Mundas Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal & Tripura
Khonds Orissa is main region. Also found in Bihar, AP, MP, West Bengal
Bakkarwals J&K
Bhotias Uttaranchal, Sikkim & West Bengal
Moplahs Muslims of Malabar district, Kerala
Varlis Maharashtra, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Various Revolutions in Indian Economy
1. Yellow Revolution Oil Seeds
2. White Revolution Milk
3. Blue Revolution Fish
4. Pink Revolution Shrimp
5. Brown Revolution Spices
6. Grey Revolution Wool
7. Golden Revolution Horticulture
Central Institutes of India
Breeds of Cattle
1. Cow Gir, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Deoni (Andhra Pr.), Nagori, Rathi, Siri, Malvi,
Tharparkar. Exotic breeds Holstein, Friesian, Jersey, Brown Swiss.
2. Buffalo Murrah, Bhadawari, Nagpuri, Mehsana, Jaffrabadi, Surti, Nali-Ravi.
3. Sheep Jaisalmeri, Pugal, Bikaneri, Marwari, Kathiawari.
4. Goats Jamnapuri, Barbari

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TISS GUIDE

Static GK: Geography of India

Area Geography & Boundaries Geography

1. THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS:

The Great Himalayas or The Himadri

Lesser Himalayas or The Himachal

Outer Himalayas or The Shiwaliks

2. NORTH INDIAN PLAIN:

4. COASTAL PLAINS AND ISLANDS:

The Andaman and Nicobar Group

The Arabian Sea Group

In India, the rivers can be divided into two main groups:

Himalayan Rivers of India

The Ganga System

Rivers of the Peninsula in India

B. West Flowing Rivers in India

Important River Valley Projects of India

Climate Seasons in India

El-Nino and the Indian Monsoon

Black Soil in India

Red Soil in India

Laterite Soil in India

Forest and Mountain Soils

Arid and Desert Soils

Saline and Alkaline Soils

Peaty and Marshy Soils

Natural Vegetation in India

Tidal or Mangrove Forests

Eight categories of wetlands in India:

Wildlife sanctuaries in India

Rabi Crops of India

Food Crops of India

Millets- Jowar, Bajra, Ragi:

Important cash crops of India

Important Multipurpose Projects & Hydro-Electric Projects in India

Petroleum Resources in India

Gold Resources in India

Uranium Resources in India

Thorium Resources in India

Silk Textile Industry in India

Woolen Textile Industries

Jute Industries India

Iron and Steel Industries

RENEWABLE ENERGY IN INDIA

NUCLEAR ENERGY IN INDIA

Railway Zones Head Quarters

Road Transport in India

Some of the Important National Highways are:

Maharashtra has the maximum length of surfaced roads in India.

Air Transport in India

Water Transport in India

Name of the monument Location Built by

Elephantas cave Mumbai,Maharashtra Rashtrakuta rulers

Important Tribes in India

Bhils M.P, Gujarat, Rajasthan, A.P., Karnataka, Tripura

Santhals West Bengal, Bihar-Jharkhand & Orissa

Oraons Bihar-Jharkhand, M.P.-Chattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal &

Moplahs Muslims of Malabar district, Kerala