What are the major physiographic divisions of India? Explain.
Major physiographic divisions of India can be distinguished as follows :
-
The Himalayan Mountains The Himalayan mountains extend from the Indus to the Brahmaputra. They have three parallel ranges: Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks. A number of valleys lie between these ranges.
-
The Northern Plains These plains are formed by huge silt and alluvium deposited by the Himalayan rivers like the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and their tributaries. It is agriculturally a very productive part of India.
-
The Peninsular Plateau This is the oldest division made of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. It consists of the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau.
-
The Indian Desert The Indian desert lies towards the Western margins of the Aravalli hills. This region receives very low rainfall and Luni is the only big river in this region.
-
The Coastal Plains The Western coast sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is a narrow plain. It consists of three sections : Konkan, Kannad plain and Malabar coast. The Eastern coastal plains along the Bay of Bengal are wide and level. This consists of Northern Circar and Coromandel coast.
-
The Islands The island groups are the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. These islands are very important for their rich flora and fauna variety. These islands lie close to equator and experience equatorial climate and has thick forest cover.