Geographical Diversity of India Class 7 PPT & Notes Free

• India is the 7th largest country in the world and part of Asia (the Indian Subcontinent)
• The natural barrier in the north is the Himalayas
• The Arabian Sea lies to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south
• Neighbours: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar
• India gives its name to the subcontinent it is part of
• Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space (1984), said that India looks “Sāre jahān se achchhā”, better than the whole world

Despite having mountains, deserts, plains, coasts and islands, India remains one country. Geography shaped India’s climate, culture, history and civilisation, and rivers, mountains, deserts and coasts affect how people live, work and eat.

• Length: about 2,500 km from west to east
• They span 6 countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan
• Peaks higher than 8,000 m are called “8-thousanders”
• The Himalayas are the “Water Tower of Asia”: snowmelt feeds the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra
• “Himalaya” comes from the Sanskrit hima (snow) and ālaya (abode)
• They are still growing, by about 5 mm a year
• They formed when India collided with Eurasia, about 50 million years ago

India split from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. As the Tethys Ocean shrank, India moved towards the Eurasian Plate. When the plates collided, the crust buckled, and the mountains rose. They are still growing today.

• Gaumukh (“cow’s mouth”) is the edge of the Gangotri Glacier, one of India’s largest
• The Bhagirathi River originates here and joins the Ganga
• It is in Uttarakhand, and a sacred pilgrimage and trekking destination

• Folded rocks: the ocean floor was pushed up by the plate collision, and the rocks were compressed like a “panini press”. You can see the layers in hillside rock-cuts
• Kath-Kuni houses (kath = wood, kuni = corner) use interlocking timber and dry stone walls, so they are earthquake resistant. They are found in Himachal Pradesh and are a sustainable, indigenous style of architecture
• Wildlife: the snow leopard (the “ghost of the mountains”) and the Himalayan monal, the state bird of Uttarakhand
• Rhododendron flowers are used to make sherbet, the Beas River flows through Manali and Kullu, and the Great Himalayan National Park is a UNESCO heritage site

• Winter temperatures fall below −30 °C
• It is called “Moonland” for its moon-like landscape
• Tso means “lake” in Ladakhi, as in Pangong Tso
• Yaks give milk, meat and wool, their dung is used as fuel, and they are used for transport
• Ladakh is known for ancient monasteries and for festivals such as Losar and Hemis

• A saltwater lake at about 4,225 metres, one of the highest saltwater lakes in the world
• An endorheic lake, which has no outlet, so minerals build up
• It freezes completely in winter, and people and vehicles can cross it on the ice
• A border lake: about 60% lies in Tibet (China) and 40% in Ladakh (India)
• A breeding ground for the bar-headed goose and other migratory birds
• Its colour changes from deep blue to turquoise to green depending on the sunlight

• Fed by the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra
• Fertile alluvial soil brought down by the Himalayan rivers
• Rabi crops (wheat, barley) grow in winter, and kharif crops (rice, sugarcane) in summer
• The most densely populated region
• The flat land makes it easy to build roads and railways

• Delhi lies within the National Capital Territory (NCT), surrounded by the Aravalli Hills and the Delhi Ridge, with the Yamuna flowing on its eastern edge
• Landmarks: India Gate, Chandni Chowk and Qutub Minar; Lutyens’ Delhi has wide boulevards
• Railways started in the 19th century under British rule, and Kanpur and Varanasi are major rail hubs
• Railways move goods in bulk and are an all-weather transport system that connects the vast plains

• The grey langur is found in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• The Bengal tiger: Project Tiger was launched in 1973, and tiger reserves were created across India
• Laws protect endangered species such as the Indian gharial
• The peacock is the national bird of India (since 1963) and a protected species

• A vast arid region, mostly in Rajasthan, also spanning Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana
• A natural barrier that deters movement
• Dunes up to 150 metres high, formed by wind shifting the sand
• Jaisalmer is the “Golden City”, in the heart of the Thar. Jaisalmer Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• The Pushkar Mela is a famous camel fair, and the camel is the “ship of the desert”

• Water is scarce, and women often walk miles to fetch it
• The Taanka (Kund) is a traditional rainwater harvesting structure that stores rainwater for drinking, an ingenious ancient method of conservation

• The oldest surviving folded mountains in the world, about 2.5 billion years old (Pre-Cambrian era)
• The highest peak is Mount Abu, at more than 1,700 m; most hills are 300 to 900 m
• They prevent the Thar Desert from expanding east, a vital ecological role
• Rich in marble, granite, zinc and copper; the Zawar mines are known for the world’s first zinc extraction
• Historic forts include Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh and Ranthambore

• A peninsula is land surrounded by water on three sides: the Arabian Sea (west), Bay of Bengal (east) and Indian Ocean (south). It is triangular in shape and a very old landform
• The Western Ghats are taller and run along the west coast (also called the Sahyadri Hills in the north). The Eastern Ghats are lower and broken. The Deccan Plateau lies between them
• The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Rivers flowing over the uneven plateau form waterfalls. Jog Falls (Karnataka) is used for hydroelectricity, and waterfalls also attract tourists and help irrigation
• East-flowing rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi. West-flowing rivers: Narmada, Tapti
• Tribal communities: Santhal, Gond, Baiga, Bhil and Korku. The plateau is rich in coal, minerals and forests

• Lion-tailed macaque: a dark face with a silvery-white mane. It is endemic to the Western Ghats (found only here) and endangered
• King cobra: the world’s longest venomous snake (up to about 5.5 m), an apex predator that eats other snakes
• The Western Ghats block the monsoon winds (the rain shadow effect), so the western slopes are very humid. They are also home to insectivorous plants, the Purple Frog and the Nilgiri Tahr

A delta is sediment deposited at a river mouth. It forms triangular or fan-shaped land that is very fertile and ideal for farming, and it is important for fishing communities.

• The delta of the Ganga, Brahmaputra and their tributaries, shared between India and Bangladesh
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger
• Mangrove forests with the Sundari tree, whose breathing roots are called pneumatophores

• The Meghalaya Plateau includes the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills
• It has one of the highest rainfalls in the world, and Cherrapunji is one of the wettest places on Earth
• Seven Sisters Waterfalls; Mawlynnong, called the “cleanest village in Asia”
• Living root bridges are made by the Khasi tribe by training the roots of the Ficus elastica tree over decades. They grow stronger with time, a bio-engineering marvel
• Shad Suk Mynsiem is the Khasi harvest festival

• Tropical deciduous and moist Sal forests in large, continuous tracts, over the ancient rocks of the Bastar Craton
• A vital carbon sink that regulates the climate and promotes clean air and water
• Tribal communities: Gond, Baiga, Bhil, Santhal and Korku, with distinct languages and traditions
• Bastar iron craft and the Goncha festival; people collect tendu leaves and other forest produce
• The Peninsular Plateau is rich in minerals, and coal mines produce electricity, but coal is a fossil fuel that contributes to global warming

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