Which are the major physiographic features of india. Explain each physical feature in five point.
Answers
The major physiographic divisions of India are The Himalayan Mountains, The Northern Plains, The Peninsular Plateau, The Indian Desert, The Coastal Plains, and The Islands.
Himalayan Mountains
The northernmost landscape of the country highlights the fold mountains of the Himalayas. Though geologically young, the Himalayan Mountains are the loftiest and the most rugged of the world. Since they stretch across 2500 KM from Kashmir in the north, through Arunachal Pradesh in the North East, these mountains form an arc.
Northern Plains
The three major river systems of India- Indus, Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries have fed the foothills of the Himalayas. Since these river basins had a huge amount of alluvial deposits from these glacial rivers, these regions grew fertile over hundreds of years and led to the Northern Plains.
Peninsular Plateau
The oldest landmass of India, the Peninsular Plateau was the result of the tectonic shifts of the Gondwana Land. This massive plateau area is further divided.
Indian Desert
The undulating sandy plains covered with sand dunes on the western fringes of the Aravali Hills comprise the Indian Desert. With rainfall as low as 150 mm per annum, this region is the aridest in the country and thus, low on greenery. The states of Rajasthan and northwestern parts of Gujarat collectively form the desert region.
Coastal Plains
Right on the outer edges of the Indian peninsula, lies the narrow strips of the coastal plains. These sea fed regions cover the shores of the Bay of Bengal in the East and the Arabian Sea on the West. The western coast along the Arabian Sea can again be divided into three sections-
The Konkan Coast- covering coastal Maharashtra and Goa
The Kannada Plains- covering coasts of Karnataka
The Malabar Coast- covering Kerala
Islands
Two groups of islands lie on the two oceans surrounding the main landmass of the subcontinent. These most likely complete the physical features of India. And, the island region is divided by the mainland as well as the seas.