Physical Features of India

Eastern coastal plains are generally broader than western coastal plains. For exams remember their relation with delta formation.

The Godavari forms a delta on the eastern coast as it flows into the Bay of Bengal. For exams remember deltas of eastern rivers.

Krishna and Kaveri flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal. For exams remember east flowing peninsular rivers.

Narmada and Tapi flow westward into the Arabian Sea. For exams remember them as west flowing rivers.

Konkan Coast is associated with the western coastal region of Maharashtra and Goa. For exams remember parts of the western coast.

The Malabar Coast is mainly associated with the western coastal part of Kerala. For exams remember Malabar and Western Ghats together.

Coromandel Coast is located on the southeastern coastal part of India. For exams remember its connection with Tamil Nadu.

The Thar is India’s major dry and sandy desert region. It lies mainly in western Rajasthan and receives very little rainfall. The Terai is a moist belt along the Himalayan foothills, so it is not a desert. Exam tip: The Thar Desert is also called the Great Indian Desert.

The direct answer is A, island groups. An island is land surrounded by water, and an island group is a collection of such islands. In India, the island groups are surrounded by seawater and include Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The reasoning is simple: the question asks for a physical division made of islands and surrounded by sea, so the division must be island groups. Option A is correct because it directly describes this landform. Option B, the Northern Plains, are broad river-made plains formed mainly by alluvial deposits; they are not surrounded by sea and are connected to the mainland. Option C, the Himalayas, are high fold mountains formed by tectonic forces, not island landforms. Option D, the desert, is a dry mainland region with very little rainfall, not a group of sea-surrounded islands. Exam cue: identify the words ‘surrounded by sea’ and immediately think of island groups.

Direct answer: Option A, the Himalayas. The Himalayas are India’s youngest major mountain system in geological terms and contain the country’s highest peaks. Step by step: they were formed relatively recently when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate; compression folded and uplifted sedimentary layers; continuing tectonic activity makes them young, high fold mountains. Option A is correct. Option B, the Deccan Plateau, is an old, stable plateau, not the youngest high mountain region. Option C, the Thar Desert, is a dry sandy region, not a high mountain system. Option D, the Eastern Coastal Plain, is a low-lying coastal plain, not a mountain region. The word “young” here means geologically young, not that the mountains are newly created in human time. Memory cue: Himalaya = young fold mountains, great height, active uplift.

The Western and Eastern Ghats meet near the Nilgiri Hills in South India. For exams remember Nilgiri.

Nilgiri Hills are in South India near the meeting area of Western and Eastern Ghats. For exams remember South India.

The Karakoram is associated with the northwestern Himalayan region of India. For exams remember the Ladakh region.

Shiwalik is the outermost and southern range of the Himalayas. For exams remember the three Himalayan ranges.

Himadri is the Greater Himalayan range and contains high peaks. For exams remember Himadri as the High Himalaya.

Himachal Himalaya is also called the Lesser Himalayas. For exams remember the order Himadri Himachal Shiwalik.

The direct answer is A: Dun valleys lie between the Shiwalik range and the Lesser Himalaya. In the Himalayan structure, the southernmost range is the Shiwalik, while the Lesser Himalaya, also called Himachal, lies farther north. Longitudinal valleys occur between these two ranges; they are called Duns. Step by step: identify the two Himalayan belts; locate the Shiwalik in the south and the Lesser Himalaya to its north; the valley between them is a Dun. Dehradun is the well-known example, though other Duns also occur. A is correct. B is wrong because the Thar and Aravalli are separate regions outside this Himalayan arrangement. C is wrong because Deccan and Malwa are plateau regions, not the ranges forming Dun valleys. D is wrong because Lakshadweep and Andaman are island groups, not adjacent Himalayan divisions. Memory cue: “Dun” means the valley between Shiwalik and Lesser Himalaya; remember Dehra-dun.

Black soil formed from lava is found in many parts of the Deccan Plateau. For exams remember its link with cotton areas.

Garo Khasi and Jaintia hills are located in the Meghalaya region. For exams remember Northeast India.

Mizo Hills are located in the northeastern part of India. For exams remember their connection with Mizoram.

The Satpura Range lies south of the Narmada valley. For exams remember the position of Vindhya Narmada Satpura.

The Vindhya Range is an important landform in central India. For exams connect it with the division between north and south India.

The Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is known as a saline marshy plain. For exams remember salt and Gujarat.

Peninsular India is surrounded by sea on three sides. For exams remember Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean.

India has different landforms so it has great physical diversity. For exams remember the six main physical divisions.