Physical Features of India

Narmada and Tapi are major west-flowing rivers of Peninsular India. They generally flow through rift valleys and drain into the Arabian Sea. Rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra originate in the Himalayas, so option B is incorrect. Exam tip: Remember Narmada and Tapi as important rivers that flow westward into the Arabian Sea.

The Aravalli Range is most associated with Rajasthan. For exams remember Mount Abu and Guru Shikhar.

Guru Shikhar near Mount Abu is the highest peak of the Aravalli. For exams remember Rajasthan.

The Western Ghats are also called Sahyadri. For exams remember their parallel direction to the western coast.

The Western Ghats are more continuous than the Eastern Ghats. For exams remember that rivers break the Eastern Ghats.

East flowing rivers cut across the Eastern Ghats. For exams remember Godavari Krishna and Kaveri.

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

Anamudi is a high peak of the Western Ghats and South India. For exams remember the Kerala region.

Lakshadweep consists mainly of coral islands formed from coral reefs and coral deposits. Therefore, coral is the correct answer. Volcanic lava is not the origin of Lakshadweep; it is more relevant to volcanic islands in the Andaman–Nicobar region. Exam tip: remember the link—Lakshadweep, Arabian Sea, and coral islands.

Barren Island in the Andaman region is an example of an active volcano. For exams remember volcanic island.

Andaman and Nicobar are located east of India in the Bay of Bengal. For exams remember eastern islands.

Lakshadweep is an island group in the Arabian Sea, off India’s western coast, so it is correct. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie to the east in the Bay of Bengal. Majuli is a river island in the Brahmaputra in Assam, while Diu is an island on the western coast, not an island group. Exam tip: remember West—Arabian Sea—Lakshadweep and East—Bay of Bengal—Andaman and Nicobar.

Majuli is a river island formed within the course of the Brahmaputra River in Assam, so river island is the correct answer. Coral islands are formed by coral deposits in the sea, as in many islands of Lakshadweep, so that option does not apply here. Exam tip: remember Majuli with the Brahmaputra River and Assam.

Ladakh is called a cold desert because of high altitude and low rainfall. For exams remember Himalayan dry region.

The Karakoram is linked with India's northwestern Himalayan region and Ladakh. For exams remember high mountain region.

A pass is a route through a mountain region. For exams identify Himalayan passes on the map.

The Sundarbans lies in the vast delta formed by sediments brought by the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. Therefore, its main landform is a delta. A plateau is an elevated flat region, whereas the Sundarbans is a low-lying, marshy and tidal area. Exam tip: Remember the Sundarbans with mangrove forests and the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.

The Sundarbans lies in the tidal, saline coastal region of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta and is known for mangrove forests. Mangrove trees are adapted to marshy, saline soil. Coniferous forests occur mainly in the cold Himalayan mountain regions, so they are not characteristic of the Sundarbans. Exam tip: associate tidal deltas and salty coastal water with mangrove forests.

The Rann of Kachchh is a vast saline marshy plain in western Gujarat. It includes the Great Rann and the Little Rann and lies near the Arabian Sea. Rajasthan borders Gujarat, but the Rann of Kachchh is not in Rajasthan. Exam tip: remember the association Rann of Kachchh—Gujarat—saline desert plain.

Coastal plains are useful for ports fishing and agriculture. For exams remember the economic importance of coasts.