Physiography of India - Part 1

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF INDIA - PART 1

INTRODUCTION:
•    Covering an area of more than 32 Lakhs Sq. km, India is the 7th largest country in the world.

Area-wise (in Million Sq Km) 
Russia             17
Canada            10
USA                9.8
China              9.6
Brazil              8.5
Australia         7.7
India              3.28

•    It has a land frontier of about 15,200 km. The total length of the coastline of the mainland and Islands (Lakshdweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) is 7,516 km.
•    Tropic of cancer divides India in almost 2 equal parts. The southern half coinciding with peninsular India lies in tropical zone, and the northern half, somewhat continental in nature, belongs to sub-tropical zone.
•    Tropic of cancer passes through 8 states of India (Gujarat, Rajasthan, M.P., Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, W.B, Tripura and Mizoram)
•    Countries having a common border with India are Afghanistan, Pakistan, China,  Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Total 7 countries have common border with India.

Longitudinal Extent (mainland)    8o4’N - 37o6’ N    3,214 km
Latitudinal Extent (mainland)    68o7’E - 97o25’ E    2,933 km

India lies entirely in the northern hemisphere. India belongs to Eastern Hemisphere as it is situated to east of Prime Meridian. It occupies south central peninsula of Asian continent. It has 2 time zones: 82o30’ E forms standard Meridian

EXTREME POINTS OF INDIA
 

1. Northernmost - Dafdar in Taghdumbash Pamir near Beyik Pass in J&K - 

37°05’N 74°40’E
 

2. Southernmost - Indira point - 6°45'N 93°49'E

3.Westernmost -  West of Ghuar Mota, Gujarat 68°34'E - 23.67N 68.52E
 

4.Easternmost -   Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh 96°30'E - 28°01′N 97°24′E

•    Indira Point (N 6°45' E 93°49') - Southernmost point of Indian Territory. Located on Great Nicobar. Indonesia lies few kilometers away from Indira Point. Great Channel separates India from Indonesia. Indira Point is also known as Parsons Point or Pygmalion Point.
•    Order of countries sharing border with India (in decreasing order of border length) Bangladesh – China – Pakistan – Nepal – Myanmar – Bhutan – Afghanistan.

•    Its total land frontier is 15200 kms.
•   Maritime boundary – 6100 kms; it is 7516 km if we include Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
•    Kanyakumari – Southernmost point of Indian Mainland.
•    Where the Himalayan mountains stand today, the region was under marine conditions about
60 crore years ago. On the other hand, Peninsula dates back as far as 380 crore years.
•    With the opening of Suez canal (in year 1869), the distance of India and Europe has been reduced by 7000 Km.
•    Indian Subcontinent was originally part of Gondwana continent.