Geography · NCERT Class 9 (Contemporary India–I)

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

India's plant life ranges from steamy evergreen rainforests to dry thorn scrub and salty mangrove swamps — and its forests shelter a huge variety of wildlife. Learn what natural vegetation is, the climate, soil and relief that shape it, the main forest types, and how India protects its wild species. Tap each forest type to explore it.

🌿 3 topics⏱ ~25 min📝 12-question quiz

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India's vegetation, type by type

Different climates and soils grow very different plant life. Tap each chip to see what natural vegetation means and how India's main forest types differ.

Explore · India's natural vegetationtap a type

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The three big ideas

Natural vegetation — plant life (trees, shrubs and grasses) that grows on its own, without human help, and is suited to the local climate and soil. The plant kingdom is called flora and the animal kingdom fauna.
Climate — rainfall and temperature largely decide what can grow: heavy rain gives dense forests, while low rain gives thorny scrub.
Soil — different soils support different plants, e.g. salty delta mud supports mangroves, while sandy desert soil supports thorn forests.
Relief — landforms and altitude matter too: mountains grow montane forests that change with height, while fertile plains are mostly used for farming.

Tropical evergreen (rainforest) — in heavy-rainfall areas; trees stay green all year.
Tropical deciduous (monsoon) — the most widespread forests in India; trees shed their leaves in the dry season.
Thorn forests and scrub — in low-rainfall, dry areas; thorny plants with small leaves that save water.
Montane (mountain) forests — change with altitude up a mountain, from broad-leaved to conifers to alpine plants.
Mangrove (tidal) forests — in coastal and delta areas with salty, waterlogged soil, such as the Sundarbans.

Common mistake: evergreen and deciduous forests are different types. Evergreen forests grow in heavy-rainfall areas and stay green all year, while deciduous (monsoon) forests shed their leaves in the dry season. Do not mix them up.

Worked example. Which forest type covers the largest part of India?

Answer: tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests.

Most of India has a monsoon climate with a wet season and a dry season, so monsoon (deciduous) forests — whose trees shed leaves in the dry months — are the most widespread natural vegetation.

India has rich biodiversity — a great variety of animals, birds, insects and plants living in its many habitats.
Some species are now endangered, as habitats shrink due to deforestation, hunting and pollution.
Wild species are protected in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.
Conservation programmes such as Project Tiger work to save particular species and their habitats for the future.

Where you'll meet it

Vegetation and wildlife, at work

Timber, medicine and ecotourism

Forests give us timber, fuelwood, fruits, gum and resin, and many medicines come from forest plants. Well-protected forests, parks and sanctuaries also draw ecotourism, which gives local people an income while keeping nature intact.

Protecting endangered species

Setting up national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves, and running programmes like Project Tiger, keeps endangered animals and their habitats alive — so future generations inherit India's wildlife, not just stories about it.