Physical Features of India | Social Science Grade 9 CBSE

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India's six physical divisions

From snow-capped mountains to coral islands, India's relief changes dramatically as you travel across it. Tap each division to see what it is made of and where it lies.

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The three big ideas

The Himalayas are young fold mountains in the north — among the world's highest ranges. They run in a great west–east arc from the Indus to the Brahmaputra.
They have three parallel ranges: the Himadri (Great Himalayas — highest and snow-covered), the Himachal (Lesser Himalayas — rugged ranges, valleys and hill stations) and the outermost Shiwaliks (lowest, made of river sediments).
The mountains are a vital source of rivers, forests and snow-fed water for the country.
South of the mountains lie the Northern Plains, built from the alluvium (fine silt) laid down by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
Being flat and very fertile, the plains are the most intensively farmed and most densely populated part of India.

Worked example. Which physical division is the most fertile and the most densely populated, and why?

Answer: the Northern Plains.

Why: the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra deposit rich alluvial soil here year after year. This deep, fertile soil — together with level land and plenty of water — supports intensive farming, which in turn supports a very large, dense population.

The Peninsular Plateau is made of old, hard crystalline rock — part of the ancient Gondwana land, one of the oldest landmasses on Earth.
It has two parts: the Central Highlands (north of the Narmada) and the larger, triangular Deccan Plateau (south of the Narmada), bordered by the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
Because of its old igneous and metamorphic rocks, the plateau is a rich storehouse of minerals.
The Indian (Thar) Desert lies on the western margins of the Aravali Hills, mostly in Rajasthan — a sandy, arid plain with sand dunes and very little rainfall (below about 150 mm a year); the Luni is its only large river.

Common mistake: don't confuse their ages. The Himalayas are young fold mountains, formed relatively recently, while the Peninsular Plateau is one of the oldest landmasses on Earth. Young mountains versus an ancient block — opposite ends of the age scale.

The Coastal Plains are narrow strips of land flanking the Peninsular Plateau — along the Arabian Sea in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the east.
The western coast is narrow (the Konkan, Kannad and Malabar sections); the eastern coast is wider and level, where big rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri form fertile deltas.
The Lakshadweep Islands are small coral islands in the Arabian Sea, close to the Kerala coast.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are larger and more numerous, lying in the Bay of Bengal; they are of volcanic / elevated origin and rich in plant and animal life.

Where you'll meet it

Physical features, at work

Agriculture on the plains

The flat, alluvial Northern Plains are India's foodbowl. Their deep, fertile, river-renewed soil and steady water supply make them ideal for growing wheat, rice and other crops — which is why so many farmers and people live there.

Tourism in the mountains

The Himalayas draw millions of visitors. Their snow-capped peaks, hill stations, valleys and rivers support tourism, trekking and pilgrimage, while their forests and glaciers feed the rivers the plains depend on.

Check yourself

Competency quiz

Modelled on the competency-based pattern — MCQ, assertion–reason and a case study, testing whether you can use the ideas, not just recall them.

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