Introduction
Our country is the most diverse country in the world whether in terms of its culture and heritage or geographical features. Here in this article, you will get a chance to know your country India. This article will help the students of Class 6 and higher classes to get a brief understanding about our country. Read the notes and observe the maps and diagrams properly to retain the information.
Know Your Country India
To know about our country you need to check the world map and map of India (which are given below). These maps will help you to observe where our country lies. Once you know about its location, then you can predict its temperature, rainfall, vegetation, crops, and a lot of things. The important concepts and information about our country are written below:
Location
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From the maps given above, it can be observed that India has its place in the Northern-Eastern Hemisphere of the globe. The tropic of cancer which lies at 23 1/2° N passes through the country through its center and the standard meridian which is 82°30' E of the country passes through Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. From the map, it can be seen that it lies in the Asia continent and that too in South-Asia.
Climate
From the map, you must have observed that the tropic of cancer passes through India. Thus, it is a tropical country. The climate of the country is not the same at all places and depends upon the topography and the location of the region. The monsoon is a special feature of India’s climate.
Neighbourhood
India is a South Asian country and has a number of neighbouring countries that are connected with India through land or water. Countries near India are also shown on the map below.
Names of Countries that Shared Maritime Border With India:
Bangladesh
Bhutan
China
Nepal
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Name of Countries that Shared Maritime Border With India:
Bangladesh
Indonesia
Myanmar
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Maldives
Thailand
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Administration
India is divided into various states and union territories for administrative purposes. Our country was reorganized in 1956 as per the State Reorganization Act and then the country was divided into 14 states and 6 union territories. This division was done on the basis of language. After that, a lot of States and Union territories have been formed. The number of states and union territories is not fixed and keeps on changing as per the requirement of the country. States and UTs can be formed or demolished or merged etc. as per Part 1 of the Constitution of India. The number of States and UTs in different years is shown in the table below:
So, How many states are there in our country right now? (as of 2021)
After the Jammu and Kashmir reorganization Act, 2019, India has 28 states (excluding Jammu and Kashmir).
Number of Union Territories
After Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 and Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Act, 2020, India has 9 Union Territories (as of 2021).
Physical Division of India
India is gifted with a number of physical features like mountains, plateaus, plains, etc. The physical features of India are listed below and can also be seen on the map:
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Himalayas
These mountains are called young fold mountains which lie in the north. These can be divided into the Himalayas, the trans-Himalayas, and the Purvanchal. The Himalayas are further divided into three parts ie. the Great Himalayas or Himadri, the Lesser Himalayas or Himachal and the outer Himalayas and Shiwalik. Trans Himalayas include the Karakoram range, the Zaskar and Ladakh ranges and these lie North of the Himalayas whereas the Purvanchal mountains lie in the North-Eastern side of the country.
Great Indian Desert
It lies in the western side of the country and the Aravalli Hills called the Thar Desert which is the 9th largest desert in the world. It is the Aravalli Hills which are old fold mountains that save the country from the desert sand and arid region.
Northern Plains
These plains are formed because of the sediments brought by the major rivers like Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. These plains are the most fertile land in the country and also densely populated. These can be divided into four parts i.e. Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar and Khadar.
Deccan Plateau
It is a part of the peninsular plateau of India and the black soil found here is called the Deccan Trap which is formed because of volcanic eruptions. This plateau can be further divided into the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
Coastal Plains
It runs along the coastal regions of the peninsular plateau and it can also be divided into two parts i.e the eastern coastal plains which run along the Bay of Bengal and the western coastal plains which run along the Arabian Sea.
Islands
Our country has a group of islands as well which are a great source of tourism. There lie 204 islands on the eastern side in the Bay of Bengal called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which is also a Union Territory and 43 groups of islands are situated on the western side in the Arabian Sea called Lakshadweep Islands which is also a Union Territory of India.
Did You Know?
India is called the land of rivers because of the presence of a number of rivers here and in terms of the geographical area it is the seventh-largest country in the world and the second country in terms of population.
FAQs on Our Country - India
1. What is the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of our country, India?
India is located in the Northern Hemisphere. From south to north, the mainland extends between 8°4'N and 37°6'N latitudes. From west to east, India extends between 68°7'E and 97°25'E longitudes. The Tropic of Cancer (23°30'N) passes almost halfway through the country, dividing it into two climatic zones.
2. Why is the 82°30'E longitude important for India?
The 82°30'E longitude is important because it is treated as the Standard Meridian of India. Due to the vast east-west extent of the country (about 29°), there could be a time difference of about two hours between the easternmost and westernmost points. To avoid confusion and have a uniform time for the entire country, the local time at this centrally located meridian is taken as the Indian Standard Time (IST).
3. What are the major physical divisions of India?
India's diverse landscape can be broadly divided into six major physical divisions. These are:
The Himalayan Mountains
The Northern Indian Plains
The Peninsular Plateau
The Great Indian Desert (Thar Desert)
The Coastal Plains
The Islands (Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep)
4. How do the Himalayan mountains influence India's climate and rivers?
The Himalayas play a crucial role in shaping India's environment. They act as a massive climatic barrier, protecting the Indian subcontinent from the cold, dry winds from Central Asia. They also trap the monsoon winds, forcing them to shed their moisture as rainfall across India. Furthermore, the glaciers in the Himalayas are the source of many perennial rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra, ensuring a year-round water supply to the Northern Plains.
5. Why are the Northern Plains of India so fertile and densely populated?
The Northern Plains are extremely fertile because they are formed by the alluvial deposits brought down by the Himalayan rivers (Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra) and their tributaries. This fine, nutrient-rich soil, known as alluvium, is ideal for agriculture. The availability of flat land, fertile soil, and abundant water has made this region the 'food bowl of India', supporting a high density of population for centuries.
6. What is the main difference between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats?
The primary difference between the Western and Eastern Ghats lies in their continuity and elevation. The Western Ghats are a continuous range of mountains running parallel to the western coast, with an average elevation that is higher than the Eastern Ghats. In contrast, the Eastern Ghats are discontinuous and broken into several smaller hill ranges by large rivers like the Godavari and Krishna flowing into the Bay of Bengal. The Western Ghats are also a source of many peninsular rivers.
7. How are the two island groups of India, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar, different in their origin?
The two main island groups of India have different geological origins. The Lakshadweep Islands, located in the Arabian Sea, are coral islands. They are formed from the skeletons of tiny marine animals called polyps. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located in the Bay of Bengal, are a chain of volcanic islands. They are believed to be an elevated portion of a submerged mountain range.
8. What is a delta, and which two major rivers form the world's largest delta?
A delta is a triangular-shaped landform created at the mouth of a river where it deposits sediment as it flows into a slower-moving or standing body of water, such as a sea or an ocean. The world's largest delta is the Sundarban Delta, formed by the confluence of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers before they empty into the Bay of Bengal.
