Question

The average annual rainfall in India is
A. 105cm
B. 90cm
C. 120cm
D. 100cm

Answer 1

Hint: The climate of India has a wide range of weather conditions across a vast geographic scale
and varied topography. Some regions in India experience very high rainfall and others receive very scanty rainfall. According to the Koppen climate classification, India hosts seven major climatic subtypes-tropical semi-arid, subtropical arid desert, sub-tropical semi-arid, tropical rainforest, tropical savannah, subtropical humid and Alpine.

Complete answer:
The rainy season in India generally occurs from June to September.
Earth’s most productive wet season is the southwest summer monsoon. It occurs in a four-month
period in India. This season brings southeast trade winds originating from a high-pressure region
centered over the southern Indian Ocean. This wind results in over 80% of India’s annual rainfall.

The monsoon usually starts in India by around 25 May, It reaches the Indian mainland around 1 June near the Malabar Coast of Kerala. The entire country experiences monsoon rain by the first week of July. Monsoon begins retreating from North India by the end of August. India further cools during September, and the southwest monsoon weakens. By the end of November, it leaves the country.

Northeast regions like Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh receive extreme precipitation, an average of 400cm of annual rainfall. The highest rainfall in India and the world is recorded in Meghalaya. The states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and adjacent areas receive below 50 cm of rainfall. The lowest rainfall in India has been recorded in Rajasthan. The average rainfall in India is 105cm.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A)

Note: Monsoon rains affect the Indian economy. As Indian agriculture employs 600 million people and
comprises 20% of the national GDP, good monsoons results in a booming economy. Weak or failed
monsoons (droughts) result in widespread agricultural losses and obstructs the overall economic
growth.