VeryShort Questions

Question 1: By what name is the parallel of latitude 23 33 known? Name the zones or belts into
which it divides India almost equally.
Answer: Tropic of Cancer; Tropical and Temperate Zones.

Question 2: Name the source of the river Ganga. W here does this river enter the plains?
Answer: The source of the river Ganga is Gangotri glacier of the great Himalayas. The river enters the
plain from North-W estern part of Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal above that is Shivalik hills.

Question 3: Explain why the Damodar is called the Sorrow of Bengal?

Answer: The Damodar is known as the Sorrow of Bengal because it floods frequently and causes wide
spread destruction of lives, cattle and crops.

Question 4: W hy is the Pamir Knot known as the roof of the world.

Answer: Pamir Knot is known as the roof of the world, because of its vastness and great height.

Question 5: Name the mountain ranges that lie along east and west of Pamir Knot.
Answer: The Himalayas in India, Nepal and China, Arakan Yoma range in Myanmar and the Kara Koram
range and Hindukush range.

Question 6: Name the worlds first and second highest mountain converted by
Web2PDFConvert.com peaks. Answer: First highest Mount Everest, second highest Peak Mt. K2.

Question 7: W here is Zojila Pass?

Answer: It is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Question 8: From where does the river Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra get their water? Answer: The
river Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra get their water from the Himalayas.

Question 9: W here are the Sunderbans?

Answer: The Seaward face of the delta of Ganga has sand banks and inlands known as the Sunderbans.

Question 10: Name the two component parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain?
Answer: The spurs of the Aravalli range act as watershed between the two component parts of the Indo-
Gangetic plain. They are the IndusBasin and the Ganga-Basin.

Question 11: The northern plains of India are one of the most densely populated regions of the world. W
hy?
Answer: They are the most densely populated regions because they are very level and flat and made up of
fertile alluvial soil.

Question 12: Mention the sub-units into which the Deccan Plateau region can be divided.
Answer: The Plateau region can be divided into the following subunits, the Malwa Plateau, the Chhota
Nagpur Plateau.

Question 13: Mention the sub-units of the Deccan Plateau?

Answer: The Deccan Plateau has been divided into the following subunits: Maharashtra Plateau, Andhra
Plateau and Karnataka Plateau.

Question 14: W hich is known as the Deccan Trap region?

Answer: The north-western part of the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra, adjoining
Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat is known as the Deccan Trap region.
Question 15: W hich mountains divide the Northern India and Peninsular India? Answer:
The Satpura mountains.

Question 16: W hich is the highest peak of the Peninsular India?

Answer: The Anaimudi in the Anamalai hills is the highest peak in the peninsular India
being 2,695 metre, high.
Question 17: W here does the Karnataka Plateau end? Answer: Karnataka Plateau ends at
the meeting place of the W estern converted by Web2PDFConvert.com Ghats and Eastern
Ghats.
Question 18: W hat is the other name of the east coastal plain? Answer: Coromandel
Coast.
Question 19: W hich is the most important lake on the eastern coastal strip? Answer:
Lake Chilka in Orissa.
Question 20: Access through W estern Ghats is difficult. W hy? Answer: They form a
continuous chain running from north to south, access through which is very difficult.
Question 21: W hy is the Thar Desert most sparsely populated part of India? Answer: The
absence of water for irrigation and level land which could be irrigated have made this
region the most thinly populated part of India.
Question 22: W here is the Rann of Kutch located? Answer: The Rann of Kutch is
located in the Kathiawar section.

Short Questions
Question 1: W hy is South Asia referred as Indian Sub-continent? Answer: A sub-
continent is a big geographical unit which stands out distinctly from the rest of the
continent. Politically the continent is divided into many countries (SAARC countries).
India forms the main part of the sub-continent so South Asia is often referred as Indian
subcontinent.
Question 2: How is Indo-Gangetic plain formed? Answer: The Indo-Gangetic plain is
formed by the Indus, Ganga and their tributaries. River Indus (2,736 km) rising from
across the Himalayas winds through Pakistan and drains into the Arabian Sea. The Ganga
(2,510 km) and their numerous tributaries which flow across northern India and
Bangladesh drain into the Bay of Bengal.
Question 3: W rite down the importance of Indo-Gangetic plain. Answer: Indo-Gangetic
plain is one of the most important agricultural region of the world, producing a wide
variety of crops. It is a granary of the world, producing rice and wheat in large quantities
and it is the most thickly populated part of India.
Question 4: How are rivers of Northern India important? Answer: (i) They yield constant
supply of water. (ii) They bring fertile alluvium soil suitable for agriculture. (iii) They
provide good highways of communication though they are much less used than formerly.
Question 5: Describe the Deccan Plateau region. converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
Answer: The Decean Plateau is highly dissected and is broken by hills and river valleys.
It is composed of old, hard, crystalline rocks. It is bounded on the north by the ranges of
Vindhyas and the Satpura, on the west by the W estern Ghats and on the east by the
Eastern Ghats.
Question 6: (i) W here does the Malwa Plateau lie? Answer: (ii) How is it formed? (i)
The Malwa Plateau lies in the north-west part of the Plateau region. (ii) This upland
region is formed by sand stone, shells and limestone. It is drained by a number of north-
flowing streams, like Chambal, Betwa and their tributaries.
Question 7: How has the lava-flow rocks of Deccan Plateau changed into fertile black
soils? Answer: The Deccan Plateau region is built up by the lava-flow rocks, which have
been changed into fertile black soils because of continuous weathering through ages. The
region of black soil is very suitable for cultivation of cotton plants.
Question 8: W hat is the importance of the Southern Plateau Region? Answer: It is
geologically very old and stable land and therefore least affected by the tectonic
disturbances or by tremors of the earth. It is a storehouse of many mineral deposits like
coal, iron-ore, manganese ore, mica, bauxite and many other minerals are found in this
Plateau region.
Question 9: W hat is the extent of eastern coastal strip? Answer: The east coastal strip
extends from the mouth of the river Ganga to Cape Comorin. It lies between the Eastern
Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
Question 10: W hat is the extent of western coastal strip? Answer: The west coast strip
extends from Gulf of Kutch in the north to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari) in the South. It
lies between the W estern Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
Question 11: W hat is the importance of coastal plains? Answer: Both eastern and western
coastal plains are favourable regions for agricultural purposes. They enjoy equable
temperature condition throughout the year and as such they are suitable regions for
human habitation. These plains have great facilities of good ports and harbours, also
contribute greatly to the development of trade and commerce both internal and external in
India.
Question 12: W hat are the salient characteristics of Shivaliks? Answer: The Shivaliks,
the southernmost range of the Himalayas, are also known as the outer Himalayas. This
range is made of unconsolidated river deposits. It is more prominent in its western parts
than the eastern parts of the Himalayas. This range is prone to landslides and earthquakes.
The problem of soil erosion is worst here converted by Web2PDFConvert.com due to
indiscriminate felling of trees.
Question 13: W hat do you understand by Purvanchal? Answer: Purvanchal is a name
of the mountains located on the Northeastern part of India. These mountains consist of
Patkoi Bam and Naga hills in the North, Garo, Khasi and Jaintia lie in the centre and the
Mizo and Lushai hills are in the south.
Question 14: (i) Define Coral Islands and Volcanic Islands. (ii) Define Lagoons. Answer:
(i) Coral Islands: W hen Coral polyps die, their skeletons turn into large masses of white
calcium carbonate, giving rise to white sands. Lakshadweep is coral island. Volcanic
Islands: Many of the islands of the Andaman and Nicobar are volcanic in nature. (ii)
Lagoons are salt water lakes which are almost separated from the Sea by the formation of
sandbars along the coast.

Long Questions
Question 1: Name the rivers, falling in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
Answer: Rivers falling into the Arabian Sea: The Narmada and the Tapti rise near the
eastern extremity of the Satpura hills, flow westward and fall into the Gulf of Cambay.
These rivers do not form any deltas because the tides wash away all the alluvium that the
rivers bring. During flood, these rivers are navigable. Their chief use is that railways have
been built in their valleys. Rivers falling into the Bay of Bengal: The Mahanadi rises in
the hills of Madhya Pradesh, while the Godavari, the Krishna and the Cauvery rise in the
W estern Ghats and flowing eastward fall into the Bay of Bengal. All these rivers are
broken by rapids and hence are not useful for navigation. The deltas of these rivers are
very fertile and are irrigated by the canals taken from these rivers.

Question 2: (i) State the type of rocks found in the Plateau of Peninsular India? (ii) Name
the three important lakes of Peninsular India? (iii) How was the Great Indian Plateau
formed?
Answer: (i) Old igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks. (ii) The three important lakes are
Chilka Lake in Orissa, Kochru Lake in Andhra Pradesh and Pulicat Lake in north of
Chennai. (iii) The Great Indian Plateau is the broken part of the old land mass called
Gondwanaland. It was formed at the time of the splitting and moving the land mass.

Question 3: (i) Give a brief note on Islands of India. (ii) W here does the Lakshadweep
group of islands lie?
Answer: (i) The Indian islands in the Bay of Bengal consist of the Andaman and the
Nicobar groups. Some of which are of volcanic origin. There are about 200 Islands in the
Andaman groups alone, extending for 350 kilometres and 19 islands in the Nicobar
group. Some of the Islands extend from 60 to 100 km., forming a cluster south of the
Andaman group. The Arabian Sea Islands consist of the Lakshadweep group. They are
formed on a coral deposit of the Kerala coast. The southernmost of these lies just to the
north of the Maldives Islands which constitute an independent territory. (ii) The
Lakshadweep group of Islands lie in the Arabian Sea, about 300 kilometres away from
the Kerala coast. They are coral Islands. Kavaratti, the Amindivi and Minicoy are the
most important Islands of Lakshadweep group of Islands.

Question 4: W hat, has been the influence of the Northern Mountain W all on the Indian
Sub-continent? Answer: (i) Since historic times, the movement of the people across the
Himalayas has been limited. This helped in the development of a distinct culture of its
own. (ii) It prevents the cold winds coming from Central Asia to India. (iii) Monsoon
winds which scale the heights along the Himalayas cause rainfall in the Indian sub-
continent. (iv) The glaciers and snow fields of the Himalayas are the source of a large
number of perennial rivers. (v) Heavily forested slopes of the Himalayas provide valuable
timber and other useful forest products. (vi) The Himalayas give shelter to a wide variety
of wild animal life. Thus, it maintains the balance in ecosystem.

Give Reasons Give Geographical Reasons for the following:

Question 1: Give reasons to justify that the Himalayas act as a climatic divide.
Answer: Himalayas are important for various reasons: (i) It is the natural barrier. (ii)
Gives origin to great rivers of north India. (iii) Is a source of timber and herbal products.
(iv) Acts as a barrier for the rain bearing winds of the Indian Ocean inducing them to give
rain. (v) It shuts off the cold winds of Central Asia. Question 2: The Peninsular Plateau of
India was a part of Gondwana Land hundreds of millions years ago. Answer: The
Peninsular Plateau of India was a part of Gondwanaland hundreds of millions years ago.
The rocks that make up the Plateau match those of Africa not only inthe age and type,
but also in the layer sequence in which they occur. Question 3: The Peninsular rivers not
navigable. Answer: They are not suitable for navigation as they are shift flowing and non-
perennial Question 4: The Peninsular Plateau of India is rich in mineral resources.
Answer: It is made up of very ancient, crystalline, hard, igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Such rocks are rich in mineral resource. Question 5: Less land is available for
agriculture on the west coast than on the east coast. W hy? Answer: W estern Ghats are
high and steep and all along the western coasts there are numerous streams with small
catchment areas. There are also a number of lagoons, backwaters and small lakes.
Question 6: W hy does The Narmada and Tapti do not form Deltas. Answer: They have
a short mountain stage and flow on a rugged and rocky slope. Question 7: W hy is The
Delta region of the Indus is largely a waste land. Answer: It is usually flooded with
brackish water. Brackish water is not suitable for agriculture or of any use. Differentiate
Question 1: W estern Ghats and Eastern Ghats. Answer: Western Ghats Eastern Ghats 1.
They are higher. The highest peak in the W estern Ghats is Anaimudi with a height of
2,695 m. They are lower. The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is Mahendragiri with a
height of 1,500 m. 2. They rise steeply from the west coast. They rise gently from the east
coast. 3. The hills are continuous. The hills are discontinuous. 4. All the rivers of the
Deccan Plateau rise in the W estern Ghats. The rivers cut valleys through the Eastern
Ghats. Question 2: Delta and an estuary. Answer: Delta Estuary 1. A delta is a triangular
tract of sediments at the mouth of a river. An estuary is a deep valley formed at the mouth
of a river. 2. A delta is formed due to gentle W hen slope of the land is converted by
Web2PDFConvert.com slope of land where river becomes sluggish and mud develops in
its channels. prominent, water swiftly joins the Sea and there develops a deep valley or an
estuary at the mouth of a river. Question 3: The Eastern Coastal Plain and W estern
Coastal Plain. Answer: Eastern Coastal Plain Western Coastal Plain 1. It streches from the
mouth of the river Ganga to Kanyakumari. It stretches from Kutch to Kanyakumari. 2. It
lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. It lies between the W estern Ghats
and the Arabian Sea. 3. It is broader. It is narrower. 4. It is covered by the Deltas of the
rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and the Kaveri. There are no deltas as the rivers flow
fast down towards the Ghats. 5. More land is available for agriculture. Less land is
available for agriculture. 6. The deltas are not suitable for harbours as their mouths are
always blocked by silt. The coast is highly indented and hence dotted with many ports
like Mumbai, Marmagoa and Cochin. 7. It is known as the Northern Circars in the north
of the delta of Godavari and the Coromandel Coast to the south of the delta. W est Coast
is known as the Konkan coast in Maharashtra, the Kanara coast in Karnataka and the
Malabar coast in Kerala.
Question 4: Himalayan Rivers and Peninsular Rivers. Answer: Himalayan Rivers
Peninsular Rivers 1. These rivers originate from the snowclad mountains of the
Himalayas. The peninsular rivers originate from the Deccan Plateau. 2. The catchment
area of the Himalayan rivers is very extensive. The catchment area of the peninsular
rivers is very limited. converted by Web2PDFConvert.com 3. The Himalayan rivers are
perennial. The peninsular rivers are Seasonal. 4. Suitable for irrigation Not suitable for
irrigation 5. These rivers flow through deep gorges and canyons, in the Himalayan
regions. These rivers flow in deep rift valleys due to resistant terrain. 6. Flowing slowly
on a long stretch of flat land, these rivers form meanders. Hence, they are not suited for
generation of hydelpower. These rivers flow with high speed and form waterfalls. They
are suitable for generation of hydelpower. MapPlotting