Indan Geography Upsc 4

c) The Lesser Himalaya or The Himachal –
 This range lies to the south of Himadri and is composed of highly compressed and
altered rocks.
 The altitude varies from 3700 m and 4700 m and the average width is 50 km.
 The famous ranges are the Pir Panjal range (longest), the Dhaula Dhar and the
Mahabharat ranges.
 The range consists of the beautiful valley of Kashmir, Kullu and Kangra valley in
Himachal Pradesh. This range is well known for its hill stations.
d) The Shiwaliks or the outer Himalaya –
 The outermost range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks. They extend over a width
of 10 – 15 km and have altitudes varying between 900m & 100m. These ranges are
composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main ranges
located farther north. These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium.
 Between the Shiwaliks and the lesser Himalayas are longitudinal valleys called Duns.
Some of the important Duns are Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun. Dehradun is the
largest of all the duns with an approximate length of 35 – 45 km and a width of 22 – 25
km.
Besides the longitudinal divisions, the Himalayas have been divided on the
basis of regions from west to east. These are as follows:
a. Kashmir or North-Western Himalayas

b. Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas
c. Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas
d. Arunachal Himalayas
e. Eastern Hills and Mountains
a) The Kashmir or North-Western Himalayas –
 There are a series of ranges in this region such as Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir
Panjal. The north-eastern part of the Kashmir Himalayas is a cold desert, which lies
between the Greater Himalayas and the Karakoram range. Between the Greater
Himalayas and the Pir Panjal lies the world-famous Kashmir valley.
 The Kashmir Himalayas are famous for Karewa formations which are used for the
cultivation of saffron. Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials
embedded with moraines.
 Some of the important passes of this region are Khardung La on the Ladakh range, Zojila
on the Great Himalayas, Banihal on the Pir Panjaj and Photu La on the Zanskar.
 The region is drained by the river Indus and its tributaries such as the Jhelum and the
Chenab.
 The southernmost part of this region consists of longitudinal valleys called “Duns”, e.g,
Jammu Dun and Pathankot Dun.
b) The Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas
 This part of the Himalayas lies between the Ravi in the west and the Kali (a tributary of
Ghaghara) in the east. This region is drained by two important river systems of India –
the Indus and the Ganga. The river Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj (tributaries of the Indus
river) and Yamuna and Ghaghara (tributaries of Ganga) flow through this region.
 The three ranges of the Himalayas – The Great Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser
Himalayas (locally known as Dhaoladhar in Himachal Pradesh and Nagtibha in
Uttarakhand), and the Shiwalik range from north to south are prominent in this region.
 Some of the important hill stations and health resorts are located in this region such as
Dharamshala, Mussoorie, Shimla, etc. Important Duns like Dehra Dun are one of the
distinguishing features of this region.
c) The Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas
 They are surrounded by Nepal Himalayas in the west and Bhutan Himalayas in the east.
It is relatively small but an important part of the Himalayas. It is known for its fast-flowing
rivers such as Tista.
 The region is important as it consists of high mountain peaks like Kanchenjunga
(Kanchengiri) and deep valleys. Kanchenjunga (8598 m above sea level) is the third-
highest mountain peak in the world.
 This region (along with Arunachal Himalayas) is marked by the absence of the Shiwalik
formation. Instead, this region is important for “Duar formations” which have been used
for tea plantations (introduced by the British).
d) The Arunachal Himalayas
 These extend from the east of the Bhutan Himalayas up to the Diphu pass in the east.
Kangtu and Namcha Barwa are the important mountain passes of this region.
 These ranges are dissected by fast-moving rivers from north to south, forming a deep
gorge after crossing Namcha Barwa. The Subansiri, the Kameng, the Dihang, the Dibang
and the Lohit are some of the important rivers of this region. These rivers are perennial
with a high rate of fall, therefore, having the highest hydroelectric power potential in
the country.

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c) The Lesser Himalaya or The Himachal –

d) The Shiwaliks or the outer Himalaya –

a. Kashmir or North-Western Himalayas

a) The Kashmir or North-Western Himalayas –

b) The Himachal and Uttarakhand Himalayas

c) The Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

d) The Arunachal Himalayas

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