Discovering India

The Geographical Regions of IndiaCreated by: Meghan Carabina

EDU 553

October 3, 2007

India• The seventh largest country in the world.• Technically a peninsula; water borders India on 3 sides.

Indian Ocean Bay of Bengal Arabian Sea • Although India has a vast

variety of geographic features, there are four major geographical regions.

• Deserts

• Mountains

• Plains

• Peninsulas

The Himalayas• The word “Himalaya”

translates to “adobe of snow.”

• The Himalayas are approximately 200 miles wide.

• The mountain range runs along the Northern and Eastern edges of India.

• This is also the highest mountain range on Earth.

http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/india/physiographic.htm

The Formation of the Himalayas

• The Himalayas were formed when India separated from Pangea, a content containing India, South America, Africa and Australia, and moved toward Asia.

• Tectonic plates shifted the continents into their current positions.

• While India moved north, it closed off an entire ocean between itself and Tibet. Sediment from the ocean floor was forced upward and crumbled to form the Himalayas.

Mt. Kangchenjunga- India’s tallest mountain. The 3rd largest mountain in the world.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangchenjunga

Alpine Climate of the Himalayas• The climate varies depending on the elevation. When

elevation increases, it is colder. When elevation decreases, it becomes wetter.

• The temperature can change quickly based on the changing altitudes.

• This region is susceptible to monsoons, high winds and lots of precipitation including snow and ice.

• There are two seasons in the Himalayan mountain range: winter and summer. Although, it continues to snow, even through the summer.

Thar Desert • The Thar Desert is around

77,000 sq mi.

• The desert is covered in sand dunes separated by low plains. The highest dune is nearly 500 feet high.

• There are several salt lakes scattered through the desert.

Location of Thar Desert within India.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/indusvalley/images/html/ivl1_physical-features.gif

The Arid Climate of the Thar

• The temperature change in the desert is extreme. Temperatures range from close to freezing to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Rainfall does not exceed 20 inches during the year. The months of July through September produce the most rain.

• April through June are the hottest months of the year.

Living in the Desert• The Thar is home to almost 1

million people.

• Those living in the Thar raise cattle and livestock as a way of life.

• The Thari people also work with pottery, crafts, tailoring and carpet weaving.

• The Thari people and livestock are dependent on rainfall for crops. Homes in the Thar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Desert

Deccan Peninsula

Covers 43% of the entire country

Technically a plateau, or highland. Characterized by flat and rural land.

The Deccan Peninsula

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan

Ecosystems in the Deccan

• The Deccan Peninsula has a number of wetlands, which are supported by the main rivers of the peninsula.

• There are also dry deciduous forests throughout the plateau. The upper canopy of this region reaches 75 feet high.

• Subtropical forests are also present in this area.

Wildlife Habitats on the Deccan • Habitats are disappearing in

this region because of people’s needs for water, crops and fuel sources.

• Tigers, who were once plentiful, are being killed by hunters and farmers trying to protect their livestock.

• Tiger reserves have been set up to protect their habitats from being destroyed.Bengal Tiger

http://www.indianwildlifeportal.com/tiger-pictures.html

• Almost 80% of the dry deciduous forests have been destroyed.

Indo-Gangetic Plain• The plain is bordered

by the Himalayas to the north.

• The rivers extending from the Himalayas fertilize the land.

• The land is characterized by its low altitude and flat terrain.

Indo-Gangetic Region

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_Plain

Climate in the Plains• The monsoons have a great

effect on the climate: In the western region, heavy

monsoons, or violent winds, from the Indian Ocean dominate the summer season.

The monsoons blow in from the south-west, causing the this western region of the plains to receive the most rainfall.

Although monsoons can be destructive, farmers require them for irrigation. Wind Patterns

http://www.mrdowling.com/612-monsoon.html

Human Effects on the Plains• The plains are home to one of the densest

populations on Earth.• The alluvial soils, soil deposited by rivers, are

very fertile and attractive to settlers.• 95% of the habitats in the upper plains have been

destroyed to make room for agriculture and settlement.

• Some conservation efforts are now in place to protect the habitats that are left.

ReferencesAbout India. (2004). Kids Web India. Retrieved September 23, 2007 from

http://www.kidswebindia.com/aboutindiageorgraphy.php

Bilham, R. (2000). Birth of the Himalaya. NOVA. Retrieved September 22, 2007 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/.

Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests. (2001). World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved September 25, 2007 from http://www. nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/im/im0201.html.

Dowling, M. (2007). Monsoons. Mr. Dowling. Retrieved September 23, 2007 from http://www.mrdowling.com/612-monsoon.html.

Himalayas. (2007). Wikipedia.Retrieved September 22, 2007 from http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalaya.

References (continued)Himalayan Alpine Climate. (2001). Blue Planet Biomes. Retrieved

September 23, 2007 from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/ himalayanalpine_clim_page.htm

Rawat, G & Wikramanayake, E. (2001).Thar desert. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved September 25, 2007 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/ wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/im/im1304_full.html

Rawat, G & Wikramanayake, E. (2001). Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved September 25, 2007 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial

/im/im0166_full.html.