India: Location, Extent, Political and Physical Features
ICSE Class 8 · Geography · Chapter 9
What this chapter covers
- Location and extent of India
- Neighbouring countries of India
- States, Union Territories and capitals
- The Himalayas
- The Northern Plains
- The Peninsular Plateau
- The Thar Desert
- The Coastal Plains and the Islands
Key points
- India lies in South Asia, entirely in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres; the Tropic of Cancer divides it into two nearly equal halves.
- The mainland stretches from about 8°4' N to 37°6' N and from about 68°7' E to 97°25' E.
- India covers about 32.87 lakh km² and is the seventh largest country in the world.
- Indian Standard Time is based on 82°30' E and is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
- India's land neighbours are Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh; Sri Lanka and the Maldives lie across the sea.
- India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories; New Delhi is the national capital.
- The six physiographic divisions are the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Thar Desert, the Coastal Plains and the Islands.
- The Himalayas are young fold mountains with three parallel ranges: Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks.
- The Northern Plains are built of alluvium by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and are the food bowl of India.
- The Peninsular Plateau is the oldest landmass, rich in minerals, edged by the Western and Eastern Ghats.
- The Thar Desert lies west of the Aravallis and receives very little rain.
- The Western Coastal Plain is narrow; the Eastern Coastal Plain is wide with large deltas.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the tops of an underwater mountain range; Lakshadweep is made of coral.
Questions answered
Between which latitudes and longitudes does the mainland of India lie?
Between about 8°4' N and 37°6' N latitude, and between about 68°7' E and 97°25' E longitude.
Which important line of latitude passes through India, and how does it divide the country?
The Tropic of Cancer. It divides India into two nearly equal halves: a tropical southern half and a subtropical northern half.
Why does India use Indian Standard Time instead of local time?
India spreads across about 30 degrees of longitude, so local times differ by about two hours. One standard time, based on 82°30' E, avoids confusion for trains, flights and offices.
When it is 6:00 a.m. at Greenwich, what is the time by Indian Standard Time?
IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead, so it is 11:30 a.m.
Name the seven countries that share a land boundary with India, and the two island countries close to it.
Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh; Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
What is the difference between a state and a Union Territory? Give one example of each.
A state has its own elected government led by a Chief Minister; a Union Territory is governed fully or partly by the Union Government. Example: Kerala (state) and Lakshadweep (Union Territory).
Name the capitals of Odisha, Meghalaya and Ladakh.
Bhubaneswar, Shillong and Leh.
Name the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas, from north to south.
The Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal) and the Outer Himalayas (Shiwaliks).