Class 10 Elective Geography Chapter 6 Regional Geography of India

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Class 10 Geography Elective Chapter 6 Regional Geography of India

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Regional Geography of India

Chapter: 6

TEXTUAL QUESTION ANSWER

1. Give a brief introduction to India.

Ans: India is an important country situated in the northern hemisphere of the world. It is one of the largest democratic nations of the world falling within the continent of Asia. The country is full of diversities. Such diversities are apparent due to variations in its climate, physical environment and socio- economic conditions. As against the very cold climates found over the snow-covered Himalayas, there are also very hot climates in the dry sandy desert regions of Rajasthan. Floods occur in certain regions of the country due to heavy rainfull, whereas drought takes place in some other, regions due to scanty rainfall. There are regions of tall trees with broad- leaf, while there are other regions covered with thorny bushes. The variations in climate and vegetation types found in the regions ranging from the high mountains to the low lying plains are noticeable. The landmass of the Indian sub-continent is full of diversities with varied landforms like mountains, hills, plateaus, plains, floodplains etc. Such physical diversities have also brought about social and economic diversities in the country. 

India is a vast country. In size it ranks seventh among the countries of the world. This country is 13 times larger than the United Kingdom and 4 times larger than Japan. Its total geographical area is 3,287,263 km². The country covers 2.2% of the total area of the world. India is also called a sub-continentin the view it’s size and extension .it’s is large democratic country with 28 states and 7 union territories.

2. Discuss the characteristics relating to India’s location and size.

Ans: India is situated in the continent of Asia. It lies completely in the Northern hemisphere and Eastern hemisphere between latitudes 84′ N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7′ E and 97°25′ E. India is divided by Tropic of Cancer 23°30′ N in almost two equal parts.Location of India is between East and West Asia. This gives India a strategic advantage over both water and land. India is the southward extension of the Asian continent. Because if this the trans-Indian ocean routes are connected to South East Asian, Eastern countries in the East and African and European countries in the West.

India’s long costs line has added to its contact with the world through its sea routes. Because of India’s crucial position in the Indian ocean, the ocean is named after India. In ancient times, when sea routes were not much explored, traders and travelers used mountain passes to travel in and out of India. India’s strategic location in Asia helped it develop trade and contribution to the world.

Both, sea routes and the land routes have proved to be a huge passage between India and the world to exchange ideas and commodities.  Commodities and Spices were also exported through these routes. As these routes let the world explore India, they also helped Western influences to reach India. Trade routes from the land and sea played a key role in intellectual, trade and architectural development of India.

3. Into how many physiographic divisions India can be divided? Discuss with diagrams?

Ans India is marked by several physiographic diversities. The main physiography of india consists of mountains, hills, river, valleys, plains, plateaus, etc. About 10.7% of India’s total land area is covered by mountains, 18.6% by hills and hillocks, 27.7% by plateaus and 4.3% by plains. On the basis of physiographic characteristics, India can be divided into four divisions:

4. Describe the physiographic divisions of India?

Ans: The physiographic division of India  Are given below:

(a) The Northern Himalayas: The Himalayas are the highest mountains of the world. It has many branches. The Himalayas with its all branches are altogether known as the Himalayan mountain system. This mountain system extends over India, Nepal, Bhutan and China. Here, the Himalayan mountain system falling in India only will be discussed.The Himalayan region of India lies in the northern part of the country. It extends from the Nanga Parbat of Kashmir to the easternmost border of Arunachal Pradesh in east-west direction. The mountainous region with a length of about 2,500 km and width ranging from about 240 km to 500 km covers a total area of about 5,00,000 km². Its height from the mean sea level is more than 8,000m.

(b) The northern plains: The northern plain region lies between the Himalayan ranges in the north and the Deccan plateau in the south. It extends from Assam in the east to the Indo-Pakistan border in the west with a total length of 2,400 km. This physiographic unit is mainly known as the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra plain This vast plain has its different widths at different places. The indo-Ganges plain has width ranging from 240 km. to 320 km. and the Brahmaputra plain has an average width of 80 km. The entire northern plain region covers a total area of about 7,00,000 km².

The Deccan plateau: The Deccan plateau is situated on the south of the no Indian plain. This plateau is composed of old hard rocks. This vast plateau region includes Malwa plateau and Vindhya mountain in the north and Chotanagpur plateau on the north-east. The Vindhya, Satpura, Mahadev and Mahakal mountains have divided this plateau into northern and southern parts. The northern part is relatively less extensive and the Malwa and Chota Nagpur plateaus are located here. But, the southern part is more extensive This part extends from the Satpura, Mahadev and Mahakal mountains to the Cape Comorin. It is bordered by the western Ghats on the west and the Eastern Ghats on the east. The Deccan plateau as a whole is higher towards the western Ghats and sloping towards the Eastern Ghats. According toRegional Geography of India 119

the south Indian rivers are flowing from west to east towards the Bay of Bengal. Among these rivers, the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar and Kaveri are important. But the region lying between the Satpura and Vindhya mountains has its slope from east to west, and so the two major rivers -Narmada and Tapti are flowing towards west and they finally pour into the Gulf of Cambay.

(d) The Coastal Region: The coastal region of india is situated on the eastern and western boundary of the country along the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It has generally a height between 30 m and 50 m from the mean sea level. It is long and narrow. It can be divided into eastern and western coastal regions. The eastern coastal region is situated between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. It extends from the mouth of the Ganges to the Cape Comorin. It is about 1,100 km. long with an average width of 120 km. It is made up of the coastal plains and deltas created by the major rivers of the Deccan plateau. So, it is relatively more wider and fertile than the western coast. In this coastal region the Chilka, Kolar and Pulicat lakes are located. The northern and southern parts of the eastern coast are known by their different names. The northern coast extending from the Godavari river mouth to the Ganges river mouth is known as North Circars and the southern coast extending from the mouth of the Godavari to the Cape Comorin is known as the Coromandel Coast.

5. Describe briefly the climatic characteristics of India?

Ans: India is a vast country. Its physiography is also diversified. Region-wise there are variations in the major climatic elements like temperature, wind, atmospheric pressure and humidity in the country. The climate of India varies and depends mainly on the factors like vastness of the country, distance from the equator (latitudes), varied physiography, differences in elevation, distance from the sea and impact of the monsoons middle of the country has divided it into northern and southern parts. The northern part falls in the temperate climatic zone while the southern part falls in the tropical climatic zone. So, the southern part of India is relatively warmer than the northern part. 

The Indian landmass is characterised by different types of physical characteristics like hills and mountains, plateaus, deserts and plains. These  have their different elevations, Therefore, the places having same latitudes may enjoy different variations in temperature, pressure, rainfall, humidity etc. and so also the different types of climate. For example, Agra and Darjeeling enjoy different types of climate because of their variations in elevations, although they are located in the same latitudes. On the other hand, the high Himalayas protect India from the cold winds blowing from the north and so, the northern India has not experienced so much cold. Again, although the Deccan plateau falls in the tropical climatic zone, its climate is not so much hot because of its plateau character. The nearness to sea may also cause the climate of a place to be moderate. In places located near the sea, the variation in summer and winter temperature is not so high. Mumbai enjoys a pleasant climate because of its location near the sea.

6. Explain how the monsoons affect the climate of India.

Ans: The impact of monsoons on Indian climate is Monsoons blow in different seasons of the year, especially during In summer the south-west Monsoons blow winter the north-east Monsoons blow. The south-west summer and winter Monsoons enter India after blowing over the Arabian sea. As and in this wind comes from the south-western side, it is called south- west Monsoons. This wind carries enormous amount of moisture from the Arabian sea and hits the Western Ghats. Then it rises up and on getting cold rain occurs. In this way, the western coasts such as the Konkan and the Malabar coasts receive more than 300 cm of rainfall annually. This wind after crossing the western flows over the Bay of Bengal. While flowing over the Bay of Bengal the wind again takes enormous amount of moisture advances towards Assam place on the southern slope of the plateau. The Cherrapunji area of the Meghalaya plateau receives about 1250 cm of rainfall annually. This wind then crosses the Meghalaya plateau and enters into Assam. It then moves further north and gets obstructed by the foothills of the Himalayas. In this way, Assam and the foothills of the Himalayas also receive heavy rainfall due to the south-west monsoons during summer.

The north-east monsoons, on the other hand blow during winter. This cold wind flows from the Central Asia and enters India from north east direction. This is why, it is called the north- east monsoon. The northern Himalayas mountains stand as a barrier to this cold wind, and so the northern India is not affected by severe coldness due to this wind. However, a portion of this wind comes across the Himalayas and enters into India. As it comes from the land areas of Central Asia, it is dry and it cannot produce rainfall. But, when this wind flows over the Bay of Bengal, it carries some amount of moisture. This moisture-carrying wind then gets obstructed with the Eastern Ghats and thus rainfall takes place on the east coast, especially along the Coromandel coast.

7. What are the major soil types found in India? Give short description of each type of soil?

Ans: The mojor soil types in India. the nature of the soil are found in different parts of India. In the basis of the nature of the soil, we can find six categories of soil in India:

(a) Mountain soils: Mountain soils are characterised by the locations and elevations of hills and mountains. The glaciers of the mountains normally carry sediments which are deposited in regions below the snow line and then soils are formed. Such soils are called glacial soils. Coniferous forests grow on these soils. Leaves and seeds fallen from the trees get decomposed and mixed with soils, and soils become acidic. Then it is called podzol. This soil is not so fertile. Rocky soils are found in the foothills of the mountains. Vegetation can grow over the rock soils as they have thin layers of fertile top soils.

(b) Soils of the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra: This vast plain generally contains alluvial soils. However sandy soils also occur in certain areas. The alluvial soils of the plain is of two types such as new alluvial soils and old alluvial soils. The new alluvial soils are generally soft and fertile. Such soils are commonly found on the floodplains as well as river banks. The soils are free from salts and fertile due to humus content. Most of the soils of the river valleys belong to new continental types. These soils are suitable for agriculture and so, the river valleys have become favourable sites for agricultural activities and dense human settlements. The river valleys of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Assam contain such soils.On the other hand, the old alluvial soils are relatively hard After getting affected by long continued rainfall from time to time, the chemical materials of these soils get removed or dissolved As a result soil fertility decreases. So, the use of chemical fertilizers becomes necessary to retain fertility of the soils. These soils are found in the plains of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Assam.

(c) Desert soils: Desert soils are found in the Thar desert region, Rajasthan, Saurashtra and Rann of Kutch. Desert soils are formed due to weathering processes occuring in arid regions. These soils are basically composed of mixures of sand and rock materials and contents of nitrogen and organic matters are less in amount. So, these soils are not fertile. However, the salt free desert soils are used for cultivation of wheat, barley etc. with the help of irrigation.

(d) Lava soils: The soils formed out of lava deposits are known as lava soils. Lava soils are also called black soils. The black soils originate due to weathering of the lava deposits localised in Maharashtra, western parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and neighbouring areas of Andhra Pradesh. These black clayey and sticky type of soils can retain moisture and hence cotton cultivation and so, this type cotton soil. 

(e) Soils of Deccan plateau: Besides the black soils of the lava region, other types of soils are also found in the Deccan plateau. The soils formed as a to weathering of the old Archaean and Cambrian rocks of the Deccan plateau are of residual type. Such soils develop due 10 long continued effects of weathering and rainfall. This type of oil is generally red loamy where sand content is more. As such soils are normally porous, they are unable to retain water. In this case, the soils are made suitable through irrigation.Besides, a hard and reddish type of soil is found in regions along the hills and plateaus. These soils are called laterite. In such soils the content of iron and aluminium is vecoils are found in han more. Lateritic the Malabar coast and the eastern parts of humus content are available on the slopes of the Nilgiri hills and western Ghats, where tea and coffee cultivations are successfully done. These soils are therefore, locally known as coffee soils.

(f) Coastal soils: Region wise differences in coastal soil formation are quite apparent. Generally riverine soils are found in the delta regions and of the east coast of India. The sea waves normally deposit sand- S4 clay materials along the coastal regions and thus soils are formed. At places these soils become saline. Unlike the east coast, the soils of the west coast are not of riverine type. Some alluvial soils are found to occur in the Konkan coast. Coastal soils are generally sandy soils.

8. What are the different vegetation types found in India? Mention them in a map.

Ans: The different vegetation found in India are:

(a) Evergreen vegetation: The evergreen vegetations are found to grow in regions having average annual rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature between 25° c and 27° c. These vegetarians generally include tall and big trees and they form thick forests. The trees are tall up to 45m. Besides tall trees, cane, bamboo, ferms and creepers of various kinds are also found as undergrowth on the ground. The trees do not shed their leaves in any season of the year and so, they are called evergreen forest. The valuable trees which grow in the evergreen forest are Shisham, sandal, rubber etc. Evergreen vegetations are mainly found in the western slopes of the Western Ghats, Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Assam region, and the hills of Manipur and Mizoram and also in the Andaman islands. 

(b) Monsoonal Vegetations: Monsoonal vegetation generally grow in most of the regions of India. These vegetations are found in the region monsoon having average annual rainfall between 100 cm and 200 cm and temperature of about 27°c. Monsoonal vegetations are on rainfall occurring during the season ke As rainfall and temperature decrease in winter, the soils dependent become dry and the trees shed their leaves during winter The sal, teak, siris, sisu, simul and varieties of bamboos are t Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, some parts of in Bihanna, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Western Ghat of Eastern Ghats and the eastern parts of the Deccan plateau and the humid areas of the south Indian states are the region andre Monsoonal vegetations grow. These vegetations are also found in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. 

(c) Dry thorny vegetation: Drythony vegetation generally grows in the regions where average annual rainfall is less than 50 cm. and temperature is usually high. The soil is sandy and the water content in soil is less So, the vegetations have their thorny leaves instead of broad-leaf to check evapotranspiration. This type of vegetation is found in the western part of the Thar desert of Rajasthan and south-westem part of Punjab. Acacia, different varieties of cactus, date, palm etc. are the major trees of drylands and deserts.

(d) Grassland vegetation: Prairie of Worth America and Savanna of Africa are not found in India. But, some grassland vegetations are found to grow in the areas ving average annual rainfall between 50 cm and 100 cm. The Such vegetations are distributed in Punjab, eastern part of Rajasthan and plains of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and also in the central parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and some and waterlogged of the Deccan plateau. Moreover, the me environment of the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills also favour the growth of grassland vegetation like thatches, canes, reeds etc. Among these there also grow trees like khoir, simul etc.

(e) Mangrove vegetation: Mangrove vegetations are found in the coastal delta regions. In spite of salty sea water, the sediments carried and deposited by the tides and rivers support these peculiar kinds of vegetations in the coast. These vegetations grow mainly in the coastal areas of the gulf of kutch, the delta region of the Ganga-Brahmaputra, ie, the Sundarbans and also in the deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers. Among the mangrove vegetations, the sundari, date palm, coconut and bushy plants are the major trees.

(f) Mountain vegetations: Altitude has its much impact on the types and distribution of vegetations. Because there are variations in rainfall, temperature and soil qualities depending on variations in altitudes and hill slopes. So, we find different kinds of vegetations at different altitudes of mountains and hills. There are also varieties of vegetations at different altitudes of the Himalayas.

9. Describe the types of vegetation of India?

Ans: The is a land of diversity. india is a physiological, climate soil temperature conditions rainfall etc.

(a) Monsoonal Vegetations: Monsoonal vegetation generally grow in most of the regions of India. These vegetations are found in the region monsoon having average annual rainfall between 100 cm and 200 cm and temperature of about 27°c. Monsoonal vegetations are on rainfall occurring during the season ke As rainfall and temperature decrease in winter, the soils dependent become dry and the trees shed their leaves during winter The sal, teak, siris, sisu, simul and varieties of bamboos are t Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, some parts of in Bihanna, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Western Ghat of Eastern Ghats and the eastern parts of the Deccan plateau and the humid areas of the south Indian states are the region andre Monsoonal vegetations grow. These vegetations are also found in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. 

(b) Dry thorny vegetation: Drythony vegetation generally grows in the regions where average annual rainfall is less than 50 cm. and temperature is usually high. The soil is sandy and the water content in soil is less So, the vegetations have their thorny leaves instead of broad-leaf to check evapotranspiration. This type of vegetation is found in the western part of the Thar desert of Rajasthan and south-westem part of Punjab. Acacia, different varieties of cactus, date, palm etc. are the major trees of drylands and deserts.

(c) Grassland vegetation: Prairie of Worth America and Savanna of Africa are not found in India. But, some grassland vegetations are found to grow in the areas ving average annual rainfall between 50 cm and 100 cm. The Such vegetations are distributed in Punjab, eastern part of Rajasthan and plains of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and also in the central parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and some and waterlogged of the Deccan plateau. Moreover, the me environment of the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills also favour the growth of grassland vegetation like thatches, canes, reeds etc. Among these there also grow trees like khoir, simul etc.

10. Write a short note on the growth of population in India?

Ans: India is the second largest populous country in the world In the case of population its position is next to China. The entire population of the country is composed of various human groups and societies, and so its population structure is notably important Mainly the Austro Asiatic, Mongoloid, Aryan and Dravidian groups of people have been living in India since time immemorial Social relations among the people have grown up as differ communities and social groups have been living together in country. Because of such relations grown through mixing different communities and social groups, the vast and diver Indian society has emerged. 

The main causes of population increase or decrease s very fast and therefore, India has become the second largest populous nt. Plan environm are the rates of birth and death and migration. Population increases when birth rate exceeds death rate. Similarly, population also increases due to migration of population to the country concerned. Because of these two reasons, India’s population is increasing. Especially after the Independence, India’s population is growing country in the world. The country’s economic development is den problems like food problem, agricultural land problem, housing getting affected as a result of more population. The present day problem, educational problem, employment problem and many other complex problems have emerged in the country due to increasing population. It is now necessary for the welfare of the country to take up effective plans to check population growth.

Years	Population
1901	22.84
1911	25.21
1921	25.13
1941	31.86
1951	36.11
1961	43.92
1971	54.82
1981	68.33
1991	84.63
2001	120.60

Populations. Similarly, population density is low in regions where Bettlements are sparsely distributed. According to the census of 2001, the average density of population per km³ is 324, i.e on an average 324 persons of India live km² of area. Population in per distribution in India is not uniform and hence population density also varies. Generally, the regions which have adverse environmental conditions, or which are less developed in terms of economy and transportation are characterised by sparse settlements and low density of population. The dry, desert region of Rajasthan in the western part of India has very low density of population due to its uncongenial situation for human settlements, Similarly, the snow-covered Himalayan region in the north and central and southern parts of the Western Ghats in south India support very low density of population because of their harsh physical environment. In contrary to this, the fertile plains having convenient transport and communication system and good opportunities for agriculture support high density of population. 

11. “Population distribution is not uniform in all places of India”-Explain.

Ans: Ans India is the second most populous country in the world with a population of 102.7 crores according to 2001 census The average density of population of India is 324 persons per km. However, this density of population varies from place to place For example, Delhi has a density of population 6.352 persons per sq km. (2001 census) while Arunachal Pradesh has only 13 persons per sq. km. Uttar Pradesh has over 10.0 crores of people while Lakshadweep has about 60.000 people until That we see that the population distribution is not even in Ms The primary reasons for the uneven distribution of population in India are.

(a) Presence of minerals Availability of mineral resources help the industrialisation of an area Industrialisation brings about a lot of job opportunities Hence, the major industrial regions of India are thickly populated.

(b) Religious influence Religious places like Varanasi, Mathura, Handwar, Purn, etc have thick population as many people like to settle in such holy places.

(c) Transport and communication facilities. The population distribution is quite high in places that have better or modem Transport and communication facilities This is one of the major reasons for the presence of high population in towns and cities as compared to rural areas.

12. Discuss how population density varies in india?

Ans: One of the features of Indian population is its uneven population distribution Certain regions of India are thickly populated while other areas are thinly populated. But if we look at India as a whole, the average density of the population is 324 persons per sq. km, i.e. 324 persons live on per sq. km while Arunachal Pradesh has only 13 persons per sq.km. Uttar Pradesh with a population of 16.6 crores is the most populous state of India while the total population of Lakshadweep islands adds up to just 60,000 people. Some of the densely populated states and union territories of India are West Bengal, Delhi Chandigarh, Kerala, Daman and Due, Pondicherry (present Puducherry), etc. The areas that have a low density of population are Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh Mizoram and Andaman and Nicobar islands. The factors that cause differences in the density of population of India are

(a) State of economics and industrial development.

(b) Availability of transport and communication.

(c) Soil difference.

13. Give a description of urban population of India and also present data on urban population growth in some major cities of the country?

Ans: The population residing in urban areas in India, according to the 1901 census, was 11.4%, increasing to 28.53% by the 2001 census, and is now currently 34% in 2017 according to the World Bank. According to a survey by the United Nations, in 2030 40.76% of country’s population is expected to reside in urban areas.Mumbai saw large-scale rural-urban migration in the 20th century.

In 2018, Mumbai accommodated 22.1 million people, and was the second-largest metropolis by population in India. Delhi has 28 million inhabitants and witnessed the fastest rate of urbanization in the world, with a 4.1% rise in population as per the 2011 census of India.

14. Describe the characteristics of the major agricultural regions of India?

Ans: India is a country of agricultural base. The vast plains, fertile soils and favourable climate are all suitable for agriculture of the country. So, agriculture happens to be the primary occupation of the Indians. Indian economy is basically based on agriculture About two thirds of the country’s population have been leading their life taking agriculture as the chief means of livelihood. Agriculture has also contributed significantly to the national income of the country. Besides providing the growing population with food-crops, agriculture also supplies raw materials to the industries. Moreover, a large number of unemployed persons find employment in the agro-based industries of the country. India has also been earning foreign money from the export of various agricultural products. Alongwith the growth of agricultural sector, the other sectors like industrial sector, transport sector, commercial sector etc. have also grown. 

(a) Fruits and Vegetables Regions: This region extends from Kashmir to North East India. Its north-western part receives average annual rainfall of 60 cm and the eastern part receives up to 200 cm of rainfall. In the western Himalayas region most of the temperate fruits like apple peach, cherries, plum, apricot etc are grown In castem Himalayas fruits mostly oranges and vegetables like potatoes, chillies and others are produced.

(b) Rice-Jute-Tea Region: This region includes Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura Meghalaya, West Bengal, Orissa, Northern and Eastern Bihar and terai region of Uttar Pradesh. It has vast lowland areas, river delis and valley where fertile alluvial soils are available. Rainfall ranges from about 180 cm to 250 season in thi the rain takes abundantly produced due to fertile soils, sufficient rainfall and abundant amount of summer temperature. Tea cultivation is largely suite in Upper Brahmaputra valley of Assam, Tripura and North Bengal. Similarly jute cultivation is mostly carried out in Assam Ganga plain and delta region and eastern coastal region of the Country. Although this entire agricultural region is famous for cultivation of rice, jute and tea, other crops like, mustard, pulses and fruits like coconut, jackfruit, pineapple, mango, orange ete are also grown.

(c) Wheat and Sugarcane Region: The northern part of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana western part of Madhya Pradesh and northern part of Rajasthan come under this agricultural region. Besides the fertile alluvial soils, black and red soils are also found here and there in the region. Although moderate rainfalls occur in some places, the arid regions are brought under cultivation with the help of irrigation. The major crops of this region are wheat and sugarcane. Rice is also grown here. Wheat and sugarcane are the principal crops in Uttar Pradesh, plains of Bihar and northern bank of the Ganges. Wheat is widely cultivated in Ganga- Yamuna’s doab region, plains of Punjab, Haryana and northern Rajasthan. Besides wheat and sugarcane, the other crops mostly grown in this region are maize and pulsars.

(d) Millets and Oilseeds Region: This agricultural region includes Karnataka plateau, parts of Tamil Nadu, southern part of Andhra Pradesh and eastern part of Kerala. This region is relatively less fertile and characterised by broken topography. Rainfall is usually scanty ranging from about 75 cm to 125 cm annually. Among the millets grown, bajra, ragi and jowar are important. On the other hand, the oil seeds grown in the region include groundnut, mustard and other pulses. Moreover, mangoes and bananas are also largely grown in the region.

(e) Maize and Coarse Crop Region: This agricultural region includes western Rajasthan, the semi arid regions of Gujarat and the desert areas of western India. The eastern part contains some pockets of alluvial soils, while the western part is sandy and dry. Annual rainfall is less than 50 cm. Agriculture is done with the help of irrigation. Although wheat and ragi crops are grown in Mewar plateau, maize is mainly grown here. On the other hand, cotton, sugarcane and also rice are grown on the western part of the region. Bajra is also cultivated more or less throughout the region.

(f) Cotton Region: The north-western region of the Deccan plateau is famous for cotton cultivation. The river valleys of the region are covered by black soil which is very suitable for cotton cultivation. This agricultural region spans over parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is, in fact a rainshadow region where annual rainfall varies from 75 cm to 100 cm. Although the region is known as cotton belt, other crops like jowar, bajra, gram, sugarcane, wheat etc. are also cultivated here and there.

(g) Spices and Plantation Crop Region: This region covers coastal plains of the east and west, Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep. It is a region of heavy rainfall amounting to average annual rainfall of more than 250 cm.

15. Locate the major industrial regions of India on a map and describe each of them briefly?

Ans: India is basically an agricultural country it has recently made notable progress in the field of industries. In fact Indian industries have developed based on agricultural sector The development in the country’s agricultural sector has directly helped the industries to make progress. On the other hand, the industrial development has in turn helped the agricultural sector technologically, and as a result, agriculture has acquired the gradual process of development. So, it is seen that agriculture and industry are both complementary to each other. The economic development of the country can be achieved only when there is a good coordination in the development planning of agriculture and industry.

All the regions of India are not equally advanced in industries. The distributional pattern of industrial activities indicates that some industries have grown up in certains areas. Any such region where some special industries are localised is called industrial region. In India such five industrial regions can be delineated like 

(a) Hooghly industrial region. 

(b) Mumbai -Pune industrial region. 

(c) Ahmedabad Surat industrial region. 

(d) Madurai-Coimbatore Figure 605 

These industrial regions are briefly described below:

(a) Hooghly industrial region: Hooghly industrial belt has grown up on the bank of the river Hooghly. It includes Kolkata city and its adjoining Howrah urban centre. The major industrial centres here are Naihati Jagatdal, Shamnagar, Tribeni, Belur, Liluah, Andul etc. This region took its origin from the British period. The jute and engineering industries are the old industries of the region. This region faced great crises due to partition which led to shortage of raw materials Besides, the industries here have not developed up to the level of Expectation due to the problems like labour unrest, power supply problem and lack of capital etc.

(b) Mumbai-Pune industrial region: This centre, like-Mumbai, Vile Parle, Thane, Bhandup and Pune The region had to face a set back after partition for the non Availability of raw cotton. But as the region is and around, some diversified industries like in petrochemical synthetic fibre etc. have grown up. Pune has become a major chemical and machinery producing city. Some diversified industries have developed in the region as there is no problem of capital and labour.

(c) Ahmedabad -Surat Industrial Region: This industrial region is now fast growing region of the country. The major industries localised in the region are petro chemical, fertiliser, synthetic fibre, textile and other chemicals producing industries. Initially the region grew with cotton textile industries and subsequently it shifted to focus on the establishment of a variety of chemical industries due to availability of natural oil and gas.

(d) Madurai-Coimbatore-Bangalore Industrial Region: This industrial region is also famous for cotton textile industries. In addition to these industries, a good number of government controlled industries like machine tools industry, Indian Telephone industry, aeronautic industry etc. have grown up.

(e) Chotanagpur Industrial Region: The industries of this region have mainly grown up based on the minerals found in the Chotanagpur plateau. Mining and metal industries, engineering and chemical industries are the major industries of this region. Besides the above mentioned industrial regions of the country, many industries are also found to have grown up in different regions. So, there are a number of small industrial areas here and there in the country besides these five major industrial belts. The small industrial areas along with the major ones have contributed much towards the field of industrialisation.

16. Write short notes on the following:

(a) The north Indian plain region.

Ans: These plains extend from the state of Haryana, including Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand to West Bengal. The total extent from west to east is about 3200 kilometres and is one of the most fertile regions of India.

(b) Importance of agriculture on Indian economy.

Ans: Agriculture constitutes one of the main pillars of Indian economy. Nearly two-thirds of the Indian population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. It provides raw-materials for several agro-based industries. These industries not only boost Industrial production but also provide employment opportunities to thousands of people in the country and thereby reduce economic poverty and the problem of unemployment.

(c) Monsoon Vegetations.

Ans: Monsoonal vegetation generally grow in most of the regions of India. These vegetations are found in the regions having average annual rainfall between 100 cm and 200 cm and temperature of about 27°c. Monsoonal vegetations are dependent on rainfall occurring during the monsoon season As rainfall and temperature decrease in winter, the soils become dry and the trees shed their leaves during winter. The sal, teak, siris, sisu, simul and varieties of bamboos are the major trees of Monsoonal forests. Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, some parts of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and the eastern parts of the Deccan plateau and the humid areas of the south Indian states are the regions where Monsoonal vegetations grow. These vegetations are also found in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

(d) Monsoons and rainfall in India.

Ans: The word ‘monsoon’ is believed to have originated from the Arabic word for season ‘mawsim’. Monsoons are basically seasonal winds that reverse their direction according to the change in season. They are hence, periodic winds. The monsoons travel from the sea to the land in summers and from land to the sea during winters, hence, are a double system of seasonal winds. Historically the monsoons have been very important because these winds were used by traders and seafarers to move from place to place. Though there is monsoon in the Indian subcontinent, central-western Africa, Southeast Asia and a few other places, the winds are most pronounced in the Indian subcontinent.

India gets southwest monsoon winds in the summers and northeast monsoons during the winters.

(e) Causes of population growth in India.

Ans: Main causes are high birth rate, lack of reproductive education and family planning, poverty, increase in lifespan due to better health facilities, decrease in death rate, lack of employment opportunities, and improvements in agriculture.

(f) Causes responsible for uneven distribution of population in India.

Ans: Causes responsible for uneven distribution of population in India: India, has uneven distribution of population due to several factors like- 

(a) Low birth and high death rates areas. 

(b) Topography Rugged terrain and unfavourable climatic conditions are primarily responsible for. sparse population in states like Rajasthan and the hill states.

(g) Lava soils.

Ans: These soils are also known as the ‘Regur Soil’ or the ‘Black Cotton Soil’.In India this soil is typical of deccan trap ( Basaltic) region, spread over north west deccan plateau and is made of lava flows.The black soils lack lime, iron, magnesia, potash and alumina.

(h) Hooghly industrial region.

Ans: The Hooghly Industrial Belt or Kolkata Industrial Belt is India’s oldest and second largest Industrial area (Silpancalasilpancalati) the banks of the Hooghly river in the north to the south of Triveni-Kalyani, Uluberia-Biralapura 100 km long and 15–10 km wide zone to the industrial development of the Kolkata district.Hooghly is one of the most economically developed districts in West Bengal. It is the main jute cultivation, jute industry, and jute trade hub in the state. The jute mills are along the banks of the river Hooghly in Tribeni, Bhadreswar, Champdani and Sreerampur.

(i) Characteristics of the north Indian rivers.

Ans: (a) North Indian rivers are Indus and its tributaries Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej. 

(b) The Ganga and its tributaries mainly Yamuna, Gharghara, Gandak, Ram Ganga, Ramganga, Kosi, Mahananda, Chambal. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries like Manas, Subarnasri, Tista, etc.

(j) Characteristics of the South Indian rivers.

Ans: (a) Most of the rivers flow from west towards the east. 

(b)The source of these rivers is in mountain region.

(c) They are mostly rain-fed and do not flow throughout the year. They are suitable for irrigation.

(k) Indian islands.

Ans: The Island Groups of India are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the southeast and southwest of the mainland and the Lakshadweep Islands in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, respectively. India has a total of 1,382 islands are their.

(l) The Himalayan mountain region.

Ans: The Himalayan region of India lies in the northern part of the country. It extends from the Nanga Parbat of Kashmir to the easternmost border of Arunachal Pradesh in east-west direction The mountainous region with a length of about 2,500 km and width ranging from about 240 km to 500 km covers a total area of about 5,00,000 km². Its bright from the mean sea level is more than 8000m.