NCERT Class 11 Geography Chapter 18 Structure and Physiography

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NCERT Class 11 Geography Chapter 18 Structure and Physiography

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Structure and Physiography

Chapter: 18

GEOGRAPY [ PART – II ]

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. Which two forces are responsible for shaping the present geographic features of India?

Ans. These are:

(a) internal movements (convection currents and converging and diverging motion of the plates). and

(b) external forces (volcanoes, earthquakes, drifting) operating on the earth.

Q.2. Which continents of today were part of Gondwanaland?

Ans. (a) South America.

(b) Africa.

(c) Australia.

(d) Antarctica.

(e) Parts of Asia (Deccan, Palateau of India).

Q.3. How was the Arabian sea formed?

Ans. Owing to volcanic eruption in the north-western plateau, the western part was subsided and the depression so created was filled by the waters of Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea was formed.

Q.4. Mention two characteristics of Greater Himalayas.

Ans. (i) It is situated at the extreme north with loftiest peaks covered with snow. It gives birth to perennial rivers like the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus.

(ii) Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world with height of 8848 metres is seen here.

Q.5. What are the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas?

Ans. These are: 

(i) Greater Himalayas (Himadri).

(ii) Middle Himalayas (Himachal). and

(iii) Outer Himalayas (Siwaliks).

Q.6. Write the names of some mountain ranges in the Middle Himalayas.

Ans. (i) Pir Panjal (Kashmir).

(ii) Dhaula Dhar (J & K and H.P.). and

(iii) Mahabharat (Nepal).

Q.7. Write the names of some tourist places (towns) in Middle Himalayas (Himachal).

Ans. These are:

(i) Dalhousie.

(ii) Dharamshala.

(iii) Shimla.

(iv) Mussoorie.

(v) Nainital and

(vi) Darjeeling.

Q.8. Which states are located in western, central and eastern Himalayas?

Ans. Western Himalayas: Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Central Himalayas: Uttaranchal

Eastern Himalayas: West Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh.

Q.9. Where is located the Purvanchal?

Ans. This is located at the extreme east of India adjacent to Myanmar. These are Patkai Bum, Naga Hills, Mizo Hills, Jaintia, Khasi and Garo Hills. These all are of medium altitude.

Q.10. What are the different names given to the Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu?

Ans. These are called Sahyadri in Maharashtra and Karnataka and Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

Q.11. In which states are the Aravallis and Satpura mountain ranges located?

Ans. (i) Aravallis are located in Rajasthan. and

(ii) Satpura range is located in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat states.

Q.12. What are the different landforms found in the northern plains?

Ans. (i) Bhabar (pebbled beds parallel to slope of the river bed).

(ii) Bhangar (kankar deposits).

(iii) Tarai (marshy and thickly forested regions).

(iv) Khadar (younger deposits of sediments, alluvial soil).

Q.13. Write the average altitude of the Greater Himalayas, the Middle Himalayas and the Outer Himalayas.

Ans. It is 6,000 metres, between 3,700. and 4,500 metres and between 900 and 1100 metres respectively.

Q.14. Write the length and width of three ranges of Himalayas.

Ans. (i) Length and width of Greater Himalayas is 2,400 km. the width is from 400 kilometres to 150 kilometres.

(ii) Length of the Middle Himalayas is about 3,000 kilometres and its width is of 50 kilometres.

(iii) Length of Outer Himalayas is about 2,500 kilometres and its width is 10-50 kilometres.

Q.15. Write the chief characteristics of the Eastern Ghats.

Ans. (i) These are located at the eastern side of the peninsular plateau.

(ii) These are broken and discontinuous because of erosion and cutting by rivers.

(iii) These ghats are subdivided into (a) Mahendra Giri (the northern portion) and Anna Mallai (the southern portion).

Q.16. Where did the Tethys sea exist?

Ans. Tethys was present where the Himalayas and northern plains are present today.

Q.17. Name the major physical divisions of India.

Ans. The major physical divisions of India are:

1. Northern mountains.

2. The Great plains.

3. Peninsular plateau.

4. Coastal plains and Islands.

5. Indian desert.

Q.18. Name three mountain peaks which are more than 8000 m. in height.

Ans. The three mountain peaks having the height more than 8000 m. are:

1. Everest (8848 m).

2. Kanchenjunga (8598 m).

3. Annapurna (8078).

Q.19. Write the length and breadth of the Himalayas.

Ans. The length of the Himalayas are 2500 km and the breadth is 150 km to 400 km.

Q.20. Name four largest glaciers of India.

Ans. The largest glaciers of India are:

1. Siachen (75 Km).

2. Hispar (62 Km).

3. Baifo (59 Km).

4. Baltoro (58 Km).

Q.21. What are ‘duns’?

Ans. Duns are flat-floored structural valleys between the Siwalik and Himachal. 

Example: Dehradun.

Q.22. Which is the oldest fold mountain in India?

Ans. Aravallis.

Q.23. Name various types of sand dunes of the Thar desert.

Ans. The various types of sand dunes of the Thar desert are:

1. Longitudinal.

2.Barchans.

3. Transverse.

Q.24. What is a rohi plain?

Ans. Rohi is a fertile land developed by the seasonal rivers between Aravalli range and western desert.

Q.25. Name two passes of the Western Ghats.

Ans. Thal Ghat and Bhor Ghat.

Q.26. What are Kayals?

Ans. The back water on the Malabar coast are called Kayals.

Q.27. Where is the Barren Island located?

Ans. Barren Island is on Nicobar Island.

Q.28. Into how many physiographic units, can India be divided at macro level?

Ans. Three.

Q.29. Which is the ancient crustal block in India?

Ans. Deccan Plateau.

Q.30. Name the eastern boundary of Deccan Plateau.

Ans. Rajmahal Hills.

Q.31. When was peninsular plateau of India formed?

Ans. In Precambrian period.

Q.32. In which period were the Aravalli uplifted?

Ans. Vindhyan period.

Q.33. When was Arabian Sea formed?

Ans. In Pliocene period.

Q.34. Name the sea which existed in place of the Himalayas.

Ans. Tethys sea.

Q.35. In which period were the Himalayas uplifted?

Ans. In tertiary period.

Q.36. Which landmass was situated in north of the Himalayas?

Ans. Angaraland.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. Describe the features, extension etc. of the Western coastal Plains.

Ans. (i) It is a narrow strip of rocky land with the Arabian Sea on the west and Western Ghat on the east.

(ii) It extends from Gujarat to Kanyakumari along the west coast.

(iii) Its average width is 40 kilometres.

(iv) Konkan plain, Kannad plain and Malabar coast are described as its three divisions at north, at the centre and at the tail respectively.

(v) The estuaries, lagoon (Vembanad lake), natural deep harbours (Mumbai, Marmagao), sand bars and spits are found in plains.

Q.2. Describe the features of the Central Highlands.

Ans. (i) It is a division of peninsular plateau.

(ii) It consists of Malwa Plateau, Bundelkhand, Baghelkhand and Chota Nagpur plateau.

(iii) Aravallis are in its north-west, Rajmahal hills in the north-east and Vindhyas in the south.

(iv) It is made of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Q.3. What is Bhabar? Give two important characteristics of a Bhabar belt.

Ans. The Bhabar is a long narrow plain along the foothills of the Shiwaliks. They extend from the Indus to the Tista rivers with a remarkable continuity. Many streams descend from the hills deposit pebbles gravel and sound lure. It has a width of 8 to 16 km. The rocks are porous.

Characteristics: (i) Many stream go underground in this belt due to porous rocks.

(ii) It is a pebble sludbed some of porour beds.

Q.4. Into how many physiographic units and India be divided at the macro level.

Ans. At the Macro level India can be divided into three broadly defined physiographic units.

These are:

(i) The Himalayas and associate mountains.

(ii) The Indus Ganga Brahmputra plains.

(iii) The Peninsular Plateau.

Q.5. If a person is to travel to Lakshadweep, from which coastal plain does prefer and why?

Ans. He will prefer to travel from western coast because the Lakshadweep is situated in Arabian Sea.

Q.6. Where in India will you find a cold desert? Name some important ranges of this region.

Ans. The cold desert of India is Laddakh and lies in northernmost part of the country. The important ranges of this region are Karakoram, the Laddakh, the Zaskar and PirPanjal.

Q.7. Why is the western coastal plain is devoid of any delta?

Ans. The western coastal plain is narrow and has steep slope. The rivers flow rapidly hence they do not form deltas.

Q.8. Explain the relief, soil, rivers, location etc. of Deccan Plateau.

Ans. Deccan plateau lies to the south of the river Narmada flanked by the Western Ghats on the west and Eastern Ghats on the east. The Western and Eastern Ghats meet to form Nilgiri mountains along the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its northern part is made up of volcanic lavas and black or regur soils are found here. It is of triangular shape, widest in the northward while goes on tapering as its move towards the south. This part of Peninsular plateau is drained by Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kavery rivers. We see the Mahadev, The Kaimur hills and Maikal range in the east of this plateau. Western Ghats are unbroken or continuous and these can be crossed through passes made in Thal, Bhor and Pal Ghats. Western Ghats are higher than the Eastern Ghats. An average elevation of Western Ghat is 900-1600 metres while it is 600 metres when we talk about the Eastern Ghats. Western Ghats run parallel to the western coast and the Eastern Ghats are spread from the Mahanadi valley to the Nilgiri in the south.

Q.9. Distinguish between the Western Himalayas and the Eastern Himalayas.

Ans.

Western Himalayas	Eastern Himalayas
1. These are spread over Jammu and Kashmir as also Himachal Pradesh.	1. These are spread over West Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh.
2. Width of these Himalayas is 400 kilometres.	2. Eastern Himalayas forth around 150 kilometres circle.
3. These are divided into (a) the Greater Himalayas. (b) The Middle Himalayas. and  (c) The Siwaliks.	3. These have a single range which runs from north to south.
4. Nanga Parbat, Nanda Devi etc. peaks are found here.	4. There are some of the highest peaks i.e Kanchenjunga, Mount Everest, Annapurna, Namcha Barwa etc.

Q.10. Explain how the Himalayas act as a boon for India. 

Ans. Himalayas’ significance for India:

(i) Provides India with an invincible border: We see, barring only a few passes, the Himalayas are the lofty and impassable natural barriers on the northern border of India.

(ii) Presses monsoon winds to rain in India: The Himalayas check the rain bearing monsoon winds rising from the Indian Ocean. These would otherwise blow across the north. By virtue of the Himalayas, a number of plains, valleys, duns etc. receive rain ample in its south. Thus, it makes Indo-Gangetic plain, the most fertile in the world.

(iii) Absolute source of perennial rivers: Deposition of snow on its peaks of high altitudes, supplies continuously throughout the year; the waters to the Ganges, the Indus and the Brahmaputra, all perennial rivers. These rivers are tapped for irrigation and hydel power; both essential components to agriculture and industrial growth.

(iv) Abound with natural resources: The Himalayas are abound with the natural resources like, wildlife, thick forests bearing medicinal plants, timber and fuelwood and several mineral deposits.

(v) Beautiful valleys and health resorts: The Himalayas provide us with beautiful valleys like that of Kashmir, Kulu and Kangra in the west and ‘duns’ in the Kumaon Mountains in Uttaranchal state.

Q.11. What do you understand by Bhangar?

Ans. The plain formed by the older alluvium is known as the Bhangar. These areas stand above the level of flood water and the flood plains. This raised land is made up of clay, pebbles and gravel In the Gangetic plains these alluvial lands have been formed by the deposition of sediments by the river.

Q.12. State two facts in support of the gradual rising of the Himalayas.

Ans. The Himalayas have been raised by different mountain building movements in different geological periods. These movements took place in a gradual manner in three stages.

(i) In the first stage, the uplift of the central Himalayan axis took place in Oligocene period about 150 million years ago.

(ii) The second uplift took place during the Miocene period when Potwar region of West Pakistan was uplifted.

(iii) The third stage was marked by the folding of the Siwalik in the post-Pliocene period about 100 million years ago.

Some geologists believe that Himalayas are still rising. It proves the gradual rising of the Himalayas.

Q.13. What do you understand by the term Tarai?

Ans. Tarai is a long narrow zone south of Bhabar plains along the foothills of the Himalayas. It is a damp area with thick forest growth. Many streams from the Bhabhar remerge in this region. The Tarai plain is 30 metre wide. It is covered with thick forests. These areas have been reclaimed for cultivation.

Q.14. What do you understand by the term Doab? Give four examples from Indian sub-continent.

Ans. Doab is a flood plain formed in between two rivers. Doab separates two rivers but maintain a uniform character over the whole areas. Four doabs in Punjab maintain a physical unity of the Punjab plain:

1. Bist Jalandhar Doab: Between the Satluj and the Beas.

2. Bari Doab: Between Ravi and the Chenab.

3. Chaj Doab: Between the Chenab and Jhelum.

4. Sind Sagar Doab: Between Chenab and Indus river.

Q.15. What is a horst?

Ans. A horst is an uplifted landmass between two faults. The central mass some-times keeps standing while the adjoining areas are thrown down. It takes the shape of a block mountain or a horst. The Vosges and Vindhyas are the example of horsts.

Q.16. State three characteristics of Himalayas, which indicate their youthful stage.

Ans. It has been proved that the Himalayas are of very young age as they had formed in the tertiary period. The geologists and archaeologists have collected many items of evidence in order to prove their youthfulness. The following three items of evidences are given here:

(i) The occurrence of Karewas, the tilted bends of the lake deposits of Kashmir at altitudes of 1500-1800 meters on the flanks of Pir Panjal Range.

(ii) The fossils of post-tertiary mammals have been found in the sub-Himalayan foot- hills, pointing continuity of upliftment during the Pleistocene times.

(iii) The archaeologists have collected curious stone tools, representing the Paleolithic times, early man in the terraces of Himalayan rivers, such as the Sohan, and in the Siwalik deposits near Chandigarh. The Siwaliks are believed to be the latest upliftment of the Himalayas.

Q.17. Distinguish between:

(i) Vindhya Mountains and Western Ghats.

Ans.

Vindhya Mountains	Western Ghats
1. Vindhyas are extended south of Malwa Plateau.	1. Western Ghats flank the Deccan lava plateau on the west.
2. It is running parallel to the river Narmada.	2. They have a general altitude ranging from 900 to 1100 meters.
3. It is composed of sand stones, limestones and shales.	3. The Western Ghats are generally forested with different types of vegetation ranging from evergreen to deciduous forests.

(ii) River Valley and Duns.

Ans.

River Valley	Duns
The valleys are formed by the rivers. These are level plains. The soil which is fertile is brought by the rivers.	A long narrow longitudinal valley is termed dun. They are mostly found in Lesser Himalayas such as Dehradun, Kothari Dun and Patli Dun.

(iii) Khadar and Bhangar.

Ans.

Khadar	Bhangar
1. Locally, the new alluvium is called Khadar.	1. Locally, the old alluvium is called bhangar. It is a plain formed by old alluvium. It forms traces above the flood plains.
2. It is the soil deposited along the flood plains of rivers during the floods.	2. It is not subjected to inundation. It is not covered by new floods. It is free from flood effects.
3. There are no kankar nodules in it. It is more fertile than the bhangar. It is renewed every year.	3. It is often contains kankar nodules with calcium carbonates in the sub-soil.

(iv) Bhadar and Tarai.

Ans.

Bhabar	Tarai
1. Bhabar is a long narrow plain along the foot-hills.	1. Tarai is a broad long zone south of Bhabar plain.
2. It is pebble-studded zone of porous beds.	2. It is a marshy damp area covered with thick forests.
3. It is 8-16 km wide.	3. It is 20 to 30 km wide.
4. Streams area a lot in the region due to porous rocks.	4. Many streams re-emerge here from the Bhabar area.
5. It is unsuitable for agriculture.	5. It is suitable for agriculture.

(v) Islands of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Ans.

Islands of Arabian Sea	Islands of Bay of Bengal
Lakshadweep contains a number of islands. Eleven islands are comparatively larger. All the islands have been built by corals and have fringing reefs close to their shores.	The islands of Bay of Bengal are Andman and Nicobar islands. These are elevated portions of submarine mountains. These are 550 in number. Barren island is a dormant volcano.

(vi) Folding and Faulting.

Ans.

Folding	Faulting
1. The bending up of rocks strata is known as folding.	1. The breaking up of rocks is known as faulting.
2. Folding is caused due to the forces of compression.	2. The faulting is caused due to the forces of tension.
3. Folds are formed due to contraction of the area.	3. Faults are formed due to the expansion of area.
4. A fold has two parts-Anticline and syncline.	4. A fault has two sides-up thrown side and down thrown side.

(vii) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.

Ans.

Western Ghats	Eastern Ghats
1. Western Ghats flank the Deccan Lava Plateau on the west.	1. Eastern Ghats border the Peninsular interior on the east.
2. These have a general altitude ranging from 900 to 1100 metres.	2. They are not so high and consist of discontinuous line of hills.
3. These Ghats are generally forested with the character of vegetation changing from evergreen to deciduous varieties.	3. The hills consist of three main groups:  (i) The northern hills. (ii) The middle hills and the. (iii) Tamil Nadu hills. The northern hills are more forested than the southern.

(viii) Gorge and Rift Valley:

Ans.

Gorge	Rift Valley
1. Gorge is a valley which is more than usually deep and narrow, with steep walls, or nearly vertical slope such as the Indus Gorge. Gorges are formed, due to down cutting or rising of river banks and lowering of river bed.	1. Rift valley is a valley which has been formed by the sinking of land between two roughly parallel faults, such a valley is long in proportion or its width. Examples of rift valleys, are such as Narmada rift valley, Damodar rift valley and Tapi rift valley.
2. It is associated with compressional forces.	2. It is associated with tensional forces.

(ix) Compare and contrast the Geomorphological features of the Himalayas with those of the Indian Plateau.

Ans.

The Himalayas	Indian Plateau
1. Himalayas are young new fold mountain.	1. The Indian Plateau is an ancient crystal line table land.
2. These mountain has been formed due to folding by different earth movements.	2. This plateau has been formed as a horst.
3. The relief features show young age of the Himalayas,	3. The plateau is old and well dissected.
4. Parallel mountain ranges are formed in the Himalayas region.	4. Rift valleys are formed due to faulting.
5. These mountains are the softiest highest mountain system of world.	5. It is an old eroded crystal block with the highest peak Anamudai 2695 m above sea level.
6. The mountains extend in an arc.	6. This plateau is triangular in shape.
7. Deep Gorges and unshaped valley are formed.	7. Narrow deep river valleys are formed.
8. These have been formed out of Tethgs sea in Mesozoic period.	8. This plateau has been lifted out the sea in the precambrain period.
9. It is made up of sedimentary rocks.	9. It is made up of igneous rocks.
10. It has the highest mountain peak Mt. Everest (8848 m).

Q.18. Distinguish between Punjab plains and Ganga delta with reference to climate and natural vegetation.

Ans.

Punjab	Ganga Delta
Punjab plains are characterised by a generally dry climate showing a transition from the monsoon tropical to the temperate type. Its arid climate and thorny forests differentiate it from the sub-humid Ganga plain.	The main characteristics of the Ganga delta are the delta character of the Alluvial plain. The climate is hot and wet. Tidal forests are found in this delta.

Q.19. Distinguish between Western Coastal Plain and Eastern Coastal Plain with reference to climate and natural vegetation.

Ans.

Western Coastal Plains	Eastern Coastal Plains
1. The western coastal plains have narrow alluvial margin interspersed by hilly terrains.	1. The eastern coast has a wide plain with well developed deltas of the rivers.
2. This coast has beautiful lagoons in the Malabar coastal area and many estuaries in the Konkan coast.	2. The eastern coast has well formed deltas by the major rivers and a few lagoons.
3. This coast has been divided in to Gujarat and Konkan plains and Malabar coast. This coast is dominated by the S.W. winds.	3. The eastern coast plain has two broad subdivisions i.e., Coromandal and North Circar plains. These are dominated by S.W. monsoon as well as North-West monsoon winds. These winds have cyclonic disturbances in winter.

Q.20. Divide Himalayas into different mountain ranges.

Ans. There are many parallel mountain ranges in the Himalayas. These ranges are separated from each other by dun-valleys. There are three parallel mountain ranges.

(i) The Great Himalayas or inner Himalayas.

(ii) The lesser Himalayas or Middle Himalayas.

(iii) Sub-Himalayas (Shivaliks or outer Himalayas).

Q.21. Give an account of the distinct land features of the Great Plains.

Ans. The Great plains extend along with the Himalayas. Great plains are of the recent origin less than two million years old. These plains contain a number of physical features. Along the northern margins are the piedmont plains composed of coarse pebbles mixed with finer pervious detritus. They are known as the Bhabar in Punjab and Duars in Assam. South of piedmont plains is a marshy tract known as Tarai. The older alluvium is known as Bhangar and newer is known as the Khadar in Uttar Pradesh. There are two big depressions in Bihar known as Jala near Patna and Tal near Mokamah.

Q.22. State two important characteristics of the topographic complexity of the Himalayas.

Ans. The Himalayas are young mountains formed by the internal horizontal earth movements.

They are characterised by the topographic complexity of a high order such as:

1. The Himalayas consists of three main parallel ranges namely:

(i) The Greater Himalayas.

(ii) The Lesser Himalayas.

(iii) The Siwaliks.

2. These ranges have striking contrasts in their altitudes with the snow-capped peaks, deep valleys, U-shaped valleys, hanging valleys, gorges and alternative system of valleys and ridges.

Q.23. A cross section of the Himalayan mountain complex between the Tibetan Plateau and the Ganga-Indus plain is shown in the diagram given below. Name the relief features marked D, E and F.

Ans. ‘D’ stands of Kunlun slopes.

‘E’ stands for Shivaliks or Outer Himalayas.

‘F’ stands for Indo-Gangetic plains.

Q.24. Write the names of the relief and drainage features marked in the map given below: 1, 5, 10, 13, 15, 18.

Ans.

Number	Name of the Relief feature
1	River Indus
5	River Mahanadi
10	Satpura Range
13	Garo-Khasi Hills
15	Myanmar Hills
18	Bomdila Pass

Q.25. Write the names of the relief features marked in the map given below 1, 8, 16, 23, 37 and D.

Ans. 1 = Karakoram Range.

8 = Garo Hills.

16 = Nilgiri Hills.

23 = Satpura Hills.

37 = Karakoram Pass.

D = Chennai.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. Distinguish between the Northern Plains and the Peninsular Plateau on the basis of relief features, soils and resources.

Ans.

Basis of Distinction	Northern Plains	Peninsular Plateau
1.Location	• These are located between the Himalayas and the Peninsular plateau.	• This plateau is located between Delhi (Ridge of North) and Kanyakumari (South).
2. Divisions	• These are divided in (i) The Indus Basin. (ii) The Ganga Basin. (iii) The Brahmaputra Valley. and  (iv) The Ganga- Brahmaputra Delta.	•This plateau is divided in- (i) The Central Highlands. and  (ii) The Deccan Plateau.
3. Locations of Divisions	• (i) The Indus Basin is spread over the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the Punjab. (ii) The Ganga Basin covers Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. (iii) The Brahmaputra Valley is formed in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. (iv) Ganga- Brahmaputra delta is in West Bengal.	• (i) Central Highlands are spread over Malwa plateau, Budelkhand, Baghelkhand and Chota Nagpur plateau upto Vindhyan in the south. (ii) The Deccan Plateau consists of Satpura range, Mahadev Hills, Western and Eastern Ghats including Nilgiri mountains along the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
4. Relief	• These are level plains about 200 metres high above sea level (i.e. low lands).	• Peninsular Plateau is a tableland with broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills.
5. Climate	• Summers are hot and winters are cold.	• The climate is hot and humid.
6. Crops	• Mainly rice, sugarcane, cotton and wheat crops are grown.	• Coarse grains like millets, maize, oilseeds like groundnuts and spices are grown.
7. Soils	• Alluvial soils are found.	• Soil is made of lava. Black soil is mostly found.
8. Minerals	• Iron, coal, mica etc. minerals are amply found.	• Gold and manganese are the main minerals found here.
9. Rivers	• The Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra and their tributaries.	• Krishna, Kavery, Tapi, Narmada, Mahanadi, Godavari, Chambal, Betwa, Sind, Ken rivers flow here.
10. Transportation	• Means of transport are well developed.	• Means of transport are under-developed.
11. Irrigation	• Canals, wells, tubewells are the main sources of irrigation.	• Tanks are the main source of irrigation.
12. Population	• Densely populated.	• Sparsely populated.

Q.2. If you move from Badrinath to Sunderban delta along the course of the river Ganga, what major geomorphological features will you come across?

Ans. Badrinath is situated along Ganga river in Uttaranchal Himalayas. The Sunderban delta is on the mouth of Ganga and Brahmaputra in Bay of Bengal. If a person moves from Badrinath to Sunderban delta he has to cross a number of geomorphological features. He will come down from the steep slopes of the mountain. He will cross the narrow valleys, V-shaped valleys, water falls and hills. At some places he will be there where the tributaries join the main river Ganga. He will observe landslides and mass erosion.

At Haridwar he will enter the plains. These are leveled plains. At several places the river forms the meanders. In central plain the river forms the oxbow lakes and braided streams. At last he will reach swampy and marshy delta which is formed by Ganga.