Physiography, climate, drainage and natural resources of India
Key facts
- India's six macro physiographic units are the northern and north-eastern mountains, Northern Plain, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains...
- India has an area of 32,87,263 sq km, so mountains, plains, plateau, desert, coasts and islands must be read as separate physical units.
- The Himalayan sequence runs from Himadri to Himachal to Shiwalik, with the Shiwalik forming the young outer foothill belt.
- Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar and Khadar form a foothill-to-floodplain alluvial sequence from coarse gravel to newer floodplain deposits.
- The Peninsular Plateau includes the Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau, with the Narmada-Tapi trough giving important west-flowing drainage.
Key Points at a Glance
- 1
India's six macro physiographic units are the northern and north-eastern mountains, Northern Plain, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains and Islands.
- 2
India has an area of 32,87,263 sq km, so mountains, plains, plateau, desert, coasts and islands must be read as separate physical units.
- 3
The Himalayan sequence runs from Himadri to Himachal to Shiwalik, with the Shiwalik forming the young outer foothill belt.
- 4
Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar and Khadar form a foothill-to-floodplain alluvial sequence from coarse gravel to newer floodplain deposits.
- 5
The Peninsular Plateau includes the Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau, with the Narmada-Tapi trough giving important west-flowing drainage.
- 6
The Western Ghats are higher and more continuous than the Eastern Ghats, while the Eastern Ghats are cut by major east-flowing rivers.
- 7
The Thar Desert of western Rajasthan is marked by hot aridity, dunes, ephemeral drainage, the Luni and salt-linked closed basins.
- 8
Andaman-Nicobar is linked with submarine mountain and volcanic elements, while Lakshadweep is built of coral deposits.
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India's Main Physiographic Frame
India is read in physical geography through large relief units that differ in rock age, slope, drainage, climate and resources. The six broad units are the northern and north-eastern mountains, the Northern Plain, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the Coastal Plains and the Islands. This frame is useful for objective questions because it links named landforms with their basic physical character rather than treating them as isolated map labels.
The Himalaya is young, high and tectonically active. The Peninsular block is older, harder and more stable. The Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra plain is a deep alluvial trough filled by river sediments. Deserts show wind work, saline basins and water deficit. Coasts show marine submergence or emergence, while islands preserve submarine, volcanic or coral histories. Rajasthan gives a one-line local example: the Aravalli old fold mountain system, Thar Desert and Luni drainage show old rocks, aridity and inland flow in one state.
Exam focus: connect every physiographic unit with its drainage, soil, climate and resource base.
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