Coastal Plains, Desert, and Islands

5.1 Western Coastal Plain

The western coastal plain lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, stretching ~1,500 km from Gujarat's Rann of Kutch to Kerala's Kanyakumari. It is narrow (10–80 km wide) and has limited agricultural area.

Sub-divisions:

• Gujarat Coast: Includes Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Khambhat (Cambay); Rann of Kutch (seasonal saline marshland)
• Konkan Coast (Maharashtra + Goa): 500 km; width 30–50 km; deeply indented with natural harbours (Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Panaji)
• Malabar Coast (Karnataka + Kerala): 550 km; characterised by backwaters (Kayal/Lagoons) — Kerala's famous backwaters (Vembanad Lake, Ashtamudi Lake); coconut palms, spice cultivation
• Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu, southern AP): Actually eastern coastal plain — site of Chennai

5.2 Eastern Coastal Plain

Wider than the western coast (100–120 km); formed by sediment deposition by rivers:

Delta/Region	River	State	Key Feature
Mahanadi Delta	Mahanadi	Odisha	Chilika Lake (Asia's largest brackish lake, 1,100 sq km)
Godavari Delta	Godavari	Andhra Pradesh	Largest delta in India; fertile paddy cultivation
Krishna Delta	Krishna	Andhra Pradesh	Dense canal irrigation; aquaculture
Kaveri Delta	Kaveri	Tamil Nadu	"Granary of South India"; Thanjavur region
Coromandel Coast	—	Tamil Nadu	Receives NE monsoon; sandy shore, few harbours

5.3 The Thar Desert

The Great Indian Desert (Thar) is the world's 9th largest hot desert and India's largest desert. Located west and southwest of the Aravallis in Rajasthan (and extending into Pakistan):

• Area in India: ~2.09 lakh sq km (about 60% of Rajasthan's total area)
• Rainfall: Less than 250 mm annually; some areas <100 mm
• Temperature range: 50°C (summer) to below 0°C (winter nights)
• Landforms: Barchans (crescent-shaped moving sand dunes), longitudinal dunes, sandy plains (Erg), rocky outcrops (Reg), salt lakes (playas — Sambhar, Didwana, Pachpadra in Rajasthan)
• IGNP: Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana (1958–) brings Himalayan water to Thar, transforming ~1.5 lakh ha into agricultural land

5.4 Islands of India

Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal):

• 572 islands (only 38 permanently inhabited); total area 8,249 sq km
• Located 1,200 km from mainland India; 150 km from Myanmar
• Barren Island: India's only active volcano; Narcondam Island: dormant volcano
• India's southernmost point: Indira Point (6°45'N) — Great Nicobar Island — submerged during 2004 Tsunami
• Tribal communities: Andamanese, Nicobarese, Jarawas, Sentinelese, Onge (Andaman Trunk Road controversy)
• Port Blair is the capital; Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) is a historical landmark

Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea):

• 36 coral atolls; only 10 permanently inhabited; total area: 32 sq km (India's smallest Union Territory)
• Closest to Minicoy Island — 200 km from Maldives
• Coral reefs — rich marine biodiversity; scuba diving, snorkelling tourism
• Capital: Kavaratti; predominantly Muslim population; Malayalam-speaking

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