1. Geographical Diversity of India

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Chapter 1: Geographical Diversity of India 🇮🇳

Grade 7 • Exploring Society: India & Beyond Theme: India and the World — Land & People

A friendly, mobile-first set of notes capturing everything from the chapter — concepts, facts, places, and activities — in one attractive page.

“By its very geography, the country appears distinct from other countries, and that itself gives it a certain national character.” — Sri Aurobindo
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🧠 The Big Questions

  1. What are the key geographical features of India?
  2. How does India’s geographical diversity shape our lives, culture, economy, and history?

🗺️ India’s Location & Natural Boundaries

  • India is the 7th-largest country in the world, forming part of Asia and the Indian Subcontinent (with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar).
  • For study, India is often viewed as five broad physical regions: Great Mountain Zone Plains of the Ganga & Indus Desert Region Southern Peninsula Islands
  • Natural boundaries: Himalayas (north), Thar Desert & Arabian Sea (west), Indian Ocean (south), Bay of Bengal (east). These shape climate, culture, history, and act as natural separators.
Let’s Explore: Use a physical map to read India’s latitudes & longitudes, the legend, and identify major landforms (mountains, plains, plateaus).

🏔️ The Himalayas — “Abode of Snow”

Remember: ‘Himalaya’ = Hima (snow) + Ālaya (abode).
  • Stretch like a 2,500 km wall across north India; many peaks exceed 8,000 m (“Eight-Thousanders”).
  • Countries spanned: India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan.
  • Act as the “Water Tower of Asia”: summer snowmelt (and glaciers) feed the Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra & tributaries — water for drinking, farming, industry, and hydropower.
  • Cultural significance: sacred landscapes with temples, monasteries; centres for pilgrimage, meditation.

🧱 Formation Story (Plate Tectonics)

India once belonged to Gondwana (near Africa). The Indian plate drifted north and collided with Eurasia ~50 million years ago. The land crumpled like a pushed carpet — raising the Himalayas. India still moves ~5 cm/year, and the mountains rise a few mm/year.

🏞️ Glacier & River Origin

  • Gangotri Glacier (Uttarakhand) is among the largest in India.
  • Gaumukh (“Cow’s Mouth”) — snout from which the Bhagirathi (a key Ganga tributary) emerges; sacred trekking and pilgrimage site.

🗻 Three Himalayan Ranges

  • Himadri (Greater Himalayas): highest & rugged; perpetual snow; sparse settlements.
  • Himachal (Lesser Himalayas): milder climate, rich biodiversity; popular hill stations: Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Darjeeling.
  • Shivalik (Outer Himalayas): lowest foothills with dense forests; transition to the Gangetic Plains.
Don’t Miss Out: Kath-kuni / dhajji-dewari houses (stone + wood) in western Himalayas stay warm and resist mild earthquakes.
World Heritage: Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh) protects diverse flora & fauna (e.g., snow leopard, Himalayan monal).

❄️ The Cold Desert of India: Ladakh

  • Extreme climate: winters below −30 °C; very low rainfall; rugged “moonland” terrain formed by folded rocks and erosion.
  • Lakes: Pangong Tso (salty water) and others amid stark landscapes.
  • Wildlife: snow leopard, ibex, Tibetan antelope; culture: ancient monasteries; festivals like Losar & Hemis.
  • Yaks are vital (milk, meat, wool, dung fuel, transport).

🌾 The Gangetic (Northern) Plains

  • Formed by the Ganga–Indus–Brahmaputra systems and tributaries; rivers deposit mineral-rich alluvium — highly fertile for intensive agriculture and dense population.
  • Enable extensive transport networks (roads, railways) and inland waterways used for trade since ancient times.
  • Hydropower and irrigation from major rivers sustain farms and cities.
  • Wildlife: tigers (recovered with Project Tiger), gharials; langurs in forested zones.
Did you notice? Night satellite images show concentrated lighting across these plains due to dense settlements, farms, and cities.
Why does the Brahmaputra swell in summer? Intense monsoon rains + Himalayan snow/glacier melt.

🏜️ The Great Indian Desert (Thar)

  • A vast arid region across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana; extreme heat by day, cold nights, scarce water.
  • Sand dunes shaped by shifting winds can rise up to ~150 m.
  • People adapt food, clothing, homes to desert conditions; camels support transport & livelihoods.
  • Culture & Heritage: Jaisalmer (“Golden City”) with its UNESCO-listed fort; fairs like Pushkar Mela.
Water wisdom: Traditional systems like taanka/kunds store rainwater; utensils cleaned with sand to save water, rinse water reused.
Wildlife icons: Indian peafowl (national bird) and the endangered gharial (protected by law).

⛰️ The Aravalli Hills

  • Among the oldest mountain ranges (~2.5 billion years); heights mostly 300–900 m with Mount Abu > 1700 m.
  • Span parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Gujarat; act as a natural barrier holding back the Thar’s eastward spread.
  • Minerals: marble, granite, zinc, copper; historic Zawar mines show early mastery of zinc extraction.
  • Forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore strategically use the hills.
Map Task: Trace a ~4.5-hour drive from Mount Abu (Aravallis) to Jodhpur (edge of Thar) — observe the dramatic change in geography.

🧭 The Peninsular Plateau & The Ghats

Plateau = elevated flat-topped landform with steep sides. India’s southern “triangle” is a peninsula (water on three sides) — Arabian Sea (W), Bay of Bengal (E), Indian Ocean (S).
  • Bordered by Western Ghats (taller, steep scarp near the west coast; many waterfalls; northern part = Sahyadri) and Eastern Ghats (lower, discontinuous).
  • Between them lies the Deccan Plateau — ancient, mineral-rich, and forested.
  • Rivers: Many flow west→east into Bay of Bengal (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi), enabling deltas, irrigation & hydropower; a few flow east→west to Arabian Sea (Narmada, Tapti).
  • Forests & Tribes: Home to Santhal, Gond, Baiga, Bhil, Korku, etc., with deep connections to nature.
  • Waterfalls & Power: Uneven rocky terrain creates scenic falls and hydel sites.
  • Biodiversity: Western Ghats (UNESCO) host unique species like lion-tailed macaque, king cobra, and fascinating insectivorous plants.
  • Resources & Climate: Coal mining supports electricity but contributes to global warming.
Map Task: Check flow direction arrows of rivers on the physical map; spot major dams and waterfalls along the Ghats.

🌊 India’s Amazing Coastlines

  • Over 7,500 km of varied coastline — sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, lagoons, mangroves, coral reefs.

🧭 West Coast (Gujarat → Kerala)

  • Short, swift rivers from Western Ghats form estuaries (not big deltas); notable: Narmada, Tapti.
  • Historic ports & cities have driven economic activity for millennia.

🧭 East Coast (Ganga Delta → Kanyakumari)

  • Wide coastal plains with large deltas — Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri — fertile farmlands.
  • Important water bodies: Chilika Lake, Pulicat Lake (lagoons separated from the sea by natural barriers).
Delta: Fan/triangle-shaped landform where a river deposits sediments at its mouth into a larger water body.
Try This: List five rivers that meet the Bay of Bengal and identify which form deltas.

🏝️ Indian Islands

India’s island groups in the Arabian Sea & Bay of Bengal add coral reefs, jungles, and even volcanoes to our diversity.

🌤️ Lakshadweep

  • Coral archipelago of 36 islands near Kerala’s Malabar coast; not all inhabited.
  • Expands India’s marine area for fishing, resources, and conservation.

🌋 Andaman & Nicobar

  • 500+ volcanic islands (two groups) — strategically located “outposts”.
  • Cellular Jail (Andaman): a solemn freedom-struggle landmark preserved as reminder of sacrifices.
  • Barren Island: India’s only active volcano — occasional smoke and lava eruptions.

🐯 The Ganga–Brahmaputra Delta & the Sundarbans

  • A unique river-sea-land interface where the Ganga & Brahmaputra (and tributaries) form the world’s great delta — split between India & Bangladesh.
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site; famed for mangroves and the Royal Bengal Tiger.

🌧️ The Hills of the Northeast

  • Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills (Meghalaya Plateau) — lush greenery, dramatic waterfalls, and among the highest rainfalls on Earth.
  • Culture: Festivals like Shad Suk Mynsiem celebrate gratitude to nature; living root bridges are crafted over years by weaving tree roots.
  • Mawlynnong (East Khasi Hills) — renowned as an exceptionally clean, eco-friendly village.

📌 Before We Move On — Key Takeaways

  • India lends its name to the surrounding subcontinent.
  • Geography ranges from snowy Himalayas to the hot Thar, vast plains, a rich peninsular plateau, and far-flung islands.
  • Diverse landforms create varied soils, flora, fauna, livelihoods, and cultures.
  • These physical features have profoundly shaped India’s climate, economy, unity, and civilisation.

📝 Questions & Activities

  1. Pick any two geographical features of India that you consider most important. Explain why.
  2. Imagine India without the Himalayas. Write a short note or make a drawing of how it might look and feel.
  3. Why is India often called a “mini-continent”? Use examples from the chapter.
  4. Trace one major river from its source to sea. List how people use it along the way (drinking, farming, transport, hydropower, etc.).
  5. Why is southern India described as a peninsular plateau?
  6. Choose a UNESCO Heritage Site mentioned here and write a short paragraph about what interests you most about it.
  7. Using both physical and political maps, mark your current location and identify the nearest major physical feature (plain, plateau, mountain, desert, coast).
  8. Food preservation varies across India. Do a class mini-project: collect methods (e.g., drying seasonal vegetables) and link them to local climate and resources.
  9. Despite varied regions (mountains, deserts, plains, coasts), India remains one country. Discuss how geography encourages unity.
💡 Map-Based Mini-Tasks (from Let’s Explore)
  • Read India’s approximate latitudes & longitudes on a physical map.
  • Identify states lying in the different Himalayan ranges.
  • Explain why the northern plains show dense lighting at night.
  • Sketch a sand dune and describe how wind shapes it.
  • Mark states spanned by the Aravalli range.
  • Mark the flow direction of major peninsular rivers and note which form deltas vs estuaries.

End of Chapter 1 Notes • Made learner-friendly & mobile-ready 👩‍🎓📱

Chapter 1: Geographical Diversity of India — Exercises & Answers

Grade 7 • Exploring Society: India & Beyond Fully solved • Mobile-friendly
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📘 1) Textbook Exercises — Questions & Model Answers

  1. What, in your opinion, are two important geographical features of India? Why do you think they are important?
    Sample: The Himalayas (they block cold winds, feed major rivers through snow and glaciers, and influence monsoons) and the Northern Plains (fertile alluvium supports dense population, intensive farming, and major cities).
  2. What do you think India might have looked like if the Himalayas did not exist?
    Without the Himalayas, cold Central Asian winds would make North India much colder and drier. Fewer perennial rivers would exist, shrinking the fertile plains; monsoon patterns would change; cultural–economic development along the Ganga–Brahmaputra would be very different.
  3. India has been called a ‘mini-continent’. Based on what you’ve read, why do you think this is so?
    Because India packs in immense physical diversity—snowy mountains, fertile plains, deserts, plateaus, long coasts, and islands—leading to varied climates, soils, flora–fauna, and livelihoods, much like an entire continent.
  4. Follow one of India’s big rivers from where it starts to where it meets the ocean. What are the different ways in which people might utilise this river along its journey?
    Example: Ganga — Source at Gaumukh/Gangotri Glacier → flows through plains to the Bay of Bengal. Uses: drinking water, irrigation, hydropower, transport & trade, fishing, religious and cultural activities, and industry.
  5. Why is the southern part of India referred to as a peninsular plateau?
    It is an old, elevated landmass (the Deccan) bordered by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean on three sides, flanked by the Western & Eastern Ghats, hence a peninsular plateau.
  6. Which UNESCO Heritage Site mentioned in this chapter did you find more interesting? Describe why.
    Sample: Sundarbans — a vast mangrove delta shared by India & Bangladesh, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, showing the delicate balance between rivers, sea, land, and human life.
  7. Look at the two maps of India, physical as well as political. Identify where you are. Which physical feature would you use to describe its location?
    Sample responses: Delhi — on the Northern Plains near the Yamuna; Bengaluru — on the Deccan Plateau; Jaipur — near the Aravallis at the edge of the Thar. (Adapt to your town.)
  8. Food preservation techniques differ across India. Gather different methods and link them to local conditions.
    Examples: Sun-drying fish on humid coasts; pickling & papads in arid Rajasthan; fermentation (idli–dosa batter, bamboo shoots) in wetter regions; smoking meat in cool, high-rainfall hills; grain storage in dry interiors.
  9. Despite different regions (mountains, deserts, plains, coasts), India remains one country. How has geography helped unite people?
    Rivers, passes, and coasts enabled travel, trade, and cultural exchange; monsoon rhythms are shared; pilgrimage routes link distant regions; natural resources created interdependence—fostering unity in diversity.

🔤 2) One-Word Answer Questions (10)

  1. Highest Himalayan range: Himadri
  2. Outermost Himalayan range: Shivalik
  3. India’s cold desert region: Ladakh
  4. Snout of the Gangotri Glacier: Gaumukh
  5. “Water Tower of Asia”: Himalayas
  6. Oldest mountain range mentioned: Aravallis
  7. Only active volcano of India (island): Barren
  8. Coral archipelago in the Arabian Sea: Lakshadweep
  9. Lagoon on the east coast of India (Odisha): Chilika
  10. Western Ghats are also called: Sahyadri

🧩 3) Fill in the Blanks (10)

  1. India is the ________ largest country in the world. seventh
  2. ‘Himalaya’ means the ________ of ________. abode; snow
  3. The river ________ is known as the “son of Brahma.” Brahmaputra
  4. ________ is the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. Gaumukh
  5. Pangong Tso has ________ water. salty
  6. The oldest mountains mentioned are the ________. Aravallis
  7. The Northern Plains are formed by ________-rich deposits. alluvium
  8. The Western Ghats are also called the ________ Hills. Sahyadri
  9. India’s only active volcano is on ________ Island. Barren
  10. Lakshadweep consists of ________ islands. 36

✅ 4) True or False (10) — with Explanations

1) The Himalayas stretch for about 2,500 km.
True — The range forms a massive arc across North India of roughly this length.
2) Most west-coast rivers form large deltas.
False — They are short and swift, forming estuaries; big deltas are on the east coast.
3) In the Thar Desert, days are cold and nights are hot.
False — Days are very hot; nights turn cold due to rapid heat loss.
4) The Brahmaputra shrinks during summer.
False — It swells in summer due to monsoon rains and meltwater.
5) The Western Ghats are lower than the Eastern Ghats.
False — Western Ghats are generally taller and steeper.
6) Lakshadweep consists mainly of coral islands.
True — It is a coral archipelago in the Arabian Sea.
7) The Sundarbans are entirely within India.
False — They are shared by India and Bangladesh.
8) Narmada and Tapti flow into the Bay of Bengal.
False — Both drain into the Arabian Sea.
9) Ladakh receives heavy rainfall.
False — It is a cold desert with very low rainfall.
10) The Great Himalayan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
True — It conserves rich Himalayan biodiversity.

✍️ 5) Very Short Answers (10) — 2–3 lines each

  1. Why are the Himalayas called the “Water Tower of Asia”?
    Because their glaciers and snowfields feed major rivers like the Ganga, Indus, and Brahmaputra, supplying water for drinking, farming, industry, and hydropower to millions.
  2. What is a plateau?
    An elevated flat-topped landform with steep sides. The Deccan is India’s major peninsular plateau.
  3. Why are the Northern Plains densely populated?
    Fertile alluvium, abundant water, flat terrain, and transport networks support intensive agriculture and large settlements.
  4. What makes Ladakh a cold desert?
    Very low rainfall, high altitude, freezing winters (below −30°C), and sparse vegetation in a rugged terrain.
  5. State one cultural feature linked to the Himalayas.
    Sacred sites and monasteries attract pilgrims and spiritual seekers; many peaks and rivers are revered.
  6. Why are the Western Ghats important?
    They host unique biodiversity (UNESCO site), source many rivers, and influence the southwest monsoon.
  7. What is special about the Sundarbans?
    A mangrove delta (India & Bangladesh), UNESCO-listed, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and rich wildlife.
  8. Name the two main island groups of India.
    Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea) and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal).
  9. What are taankas/kunds?
    Traditional rainwater harvesting structures in arid Rajasthan used to store scarce water.
  10. What is an estuary?
    A tidal mouth of a river where it meets the sea; common on the west coast (e.g., Narmada, Tapti).

📝 6) Short Answers (10) — 3–4 lines each

  1. Explain how the Himalayas were formed.
    The Indian plate drifted from Gondwana and collided with Eurasia ~50 million years ago. The sediments between them crumpled and uplifted like a pushed carpet, forming the Himalayas, which continue to rise slowly.
  2. List three key features of the Northern Plains.
    Alluvial fertility from the Ganga–Indus–Brahmaputra systems; flat terrain enabling dense transport networks; high population density with major agricultural output.
  3. Differentiate between the east and west coasts of India.
    The east coast has wide plains with large river deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri). The west coast is narrower with short, swift rivers forming estuaries; the Western Ghats lie close to the sea.
  4. What roles do the Western and Eastern Ghats play?
    They flank the Deccan Plateau, guide river flow and drainage, host waterfalls and biodiversity, and influence climate (especially the Western Ghats shaping monsoon rainfall).
  5. Describe the Thar Desert’s physical environment and adaptations.
    Hot days, cold nights, scarce water, shifting sand dunes. People adapt housing, clothing, and water-saving practices; camels aid transport; rainwater is stored in taankas/kunds.
  6. Why do many peninsular rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal?
    The plateau has a gentle eastward tilt, so major rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi) flow east, depositing sediments to form deltas at the Bay of Bengal.
  7. Write a short note on the biodiversity of the Western Ghats.
    A UNESCO World Heritage biodiversity hotspot with endemic species like the lion-tailed macaque and king cobra, plus unique insectivorous plants; many forest types and river origins.
  8. What is the strategic and historical importance of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands?
    They act as India’s maritime outposts in the Bay of Bengal and house the historic Cellular Jail, linked to the freedom struggle; the region includes Barren Island, India’s only active volcano.
  9. Explain why the Sundarbans are ecologically significant.
    They form a vast mangrove ecosystem buffering storms, supporting fisheries, storing carbon, and providing habitat to the Royal Bengal Tiger and numerous estuarine species.
  10. Describe the hills of the Northeast (Meghalaya Plateau).
    Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills receive very high rainfall, creating lush forests and waterfalls; communities build living root bridges and celebrate nature-centered festivals like Shad Suk Mynsiem.

End of Exercises • Chapter 1 • Geographical Diversity of India • Ready to revise & score high! 🌟

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