FAQs about Phisical Features of India

There are several major physical regions on the subcontinent. They include the Himalayan Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the Coastal Plains, and the Islands.
The main mountain ranges of the Himalayas are the Great Himalayas or Himadri (main high peaks), the Lesser Himalayas or Himachal (intermediate peaks and plateaus), and the Outer Himalayas or Shiwaliks (lower slopes).
These three river systems along with their numerous tributaries have, over a period of millions of years, deposited sediments in the region to form the Northern Plains, one of the most fertile regions in India and also one of the most densely populated.
The Peninsular Plateau consists of an old tableland which formed millions of years ago. It comprises of the ancient crystalline rocks of the Central Highlands and the newer basaltic rocks of the Deccan Plateau.
There are two major island groups in India: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands group is larger and comprises more islands than the Lakshadweep group which is comprises of small coral islands mostly in the form of atolls.
The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is generally confined to the State of Rajasthan, extending into some parts of bordering states and even into Pakistan, lying largely to the west of the Aravalli Range.
The Western Ghats run in a parallel direction to India’s Western Coast. The range is generally very high and continues for long distance. In contrast, the Eastern Ghats run along the Eastern side of the Peninsular Plateau. They are low and discontinuous and are penetrated by several major rivers like Godavari and Krishna.
Western Coastal Plains – These are narrow coastal strips bordering Arabian Sea. Eastern Coastal Plains – These are broad coastal strips bordering the Bay of Bengal and contain the major deltaic plains of several rivers.