Geography
Physiography of India
GS Paper I
Physiography of India — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of India's physiography: Himalayan ranges, plains zones and doabs, plateau ranges and peaks, Ghats, coasts and island channels.
SyllabusGS I · Indian and world geography — physical, social, economic geography of India
A last-week revision sheet for India’s relief. Most Prelims questions here test order (north to south, west to east) and location.
The Himalayas
| Range / unit | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Trans-Himalaya | Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar ranges — north of the Greater Himalaya |
| Greater Himalaya (Himadri) | Most continuous; loftiest peaks; granite core; average about 6,000 m (NCERT) |
| Lesser Himalaya (Himachal) | Pir Panjal (longest), Dhaula Dhar, Mahabharat; Kashmir, Kangra, Kullu valleys; hill stations |
| Shiwalik | Outermost; unconsolidated sediments; duns (Dehra, Kotli, Patli) to their north |
| Purvanchal | Patkai Bum, Naga, Manipur, Mizo (Lushai) hills along the eastern boundary |
| Regional division | Bounded by |
|---|---|
| Punjab Himalaya | Indus – Satluj |
| Kumaon Himalaya | Satluj – Kali |
| Nepal Himalaya | Kali – Teesta |
| Assam Himalaya | Teesta – Dihang |
The Northern Plains
| Zone | Identity |
|---|---|
| Bhabar | Pebble belt, about 8–16 km wide; streams vanish |
| Terai | Swampy; streams reappear; forests and wildlife |
| Bhangar | Older alluvium; terraces; kankar |
| Khadar | Newer alluvium; floodplains; most fertile |
| Doab | Between |
|---|---|
| Bist-Jalandhar | Beas – Satluj |
| Bari | Beas – Ravi |
| Rechna | Ravi – Chenab |
| Chaj | Chenab – Jhelum |
| Sind Sagar | Jhelum/Chenab – Indus |
The Peninsular Plateau
| Unit | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Central Highlands | North of the Narmada; Aravalis (NW), Malwa plateau, Vindhyas (south); Bundelkhand, Baghelkhand, Chotanagpur |
| Deccan Plateau | South of the Narmada; Satpura in the north; Mahadeo, Kaimur, Maikal to the east; slopes east |
| Western Ghats | Continuous, higher; Thal, Bhor, Pal passes; Anai Mudi 2,695 m; Doddabetta 2,637 m |
| Eastern Ghats | Discontinuous, lower; Mahendragiri 1,501 m; Nallamala, Javadi, Shevaroy hills |
| Nilgiris | Junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats |
| North-east extension | Meghalaya plateau (Garo, Khasi, Jaintia); Karbi Anglong; separated by the Malda gap |
Desert, Coasts and Islands
| Unit | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Indian Desert (Marusthali) | West of the Aravalis; barchans; rainfall below 150 mm a year (NCERT); Luni the only large river |
| Western coast | Konkan, Kannad, Malabar; narrow; submerged; estuaries; kayals in Malabar |
| Eastern coast | Northern Circars, Coromandel; broad; emergent; deltas; Chilika and Pulicat lakes |
| Andaman and Nicobar | Submarine mountain chain; Barren Island (active volcano); Indira Point |
| Lakshadweep | Coral atolls; Kavaratti; Minicoy |
High-yield facts
- Ten Degree Channel — Andaman | Nicobar. Nine Degree — Lakshadweep | Minicoy. Eight Degree — Minicoy | Maldives.
- Duncan Passage — South Andaman | Little Andaman.
- Narmada and Tapi flow west through rift valleys, between the Vindhya–Satpura and Satpura–Ajanta lines respectively.
- Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu) is the highest point of the Aravalis.
Common Traps
Watch for these
- Bhangar = old, Khadar = new — not the other way round.
- Western Ghats are higher and continuous; Eastern Ghats are lower and broken.
- The west coast has estuaries, not large deltas; the east coast has deltas.
- Lakshadweep is coral; Andaman and Nicobar are not.
Related Topics
- Physiographic Divisions of India
- Physiography of India — practice questions
- Drainage System of India
- Geomorphology
- All quick revision sheets
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