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Indian Geography (RRB)

Mountains, rivers, soils, climate, agriculture.

Practice — 4 questionsAsk AI

Indian Geography (RRB) — Core

Mountains, rivers, soils, climate, agriculture.

Indian geography — physical features
Notes

India is the 7th largest country (3.28 million km²), 2nd most populous (~1.43 billion). Located in the northern hemisphere.

Latitude/longitude:

  • North-south extent: ~3214 km (Kashmir to Kanyakumari).
  • East-west extent: ~2933 km (Arunachal to Gujarat).
  • Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) passes through 8 states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram.
  • Indian Standard Time (IST): 82.5°E longitude (passing through Mirzapur, UP). 5 hr 30 min ahead of GMT.

Physical divisions (6 major):

  1. Northern Mountains (Himalayas):

    • Three parallel ranges: Greater Himalayas (Himadri), Lesser Himalayas (Himachal), Outer Himalayas (Shiwalik).
    • Highest peak in India: Kanchenjunga (8586 m) in Sikkim — 3rd highest in world.
    • Mt. Everest (8848 m) is in Nepal, not India.
    • K2 (8611 m) is in PoK.
    • Karakoram (NW): K2.
    • Purvanchal (NE): Patkai, Naga, Manipur, Mizo, Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills.

  2. Northern Plains (Indo-Gangetic Plain):

    • Formed by Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
    • Most fertile; population dense.
    • Includes Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, parts of West Bengal.

  3. Peninsular Plateau (Deccan Plateau):

    • Oldest landform (pre-Cambrian).
    • Western Ghats (Sahyadri): higher (~1600 m avg), continuous. Anaimudi (2695 m) — highest peak in S India.
    • Eastern Ghats: lower, discontinuous. Mahendragiri.
    • Nilgiri hills form the junction. Mahabaleshwar, Ooty are famous hill stations.

  4. Indian Desert (Thar) — western Rajasthan; few rivers; sand dunes.

  5. Coastal Plains: Eastern (Coromandel) and Western (Malabar). Eastern is broader.

  6. Islands:

    • Andaman & Nicobar in Bay of Bengal — volcanic; Barren Island = only active volcano in India.
    • Lakshadweep in Arabian Sea — coral islands; smallest UT.

Major rivers:

  • Himalayan rivers (perennial — snow-fed): Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum.
  • Peninsular rivers (seasonal — rain-fed): Mahanadi, Godavari ("Dakshin Ganga"), Krishna, Kaveri (east-flowing); Narmada, Tapi (west-flowing — into Arabian Sea via rift valleys).
  • Brahmaputra: world's highest navigable river; in Tibet called Tsangpo, in Bangladesh called Jamuna, finally Meghna delta.
  • Sundarbans Delta (Bengal): world's largest delta, formed by Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna.

Climate — four seasons: winter (Dec–Feb), summer (Mar–May), monsoon (Jun–Sep), post-monsoon (Oct–Nov).

  • Monsoon brings ~80% of annual rainfall.
  • Southwest monsoon: June–September (from Arabian Sea + Bay of Bengal).
  • Northeast monsoon: October–December (rains Tamil Nadu).
  • Cherrapunji and Mawsynram (Meghalaya) get the world's heaviest rainfall.
Indian geography — states, agriculture, resources
Worked example

States & UTs: 28 states + 8 Union Territories (as of 2026).

  • Ladakh and J&K became UTs in 2019 (after revocation of Article 370).
  • Largest state by area: Rajasthan. Smallest: Goa.
  • Most populous state: Uttar Pradesh (~240 million). Least: Sikkim.
  • Largest UT: Ladakh. Smallest UT: Lakshadweep.

Climate types (Indian Meteorological Department):

  • Tropical wet (Western Ghats, NE India): heavy rain.
  • Tropical wet & dry (most of central India): monsoon climate.
  • Subtropical humid (north plains).
  • Arid (Thar desert): low rainfall, extreme temperatures.
  • Mountain (Himalayas).

Agriculture seasons:

  • Kharif (sown June–July, harvested Oct–Nov): rice, maize, jowar, bajra, cotton, jute, sugarcane.
  • Rabi (sown Oct–Nov, harvested April): wheat, barley, mustard, peas, gram.
  • Zaid (March–June): summer crops; watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber.

Major crops, top producing states:

  • Rice: West Bengal, Punjab, UP, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Wheat: UP, Punjab, MP, Haryana.
  • Cotton: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana.
  • Sugarcane: UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka.
  • Tea: Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu.
  • Coffee: Karnataka (60%), Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
  • Jute: West Bengal, Bihar, Assam (under threat from synthetic substitutes).
  • Pulses: MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP.

Mineral resources:

  • Iron ore: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Jharkhand.
  • Coal: Jharkhand (Jharia, Bokaro), Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal.
  • Bauxite (aluminium ore): Odisha, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Manganese: Odisha, Karnataka, MP.
  • Copper: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.
  • Gold: Hutti (Karnataka), Kolar mines (closed in 2001).
  • Mica: Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan — India is the world's largest exporter.
  • Petroleum: Mumbai High (offshore), Assam (Digboi — oldest oilfield in India, 1889), Gujarat, Rajasthan.

Natural disasters India is prone to:

  • Earthquakes: Himalayan belt (Zone V), western India (Zone IV).
  • Cyclones: east coast (Bay of Bengal) more frequent than west.
  • Floods: Assam, Bihar, eastern UP.
  • Droughts: Rajasthan, Gujarat, central India.
  • Tsunamis: 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar.

National parks (selected):

  • Jim Corbett (Uttarakhand) — first national park (1936); tigers.
  • Kaziranga (Assam) — one-horned rhino.
  • Gir (Gujarat) — Asiatic lion.
  • Sundarbans (W Bengal) — Royal Bengal tiger.
  • Periyar (Kerala) — elephants.
  • Ranthambore (Rajasthan) — tigers.

Famous lakes: Wular (J&K, largest freshwater), Chilika (Odisha, largest brackish-water coastal lake), Dal (Srinagar), Sambhar (Rajasthan, salt), Pulicat (TN), Loktak (Manipur, has floating phumdis).