Question
Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau.
Solution
The major physiographic divisions of India are:
(i)The Himalayan Mountains
(ii)The Northern Plains
(iii)The Peninsular plateau
(iv)The Indian Desert
(v)The Coastal Plains
(vi)The Islands
| The Himalayan region | Peninsular plateau | ||
| (i)The Himalayas, geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretch over thenorthern borders of India. (ii)These mountain ranges run in a west-east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra. (iii)The Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world. |
(i)The Peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of the old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks. (ii)It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land and thus, making it a part of the oldest landmass. (iii)The plateau has broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills. This plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau. |
