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Theme 7: India: Geographical Features
8 India—
Physiography
ndia has a unique geological history. Th e Implications of Latitudinal Extensions
IIndian subcontinent was part of an old • Th e Tropic of Cancer divides India into
landmass called Gondwanaland since the nearly two equal parts. Th e southern half
formation of the Earth’s crust. However, lies in the hot tropical zone whereas the
around 50 million years ago, it broke away northern half lies in the warm temperate/
from Gondwanaland and came together with subtropical zone.
the Tibetan landmass to form the the young • Temperature generally decreases with
fold mountains we now call the Himalayas. At increasing latitude. Th e tropical part
present, India is the seventh largest country (peninsular India) of the country, being
in the world. near the Equator, has warm and tropical
climatic conditions with no distinct
Location and Extent of India winter. Th e subtropical part (northern
India lies entirely in the Northern and India) has a more or less extreme climate,
the Eastern Hemisphere. Mainland India i.e., hot summers and cold winters. Th is
extends between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N, variation in climate from warm Kerala to
and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E. Th e cold Kashmir is mainly due to the large
southernmost tip of India is Indira Point latitudinal extent.
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands which lies • Th e variations in the duration of the day
at 6°45’N latitude. Th e Tropic of Cancer and night also massively diff er from the
(23°30’N) divides the country into almost north to the south. Kanyakumari, which
two equal parts. is very close to the Equator, has an almost
Th e east-west stretch and the north-south equal duration of night and day. However,
stretch of India measure approximately 3,000 Kashmir, being far from the equator, has a
kilometres in both directions. Th is causes a big diff erence (almost 5 hours) between the
time lag of two hours between the local time durations of day and night. Th is happens
because the further a region is located
at the eastern and the western ends. India’s from the Equator, the more uneven the
standard time is the time along longitude duration of the nights and days will be in
82°30’ East. Th is longitude passes through that region as that region does not receive
Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and is referred to direct sunlight for a fi xed period of time.
as the Standard Meridian of India.
While India’s longitudinal stretch gives rise
to a time lag between the east and the west, its Boundaries of India
latitudinal stretch infl uences the duration of Afghanistan and Pakistan share the
days and nights. boundaries of India towards the north-west.
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