Page 117 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY
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R.   Chenab R.  Indus R.
                                        Jhelum       G
                          PAKISTAN                     R                         CHINA
                                        Ravi R.
                                       Sutlej R.        Haridwar  Nanda Devi
                                                         E
                               Indus R.           Delhi  Ganga  A  T
                                                                     NEP A L
                                                        R.
                                                                  E
                                                                              Mt Everest Kanchenjunga
                                                                      R
                                                           Agra                          BHUTAN     Y   A
                                                      Ya muna
                                                       R.
                                                            Lucknow       Gandak  I  M  Darjilling  L  BrahmaputraR.
                                                                            H
                                                     NO RT HERN
                                                                                                A
                                                                                        A
                                                 Chambal R.  Betwa R.  Kanpur PLAINS  Kosi R.          E AS TE R N HIMALAYAS
                                                                             R.
                                                                  Allahabad
                                                                               Patna
                                                                       Ghaghar aR .
                                                                      Varanasi
                                                                                        BANGLADESH
                                                                                                     NOR TH
                                                                                       Hugli R.
                                             Narmada R .                             Kolkata            MYANMAR
                                                   DECCAN           Mahanadi  R .      Mouth of the Ganges
                                            Tapi R.
                                                   PLA T EAU
                          ARABIAN SEA                                                   BA Y OF BENGAL
                                              A map showing the location of the Northern Plains in India
                                                                        • Th eir fl at surface, slow moving perennial
                    Ganga–Brahmaputra Plain                                rivers and favourable climate are of great
                    Th  e Ganga–Brahmapurta plain is formed                economical and social signifi cance.
                    by the deposition of sediments brought by           •  Good network of roads and railways has
                    the two main river systems—the Ganga                   led to the large scale industrialisation of
                    and the Brahmaputra. Th  e Ganga has many              this region which has greatly helped the
                    tributaries out of which the Yamuna is the             nation’s economy.
                    most important. Both these rivers originate
                                                                        Peninsular Plateau
                    in the Himalayas. Th e Brahmaputra originates
                    in Tibet where it is known as Tsangpo. It fl ows    Th  e Peninsular Plateau is the largest and the
                    eastwards for a considerable length and then        oldest hard rock formation of India’s physical
                    turns southwards where it fl ows  westwards         divisions. It is a triangular-shaped tableland
                    mostly through the state of Assam. Th e Ganga       which was a part of an ancient landmass called
                    Plain extends between the Ghaggar and Teesta        Gondwanaland. Th  e Peninsular Plateau is
                    rivers whereas the Brahmaputra Plain forms          divided into two groups—Central Highlands
                    the eastern part of the northern plains. Th e       and Deccan Plateau.
                    Brahmaputra meets the Ganga in Bangladesh as        Central Highlands
                    the Padma and forms the world’s largest delta.
                    Th  e importance of the Northern Plains is          Th  e Central Highlands extend from the
                    listed below.                                       Narmada River to the Northern Plains. It
                    •  Fertile soil and assured water resources         is bounded by the Aravallis in the west and
                       make the plains rich agricultural lands.         the Satpura range in the south. Th e eastern
                       Th  ey are the granaries of India.               extension of the Central Highlands consists

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