Page 128 - ICSE GEOGRAPHY

• In most parts of India, it rains only for • Tidal or Mangrove Forests
a few months and the rest of the year • Mountain Forests
is characterised by long periods of dry
months. So, the time when it rains is a
period of celebration. Hence, most of
the Indian festivals are related to the
harvesting and cropping seasons. CHINA
PAKISTAN
• Th e traditional form of farming has been
rain-fed subsistence farming in most of NEPAL
the villages in India. BHUTAN
• Diff erent regions produce diff erent crops BANGLADESH
on account of the seasonal and regional
variations in weather conditions.
MYANMAR

Natural Vegetation of India ARABIAN BAY
SEA OF
BENGAL
Natural vegetation refers to a plant community
that has been left undisturbed for a long NATURAL VEGETATION
Tropical Rain Forest
period of time. India is fortunate to be home Deciduous, Forest
to a collection of rich and varied natural Semi-desert and Desert
Tidal Forest Andaman & Nicobar Islands
vegetation. A wide range of fl ora and fauna is Lakshadweep Mountain Forest (India)
(India)
found abundantly across the country. SRI
LANKA
India can be divided into eight distinct fl oristic
A map showing the natural vegetation of India
regions, namely, the western Himalayas, the
eastern Himalayas, Assam, the Indus Plain, Tropical Evergreen Rainforests
the Ganga Plain, the Deccan, the Malabar • Tropical evergreen forests can survive
and the Andamans. a small dry spell but grow best in areas

where the average rainfall is about 200
Fact Corner
centimetres. Th e trees reach great heights
The monsoon season also influences gold
and grow up to 60 metres and above.
demand in India, which is the world’s top
consumer of the yellow metal, as purchases • Th ey are mainly found on the slopes of
get a boost when farm incomes rise due to the Western Ghats and the north-eastern
high crop output. regions of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya,
Assam, Nagaland, the Tarai areas of the
Th erefore, natural vegetation in India Himalayas and the Andaman Islands.
is generally divided into the following • Th e trees in these belts have dense growth.
categories. Th ere is no definite period for the shedding
• Tropical Evergreen Rainforest of leaves.
• Deciduous Vegetation or Monsoon Type • Important varieties of trees are sishu,
Forests chaplash, rosewood, mahogany, bamboo,
• Semi-desert and Desert Vegetation garjan and eucalyptus.

subsistence: the action or fact of maintaining or supporting oneself, especially at a minimal level

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