Indian Geography – Comprehensive Study Notes
(Prepared for Arunachal Pradesh TET – General Awareness & Current Affairs)
Tip: These notes blend exam‑oriented depth (JEE‑style derivations, tricky points) with practical relevance for the TET syllabus. Use them to master concepts, solve derivations, and tackle high‑level questions.
1. Introduction
| Concept | Definition | Relevance to TET |
|---|---|---|
| Geography | Study of Earth’s physical features, atmosphere, and human interaction | Core of the General Awareness component |
| Physical Geography | Natural features: landforms, climate, vegetation | Basis for questions on mountains, rivers, climate |
| Human Geography | Population, culture, economy, settlement | Tests knowledge of census, demographics, land use |
| Cartography | Map creation & interpretation | Essential for map‑reading and scale‑based questions |
2. Physical Geography of India
2.1 Location & Coordinates
| Feature | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Latitude | 8° N – 37° N (incl. Sikkim) | Covers equatorial to alpine zones |
| Longitude | 68° E – 97° E | Spans 29° of longitude |
| Area | 3,287,263 km² (incl. Lakshadweep, Andaman) | 7th largest country |
Tricky Point: “India is almost a rectangle” – but its actual shape is irregular due to the Himalayan fringe and coastal indentations.
2.2 Plate Tectonics
| Plate | Interaction | Resulting Features |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Plate | Colliding with Eurasian Plate | Himalayan uplift, Indo‑Gangetic plain |
| Indo‑Arctic Plate | Subducts beneath Eurasian plate | Trench zones, volcanic arcs |
| Indo‑Arafura Plate | Minor interactions | Influences eastern seaboard geology |
- Seismic Zones (Indian Standard)
- Very High (Zone 5) – Himalayas (e.g., Kashmir, Uttarakhand)
- High (Zone 4) – Northern hill states, Assam
- Moderate (Zone 3) – Central, Eastern, Southern peninsular states
- Low (Zone 2) – Western states (Gujarat, Rajasthan)
- Very Low (Zone 1) – Southern peninsular states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu)
Derivation Example: Probability of >7.0‑magnitude quake ≈ 1‑in‑500 years – derived from historical data and plate stress rates.
2.3 Major Mountain Ranges
| Range | Approx. Length | Highest Peak | Key Rivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Himalayas | 2400 km | Mt. Everest (8,848 m) | Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus |
| Western Ghats | 1600 km | Anamudi (2,695 m) | Krishna, Godavari, Narmada |
| Eastern Ghats | 1500 km | Arma Konda (2,005 m) | Mahanadi, Godavari |
| Aravalli | 1200 km | Guru Shikhar (1,772 m) | Chambal, Sabarmati |
| Vindhya | 1800 km |
- Rock Types: Precambrian gneisses, granites, schists in Himalayas; quartzite, basalt in Western Ghats.
Tricky Point: Western Ghats are not just a mountain range but a UNESCO World Heritage “biodiversity hotspot” – key for ecology questions.
2.4 Rivers & Drainage
| River | Source | Mouth | Drain