Class 9 (Geography)
Chapter 1 (India
– Size and Location)
Notes
Location of India
- India is situated on the Asian
continent, lying entirely within the Northern and Eastern hemispheres.
- It spans between latitudes 8'4" N
and 37°6'N, and longitudes 68°7' E and 97°25' E.
- The Tropic of Cancer at 23°30' N divides
India into two almost equal parts, with the upper half having a temperate
cooler climate and the lower half a tropical climate.
- The southernmost point of India, known
as 'Indira Point,' was submerged in the 2004 Tsunami.
- To the southeast lie the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, while the Lakshadweep Islands are
situated southwest in the Arabian Sea.
Size of India
- India is the 7th largest country
globally in terms of landmass, covering a total area of 3.28 million
square kilometers.
- It accounts for 2.4% of the world's land
area, with a land boundary stretching 15,200 km and a coastal boundary,
including islands, spanning 7,516 km.
- The east-west and north-south stretches
of India measure approximately 3,000 km each, with the east-west stretch
being slightly shorter.
- This vast distance between the eastern
and western ends of the country results in a two-hour time difference
between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh, despite both following Indian
Standard Time (IST) along longitude 82.30° E.
India and the World
- India's strategic location between East
and West Asia offers advantages over both water and land routes.
- It serves as the southward extension of
the Asian continent, connecting trans-Indian Ocean routes to Southeast
Asian, Eastern, African, and European countries.
- India's long coastline facilitates
extensive contact with the world through sea routes, leading to the Indian
Ocean being named after the country.
- Historically, traders and travelers used
mountain passes when sea routes were less explored, highlighting India's
strategic position in facilitating trade and cultural exchange.
- Both sea and land routes have
facilitated significant exchanges of ideas and commodities between India
and the world, contributing to intellectual, trade, and architectural
developments in the region.
Important Question Answers
Very Short Question
Answers
Question 1: What is the name
of the island group situated in the Arabian Sea?
Answer: The
group of islands lying in the Arabian Sea is known as the Lakshadweep islands.
Question 2: Which countries
are larger than India in terms of land area?
Answer:
Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, and Australia are countries that have a
larger land area than India.
Question 3: Which island
group of India is located to its southeast?
Answer: The Andaman and Nicobar
islands constitute the island group of India lying to its southeast.
Question 4: What are the
island countries that are southern neighbors of India?
Answer: Sri
Lanka and Maldives are the island countries that are southern neighbors of
India.
Question 5: What are the
northern and southern latitudinal extents of India?
Answer: The latitudinal extent of
India ranges between 8°4′ N (southernmost) and 37°6’ N (northernmost) latitude.
Question 6: What are the
westernmost and easternmost longitudinal extents of India?
Answer:
India's longitudinal extent stretches from 68°7′ E (westernmost) to 97°25′ E
(easternmost) longitude.
Question 7: What is the
southernmost point of the Union of India?
Answer: The
southernmost point of the Union of India is known as Indira Point.
Question 8: In which year
did 'Indira Point' become submerged underwater due to a tsunami?
Answer:
'Indira Point' got submerged under sea water in the year 2004 due to a tsunami.
Question 9: What is the
total land area of the Indian landmass?
Answer: The
landmass of India covers an area of 3.28 million square kilometers, accounting
for 2.4% of the total area of the world.
Question 10: How does India
rank in terms of size among the countries of the world?
Answer: India
is the seventh largest country in the world.
Question 11: What is the
total land frontier of India?
Answer: The total land frontier of
India measures 15,200 kilometers.
Question 12: What is the
total length of the Indian coastline, including the Indian islands?
Answer: The total length of the
Indian coastline, including the Indian islands, is 7,516.6 kilometers.
Question 13: What is the
time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh?
Answer: The
time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh is 2 hours.
Question 14: Why was 82°30′
selected as the standard meridian of India?
Answer: 82°30′
E was chosen as the standard meridian of India because it passes through the
center of India, specifically Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
Question 15: In which year
was the Suez Canal inaugurated?
Answer: The Suez Canal was
inaugurated in 1869.
Question 16: What is the
significance of the Suez Canal?
Answer: The
Suez Canal reduced India's distance from Europe by 7,000 kilometers.
Question 17: What is the
total north-south extent of India in kilometers?
Answer: The north-south extent of
India spans 3,214 kilometers.
Question 18: What is the
total east-west extent of India in kilometers?
Answer: The
total east-west extent of India is 2,933 kilometers.
Question 19: Which state is
the largest and which one is the smallest in terms of area in India?
Answer: The
largest state in India by area is Rajasthan, while the smallest state is Goa.
Question 20: Name the states
of India that neither have an international border nor lie on the coast.
Answer: The
states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Jharkhand do not have an
international border or lie on the coast.
Question 21: Which states of
India share a common border with Pakistan?
Answer: The states of Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir share a common border with Pakistan.
Question 22: Name the states
of India that share a common border with China.
Answer: The
states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and
Arunachal Pradesh share a common border with China.
Question 23: Which states of
India share a common border with Myanmar?
Answer: The
states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram share a common
border with Myanmar.
Question 24: Which countries
share borders with India?
Answer: India shares its borders
with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal, and
Bhutan in the north, and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east.
Question 25: Which two
island countries are India’s neighbors?
Answer: The two island countries
that are India’s neighbors are Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Question 26: What are the
two water bodies that separate India from Sri Lanka?
Answer: The
two water bodies that separate India from Sri Lanka are the Palk Strait and the
Gulf of Mannar.
Question 27: What were the
types of states present in India before 1947?
Answer: The
types of states present in India before 1947 were provinces and princely
states.
Question 28: Through which
states does the Tropic of Cancer pass?
Answer: The Tropic of Cancer
passes through the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.
Question 29: With which
country do Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat share an
international boundary?
Answer: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab,
Rajasthan, and Gujarat share an international boundary with Pakistan.
Question 30: Name the two
states of India that are part of the Indian desert.
Answer: The two states of India
that are part of the Indian desert are Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Long Question Answers
Q1: Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt
at Kanyakumari but not so in Kashmir?
The disparity in the lengths
of day and night in Kanyakumari and Kashmir is predominantly influenced by
their latitudinal positions. Kanyakumari, situated closer to the equator,
experiences a relatively minor variation of about 45 minutes between the duration
of day and night. In contrast, Kashmir, positioned farther from the equator,
undergoes a significant contrast in the length of day and night, which can
extend to approximately 3-5 hours.
Q2: What is a subcontinent?
Name the countries that constitute the Indian subcontinent. How is India
different from other countries of Asia?
- A subcontinent is a distinct
geographical unit that stands out prominently from the rest of the region
due to its large size, varied climates, and diverse relief.
- The countries comprising the Indian
subcontinent are India at its core, Pakistan to the west, Nepal and China
(Tibet) to the north, and Bhutan and Bangladesh to the east.
- India sets itself apart from other Asian
countries concerning climate, vegetation, and culture.
Q3: India’s land routes have
been important since ancient times. Explain.
India's connections with the
outside world have persisted through the ages, with its land routes dating back
much earlier than its maritime contacts. Various passes across the northern mountains
have facilitated passage for ancient travelers, contributing to the exchange of
ideas and commodities since antiquity. These routes, such as the Kyber and
Bolan passes, have enabled the dissemination of cultural and intellectual
concepts like the Upanishads, Ramayana, and Panchatantra stories, along with
commodities like spices and muslin cloth. This exchange of goods and ideas has
also influenced architectural styles, such as the adoption of Greek sculpture
and West Asian architectural designs in various parts of India.
Q4: Why are Ahmedabad and
Kolkata able to see the noon seen exactly overhead twice a year but not Delhi?
The sun's apparent movement
within the tropics accounts for the phenomenon of the noon sun being directly
overhead in certain locations. Places situated within the tropics witness the
overhead sun twice a year. Both Ahmedabad and Kolkata are positioned south of
the Tropic of Cancer, allowing them to experience the noon sun overhead twice
annually. However, Delhi, located at 29°N latitude well to the north of the
Tropic of Cancer, falls outside the tropics. Therefore, it never observes the
noon sun directly overhead at any time of the year due to its position in the
subtropical zone.
Q5: India occupies an
important strategic position in South Asia. Discuss.
The Indian subcontinent
occupies a crucial strategic position in South Asia due to its central location
between East and West Asia. Its extension into the Indian Ocean connects it to
both Europe and East Asia, making it a pivotal point along the trans-Indian
Ocean routes. Additionally, its landmass connects India through land routes and
mountain passes to various countries to the north, west, and east. Furthermore,
the Deccan Peninsula's protrusion into the Indian Ocean enhances India's
connectivity with West Asia, Africa, and Europe from the western coast, as well
as Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
Q6: Describe how the
geographical features of India have fostered unity and homogeneity in Indian
society.
India's geographical
diversity has played a significant role in fostering unity and homogeneity
within its society. The lofty northward-extending mountains create a natural
barrier against potential intrusions, contributing to India's structural
integrity. The southern peninsula, surrounded by seas and oceans, limits
outside access to well-defended routes via sea or mountain passes.
Additionally, the adoption of the standard meridian 82’30” as local time across
India promotes uniformity. Rivers and their tributaries provide irrigation
facilities nationwide, facilitating uniform development. Monsoons further
foster unity through associated festivals and by fulfilling agricultural and
domestic needs. This amalgamation of diverse geographical features has
facilitated the adoption of new norms and values, promoting unity and
homogeneity throughout India.
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