1. Describe the Gondwana land.

     The oldest landmass,was a part of the Gondwana land.The Gondwana land included in India,Australia,South Africa and South America as one single land mass.The convectional currents split the crust into a number of pieces,thus leading to the drifting of the Indo - Australian plate after being separated from the Gondwana land,towards north.

2. What are the major physiographic divisions?

    The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions.

             (i)  The Himalayan Mountains
             (ii) The Northern Plains
             (iii) The Peninsular Plateau
             (iv) The Indian Desert
             (v) The Coastal Plains
             (vi) The Islands

3. Describe the Himalayan Mountains.

     The Himalayas,geologically young and structurally fold mountains stretch over the northern boarders of India.These mountain ranges run in a west - east direction from the Indus to the Brahmaputra.The Himalayas represent the loftiest and one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world.They form an arc,which covers a distance of about 2400 km.Their width varies from 400 km in Kashmir to 150 km in Arunachal Pradesh.

4. What is Himadri?

    The Himadri consist of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal extent.A number of valleys lie between these ranges.The northern most range is known as the Great or inner Himalayas or the Himadri.It is the most continuous range consisting of the loftiest peaks with an average height of 6000 metres.

5. What is lesser Himalaya?

     The range lying to the South of the Himadri forms the most rugged mountain system and is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya.The ranges are mainly composed of highly varies between 3700 and 4500 metres and the average width is of 50 km.

6. What is Shiwaliks?

      The outer most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks.They extend over a width of 10 - 50 km and have an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 metres.These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located further north.These valleys are covered with thick gravel and alluvium.

7. What are Duns?

     The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns.Dehra Dun, Kotti Dun and Patli Dun are some of the well known Duns.

8. What is Kumaon Himalayas?

     The part of the Himalayas lying between Satluj and Kali rivers is known as Kumaon Himalayas.

9. What are Purvanchal?

     The Brahmaputra marks the eastern most boundary of the Himalayas.Beyond the Dihang gorge, the Himalayas bend sharply to the south and spread along the eastern boundary of India.They are known as the Purvanchal or the eastern hills and mountains.These hills running through the north - eastern states are mostly composed of strong sand stones which are sedimentary rocks.

10. Describe the Northern plains.

      The northern plain has been formed by the interplay of the three major river systems namely- the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries.This plain is formed of alluvial soil.The deposition of alluvium in a vast basin lying at the foot hills of the Himalaya over millions of years, formed this fertile plain.It spreads over an area of 7 lakh sq.km.The plain being about 2400 km long and 240 to 320 km broad, is a densely populated physiographic division.

11. What are distributaries?

       The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to the deposition of split.These channels are known as distributaries.

12. What is Punjab plains?

       The Western part of the Northern plain is referred to as the Punjab plains.Formed by the Indus and its tributaries, the large part of this plain lies in Pakistan.

13. What is Doab?

        Doab is made up of two words - ' do ' meaning two and ' ab ' meaning water.The Indus and its tributaries the Jhelum, the Chenab, the Ravi, the Beas and the Satluj originate in the Himalaya.This section of the plain is dominated by the doabs.

14. What is Bhabar?

       The rivers, after descending from the mountains deposit pebbles in a narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks.It is known as bhabar.

15. What is Terai?

        All the streams disappear in bhabar belt.South of this belt, the streams and rivers re-emerge and create a wet,swampy and marshy region known as terai.This was thickly forested region full of wildlife.

16. What is Bhangar?

        The largest part of the northern plain is formed of older alluvium.They lie above the flood plains of the rivers and present a terrace like feature.This part is known as bhangar.

17. What is Kankar?

       The soil in the region contains calcareous deposits locally known as Kankar.

18. What are Khadar?

       The newer,younger deposits of the flood plains are called Khadar.They are renewed almost every year and so are fertile,thus ideal for intensive agriculture.

19. Describe the peninsular plateau.

       The peninsular plateau is a tableland composed of the old crystalline,igneous and metamorphic rocks.It was formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land and thus,making it a part of the oldest landmass.The plateau has broad and shallow valleys and rounded hills.This plateau consist of two broad divisions namely,the central Highlands and the Deccan plateau.

20. What is central Highlands?

       The part of the peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river covering major area of the Malwa plateau is known as the central Highlands.The Vindhyan range is bounded by the Central Highlands on the south and the Aravallis on the northwest.

21. What is Deccan plateau?

       Deccan plateau is a triangular landmass that lies to the south of the river Narmada.The Satpura range flanks its broad base in the north while the Mahadevi, the Kaimur hills and the Maikal range forms its eastern extensions.Locate these hills and ranges in the physical map of India.The Deccan plateau is higher in the west and slopes gently eastwards.

22. Describe the Indian desert?

      The India desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravali hills.It is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes.This region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year.It has a rid climate with low vegetation cover.Streams appear during the rainy season.Soon after they disappear into the sand as they do not have enough water to reach the sea.Luni is the only large river in this region.

23. Describe the coastal plains.

      The peninsular plateau is flanked by stretch of narrow coastal strips,running along the Arabian sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east.The western coast sandwiched between the west ghats and the Arabian sea , is a narrow plain.

24. Describe the Islands.

       Locate the Lakshadweep Islands group lying close to the Malabar coast of Kerala.This group of Island , earlier they were known as Laccadive,Minicoy and Amindivi.In 1973 these were named as Lakshadweep.It covers some area of 32 sq.km.Kavaratti Island is the adiministrative headquarters of Lakshadweep. The Island group has great diversity of the flora and fana.The Piti Island.

25. What are coral polyps?

       Coral polyps are short lived microscopic organisms,which live in colonies.They flourish in shallow mud free from warm waters.They secrete hard rock like substance.The coral secretion and their skeltons from coral deposits in the form of reefs.