India for a long time was rich country, where Europeans sailed for interesting goods, fragrant spices, bright fabrics, precious metals and stones. The development of trade routes was facilitated by the unique and convenient location with access directly to the ocean. The lack of a competent government policy to preserve unique natural features and ecosystems has led to environmental disasters.
Geographical characteristics
The Republic of India is located in the southern part of Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. The territory of the state is 3.3 million km. The country ranks seventh in area in the world.
India's neighbors are: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan. The country's maritime borders are adjacent to the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The country is densely populated. The total population exceeds 1 billion 300 million people.
Nature
Mountains and plains
The country's topography is represented by high mountain ranges, plateaus and a large plain. The main and only mountain ranges of India are the Himalayas, which stretch along the borders of Nepal, Afghanistan and China.
The ranges within India's borders are still high mountains, but their structural complexity differs from the main ranges located in other countries. The highest point in India is Mount Kanchenjungu with a height above 8.5 thousand meters.
The flat part of the country stretches parallel to the Himalaya ridges. It is absolutely flat and its length is 2,400 km. The remaining territory of the state is fragmented plateaus...
Rivers and lakes
The rivers of India play a large role in the country and are the main source of water and means of irrigating fields and lands. At the same time, they are the reason natural disasters and disasters. The most famous rivers of India: Ganges and Brahmaputra. In general, more than a dozen large rivers flow through the country. For some, the main source of water is rain. Recharge and the risk of flooding in their valleys occurs during the monsoon.
For other rivers, including large ones, the source of water is the glaciers of the Himalayas. The main periods of their overflow and release from the naturally low banks are the hot summer months. Many rivers in India flow into the Bay of Bengal.
There are practically no lakes in the country. Only small ones are available. They are concentrated mainly in the Himalayas. Among the large reservoirs of this type, only Lake Sambhar can be noted, which is used by the population for boiling down salt...
Seas surrounding India
The extremely advantageous location of the state, which has access to the ocean, several centuries ago determined the economic prosperity of the country. This location still matters today.
The coasts of India are washed by the waters of the ocean of the same name and the seas that make up its basin. These are the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and its waters of the northern Indian Ocean. The length of the state's coastline is 7.5 thousand km.
Plants and animals of India
India is one of the few countries that can boast of a variety of animal species and flora. There are endemics here. There are about a third of them. On the territory of the state you can find coconut palm, sandalwood, bamboo, banyan, etc. There are pine evergreen forests, monsoon forests, as well as mountain meadows.
In terms of animal diversity, the country has begun to lose ground over the past few decades. But here you can still find the Indian rhinoceros, Asiatic lion, Himalayan bear, and also leopard...
Climate of India
The climate of India is determined by the presence of the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. Mountains are a natural obstacle to cold air flows from Central Asia. It is for this reason that the air temperature in the country differs from the climate of states located in a similar zone.
In summer, monsoon winds with significant precipitation are attracted by the desert. It rains actively from mid-summer to mid-autumn. The country has the rainiest place on earth - the city of Cherrapunji, where the annual rainfall is 12,000 mm...
Resources
Natural Resources of India
India's natural resources are represented by large deposits of minerals, the list of which includes: manganese ores, iron ores, aluminum, precious stones and metals.
Forests occupy approximately a quarter of the country's territory and are a source of timber and feed for livestock, but do not fully meet the state's needs. The problem is deforestation in the Himalayas.
The lands in the country are infertile. They require a well-thought-out system of irrigation, processing and fertilization. Because of this, there are few clean pastures in the country and not enough fodder plants for animals.
Wind energy is actively used in India. By this method The country ranks fifth in energy generation in the world...
Industry and Agriculture of India
The leader of the industrial sector in India is mechanical engineering. Basically, local enterprises are engaged in the production of parts and components for cars.
In the list of the main types of industry of the state, it is worth noting ferrous metallurgy and the production of coal. The textile industry is actively developing in the country, with significant investments being made in it.
Agriculture is represented by the production of wheat and rice...
Culture
Peoples of India
India is especially interesting for the mentality of its population. For a long time, an unusual social system existed here, in which there were different classes, the so-called castes. Residents classified them by profession, income level, place of residence or birth. According to traditions, representatives of different castes were not allowed to marry. Today, at the official level, all this has been canceled, but in practice there are representatives of orthodox views who adhere to the same principles...
India is a huge country in southern Asia, located on the Hindustan Peninsula between the headwaters of the Indus river system in Punjab in the West and the Ganges river system in the East. It borders Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. From the south, India is washed by the Indian Ocean, and off the northern coast of India is the island of Sri Lanka.
The relief of India is very diverse - from the plains in the South of India, to glaciers in the North, in the Himalayas, and from the desert regions of the West to tropical forests in the East. The length of India from north to south is about 3220 km, and from east to west – 2930 km. India's land border is 15,200 km and its sea border is 6,083 km. The altitude varies from 0 to 8598 meters. The highest point is Mount Kapchspyupga. India covers an area of 3287263 sq. km, although this figure is not entirely accurate, because some parts of the border are disputed by China and Pakistan. India is the seventh largest country in the world by area.
There are seven natural regions in India: the Northern Mountain Range (consisting of the Himalayas and the Karakoram), the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Great Indian Desert, the Southern Plateau (Deccan Plateau), the East Coast, the West Coast and the Adaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
There are seven major mountain ranges in India: the Himalayas, Patkai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats.
The Himalayas stretch from east to west (from the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Siwalik Mountains in the south (altitudes 800-1200 m), then the Lesser Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Greater Himalayas (5500-6000 m). In the Himalayas are the sources of three of the largest rivers in India: the Ganges (2510 km), Indus (2879 km) and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennara, Kaveri). Several rivers flow into the Gulf of Cambay (Tapti, Narbad, Mahi and Sabarmati). Apart from the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra, all other rivers in India are not navigable. During the summer monsoon season, accompanied by melting snow in the Himalayas, floods in Northern India became common occurrence. Once every five to ten years, almost the entire Jamno-Gangetic plain is under water. Then from Delhi to Patna (the capital of Bihar), i.e. You can travel a distance of more than 1000 km by boat. In India, it is believed that the legend of the global flood was born here.
India Statistics
(as of 2012)
The inland waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their feeding, are divided into “Himalayan”, full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacial and rain feeding, and “Deccan”, predominantly with rain, monsoon feeding, large fluctuations in flow, flood from June to October. All major rivers experience a sharp rise in level in summer, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave the country its name after the partition of British India, ended up mostly in Pakistan.
There are no significant lakes in India. Most often, oxbow lakes are found in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial-tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The largest lake, Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used to evaporate salt. India's population is over 1.21 billion people, which is one sixth of the world's population. India is the most populous country on Earth after China. India is a multinational country.
The largest nations: Hindustani, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannar, Punjabi. About 80% of the population is Hindu. Muslims make up 14% of the population, Christians 2.4%, Sikhs 2%, Buddhists 0.7%. Most Indians are villager. Average duration life: about 55 years.
Relief of India
On the territory of India, the Himalayas stretch in an arc from the north to the northeast of the country, being a natural border with China in three sections, interrupted by Nepal and Bhutan, between which, in the state of Sikkim, the highest peak of India, Mount Kanchenjunga, is located. The Karakoram is located in the far north of India in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, mainly in the part of Kashmir held by Pakistan. In the northeastern appendix of India are the mid-altitude Assam-Burma Mountains and the Shillong Plateau.
The main centers of glaciation are concentrated in the Karakoram and on the southern slopes of the Zaskar range in the Himalayas. The glaciers are fed by snowfalls during the summer monsoons and snowstorm transport of snow from the slopes. The average height of the snow line decreases from 5300 m in the west to 4500 m in the east. Due to global warming, glaciers are retreating.
Hydrology of India
The inland waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their feeding, are divided into “Himalayan”, full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacial and rain feeding, and “Deccan”, predominantly with rain, monsoon feeding, large fluctuations in flow, flood from June to October. All major rivers experience a sharp rise in level in summer, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave the country its name after the partition of British India, ended up mostly in Pakistan.
The largest rivers, originating in the Himalayas and mostly flowing through the territory of India, are the Ganga and the Brahmaputra; both of them flow into the Bay of Bengal. The main tributaries of the Ganga are the Yamuna and the Koshi. Their low banks cause catastrophic floods every year. Other important rivers of Hindustan are the Godavari, Mahanadi, Kaveri and Krishna, which also flow into the Bay of Bengal, and the Narmada and Tapti, which flow into the Arabian Sea - the steep banks of these rivers prevent their waters from overflowing. Many of them have important as sources of irrigation.
There are no significant lakes in India. Most often, oxbow lakes are found in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial-tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The largest lake, Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used to evaporate salt.
Coast of India
The length of the coastline is 7,517 km, of which 5,423 km belongs to mainland India, and 2,094 km to the Andaman, Nicobar, and Laccadive Islands. The coast of mainland India has next character: 43 % - sandy beaches, 11% rocky and rocky shore, and 46% wattle or marshy shore. The poorly dissected, low, sandy shores have almost no convenient natural harbors, so large ports are located either at the mouths of rivers (Calcutta) or artificially built (Chennai). The south of the western coast of Hindustan is called the Malabar Coast, the south of the eastern coast is called the Coromandel Coast.
The most remarkable coastal regions of India are the Great Rann of Kutch in Western India and the Sundarbans - the marshy lower reaches of the Ganges and Brahmaputra delta in India and Bangladesh. Two archipelagos are part of India: the coral atolls of Lakshadweep to the west of the Malabar coast; and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the Andaman Sea.
Natural Resources and Minerals of India
India's mineral resources are varied and their reserves are significant. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. On the border of the states of Orisa and Bihar there are iron ore basins that are among the most important in the world (the largest is Singhbhum on the Chhota Nagpur plateau). Iron ores are of high quality. General geological reserves amount to over 19 billion tons. India also has significant reserves of manganese ores.
Somewhat north of the iron ore fields are the main coal basins (in the states of Bihar and West Bengal), but these coals are of low quality. The country's proven coal reserves amount to about 23 billion tons (total coal reserves in India, according to various sources, are estimated at 140 billion tons). In the northeast of the country, there is a concentration of minerals that is particularly favorable for the development of heavy industry. The state of Bihar is the most mineral-rich region in India.
The mineral resources of South India are varied. These are bauxite, chromite, magnesite, brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands. In Central India ( East End Madhya Pradesh) also has significant deposits of ferrous metals and coal.
Radioactive thorium contained in monocyte sands may become an important source of energy. Uranium ores have been discovered in the state of Rajasthan.
Climate of India
India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert, causing the monsoons. The Himalayas serve as a barrier to the cold Central Asian winds, thus making the climate in most of Hindustan warmer than at the same latitudes in other regions of the planet. The Thar Desert plays a key role in attracting the humid southwesterly winds of the summer monsoon, which provide rain to much of India between June and October. India is dominated by four main climates: tropical humid, tropical dry, subtropical monsoon and alpine.
Most of India has three seasons: hot and humid with the dominance of the southwest monsoon (June - October); relatively cool and dry with a predominance of northeast trade winds (November - February); very hot and dry transitional (March - May). During the wet season, over 80% of the annual precipitation falls.
The windward slopes of the Western Ghats and Himalayas are the most humid (up to 6000 mm per year), and on the slopes of the Shillong plateau is the rainiest place on Earth - Cherrapunji (about 12000 mm). The driest areas are the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (less than 100 mm in the Thar Desert, dry period 9-10 months) and central part Hindustan (300-500 mm, dry period 8-9 months). Precipitation varies greatly between different years. On the plains, the average January temperature increases from north to south from 15 to 27 °C, in May it is 28-35 °C everywhere, sometimes reaching 45-48 °C. During the wet season, temperatures in most parts of the country reach 28 °C. In the mountains at an altitude of 1500 m in January -1 °C, in July 23 °C, at an altitude of 3500 m -8 °C and 18 °C, respectively.
Flora and fauna of India
Due to India's location and diversity climatic conditions Everything grows in this country. Or almost everything: from drought-resistant thorny shrubs to tropical rainforest evergreens. There are plants and trees such as palm trees (more than 20 species), ficus trees, giant trees - batangor (up to 40 m high), sal (about 37 m), cotton tree (35 m). The Indian banyan tree amazes with its unusual appearance- a tree with hundreds of aerial roots. According to the Botanical Survey, there are about 45 thousand in India. various types plants, of which more than 5 thousand are found only in India. On the territory of India there are tropical humid evergreen forests, monsoon (deciduous) forests, savannas, woodlands and shrubs, semi-deserts and deserts. In the Himalayas, the vertical zonation of vegetation cover is clearly visible - from tropical and subtropical forests to alpine meadows. As a result of long-term human impact, the natural vegetation cover of India has been greatly altered and, in many areas, almost destroyed. Once covered with dense forests, India is now one of the least forested areas in the world. Forests have been preserved mainly in the Himalayas and in the highest mountain ranges of the peninsula. The coniferous forests of the Himalayas consist of Himalayan cedar, fir, spruce and pine. Since they are located in hard-to-reach areas, their economic importance is limited.
India is home to more than 350 species of mammals. The main representatives of the fauna here are: elephants, rhinoceroses, lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, great amount various species of deer, bison, antelope, bison and striped hyenas, bears, wild pigs, jackals, monkeys and wild Indian dogs. The Barasinga deer lives only in India - there are only about 4 thousand individuals. Common reptiles here include king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater turtles and lizards. The world of wild birds in India is also diverse. It has about 1,200 species and 2,100 subspecies of birds: from hornbills and eagles to the symbol of the nation - the peacock.
There are river dolphins in the Ganges delta. The dugong lives in the seas surrounding India - one of the rarest animals in the world, a representative of a small order of sirenids, or sea cows.
As part of the government’s special programs for the protection of wild animals, a network has been created in the country national parks and reserves, the largest and most famous of which are Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Kaziranga in Assam, Corbett in Uttar Pradesh and Periyar in Kerala. On this moment There are only 350 national parks and reserves.
One of the attractions of India is its mountains. The mountains attract with few people, untouched flora and fauna, and the incomparable splendor of dazzling snow-white peaks, although not all mountains can boast of this. If you think that India only has , you are mistaken and here I will tell you a little about other Indian mountains.
In total, India has 3 mountain systems and several mountain ranges and mountain ranges that are scattered throughout its territory.
Let me make a reservation right away that this article is not a reminder of a geography lesson, it is of purely practical importance if you are going on a long trip. From the point of view of climbers, mountains begin where the mountain mountain begins, that is, from an altitude of 2.5-3 thousand meters above sea level. But he also considers less high massifs to be mountains, since they are climate-forming, so when going on a trip you need to have an idea of the terrain, since fluctuations in altitude of even 500-700 meters already significantly affect the climate and weather of the region.
So, Himalayas are the dominant mountain system of the Hindustan Peninsula.
The Himalayas arose about 50 million years ago as a result of the collision of tectonic plates that support the continents, the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The resulting mountain range became the boundary between two great ecosystems of the Earth - the temperate Palaearctic zone, which covers most of Eurasia, and the tropical and subtropical zones of the Indomalaya, which include the Hindustan Peninsula, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. The climate of all surrounding countries is determined here: the Himalayas act as a kind of natural barrier against the cold winds coming from the poles, great valleys that feed the surrounding valleys are born here...
The Himalayas are known to be the highest mountains; it is here that the highest peaks of the world are located, including Everest (Sagarmatha (Sanskrit), (Nep).
The Himalayas stretch across India from Pradesh in the east to Kashmir in the west, being the natural border of India, separating it from northeast Asia. These mountain ranges cover an area of almost 500,000 square kilometers.
Mountain system Karakoram, which also has a tectonic origin, runs in India through the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the K2 peak located here is the second highest peak in the world. The Karakoram stretches from Pakistan to China, and what is called "Indian Tibet" is actually part of these mountains.
Mountain system Patkai or Purvanchal lies along India's eastern border, sharing it with Myanmar, these mountains were created by a tectonic process similar to the one that created the Himalayas. The system includes 3 mountain ranges which are part of Patkai Bam, Garo and Lushai. These mountains are characterized by conical peaks, steep slopes and deep valleys, but they are lower than the first two, the highest point being 4578 m.
Western Ghats, also called the Sahyadri Range, run along the western edge of the plateau in South India. The Western Ghats stretch along the coast of the Arabian Sea in the states of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu. The most high peak western ghats of Anaimalai Hills in Kerala at an altitude of 2695 meters.
Eastern Ghats pass through the states of Western, Pradesh and along the coast parallel to the Bay of Bengal. This mountain range is divided into sections by the rivers Godavari, Cauvery and Mahanadi. The highest peak is 1680 m.
Aravalli Range stretches for 800 km across - from the northeast in the state it ends at about
Ladakh is a place located in India and is the highest point as it is located high in the mountains. In order to visit it, you can choose only 5 months, since that is exactly how long it is open to visitors and nothing more.
At all, Ladakh, this is a place where a lot of holy places are collected, especially those places that are made of stone are noticeable. They were made in the shape of pagodas and have no windows or doors. This place can safely be called a place of peace and warmth, which it gives to people. Ladakh is located between several mountain systems. The population here is quite diverse, that is, you can meet Indo-European people, Tibetan and many others.
Also called Ladakh little Tibet, because it is very similar, both in culture and nature, to itself Tibet. In ancient times, Ladakh had an important strategic location as many trade routes passed through it. If you go deeper into history, you can find out that it was here that the Great Silk Road passed, and Buddhists founded monasteries.
When the western borders were closed, trade unfortunately declined and until 1974, Ladakh was closed to tourists. But now the government India Tourism is also actively developing, since this is the main income. If we talk about living creatures, there are quite a lot of them here; for example, there are about 225 species of birds here. These include finches, robins, redstarts, hoopoes, etc.
Ladakh is also famous for the fact that there are a large number of monasteries that are located on the tops of the mountains. Each of them has signs that symbolize spirits. To know your inner world, you need to come here. You will be immersed in a world where there are no problems and noise, there is no bad mood. There can only be peace, spirituality and self-knowledge here.
Good day to all readers of the site “I and the World”, today we have prepared for you an article about the most high mountain in India.
This is a mysterious and incomprehensible peak of the world, which is a landmark of India. You may have already guessed that we'll talk about the Indian Himalayas, or rather about its highest point.
Highest mountain in India- this is Mount Kanchenjunga translated as “Five Treasures of the Snows”. It is located in a section of the Indian Himalaya mountain system.
The height of Mount Kanchenjunga is more than 8000 meters above sea level. It is the third highest eight-thousander in the world after Chogori.
Mount Kanchenjunga consists of 5 main peaks, their names are as follows: Kanchenjunga Main 8,586 m, Kanchenjunga South 8,491 m, Kanchenjunga Central 8,478 m, Kanchenjunga West 8,505 m, Kangbachen 790 m.
The mountains are beautiful and impregnable, attracting adventurers. They seem to rise above people and challenge them. Climbers have always strived to conquer majestic peaks, often sacrificing their lives in the name of the goal. Conquest mountain peaks It goes to people very dearly, sometimes even at the cost of their lives. Many names of such brave men have been preserved in history.
The northern border of India is the highest mountains, the Himalayas. A section of the mountain system, Kanchenjunga is located on the border of two countries: Nepal and India.
The history of conquering the mountain
Until the mid-nineteenth century, Mount Kanchenjunga was considered the highest, but after an expedition to Qomolungma (Everest) in 1849, it was discovered that Kanchenjunga was the third highest peak in the world.
The first expedition to Mount Kanchenjunga was carried out in 1955 by two climbers, George Band and Joe Brown.
Kanchenjunga is one of the most dangerous mountains on our planet; a large number of tragic incidents sets it apart from other mountains exceeding 8000 meters.
Any attempt to disturb her peace is punishable by inevitable death. This may seem like just a hoax, but the statistics are quite sad. Over the next 43 years, not a single woman managed to return alive from such a campaign.
For Indian residents, Kanchenjunga is sacred and in its essence is a “obstinate woman”.
There are legends among the Indian people that the mountain is not given to women who try to conquer it.
Only at the end of the twentieth century, climber from England Ginette Harrison conquered this height. However, after 1.5 years, Mount Dhaulagiri took her life.
Climbing to the top of mountains is very dangerous look sports, but in the cases of Kanchenjunga, an interesting question arises: why is the mountain conquered by men, but not by women? After all, the female climbers who attempted to conquer the mountain were quite experienced and were not inferior in skill to men. Possible indeed ancient legend true, and the mountain does not tolerate competitors?
