The answers to the exercises are included in the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 Physical Features of India. The exercise’s questions mostly revolve around India’s physiographic divisions, such as the Himalayan Mountains, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains, and Islands. The NCERT Solutions are simple and accurate, allowing school students to connect their preparation with the questions posed in the CBSE Term I examinations.
1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i) A landmass bounded by sea on three sides is referred to as
(a) Coast (c) Peninsula
(b) Island (d) None of the above
A. (c) Peninsula
(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar are collectively
called
(a) Himachal (c) Purvachal
(b) Uttarakhand (d) None of the above
A. (c) Purvachal
(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
(a) Coromandel (c) Kannad
(b) Konkan (d) Northern Circar
A. (c) Kannad
(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
(a) Anai Mudi (c) Mahendragiri
(b) Kanchenjunga (d) Khasi
A. (c) Mahendragiri
2 Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What is the bhabar?
A. A narrow belt of about 8 to 16 km in width lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks is known as
bhabar.
(ii) Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south.
A. Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks.
(iii) Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges?
A. Malwa Plateau
(iv) Name the island group of India having coral origin.
A. Lakshadweep
3. Distinguish Between
A. (i) 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
Khadar:
The soil in this region contains calcareous deposits locally known as kankar. 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.
(ii) Western Ghats:
The Western Ghats are higher than the Eastern Ghats. Their average elevation is 900– 1600
metres as against 600 metres of the Eastern Ghats. The Western Ghats cause orographic rain by
facing the rain bearing moist winds to rise along the western slopes of the Ghats. The Western
Ghats are known by different local names. The height of the Western Ghats progressively
increases from north to south. The highest peaks include the Anai Mudi (2,695metres) and the
Doda Betta (2,637 metres).
Eastern Ghats:
The Eastern Ghats stretch from the Mahanadi Valley to the Nigiris in the south. The Eastern
Ghats are discontinuous and irregular and dissected by rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal.
Mahendragiri (1,501 metres) is the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats. Shevroy Hills and the
Javadi Hills are located to the southeast of the Eastern Ghats.
4. Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan
region with that of the Peninsular plateau.
A. The physical features of India can be grouped under the following physiographic divisions:
The Himalayan Mountains, The Northern Plains, The Peninsular Plateau, The Indian Desert, The
Coastal Plains and The Islands.
Himalayan Region: The Himalaya consists of three parallel ranges in its longitudinal extent. A
number of valleys lie between these ranges. The northernmost 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 6,000 metres. It contains all the prominent Himalayan peaks.
Peninsular Region: The 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 Mahadev, the Kaimur hills
and the Maikal range form 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. An extension of the
Plateau is also visible in the northeast– locally known as the Meghalaya and Karbi-Anglong Plateau.
It is separated by a fault from the Chotanagpur Plateau. Three Prominent hill ranges from the west to
east are the Garo, the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills.
5. Give an account of the Northern Plains of India.
A. 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 foothills 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. With a rich soil
cover combined with adequate water supply and favourable climate, it is agriculturally a very
productive part of India.
The rivers in their lower course split into numerous channels due to the deposition of silt. These
channels are known as distributaries. The Northern Plain is broadly divided into three sections. The
Western part of the Northern Plain is referred to as the Punjab Plains. Formed by the Indus and its
tributaries, the larger part of this plain lies in Pakistan. 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.
6. Write short notes on the following.(i) The Indian Desert, (ii) The Central Highlands (iii) The
Island Groups of India
(i) The Indian Desert
The Indian desest 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 arid
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. Barchans (crescent-shaped dunes) cover larger areas but longitudinal dunes become more
promiment near the Indo-Pakistan boundary.
(ii) The Central Highlands
The Peninsular plateau consists of two broad divisions, namely, the Central Highlands and the
Deccan Plateau. The part of the Peninsular plateau lying to the north of the Narmada river covering a
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 Aravalis on the northwest. The further westward
extension gradually merges with the sandy and rocky desert of Rajasthan.
The flow of the rivers draining this region, namely the Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and Ken is from
southwest to northeast, thus indicating the slope. The Central Highlands are wider in the west but
narrower in the east. The eastward extensions of this plateau are locally known as the Bundelkhand
and Baghelkhand. The Chotanagpur plateau marks the further eastward extension, drained by the
Damodar river.
(iii) The Island Groups of India
This group of islands is composed of small coral islands. Earlier they were known as Laccadive,
Minicoy and Amindive. In 1973 these were named as Lakshadweep. It covers small area of 32 sq km.
Kavaratti island is the administrative headquarters of Lakshadweep.
This island group has great diversity of flora and fauna. The Pitli Island, which is uninhabited, has a
bird sanctuary. An elongated chain of islands located in the Bay of Bengal extending from north to
south. These are Andaman and Nicobar islands. They are bigger in size and are more numerous and
scattered. The entire group of islands is divided into two broad categories – The Andaman in the
north and the Nicobar in the south. It is believed that these islands are an elevated portion of
submarine mountains. These island groups are of great starategic importance for the country. There is
great diversity of flora and fauna in this group of islands too. These islands lie close to the equator and
experience equatorial climate and has thick forest cover.
India’s Physical Features Summary
The major physical aspects of India are discussed in NCERT Geography Class 9, Chapter 2 – Physical Features of India, which covers land, plateaus, mountains, deserts, and islands. India’s Major Physiographic Divisions have been thoroughly studied. These are some of them:
- Mountains of the Himalayas
- The Plains of the North
- The Peninsular Plateau is the highest point on the peninsula.
- Deserts of India
- Plains of the Coastal Plain
- The islands are located in the Pacific Ocean.
This chapter delves into the above-mentioned key geographical divisions and their characteristics in-depth. This chapter will assist students in understanding India’s geographical locations as well as its longitudinal and latitudinal range on the globe.
Aside from this chapter, students may also get the complete set of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science.
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2: Frequently Asked Questions
In the exams, what questions may students expect from Chapter 2 of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography?
In exams, students can expect to see questions from Chapter 2 of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography. –
- Give a description of India’s Northern Plains.
- Make brief notes on the following topics: (i) India’s Island Groups (ii) The Indian Desert
- Differentiate between the Western and Eastern Ghats
- What exactly is bhabar?
In NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2, what is the primary physiographic divisions of India discussed?
In Chapter 2 of the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography, the key physiographic divisions of India are discussed:
- The Himalayan Mountains
- The Plains of the North
- The Peninsular Plateau
- The Indian Desert
5. The Indian Desert
- The Islands
Students can learn more about the main themes in this chapter by consulting the NCERT Solutions produced by INFINITY LEARN subject specialists.
Students can access the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 PDF on the internet.
The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 PDF can be found and downloaded for free at INFINITY LEARN. Students just need to create an account on the website to gain access to resources tailored to their specific needs. The solutions include extensive and easy-to-understand explanations of key concepts, as well as drawings, graphs, and maps where needed. Furthermore, all of the solutions are updated on a regular basis in accordance with the CBSE syllabus in order to help students achieve the best possible results in their annual exams. Students will also learn how to answer textbook questions correctly and improve their time management skills.
