Geographical Diversity of India
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. India is located in which part of Asia?
a) Western
b) Northern
c) Southern
d) Eastern
Answer: c) Southern
2. Which ocean lies to the south of India?
a) Atlantic
b) Pacific
c) Indian
d) Arctic
Answer: c) Indian
3. The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many states in India?
a) 5
b) 6
c) 8
d) 9
Answer: c) 8
4. The northern boundary of India is formed by:
a) Western Ghats
b) Vindhya Range
c) Himalayas
d) Satpura Range
Answer: c) Himalayas
5. India shares the longest international border with which country?
a) China
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Nepal
Answer: c) Bangladesh
6. The southernmost tip of the Indian mainland is:
a) Kanyakumari
b) Indira Point
c) Rameswaram
d) Kochi
Answer: a) Kanyakumari
7. Which of the following is a Union Territory of India?
a) Haryana
b) Puducherry
c) Odisha
d) Telangana
Answer: b) Puducherry
8. The island group located in the Arabian Sea is:
a) Andaman and Nicobar
b) Lakshadweep
c) Maldives
d) Sri Lanka
Answer: b) Lakshadweep
9. The term “subcontinent” is used for India because:
a) It is a small continent
b) It is located in the tropics
c) It has distinct geographical features
d) It is a peninsula
Answer: c) It has distinct geographical features
10. Which physical feature covers most of the northern part of India?
a) Plateau
b) Plains
c) Hills
d) Desert
Answer: b) Plains
11. The Thar Desert is located in:
a) Gujarat
b) Punjab
c) Rajasthan
d) Haryana
Answer: c) Rajasthan
12. The Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats meet at:
a) Nilgiri Hills
b) Aravalli Hills
c) Shiwalik Hills
d) Vindhya Hills
Answer: a) Nilgiri Hills
13. Which region of India has black soil?
a) Northern plains
b) Coastal plains
c) Deccan plateau
d) Desert
Answer: c) Deccan plateau
14. Which is the largest state in India by area?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Maharashtra
c) Rajasthan
d) Madhya Pradesh
Answer: c) Rajasthan
15. The eastern coastal plain lies between:
a) Arabian Sea and Western Ghats
b) Bay of Bengal and Eastern Ghats
c) Bay of Bengal and Western Ghats
d) Arabian Sea and Eastern Ghats
Answer: b) Bay of Bengal and Eastern Ghats
16. India has how many states?
a) 28
b) 29
c) 30
d) 27
Answer: a) 28
17. The northern plains are made by the deposition of:
a) Wind
b) Glaciers
c) Rivers
d) Ocean waves
Answer: c) Rivers
18. Which mountain range is the oldest in India?
a) Himalayas
b) Aravallis
c) Vindhyas
d) Satpuras
Answer: b) Aravallis
19. The river Ganga originates from:
a) Yamunotri
b) Gangotri
c) Siachen
d) Manasarovar
Answer: b) Gangotri
20. The Plateau region of India is rich in:
a) Agriculture
b) Wildlife
c) Minerals
d) Forests
Answer: c) Minerals
21. What type of soil is found in the Northern plains?
a) Black soil
b) Alluvial soil
c) Laterite soil
d) Red soil
Answer: b) Alluvial soil
22. Which state is known for the Sundarbans delta?
a) Odisha
b) Assam
c) West Bengal
d) Bihar
Answer: c) West Bengal
23. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are situated in:
a) Arabian Sea
b) Bay of Bengal
c) Pacific Ocean
d) Indian Ocean
Answer: b) Bay of Bengal
24. The Peninsular Plateau is bordered by:
a) Himalayas
b) Coastal plains
c) Indo-Gangetic plains
d) Rivers
Answer: b) Coastal plains
25. The Western coastal plain is:
a) Narrow
b) Broad
c) Hilly
d) Deserted
Answer: a) Narrow
26. The landmass of India is shaped like a:
a) Circle
b) Rectangle
c) Triangle
d) Square
Answer: c) Triangle
27. A narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas is called a:
a) Peninsula
b) Isthmus
c) Island
d) Delta
Answer: b) Isthmus
28. The Himalayas are an example of:
a) Block mountains
b) Fold mountains
c) Residual mountains
d) Volcanic mountains
Answer: b) Fold mountains
29. The most fertile land in India is found in:
a) Peninsular plateau
b) Northern plains
c) Western Ghats
d) Himalayan region
Answer: b) Northern plains
30. India is surrounded by water on how many sides?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
Answer: c) Three
State whether True or False:
1. The Himalayas are the youngest mountains in the world.
Answer:- True
2. The Eastern Ghats are continuous and higher than the Western Ghats.
Answer:- False
3. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India.
Answer:- True
4. The Peninsular Plateau is made of soft rocks.
Answer:- False
5. Sundarbans is the world’s largest delta.
Answer:- True
Fill in the Blanks:
1. The __________ Ocean lies to the south of India.
Answer:- Indian
2. __________ soil is found in the Northern plains.
Answer:- Alluvial
3. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in the __________.
Answer:- Bay of Bengal
4. The Aravallis are the __________ mountain range in India.
Answer:- oldest
5. The __________ Plateau is rich in minerals.
Answer:- Peninsular
Match the Followings:
Assertion and Reasoning Questions:
1. Assertion (A): The Himalayas protect India from cold winds.
Reason (R): Himalayas act as a natural barrier.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation.
2. Assertion (A): Western Ghats are higher than Eastern Ghats.
Reason (R): Western Ghats lie closer to the coast.
Answer: Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation.
3. Assertion (A): The Peninsular Plateau is known as the tableland.
Reason (R): It is elevated and flat.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation.
4. Assertion (A): India is called a subcontinent.
Reason (R): It has vast geographical and cultural diversity.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation.
5. Assertion (A): Northern plains are not good for farming.
Reason (R): They are rocky and uneven.
Answer: Both A and R are false.
Extra Questions:
Question 1.
What are some key geographical features of India?
Answer:
India has a wide variety of geographical features, including:
1.
The Himalayas in the north,
which protect the country from cold winds and give rise to rivers.
2.
The Northern Plains, which are
fertile and support agriculture.
3.
The Thar Desert in the west,
which has a dry climate.
4.
The Peninsular Plateau in the
south, rich in minerals and forests.
5.
The Coastal Plains and
Islands, which support fishing, trade, and tourism.
6.
Major Rivers like the Ganga,
Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godavari, and Krishna, which are crucial for irrigation,
drinking water, and transportation.
Question 2.
How does India’s geographical diversity affect our lives?
Answer:
India’s geographical diversity affects our lives in many ways:
1.
Climate: Different regions
have different climates, such as the cold Himalayas, hot deserts, and tropical
coastal areas.
2.
Agriculture: The fertile
plains help in growing crops, while hilly areas support terrace farming and
plantation crops.
3.
Resources: Forests provide
timber and medicinal plants; plateaus offer minerals.
4.
Occupations: People near
coasts do fishing, in plains they farm, in plateaus they mine.
5.
Culture and Lifestyle:
Diversity in landforms leads to varied food, clothing, festivals, and ways of
living across the country.
Let’s
Explore
Question 1.
Look at the map of India given below. What are you able to observe? Recall your
lesson on different types of landforms—mountains, plains and plateaus. Which
landforms can you identify on the map? What do the different colours on the map
mean? (Page – 2)
Answer:
The various types of landforms that I can identify
on the map as follows:
1.
The Himalayan mountains in the
northern part of India.
2.
The Northern Plains just south
of the Himalayas, covering states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
3.
The Peninsular Plateau,
including the Deccan Plateau, covering central and southern India.
4.
The Western Ghats and Eastern
Ghats running along the western and eastern edges of the southern plateau.
5.
The Thar Desert in the
north-western part of India in Rajasthan.
The different colours on the map mean:
1.
Dark brown usually shows high
mountains.
2.
Light brown or yellow shows
plateaus and hilly regions.
3.
Green indicates plains and
low-lying areas.
4.
Blue represents water bodies
like rivers, lakes, and seas.
Question 2.
Do you recall your lesson on latitudes and longitudes? Look at the above map.
Can you read, approximately, the latitude and longitude where India lies?
Identify the above features on India’s physical map. (Page 3)
Answer:
1.
Latitude: 8°4’N to 37°6’N
2.
Longitude: 68°7’E to 97°25’E
This means India lies in the Northern Hemisphere and the Eastern Hemisphere.
Question 3.
Can you loca te the names of the states in the
different parts of the Himalayas? Take the help of both the physical and
political maps for this exercise. (Page 6)
Answer:
The Himalayan region is divided into three main parts:
Western Himalayas – Found in the states of:
1.
Jammu and Kashmir
2.
Ladakh
3.
Himachal Pradesh
4.
Uttarakhand (western part)
Central Himalayas – Found mainly in:
1.
Uttarakhand (central region)
2.
Part of Sikkim
Eastern Himalayas – Found in:
1.
Sikkim
2.
Arunachal Pradesh
3.
Northern parts of West Bengal
(especially the Darjeeling district)
Question 4.
Notice the concentration of lightning in the plains. What could be the reason
for this concentration? (Page 11
Answer:
The concentration of lightning in the plains can be attributed to several
factors:
1.
Flat Terrain: Plains are flat
and have fewer natural obstacles like mountains or hills that can disrupt the
flow of air. This allows for the rapid movement of warm, moist air from the
surface upwards, creating the conditions for thunderstorms and lightning.
2.
Proximity to Water Bodies:
Many plains are near large bodies of water, such as rivers or lakes, which
contribute to high humidity levels. The increased moisture in the air can lead
to the formation of thunderstorms and lightning.
3.
Heat during Summer: During the
hot summer months, the plains experience high temperatures which lead to the
rapid rise of warm air. This creates convective currents, which, when they meet
cooler air, lead to the formation of thunderstorms and lightning.
4.
Monsoon Winds: The monsoon
winds that bring heavy rainfall also increase the frequency of thunderstorms
and lightning, especially in the plains areas during the rainy season.
Question 5.
What is the shape of a sand dune? While mountains are made of rock and their
shape is fixed, why do you think sand dunes also have a similar shape, even
though they are made of sand? (Page 12)
Answer:
A sand dune usually has a crescent or ridge-like shape, with one side gently
sloping and the other side steeper. Although sand dunes are made of loose sand
and not solid rock like mountains, they often maintain a similar shape because
of the consistent direction of wind. Wind carries sand particles and deposits
them in a particular pattern, forming a dune. As long as the wind blows in the
same direction, the shape of the dune remains stable. Even though the material
is loose, the forces of nature especially wind direction and speed keep
reshaping the sand in such a way that dunes retain a recognizable form, just
like mountains maintain theirs due to the solid structure of rocks.
Question 6.
Let’s go back to the map (given on page 8). Trace your path slowly from the
Thar Desert towards the east. Do you see the Aravalli Hills? (Page 14)
Answer:
Yes, when we trace the path from the Thar Desert towards the east on the
physical map of India, we can see the Aravalli Hills.
The Aravalli Hills are located in the eastern part of the Thar Desert, mainly
in the state of Rajasthan. They appear as a narrow hill range running in a
southwest to northeast direction. These hills are one of the oldest fold
mountain ranges in India and act as a natural boundary, partly separating the
desert from the more fertile plains to the east.
Question 7.
Look at the political map given below and identify the states that the range
spans. Did you see Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat? (Page 15)
Answer:
Yes, the Aravalli Range spans across the following states in the political map
of India:
1.
Rajasthan: The Aravalli Hills
cover a major part of southeastern and central Rajasthan.
2.
Haryana: The hills extend into
southern Haryana.
3.
Delhi: A small extension of
the Aravalli Range reaches the Ridge area of Delhi.
4.
Gujarat: The southern end of
the range stretches into northeastern Gujarat.
Question 8.
Look at the physical map of India (given on page 8) of the book. Notice the
direction of the flow of the rivers. (Page 16)
Answer:
We can see the following directions of river flow:
1.
In the Northern Plains, major
rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra flow from the north to the east.
They originate in the Himalayas and flow towards the Bay of Bengal.
2.
In central and southern India,
rivers like the Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery generally flow from west to
east, also draining into the Bay of Bengal.
3.
However, some rivers like the
Narmada and Tapi flow from east to west, draining into the Arabian Sea. These
rivers originate from the central highlands and the Satpura range.
Question 9.
Tribal communities are largely spread over the states of Jharkhand, West
Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana,
and Gujarat. Examine the physical map (on page 8) and political maps given
above to locate the states and connect them to their location on the physical
map. (Page 17)
Answer:
We can observe the following:
1.
Jharkhand: Located on the
Chotanagpur Plateau, a region rich in minerals and forests, which supports many
tribal communities.
2.
West Bengal: Especially the
western part (Purulia region) is hilly and plateau-like, adjoining the
Chotanagpur region.
3.
Odisha: The eastern state with
Eastern Ghats and forested hilly areas, home to various tribal groups.
4.
Assam: Located in the
northeastern hills and valleys, with tribes living in hilly and forested areas.
5.
Madhya Pradesh: Spread across
the central plateau and forested highlands, ideal for tribal settlements.
6.
Chhattisgarh: Lies on the
Chhattisgarh plain and forest-covered hills, supporting dense tribal
populations.
7.
Maharashtra: Especially in the
western and eastern hilly areas, like Vidarbha and Western Ghats, where tribal
communities live.
8.
Telangana: Located on the
Deccan Plateau, with forested hills and tribal settlements in the northern part.
9.
Gujarat: Especially in the
eastern tribal belt near the Satpura ranges and forested regions.
Question 10.
Look at the physical map of India in your school atlas or wall map and find the
names of five rivers that flow into the Bay of Bengal. Find out India’s coastal
states and discuss the difference between the western and eastern coastal
plains. (Page 19)
Answer:
Five rivers that flow into the Bay of Bengal are:
1.
Ganga
2.
Brahmaputra
3.
Mahanadi
4.
Godavari
5.
Krishna
India has the following coastal states: Eastern
Coastal States (along the Bay of Bengal):
1.
West Bengal
2.
Odisha
3.
Andhra Pradesh
4.
Tamil Nadu
Western Coastal States (along the Arabian Sea):
1.
Gujarat
2.
Maharashtra
3.
Goa
4.
Karnataka
5.
Kerala
The difference between the western and eastern
coastal plains are as follows.
|
Feature |
Western Coastal Plains |
Eastern Coastal Plains |
|
Location |
Between Western Ghats and
Arabian Sea |
Between Eastern Ghats and
Bay of Bengal |
|
Width |
Narrow (50 to 100 km) |
Wide (up to 120 km) |
|
Rivers |
Small rivers, e.g., Narmada,
Tapi |
Large rivers with deltas,
e.g., Godavari, Mahanadi and Ganga |
|
Terrain |
Rocky and uneven |
Flat and fertile |
|
Coastal Features |
Features estuaries and
lagoons backwaters (e.g., Kerala) |
Large deltas and lagoons |
Question 11.
Do you know what it is called when these rivers split into multiple streams
near the coast? Discuss with your teacher in class to find out!
Answer:
Yes, when rivers split into multiple streams near the coast, especially before
entering a sea, it is called a delta. This process is called “delta formation”,
and the streams are called distributaries. For example, the Ganga-Brahmaputra
and Godavari rivers form large deltas.
*********
0 Comments