Geographical Diversity of India Class 7 Notes Social Science Chapter 1

Students read RBSE Class 7 SST Notes Chapter 1 Geographical Diversity of India Class 7 Notes before attending weekly tests.

Class 7 Geographical Diversity of India Notes

Class 7 SST Chapter 1 Geographical Diversity of India Notes

Class 7 SST Chapter 1 Notes – Geographical Diversity of India Notes Class 7

→ India : Sare jahan se achchha – In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian astronaut to travel to space. When he spoke to the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi from space, she asked him, “How does India look from space?’’ Rakesh Sharma replied, “Sare jahan se achchha”.

→ India’s geographical location – India is the seventh-largest country in the world, and a part of Asia. India and its neighboring countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar) forms a large region known as the Indian subcontinent.

→ Geographical divisions of India – Generally, India is divided into the following five major regions-

1. the great mountain zone,
2. the plains of the Ganga and the Indus,
3. the desert region,
4. the southern peninsula,
5. the islands.

→ The Himalayan Mountain range – The word ‘Himalaya’ is a combination of two Sanskrit words – hiina, and alaya, which mean “abode of snow.” The Himalayan mountain range stands as a natural barrier in the north of India, seemingly touching the sky, as many of its peaks are over 8000 meters high. The Himalayan range stretches across six countries in Asia-India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The Himalayas are categorised into following three main ranges-

1. The Himadri (the Greater Himalayas) – This is the highest and most rugged mountain range. It is home to towering peaks such as Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga.
2. The Himachal (the Lower Himalayas) – Popular hill stations, such as Nainital (Uttarakhand), Darjeeling (West Bengal), Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), and Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), are located in lower himalayas region.
3. The Shivalik Hills (the Outer Himalayas) – It is the outermost and lowest range of the Himalayas, consisting of rolling hills and dense forests.

→ The cold desert of India – Ladakh is a cold desert in India. Temperatures here drop below – 30 degrees Celsius in winter. It receives very little rainfall, and the landscape is rugged, comprising rocky terrain, deep valleys, and lakes. Ladakh is home to unique wildlife such as snow leopards, ibex, and Tibetan antelopes.

→ Gangetic Plains – The Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra river systems, with their extensive network of tributaries, enrich the soil of this region with minerals, making these plains highly fertile and ideal for agriculture. A large proportion of India’s population lives in these plains. An elaborate transportation network has developed in the flat plains of northern India, facilitating the movement of goods.

→ The Great Indian Desert or Thar Desert – The Thar Desert is a vast arid region. Most of it lies within India, spanning the states of Rajasthan. Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. The desert acts as a natural barrier due to the harsh conditions that deter human and animal movement because the region experiences extremely high temperatures during the day, very cold nights, and a lack of water availability. Sand dunes are formed when the wind shifts and shapes the sand into hill-like formations. Sometimes dunes rise as high as 150 metres.

→ The Aravalli Hills – The Aravallis are among the oldest mountains in the world, dating back approximately 2.5 billion years. Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu), with a height of over 1700 meters. The Aravalli mountain range acts as a natural barrier, preventing the eastward expansion of the desert.

→ The Peninsular Plateau – India has several plateau; the most important one is the triangular peninsular area in the middle and south of the country. This region is called a peninsula because it is surrounded by water on three sides by the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. The peninsular plateau is bordered by two mountain ranges- the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. This plateau is vital for India’s economy because it is rich in minerals, forests, and fertile land. The Godavari, Krishna, and Mahanadi are major rivers located in the peninsular plateau, which flow’ eastward and drain into the Bay of Bengal.

→ India’s Coastline – The Indian coastline is over 7500 km long. The Indian coastline is divided into two parts. (i) the western coast, and (ii) the eastern coast.
(i) The West Coast – The West Coast of India stretches from Gujarat to Kerala, passing through Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. Most rivers here originate in the Western Ghats, flow swiftly, and form estuaries. The estuaries of the Narmada and Tapti rivers are the laigest on this coast.

(ii) The East Coast – The East Coast lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, stretching from the Ganga delta to Kanyakumari. Important lagoons such as Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Pulicat Lake (Andhra Pradesh) are found here.

→ Indian Islands – The group of islands located in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal is called the Indian archipelago. India has the following two major island groups-

• Lakshadweep islands – Lakshadweep is an archipelago (a group of islands) located in the Arabian Sea, close to the Malabar coast of Kerala. It is made up of 36 islands made of coral.
• Andaman and Nicobar islands – This archipelago comprises more than 500 large and small volcanic islands, divided into two distinct groups – the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. Their location is very important. These islands are located in the Bay of Bengal. Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the only active volcano in India. It sometimes erupts, sending smoke and lava into the sky.

→ The hills of the Northeast – In the northeast, the Garo, Khasi, and Jantia hills are part of Meghalaya Plateau. These are famous for their lush greenery, heavy rainfall and breathtaking waterfalls. This region experiences highest rainfall in the world. ‘Mawlynnong village’, located in the east Khasi hills of Meghalaya is known as the ‘cleanest village in Asia’.