Class X

                               India's Physical Features

Important terms :-

A sub continent is a big geographical unit which stands out distinctly from the rest of the continent .

This is often referred to the Indian sub continent because India occupies a major part of it .

A small narrow , step sided valley through which a river flows is called a Gange .

Kapid is a place in a stream or a river where the current flows very fast over obstructions .

Estuary is an arm of the sea at the mouth of the river .

Lagoons are salt water lakes which are almost separated from the sea by the formation of sand bar

along the coast .

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Differentiate between the following :-

Western Ghats                                                                Eastern  Ghats

They are higher                                                               They are lower 

They rise steeply from the West coast                             They rise gently from the east coast 

The hills are continuous                                                   Hills are discontinuous

All the rivers of the Deccan  plateau rise in this area         Rivers cut valleys through them

Lies along the Arabian Sea                                              Lies along the Bay of Bengal

Western coastal plains                                                     Eastern coastal plains

It lies along the Arabian Sea                                            It lies along the Bay of Bengal

It is narrow and uneven                                                   It is wider and more level

It has Estuaries and Lagoons                                           It has fertile deltas of rivers

It is known as the Konkan coast in Goa,Kanara              It is known as Northern Circars in the 

coast in Karnataka and Malabar coast in Kerala              north and Coromandel coast in the south

Rivers of North India                                                      Rivers of South India   

Longer and slow moving                                                 Shorter and fast moving

Perennial rivers fed by melting show & Monsoon            Seasonal river and rain fed only

Navigable , gently flowing and smooth                             Not navigable as they flow fast

Suitable as a source of irrigation as they are perennial       Not suitable for irrigation as they are

                                                                                       seasonal

Eastern Himalayas                                                           Western Himalayas

Runs North to South                                                       Runs West to East

Elevation is comparatively less                                         Elevation is more

Rise in altitude is sudden                                                  Rise in altitude is gradual