India’s Geography
India is the seventh-largest country in the world with an area of about 1.269 million sq. miles. It is the world's second-most populous country with about 1.4 billion people. This makes it second to only Bangladesh in population density among large countries.
India's physical geography is shaped by its position on the Indian Plate. Around 150 million years ago, the Indian Plate began to drift northwards, eventually colliding with the Eurasian Plate about 50 million years ago. This monumental event gave rise to the Himalayan mountain range, home to the tallest mountains on Earth.
The Himalayas act as a giant barrier, shielding India from colder temperatures in the north. This plays keeps warm, moist air over India and helps cause monsoons. Monsoons are seasonal winds that can bring heavy rain and storms. They play a crucial role in India's agriculture.
A southwest monsoon, arriving around June, brings heavy rains that are vital for the kharif (fall) crop season. Variations in monsoon patterns can lead to droughts or floods, impacting agricultural output, the economy and food security.
Extending across the northern boundary of India, the Himalayas include some of the world's highest peaks. The mountains have had a profound spiritual significance in Indian culture. They are home to many pilgrimage sites, such as the temples of Kedarnath and Badrinath, and are considered the home of gods in Hindu mythology. This spiritual association has influenced the settlement patterns and movement of people.
Formed by silt from the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus rivers, the Indo-Gangetic Plain is a fertile region that has been a cradle of civilization for thousands of years. The Indo-Gangetic Plain has been the heartland of Indian civilization, where the Harappan civilization flourished around 2500 BCE. The abundance of water from rivers like the Ganges and Indus enabled agriculture that supported large and sophisticated societies.
The Deccan Plateau lies in the middle of southern India between two mountain ranges: the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. Its volcanic origins have endowed it with rich mineral resources including iron ore, coal, and bauxite. This has fostered the growth of mining and related industries, contributing to the region and the country’s economic development.
In the northwest of India is the Thar Desert, a sub-tropical desert. Here, warm temperatures cause evaporation to outpace the small amount of precipitation it receives during the short southwest monsoon season. This gives the desert arid conditions that vary by season.
Despite the dry conditions, the Thar Desert is one of the most densely populated deserts in the world, with a population density of about 150 people per square mile.
The inhabitants are primarily rural and depend on agriculture, livestock rearing, and handicrafts for their livelihood. Key settlements include cities like Jodhpur, Bikaner, and Jaisalmer. In India, the inhabitants comprise Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Muslims. In Pakistan, inhabitants include both Muslims and Hindus.
The long coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal has facilitated maritime trade and cultural exchanges with distant lands. The extensive coastline fostered maritime trade, particularly during the ancient and medieval periods. Ports like Calicut, Goa, and Mumbai became prominent centers of commerce, connecting India with Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.