Structure and Physiography – Class 11 Geography notes, important questions and MCQs

Chapter overview

India's physiography reflects its geological history. The country can be divided into three geological divisions: the Peninsular Block, the Himalayas and other Peninsular mountains, and the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain. Physiographically, India has six divisions: the Northern and North-eastern Mountains, the Northern Plain, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the Coastal Plains and the Islands.

Geological structure

• The Peninsular Block is made of ancient gneisses and granites; it is a stable, rigid block that was part of Gondwanaland.
• The Himalayas are young fold mountains formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates; they are tectonically active.
• The Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain is a geosyncline filled with alluvial deposits brought by rivers.

Physiographic divisions

• The Northern Mountains include the Trans-Himalayas, the Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal) and the Shiwaliks; they are divided regionally into the Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand, Darjeeling and Sikkim, Arunachal and eastern hills.
• The Northern Plain is formed by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra; it has the bhabar, tarai, bhangar (older alluvium) and khadar (newer alluvium) belts.
• The Peninsular Plateau includes the Deccan Plateau, the Central Highlands, the Western and Eastern Ghats and the north-eastern plateau (Meghalaya); the Indian Desert lies west of the Aravallis; the coastal plains lie along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal; the island groups are the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

Key terms

Peninsular Block

the ancient, stable landmass of southern India

Shiwaliks

the outermost and youngest range of the Himalayas

Bhangar

older alluvium of the Northern Plain

Khadar

newer alluvium of the floodplains

Tarai

a marshy, forested belt south of the bhabar

Important questions with answers

Quick revision

• Three geological divisions.
• Himalayan ranges: Himadri, Himachal, Shiwaliks.
• Northern Plain: bhabar, tarai, bhangar, khadar.
• Peninsular Plateau, desert, coastal plains, islands.

Exam tips

• Mark the six physiographic divisions on an outline map of India.
• Compare the Western and Eastern Ghats in a table.

Practice MCQs

1. The youngest fold mountains of India are the

   1. Aravallis
   2. Himalayas
   3. Western Ghats
   4. Satpuras
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Himalayas. They are still rising.

2. Newer alluvium of the Northern Plain is called

   1. bhangar
   2. khadar
   3. bhabar
   4. regur
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) khadar. It is renewed by floods.

3. The Indian Desert lies to the west of the

   1. Western Ghats
   2. Aravalli hills
   3. Vindhyas
   4. Satpuras
   Show answer

   Answer: (b) Aravalli hills. It is also called the Thar.

4. The outermost range of the Himalayas is the

   1. Shiwaliks
   2. Himachal
   3. Himadri
   4. Karakoram
   Show answer

   Answer: (a) Shiwaliks. It is made of unconsolidated sediments.

5. The marshy forested belt south of the bhabar is the

   1. tarai
   2. khadar
   3. doab
   4. duars
   Show answer

   Answer: (a) tarai. It has rich wildlife.

6. The highest peak of the Western Ghats is

   1. Mahendragiri
   2. Guru Shikhar
   3. Doddabetta
   4. Anamudi
   Show answer

   Answer: (d) Anamudi. It is in Kerala.

7. Lakshadweep islands are mainly of

   1. volcanic origin
   2. glacial origin
   3. coral origin
   4. desert origin
   Show answer

   Answer: (c) coral origin. They are coral atolls.

8. How do the Eastern Ghats differ from the Western Ghats

   1. they are discontinuous and lower, cut by rivers
   2. they are continuous and higher
   3. they lie along the Arabian Sea
   4. they are made of coral
   Show answer

   Answer: (a) they are discontinuous and lower, cut by rivers. Rivers such as the Mahanadi cut through them.