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Geographical Diversity of India – Class 7 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 7 Social Science, chapter 1. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

India has great geographical diversity: the Himalayan mountains in the north, the vast northern plains, the Thar Desert in the west, the old Peninsular Plateau in the south, long coastal plains and two groups of islands. This diversity shapes climate, plants, animals and the ways people live.

Major physical divisions

The Himalayas have three parallel ranges: the Himadri (Greater Himalaya), the Himachal (Lesser Himalaya) and the Shiwaliks (outer hills).
The Northern Plains, formed by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and their tributaries, are fertile and densely populated.
The Thar Desert lies in the west, mainly in Rajasthan.
The Peninsular Plateau is made of old hard rocks; it is bordered by the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.

Coasts and islands

The western coastal plain includes the Konkan and Malabar coasts; the eastern coastal plain includes the Northern Circars and Coromandel coast, with large deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of Bengal; the Lakshadweep Islands are coral islands in the Arabian Sea.

Biodiversity

India has many ecosystems: mountain forests, grasslands, deserts, mangroves (Sundarbans) and coral reefs.
The Himalayas and the Western Ghats are among the world's biodiversity hotspots.

Key terms

Physical division: a large region with similar landforms, such as mountains or plains
Delta: a triangular landform at a river's mouth formed by deposited soil
Coral island: an island formed from the skeletons of tiny sea animals called corals
Biodiversity hotspot: a region with very high variety of species that is under threat

Important questions with answers

Name the three ranges of the Himalayas.2 marks

The three parallel ranges of the Himalayas are the Himadri or Greater Himalaya (the highest, with peaks such as Kangchenjunga), the Himachal or Lesser Himalaya, and the Shiwaliks, the outermost foothills.

Why are the Northern Plains densely populated?3 marks

The plains are formed by soil deposited by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra, so they are very fertile. Rivers supply water for irrigation throughout the year. The flat land makes it easy to build roads, railways and towns, so farming, trade and settlements have grown here for thousands of years.

Describe the major physical divisions of India and how they affect people's lives.5 marks

The Himalayas in the north protect India from cold winds and are the source of rivers; people practise terrace farming and herding, and tourism is important. The Northern Plains are fertile and well watered, supporting intensive agriculture and very dense population. The Thar Desert in the west receives little rain; people rear camels and goats and store water carefully. The Peninsular Plateau is rich in minerals and forests and supports mining and industries; the Western and Eastern Ghats border it. The coastal plains have fishing, ports, trade and rice and coconut cultivation, while the deltas are very fertile. The islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep support fishing and tourism. Thus each region shapes food, homes, work and culture.

Quick revision

Himalaya: Himadri, Himachal, Shiwaliks.
Northern Plains: fertile, densely populated.
Plateau bordered by Western and Eastern Ghats.
Andaman–Nicobar (Bay of Bengal); Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea).

Exam tips

Learn the six physical divisions in order from north to south and then the coasts and islands.
East-flowing rivers form deltas; the Narmada and Tapi flow west and form estuaries.

Practice MCQs

The outermost range of the Himalayas is the
1. Shiwaliks
2. Himachal
3. Himadri
4. Western Ghats
Show answer
Answer: (a) Shiwaliks. The Shiwaliks are the outer foothills.
The Thar Desert is mainly in
1. Rajasthan
2. Kerala
3. Bihar
4. Assam
Show answer
Answer: (a) Rajasthan. It is in western India.
Lakshadweep islands are
1. volcanic islands in the Bay of Bengal
2. river islands
3. coral islands in the Arabian Sea
4. part of the Himalayas
Show answer
Answer: (c) coral islands in the Arabian Sea. They are made of coral.
The Malabar coast lies on the
1. west coast
2. east coast
3. Andaman islands
4. Himalayan foothills
Show answer
Answer: (a) west coast. It is along Kerala.
Which river forms a delta on the east coast
1. Narmada
2. Godavari
3. Tapi
4. Sabarmati
Show answer
Answer: (b) Godavari. East-flowing rivers form deltas.
The Peninsular Plateau is made mainly of
1. old hard rocks
2. young folded rocks
3. sand dunes
4. coral
Show answer
Answer: (a) old hard rocks. It is one of the oldest landmasses.
Which two regions of India are biodiversity hotspots
1. Himalayas and Western Ghats
2. Thar and Deccan
3. Northern plains and coasts
4. Lakshadweep and Malwa
Show answer
Answer: (a) Himalayas and Western Ghats. Both have high species variety under threat.
The Narmada and Tapi do not form deltas mainly because they
1. flow west through rift valleys into the Arabian Sea
2. flow into the Bay of Bengal
3. are dry rivers
4. flow north
Show answer
Answer: (a) flow west through rift valleys into the Arabian Sea. They form estuaries at their mouths.

All chapters of Class 7 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.