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India and Her Neighbours – Class 7 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 7 Social Science, chapter 14. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

India shares land borders with seven countries and maritime boundaries with others. Its neighbours share long histories of trade, culture, religion and migration with India. Good relations, cooperation in trade and water, and peaceful settlement of disputes are important for the whole region.

India's neighbours

Land neighbours: Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north-west; China, Nepal and Bhutan in the north; Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east.
Sea neighbours: Sri Lanka, separated by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar, and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
India's longest land border is with Bangladesh.

Shared history and culture

Buddhism spread from India to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan and beyond; Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace, is in Nepal.
Many languages, foods, festivals and art forms are shared across borders.
The partition of 1947 created Pakistan; in 1971 Bangladesh became independent with India's support.

Cooperation and challenges

SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) was set up in 1985 to promote regional cooperation.
India and Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh cooperate on rivers, hydropower and trade; India and Bangladesh signed the Ganga water-sharing treaty in 1996.
Border disputes, terrorism and refugee movements are challenges that need dialogue.

Key terms

Neighbour: a country that shares a border with another country
Maritime boundary: a boundary between countries across the sea
SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, set up in 1985
Partition: the division of British India in 1947 into India and Pakistan

Important questions with answers

Name India's neighbouring countries.2 marks

India's land neighbours are Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north-west, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are neighbours across the sea.

Why is it important for India to have good relations with its neighbours?3 marks

Good relations promote trade, tourism and jobs, and allow cooperation on shared rivers, energy and transport. They help solve border and security problems peacefully and allow joint action against disasters, terrorism and smuggling, which benefits the whole region.

Describe India's cultural and economic links with its neighbours and the challenges in these relations.5 marks

India and its neighbours share a long history. Buddhism spread from India to Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bhutan, and the Buddha's birthplace Lumbini is in Nepal; languages, food, festivals, music and art are shared across borders, and people have migrated back and forth for centuries. Economically, India trades widely with its neighbours, supplies goods and electricity, buys hydropower from Bhutan and Nepal, and cooperates on transport links and shared rivers; the 1996 Ganga water treaty with Bangladesh is an example. SAARC, set up in 1985, aims to promote regional cooperation. However, there are challenges: border disputes with China and Pakistan, cross-border terrorism, illegal migration, disputes over water and the influence of outside powers. India seeks to solve these through dialogue, trade agreements and development cooperation, following a 'neighbourhood first' approach.

Quick revision

Seven land neighbours; Sri Lanka and Maldives by sea.
Longest land border with Bangladesh.
SAARC 1985.
Shared culture: Buddhism, languages, festivals.

Exam tips

Practise naming neighbours clockwise on a map: Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar; then Sri Lanka and the Maldives by sea.
Link each neighbour with one shared cultural or economic connection.

Practice MCQs

Which country is separated from India by the Palk Strait
1. Maldives
2. Sri Lanka
3. Myanmar
4. Bangladesh
Show answer
Answer: (b) Sri Lanka. The strait lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, is in
1. Nepal
2. India
3. Bhutan
4. Sri Lanka
Show answer
Answer: (a) Nepal. It is near the Indian border.
SAARC was set up in
1. 1947
2. 1971
3. 1985
4. 2001
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1985. It promotes cooperation in South Asia.
India shares its longest land border with
1. China
2. Pakistan
3. Nepal
4. Bangladesh
Show answer
Answer: (d) Bangladesh. It runs around Bangladesh on three sides.
Bangladesh became an independent country in
1. 1947
2. 1965
3. 1971
4. 1985
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1971. India supported its liberation.
Which neighbour lies in the Indian Ocean to the south-west of India
1. Bhutan
2. Afghanistan
3. Myanmar
4. Maldives
Show answer
Answer: (d) Maldives. It is an island country.
India and Bangladesh signed a treaty in 1996 on sharing the waters of the
1. Indus
2. Brahmaputra
3. Teesta
4. Ganga
Show answer
Answer: (d) Ganga. It concerns the Farakka barrage flows.
Which statement about India's neighbours is correct
1. they share no culture with India
2. India has no maritime neighbours
3. they share long histories of trade, religion and migration with India
4. all neighbours are landlocked
Show answer
Answer: (c) they share long histories of trade, religion and migration with India. Connections go back thousands of years.

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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.