Indian Physiography suggests the physical features of the country. The strategic location, physiographical divisions and other factors are a part of this section. India coordinates 8.4 degree to 37.6 degree North Latitude and 68.7 degree to 97.25 degree East Longitude. The neighbouring countries of India are Bhutan, Burma, China, Nepal and Pakistan. The surrounding components of the nation also form Indian Physiography. Arabian Sea (West), Bay of Bengal (East), Indian Ocean (South) bound India. The main islands of India are Lakshwadeep Islands in Arabian Sea, Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Bay of Bengal. There are many mountain ranges in the country; however the most distinguished are the Himalayas in the north with its highest peak as the Kanchenjunga, which measures over 8000 meters.
Indian Physiographic regions are classified into seven regions, namely northern mountains including the Himalayas and the mountain ranges in the north-east, Indo-Gangetic plain, Central Highlands, Peninsular plateau, East coast, West coast and bordering seas and islands.
According to Indian Physiography, the Himalayas can be divided into the following 5 sections Longitudinally Himalayas. Kashmir Himalayas have the average height of this section is around 3000m. Pir panjal range and the valley of Kashmir belong to this section. Punjab Himalayas characterised by rugged northern slopes and forested southern slope. High peaks are rare, Likes like Manasarovar,Rakas, passes like Zojila, Rohtang,Bara Lapcha and valleys like Kangra, Lahul and spiti lies in this section. Kumaon Himalayas range from Sutlej to Kali River. Pilgrimage centres like Badarinath and Gangotri are situated in this section. Central Himalayas extends from Kali to Tista, while Assam Himalayas extend from Tista to Brahmaputra. The average height of outer Himalayas is 6000 m and the average width is 120 to 190 kms, while the Himachal ranges has an average height of 3500-5000m and the shivaliks ranges have an average height of 1000 to 1500 m.
Other than the Himalayas, Indian Physiography also includes other mountain ranges like Vindhya that traverses nearly the whole width of peninsular India and Sahyadri, along the Western Ghats, with an average height of 1200 metres. The sediments that are brought by rivers from the Northern and southern side and cover an area of 7.5 lakhs sq. km and extend from Punjab to Assam that actually form the northern plains in India. Bhabar are porous and gravel ridden plain at the foothills of Himalaya and Terai are poorly drained and forested plains, while Bhangar refer to the older alluvium in the river beds and Khader refers to the new alluvium in river beds in low lying zones.
Peninsular plateau is the oldest part of India known as the Indian Plate. The peninsular plateau can be sub divided into several physiographical parts in India like the Aravallis, Bundelkhand, Malwa, Deccan plateau, Vindhyan Kaimur range, Chhotanagpur plateau, Shillong Plateau, Karnataka Plateau, Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. Coastal Plains is the region between the coast and mountain ranges of the peninsular plateau. This part of Indian Physiography can be divided into western and eastern coast. With the exception of Gujarat, the western coast is narrower than the eastern coast.
Indian Physiography includes the Indian islands that count upto 247 islands of which 204 lie in the Bay of Bengal and the remaining in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Mannar. The Andamans and the Nicobars form two main groups in Bay of Bengal Group. These 2 major groups are separated by Ten degree channel which 121 km wide. This chain of Indian islands is formed by the submergence of Arakan Yoma Ranges. The Barren and Narcondam islands are situated north of Port Blair and are volcanic islands. Lakshwadeep islands are a group 27 of coral origin and are surrounded by fringing reefs with a total area of only 32 square kilometers. The Pamban Island is situated between India and Sri Lanka that has a rocky surface and is an extension of the peninsular surface in Ramnad district of Tamil Nadu.
Indian Physiography also includes its varied climate conditions. India is so vast that the climatic conditions in the far north have little relation to those of the extreme south. India has a three-season year-the hot, the wet and the cool. The best time to visit India is during winter (November to February), although there are regional variations. The southwest monsoon or rainy season is from June to September. And the post-monsoon season, which is the northeast monsoon in south India, is from October-November. Summer is hot everywhere, excepting in the hills and winter season is the most pleasant times of the year throughout the country. Rainfall in India tends to be variable.
