Social Science Geography Chapter: India Size and Location (Summary of the topic taught as on 19/06/2021)
Topics Covered:
- India's Location
- Size
- Extent
- Indian Standard Time
- India and the world
- India's Neighbours
Notes:
- India is a vast country located in the Northern hemisphere.
- The Indian mainland extends between latitudes 8 degrees 4 minutes North and 37 degrees 6 Minutes North and Longitudes 68 degrees 7 minutes East and 97degrees 25 minutes East.
- The Tropic of Cancer (23 degrees 30 Minutes North) divides the country into two equal halves.
- India is a vast country with a total area of 3.28 million sq km.
- India comprises 2.4% of the world's geographical areas, being the seventh largest country after Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil and Australia.
- India has a land boundary extends over 15200 km and the length of its coastline including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, is about 7,516.6 km.
- India is bounded by young fold mountains in the North West, North and North East.
- The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the Indian mainland is about 30 degree in both directions.
- The Standard Meridian of India 82 degree 30 minutes East passing through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
- The Indian Landmass is located centrally between East and West Asia.
- The trans- Indian ocean routes, connect Europe in West and the countries of East Asia, provide a strategic central location to India.
- With the land and sea trade routes ideas and commodities were exchanged from ancient times.
- India consists of 28 states and 8 Union Territories.
- India'a land boundaries are with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the North-West, China, Nepal and Bhutan in the North and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the East.
- Across the seas in the South lie Sri Lanka and Maldives, two island nations.
Definitions:
1. Latitudes: They are the angular distances of points on the Earth's surface North or South of the Equator, which is at 0 degree latitude.
2. Longitudes: They are the angular distances of points on the Earth's surface to the East or West of the plane going through Greenwich near London in England which is at 0 degree longitude.
3. Tropic of Cancer: An imaginary parallel of latitude at 23 degree 30 minutes North south of this is considered the tropical zone of India.
4. Fold Mountains: Mountains which develop when two tectonic plates come together causing compression, resulting in buckling and folding of rocks are known as Fold Mountains.
5. Standard Meridian: The longitude which passes through a country/region which is used to fix the standard time for that country/region.
6. Indian Standard Time (IST) : This is local time of longitude 82 degree 30 minutes East, taken as the time for the whole of India. This is five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Resources for the Chapter:
Important Questions:
1. (a) The Sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as
compared to Gujarat in the West but the watches show the
same time. How does this happen?
From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of
two hours, but the watches show the same time because
the time along the Standard Meridian of India (82 0 30′ E)
passing through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh is taken as the
standard time for the whole country. Because the same
standard time for the whole country has been adopted, the
watches show the same time in Arunachal Pradesh and
Gujarat and in all parts of the country.
Textbook Page No. 2
(b) Describe the size and extent of India.
The land mass of India has an area of 3.28million square
km. India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the
total geographical area of the world. From the Figure 1.2 it
is clear that India is the seventh largest country of the
world. India has a land boundary of about 15,200 km and
the total length of the coast line of the mainland
including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is
7,516.6 km.
Textbook Page No. 1,2
(c) Discuss about the southern neighbours of India.
Our southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two
island countries, namely Sri Lanka and Maldives. Sri Lanka
is separated from India by a narrow channel
of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar
while Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the
Lakshadweep Islands.
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(d) What do you know about India and her neighbours?
India shares its land boundaries with Pakistan and
Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and
Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the
east. Our southern neighbours across the sea consist of the
two island countries, namely Sri Lanka and Maldives. Sri
Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel
of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar,
while Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the
Lakshadweep Islands.
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(e) Discuss India’s progress as a country in the world.
India is one of the ancient civilisations in the world. It has
achieved multi-faceted socioeconomic progress during the
last five decades. It has moved forward displaying
remarkable progress in the field of agriculture, industry,
technology and overall economic development. India has
also contributed significantly to the making of world
history.
Textbook Page No. 1
(a) India occupies a strategic and significant position in south Asia.
Discuss.
The central location of India at the head of the Indian
Ocean is considered of great significance because of the
following reasons:
(a) India is centrally located on the world map.
(b) India has longest coastline on the Indian Ocean.
(c) It is surrounded by three water bodies, in the south by
the Indian Ocean, in the east by the Bay of Bengal and in
the west by the Arabian Sea.
(d) India is strategically located at the centre of the trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the European countries
in the west and the countries of East Asia. Thus, India could
establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe
from the western coast. Moreover, it could establish close
contact with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern
coast.
(e) Ocean sea routes, i.e., Suez Canal route, Cape of Good
Hope route, pass through the Indian Ocean.
(f) India has been able to establish close cultural and
commercial contacts with countries of west and east due to
its central location.
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(b) The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why?
The Indian landmass has a central location between East
and West Asia. India is a southward extension of the Asian
continent.
The trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries
of Europe in the West to the countries of East Asia provide
a strategic central location to India.
The Deccan peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean,
thus helping India to establish close contact with West
Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western coast and SouthEast and East Asia from the Eastern coast.
No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean
as India has. Thus, India’s eminent position in the Indian
Ocean Justifies the naming of an ocean after it.
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Please locate the following places on the physical map of India.
On the Political Map of India, mark and name the following:
1. Arunachal Pradesh
2. Patna
3. Standard Meridian
4. Raipur
5. Jharkhand
6. Odisha
7. Tropic of Cancer
8. Standard Meridian of India
9. Mumbai
10. Panaji
Textbook Page No. 5
