GEOGRAPHY
EXTRA QUESTION /ANSWERS
OUR COUNTRY INDIA
CHAPTER – 7
1 MARK QUESTIONS
1. Why India is called a peninsula?
Ans. India is called a peninsula because it is surrounded by Arabian sea from south west, India ocean from south and Bay of Bengal from south east side.
2. What is the east-west extent of India?
Ans. The east-west extent from Arunachal Pradesh to Kuchchh is about 2,900 km.
3. What is the latitudinal extent of India?
Ans. From south to north, India extends between 8°4′ N and 37°6′ N latitudes.
4. What is the north- south extent of the country?
Ans. The north-south extent from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is about 3,200 km.
5. What is the longitudinal extent of the country?
Ans. From west to east, India extends between 68°7′ E and 97°25′ E longitudes.
6. Why has India been divided into states?
Ans. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
7. What is meant by tributary? Give examples.
Ans. Tributary: A river or stream which contributes its water to a main river by discharging it into main river from either side. For e.g. Yamuna is a tributary of Ganga
8. India shares its land boundary with seven countries. Name them.
Ans. Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Nepal and Afghanistan
9. Name the major physical divisions of India.
Ans. India is marked by a diversity of physical features such as mountains, plateaus, plains, coasts and islands.
10. How was the Sundarban delta formed?
Ans. Sunderban delta is triangular in shape. It is an area of land formed at the mouth of the river due to deposition of sand and silt.
3 MARKS QUESTIONS
1. Mention any three features of the Great Indian Desert.
Ans.
- In the western part of India lies the Great Indian Desert.
- It is a dry, hot and sandy stretch of land.
- It has very little vegetation.
2. India is a country of vast geographical expanse. Justify the statement with the help of examples.
Ans. India is a country of vast geographical expanse.
- In the north, it is bound by the lofty Himalayas.
- The Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and
- The Indian Ocean in the south, wash the shores of the Indian peninsula.
3. How are Western coastal plains different from Eastern coastal plains?
Ans.
| Western Coastal plains | Eastern Coastal plains |
| To the West of the Western Ghats lie the Western Coastal plains. | To the East of Eastern Ghats lie the Eastern Coastal plains. |
| The western coastal plains are very narrow. | The eastern Coastal plains are much broader. |
4. How are Western Ghats different from Eastern Ghats?
Ans.
| Western Ghats | Eastern Ghats |
| The Western Ghats or Sahyadris border the plateau in the west. | The Eastern Ghats provide the eastern boundary of the plateau. |
| The Western Ghats are almost continuous, | The Eastern Ghats are broken and uneven. |
5. Why Lakshadweep Islands are also known as coral islands? Explain.
Ans.
- Corals are skeletons of tiny marine animals called Polyps.
- When the living polyps die, their skeletons are left.
- Other polyps grow on top of the hard skeleton which grows higher and higher, thus forming the coral islands.
6. Distinguish between the two groups of Islands.
Ans.
| Lakshadweep Islands | Andaman and the Nicobar Islands |
| Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. | The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal. |
| These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala. | These are the parts of submerged mountains. |
5 MARKS QUESTIONS
1. Explain main features of the Northern Indian Plains.
Ans.
- The Northern Indian plains lie to the south of the Himalayas.
- They are generally level and flat.
- These are formed by the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers– the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
- These river plains provide fertile land for cultivation.
- That is the reason for high concentration of population in these plains.
2. Name and explain the three parallel ranges of the Himalaya Mountains.
Ans. The Himalayan Mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges.
- The northernmost is the Great Himalaya or Himadri.
- The world’s highest peaks are located in this range.
- Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri.
- Many popular hill stations are situated here.
- The Shiwalik is the southernmost range.
3. Give an account of the peninsular plateau.
Ans.
- To the south of northern plains lies the peninsular plateau.
- It is triangular in shape.
- The relief is highly uneven.
- This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys.
- The Western Ghats or Sahyadris border the plateau in the west and the Eastern Ghats provide the eastern boundary.