Our Country India - Solutions

 CBSE Class–VI Social Science

NCERT Solutions
Geography Chapter 7
Our Country India

Question 1: Answer the following questions briefly.

  1. Name the major physical divisions of India.
  2. India shares its land boundaries with seven countries. Name them.
  3. Which two major rivers fall into the Arabian Sea?
  4. Name the delta formed by the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
  5. How many States and Union Territories are there in India? Which States have a common Capital?
  6. Why do a large number of people live in the Northern Plains?
  7. Why is Lakshadweep known as a coral island?

Answer: (a) The major physical divisions of India are:

  • The Himalayas: The Himalayas means the abode of the snow. The Himalayan mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges- The northernmost range is the Great Himalaya or Himadri; Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri, and the Shiwalik is the southernmost range.
  • The Northern Indian Plains: The Northern Plains lie to the south of the Himalayas. They are generally level and flat and are extremely fertile due to the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers - the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra, and their tributaries. These river plains are good for cultivation. That's why there is the high concentration of population in these plains.
  • The Great Indian Desert: The Great Indian Desert is located in the western part of India. It is a dry, hot and sandy stretch of land. Since it receives very little rainfall, it has very little vegetation.
  • The Peninsular Plateau: The Peninsular Plateau lies to the south of the Northern Plains. It is triangular in shape. This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys. These ranges are Aravali hills, the Vindhyas, and the Satpuras. The rivers the Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges. The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore.
  • The Coastal Plains: Both to the east and west of the Peninsular Plateau lie the Coastal Plains. The western Coastal plains are very narrow and the eastern Coastal plains are much broader. There are a number of east flowing rivers that drain into the Bay of Bengal,e.g.- Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
  • The Islands: Two groups of islands also form part of India. They are- Lakshadweep Islands which lie in the Arabian Sea and the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands which lie in the Bay of Bengal.
  1. India shares its land boundaries with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
  2. Narmada and Tapi are the two major rivers that fall into the Arabian Sea.
  3. The Sunderban delta is formed by the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
  4. There are 29 States and 7 Union Territories in India. Punjab and Haryana are the states that have a common Capital (Chandigarh).
  5. The Northern Indian plains have been 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 and produce most of our country's food grains. This is why a large number of people live in the Northern Plains.
  6. Lakshadweep Islands are the smaller group of islands in the Arabian Sea. Many of these islands are formed by coral polyps. Corals are skeletons of tiny marine animals called polyps. When they die, their skeletal remains accumulated on the seabed, which grows higher and higher to form coral islands. Hence, Lakshadweep Islands are known as coral islands.

Question 2: Tick the correct answers.

  1. The southernmost Himalayas are known as
    1. Shiwaliks
    2. Himadri
    3. Himachal
  2. Sahyadris is also known as
    1. Aravali
    2. Western Ghats
    3. Himadri
  3. The Palk Strait lies between the countries
    1. Sri Lanka and Maldives
    2. India and Sri Lanka
    3. India and Maldives
  4. The Indian islands in the Arabian Sea are known as
    1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
    2. Lakshadweep Islands
    3. Maldives
  5. The oldest mountain range in India is the
    1. Aravali Hills
    2. Western Ghats
    3. Himalayas

Answer:

  1. (i) Shiwaliks
  2. (ii) Western Ghats
  3. (ii) India and Sri Lanka
  4. (ii) Lakshadweep Islands
  5. (i) Aravali Hills

Question 3: Fill in the blanks.
a. India has an area of about __________.
b. The Greater Himalayas are also known as ___________.
c. The largest state in India in terms of area is ___________.
d. The river Narmada falls into the ____________ Sea.
e. The latitude that runs almost halfway through India is ___________.

Answer: a. India has an area of about 3.28 million square kilometers.
b. The Greater Himalayas are also known as Himadri.
c. The largest state in India in terms of area is Rajasthan.
d. The river Narmada falls into the Arabian Sea.
e. The latitude that runs almost halfway through India is the Tropic of Cancer.