Ch 1 - INDIA – SIZE AND LOCATION
1) Describe the size and location of India.
Location:-
i) India is a vast country. It lies entirely on the north of the equator. India is a southward extension of the Asian
continent.
ii) The main land extends between latitudes 8°4'N and 37°6'N and longitudes 68°7'E and 97°25'E.
iii) The Tropic of Cancer (23° 30'N) divides the country into almost two equal parts.
iv) To the southeast and southwest of the mainland, lie the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep islands
in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively.
Size:-
i) The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km. India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the
total geographical area of the world.
ii) 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 coastline of the mainland including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is 7,516.6 km.
iii) India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and north east. South of about 22° north
latitude, it begins to taper, and extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the west
and the Bay of Bengal on its east.
2) Why do we need a standard meridian for India?
The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the mainland is about 30°. From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time
lag of two hours. Hence to avoid confusion, the time along the mid point of the two places i.e. 82°30'E longitude,
passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the Standard Meridian for the whole country.
2) 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? (Answer above)
3) The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why? Or
In what way central location of India in the Indian Ocean has been to its advantage?)
i) The trans-Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia
provide a strategic central location to India.
ii) 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 with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
iii) No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed, it is
India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean which justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.
4) Give a brief account of India’s cultural contact with the outside world.
i) The various passes across the mountains in the north have provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the
oceans restricted such interaction for a long time.
ii) These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancienttimes. The ideas of the
Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system thus could
reach many parts of the world.iii) The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different
1) Describe the size and location of India.
Location:-
i) India is a vast country. It lies entirely on the north of the equator. India is a southward extension of the Asian
continent.
ii) The main land extends between latitudes 8°4'N and 37°6'N and longitudes 68°7'E and 97°25'E.
iii) The Tropic of Cancer (23° 30'N) divides the country into almost two equal parts.
iv) To the southeast and southwest of the mainland, lie the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep islands
in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively.
Size:-
i) The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million square km. India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the
total geographical area of the world.
ii) 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 coastline of the mainland including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is 7,516.6 km.
iii) India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and north east. South of about 22° north
latitude, it begins to taper, and extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the west
and the Bay of Bengal on its east.
2) Why do we need a standard meridian for India?
The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the mainland is about 30°. From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time
lag of two hours. Hence to avoid confusion, the time along the mid point of the two places i.e. 82°30'E longitude,
passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the Standard Meridian for the whole country.
2) 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? (Answer above)
3) The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why? Or
In what way central location of India in the Indian Ocean has been to its advantage?)
i) The trans-Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia
provide a strategic central location to India.
ii) 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 with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
iii) No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed, it is
India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean which justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.
4) Give a brief account of India’s cultural contact with the outside world.
i) The various passes across the mountains in the north have provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the
oceans restricted such interaction for a long time.
ii) These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancienttimes. The ideas of the
Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system thus could
reach many parts of the world.iii) The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different
