TRICKS‬

‪MEJOR_RICE_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - "C.B.I"
C-- China
B-- India
I-- Indonesia
‪MAJOR_COAL_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - "C.U.B."
C- China
U- USA
B- India
‪MAJOR_GOLD_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - " Ten Oz "
The - South Africa
S - United States
Australia - Australia
‪MAJOR_COFFEE_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - "B.C.I."
B-- Brazil
C-- Colombia 
I-- Ivory Chanel West Coast
‪MAJOR_SUGARCANE_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - "B.B.C."
B-- India
B-- Brazil
C-- Cuba
‪MAJOR_COTTON_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick:-- “C.U.I.P.S.”
C--CHINA
U--USA
I--INDIA
P--PAKISTAN
S--SUDAN
‎MAJOR_SILVER_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - " Map of China "
I - Mexico
W - Peru
China - China
‪MAJOR_IRON_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - "C.B.A."
C-- China
B-- Brazil
A-- Australia
.‪‎MAJOR_COPPER_PRODUCING_COUNTRY‬
Mind Trick: - " Chile . U.R."
Chile - Chile
U-USA
R-- Russia

Major Ports in India

The 9 coastal Indian states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and  West Bengal are home to all major and minor ports of India. The long coastline of India forms one of the biggest piece of land into a body of water,These twelve major Indian Ports are handle a large volume of cargo traffic and container traffic. There are total 13 major sea ports of India,out of 12 are government and one, Ennore port of Chennai is the corporate one. Ennore Port is one of the major port of India located at Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu state along with private Krishnapatnam Port, Other 12 major ports of India are listed as follows.

9MostPopularCoastalStatesSeaPortsofIndia

Kandla Port- Gujarat: Gujarat host the major seaport of west coast, The Kandla Port is situated on the Gulf of Kutch near the Gandhidham city in Kutch District of Gujarat. The Port of Kandla is the first special economic zone in India as well as in Asia, Kandla Port is hub for major imports like petroleum, chemicals and iron also export grains,salt and textiles. Port of Kandla is one of the highest earning ports of India, another port in Gujarat is Mundra Port,India’s largest private port.

Nhava Sheva- Maharashtra: Nhava Sheva now known as Jawaharlal Nehru Port is the largest container port in India, situated at the mainland of Konkan area across the Navi Mumbai Maharashtra. Jawaharlal Nehru Port is the king port of Arabian Sea at west cost and handle a large volume of international container traffic and domestic cargo traffic. The major exports are textiles,carpets,boneless meat and main imports are machinery,vegetable oils and chemicals.

Mumbai Port: The Mumbai Port is located in the mainland of west Mumbai on the West coast of India with natural deep-water harbor. Mumbai Port is the largest port in India and handles bulk cargo traffic with its four jetties for handling Liquid chemicals, Crude and petroleum products. International container traffic of Mumbai Port is directed to the new and big Nhava Sheva port.

Marmagao port- Goa: The main port of Goa,Marmagao port is a best natural harbors of India located in South Goa. Marmagao port is one of the leading iron ores exporter port in India and raw materials too.The port of Marmagao is one of the major attraction of Goa along with the beautiful city of Vasco da Gama and international airport Dabolim. The natural harbor of Goa is one of India’s earliest modern ports.

Panambur Port- Karnataka: Panambur Port known as the New Mangalore Port, is a seaport located near to Surathkal railway station in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. New Mangalore Port is a deep water all weather port and the only major port of Karnataka and one of the largest port in India. Port of Mangalore export major commodities like manganese, granite stones, coffee and cashew and main imports includes timber logs,LPG,petroleum products and cargo containers. There is a beautiful beach at south of sea port of Panambur along with the shore of the Arabian Sea.

Cochin Port- Kerala: The Cochin port is one of the largest port in India and the major port on the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean sea route. The port of Cochin lies on two islands of Willingdon and Vallarpadam and the largest container transshipment facility in India. Kochi Port is equipped with maritime facilities Cochin Shipyard,Kochi Refineries and Kochi Marina. Kochi city is famous for its traditional spices and well known as the port city of Fort Kochi during the European colonials. It also get its individual Kochi international airport, third international airport in the state of Kerala.

Port Blair- Andaman: Port Blair is the capital city of Andaman Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India located at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. Port Blair is the youngest sea port in India and one of the 12 major port of the country. The only port of Andaman islands are connected to mainland of India through flight and ship. Port Blair is the principal hub for shipping in the islands of Andaman and the one of the most popular tourist destination with several places of interest around like virgin beaches,scuba diving and water sports.

Tuticorin Port- Tamil Nadu: Tuticorin Port is an artificial deep-sea harbour and one of the 12 major ports of India. It is also the second largest port in Tamil Nadu first is Chennai Port and one of the largest container terminal in India. The artificial port of Tuticorin is a all weather port and who receive a large volume of international traffic. Port of Tuticorin are a used to be best port for maritime trade and pearl fishery on the bay of Bengal. The port city is also known as Pearl City and is one of the beautiful sea gateways of India from Tamil Nadu state.

Chennai Port: Madras Port is the one of the oldest port of India and the second largest port in the country. Chennai Port also the largest port in the Bay of Bengal and a hub port for cars, big containers and cargo traffic in the east coast of India. Port of the Coromandel Coast handles a variety of cargo containers,automobiles,coal,fertilizers and petroleum products. Chennai Port terminals have lighthouses around,Intra port connectivity,Pipelines and railway terminus.

Vizag Port- Andhra Pradesh: The port city Visakhapatnam is located on the southeast coast of India in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam or Vizag has one of the India’s largest seaport and the oldest shipyard of country. The Visakhapatnam harbors is the only Natural harbors in the bay of Bengal shore. Vizag is second largest city in Andhra, nestled among the great hills of Eastern Ghats and faces the Bay of Bengal.Krishnapatnam Port is a privately built deep water port in Andhra Pradesh.

Paradip Port- Orissa: The artificial, deep-water port of east coast of India is located in the Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa state. Port of Paradip is the major port in the east cost shore and situated at the confluence of great river Mahanadi and the Bay of Bengal. Paradip Port has its own railway system,cold handling plant and a national highway connects the port with rest of Indian road networks.

Haldia port- West Bengal: Haldia port or Calcutta Port is a major seaport situated near the Hooghly River in the state of West Bengal. Port of Haldia is one of the major trade center for Calcutta and receive bulk cargoes of Chemicals, Petrochemicals and oils. Port of Kolkata is also a base of Indian Coast Guard.

1.Which is the largest port of India ?

1. Paradip Port
2. Kandla Port
3. Jawaharlal Nehru Port
4. Ennore Port

2.The busiest port of Indian Ocean is

1. Delhi Port
2. Mumbai Port
3. Chennai Port
4. Port of Singapore

3. Through which Indian port most Iron Ore exported?

1. A) Mundra Port
2. B) Kandla Port 
3. C) Mormugao Port
4. D) Paradip Port 

4.Which one of the following is the first company-managed major port in India?

1. Cochin
2. Ennore
3. Tuticorin
4. Vishakhapatnam

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF INDIA

Question 1:

Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i) A landmass bound by sea on three sides is referred to as
(a) Coast (c) Peninsula
(b) Island (d) None of the above

(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar are collectively called as
(a) Himachal (c) Purvachal
(b) Uttarakhand (d) None of the above

(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
(a) Coromandel (c) Kannad
(b) Konkan (d) Northern Circar

(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
(a) Anai Mudi (c) Mahendragiri
(b) Kanchenjunga (d) Khasi



• Answer
(i) A landmass bound by sea on three sides is referred to as
(a) Coast (c) Peninsula 

(b) Island (d) None of the above
(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar are collectively called as
(a) Himachal (c) Purvachal 

(b) Uttarakhand (d) None of the above
(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as
(a) Coromandel (c) Kannad 

(b) Konkan (d) Northern Circar
(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is
(a) Anai Mudi (c) Mahendragiri 

(b) Kanchenjunga (d) Khasi

Question 2:
Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What are tectonic plates? 
Ans: The convectional currents present below the solid layer of Earth’s crust split the crust or the lithosphere into a number of large fragments. These fragments are called tectonic or lithospheric plates.
(ii) Which continents of today were part of the Gondwana land? 
Ans: The continents that were part of Gondwana land are Australia, Antarctica and South America.
(iii) What is the bhabar? 
Ans: The bhabhar is that part of the Northern Plains where the rivers, after descending from the mountains, deposit pebbles. It is a narrow belt, having a width of about 8 to 16 km and lying parallel to the slopes of the Shiwaliks.
(iv) Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south. 
Ans: The three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south are the Great Himalayas/Inner Himalayas/Himadri (Northernmost division), the Lesser Himalayas/Himachal and the Shiwaliks (Southernmost division).
(v) Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges?
Ans: Malwa plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges.
(vi) Name the island group of India having coral origin.
Ans: Lakshadweep Islands are composed of small coral islands.

Question 3:
Distinguish between
(i) Converging and diverging tectonic plates 
Ans: The Earth’s crust is broken up into several lithospheric or tectonic plates. These plates are constantly moving atop the Earth’s mantle (semi-solid layer of molten rocks). Based upon their motion, tectonic plates are referred to as converging or diverging. Converging tectonic plates move towards each other and form convergent boundary. Diverging tectonic plates move away from each other and form divergent boundary.
(ii) Bhangar and Khadar 
Ans: Bhangar is the terrace-like feature present above the flood plains of the rivers. It is composed of older alluvium. It is the largest part of the Northern Plain. The soil of this region contains calcerous deposits locally known as kankar. 
The newer, younger deposits of the flood plains are called khadar. This region is very fertile as it gets renewed almost every year. Hence, it is ideal for intensive agriculture.
(iii) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats
Ans:
Western Ghats Eastern Ghats
Mark the western edge of the Deccan Plateau Mark the eastern edge of the Deccan Plateau
Continuous Discontinuous and irregular
Higher; average elevation is 900−1600 metres Lower; average elevation is 600 metres
Lie parallel to the western coast along the Arabian Sea Lie parallel to the eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal

Question 4:
Describe how the Himalayas were formed.
• Answer
According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, the Earth’s crust was initially a single, giant super-continent called Pangea. Its northern part was the Angara land and the southern part was the Gondwana land. The movement of the molten material below the Earth’s crust caused the crust or the lithosphere to break up into a number of large fragments called lithospheric or tectonic plates. Another important feature of the Earth’s crust at the time was the geosyncline—a narrow, shallow, elongated basin with a sinking bottom in which a considerable thickness of sediments were deposited by the rivers coming from Angara land and Gondwana land—called the Tethys. After separating from the Gondwana land, the Indo-Australian Plate drifted towards the north in the direction of the Eurasian Plate. This resulted in the collision of the two plates, and due to this collision, the sedimentary rocks in the Tethys got folded to form the mountain system of western Asia and the Himalayas.

Question 5:
Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau.
• Answer
The major physiographic divisions of India are:
(i) The Himalayan Mountains
(ii) The Northern Plains
(iii) The Peninsular Plateau
(iv) The Indian Desert
(v) The Coastal Plains
(vi) The Islands
The Himalayan Region The Peninsular Plateau
Having a comparatively recent origin, it is made up of young fold mountains It is the oldest landmass of the Indian subcontinent; was part of the Gondwana land
Consists of the loftiest mountains and deep valleys Consists of broad and shallow valleys, and rounded hills 
Formed due to the collision of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates Formed due to the breaking and drifting of the Gondwana land
Composed of sedimentary rocks Composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks
From the point of view of geology, this region forms an unstable zone This region forms a stable zone

Question 6:

Give an account of the Northern Plains of India.
• Answer
The Himalayan upliftment out of the Tethys Sea and the subsidence of the northern flank of the Peninsular Plateau resulted in the formation of a large basin. Gradually, the rivers flowing from the mountains in the north and the peninsular plateau in the south filled up this depression with deposits of sediments. This led to the formation of the Northern Plains of India. 
The formation of the Northern Plains owes largely to the interplay of three major river systems, namely − the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra along with their tributaries. This physiographic division spreads over an area of 7 lakh square kilometres, and is 2,400 kilometres long and 320 kilometres broad. It is a densely populated region. The rich soil cover, adequate water supply and favourable climate make the region agriculturally very productive. 
The Northern Plains are broadly divided into three sections.
The Punjab Plains −Western part of the Northern Plains; formed by the Indus and its tributaries
The Ganga Plains − Largest part of the Northern Plains; extends between Ghaggar and Teesta rivers
The Brahmaputra Plains − Eastern part of the Northern Plains; formed by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries
According to the variations in relief features, the Northern Plains are divided into four regions.
Bhabar − Narrow belt of pebbles lying parallel to the slopes of Shiwaliks
Terai − Wet, swampy, marshy region south of the bhabar belt
Bhangar − Terrace-like feature composed of older alluvium, lying above the flood plains
Khadar − Newer, younger deposits of the flood plains 

Question 7:
Write short notes on the following.
(i) The Indian Desert
(ii) The Central Highlands
(iii) The Island groups of India
• Answer
(i) Lying towards the west of the Aravali Hills, the Indian Desert is an undulating sandy plain covered with crescent-shaped and longitudinal sand dunes. This region is characterised by very little rainfall, an arid climate and low vegetation cover. Streams appear only during the rainy season. Luni is the only large river in this region. 
(ii) The part of the Peninsular Plateau lying to the north of the Narmada River, covering a major area of the Malwa Plateau, is known as the Central Highlands. They are bound by the Vindhya Range from the south and by the Aravali Hills from the northwest. The further westward extension merges with the Indian Desert while the eastward extension is marked by the Chotanagpur Plateau. The rivers draining this region flow from southwest to northeast. The Central Highlands are wider in the west but narrower in the east. 
(iii) India has two groups of islands. The Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea, to the southwest of the mainland. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of Bengal, to the southeast of the mainland. 
Lakshadweep is composed of small coral islands, covering a small area of 32 square kilometres. Kavaratti Island is its administrative headquarters. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are bigger in size and are more numerous and scattered. The entire group of islands is divided into Andaman (in the north) and Nicobar (in the south).
Both these island groups are rich in flora and fauna, and are of great strategic importance to the country.

Natural Vegetation--2

B. Dry Tropical Forests

Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests

Distribution

·        Along the coasts of Tamil Nadu.

Climatic Conditions

·        Annual rainfall of 100 cm [mostly from the north-east monsoon winds in October – December].

·        Mean annual temperature is about 28°C.

·        The mean humidity is about 75 per cent.

·        The growth of evergreen forests in areas of such low rainfall is a bit strange.

Characteristics

·        Short statured trees, up to 12 m high, with complete canopy.

·        Bamboos and grasses not conspicuous.

·        The important species are jamun, tamarind, neem, etc.

·        Most of the land under these forests has been cleared for agriculture orcasuarina plantations.

Casuarina plantation ·        It resembles feathery conifer in general appearance. ·        They are rapid-growing, carefree species for sites and climates as varied as coastal sand dunes, high mountain slopes, hot humid tropics, and semi-arid regions. ·        They have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. It grows 15 to 25 metres in height on an average. Distribution ·        Casuarina is the most popular farm forestry in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka. Benefits ·        Reduces damage in the event of natural calamities. ·        Line planting in the coastal areas helps in controlling the wind force. ·        It is also used for tourism promotion in view of its ornamental appearance. ·        It provides top quality firewood. ·        The wood is suitable for paper pulp and useful raw material for the manufacture of paper for writing, printing, and wrapping. ·        It is got some serious medicinal values as well. Wasteland development ·        The characteristics which make it a suitable species for wasteland development include adaptability to wide range of habitats, fast growth, salt tolerant, drought resistant, ability to reclaim land and stabilize sand dunes. ·        Intercrops such as groundnut, cucumber, watermelons, sesamum, and pulses can also be raised along with the plantation.

Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests

Climatic Conditions

·        Annual rainfall is 100-150 cm.

Characteristics

·        These are similar to moist deciduous forests and shed their leaves in dry season.

·        The major difference is that they can grow in areas of comparatively less rainfall.

·        They represent a transitional type - moist deciduous on the wetter side and thorn forests on the drier side.

·        They have closed but uneven canopy.

·        The forests are composed of a mixture of a few species of deciduous trees rising up to a height of 20 metres.

·        Undergrowth: Enough light reaches the ground to permit the growth of grass and climbers.

Distribution

·        They occur in an irregular wide strip running from the foot of the Himalayas to Kanniyakumari except in Rajasthan, Western Ghats and West Bengal.

·        The important species are teak, axlewood, rosewood, common bamboo,red sanders, laurel, satinwood, etc.

·        Large tracts of this forest have been cleared for agricultural purposes.

·        These forests have suffer from over grazing, fire, etc.

Tropical Thorn Forests

Climatic Conditions

·        Annual rainfall less than 75 cm.

·        Humidity is less than 50 per cent.

·        Mean temperature is 25°-30°C.

Characteristics

·        The trees are low (6 to 10 metres maximum) and widely scattered.

·        Acacias and Euphorbias are very prominent.

·        The Indian wild date is common. Some grasses also grow in the rainy season.

Distribution

·        Rajasthan, south-western Punjab, western Haryana, Kachchh and neighbouring parts of Saurashtra.

·        Here they degenerate into desert type in the Thar desert.

·        Such forests also grow on the leeside of the Western Ghats covering large areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

·        The important species are neem, babul, cactii, etc.

C. Montane Sub-Tropical Forests

Sub-tropical Broad-leaved Hill Forests

Climatic conditions

·        Mean annual rainfall is 75 cm to 125 cm.

·        Average annual temperature is 18°-21°C.

·        Humidity is 80 per cent.

Distribution

·        Eastern Himalayas to the east of 88°E longitude at altitudes varying from 1000 to 2000 m.

Characteristics

·        Forests of evergreen species.

·        Commonly found species are evergreen oaks, chestnuts, ash, beech, sals and pines.

·        Climbers and epiphytes [a plant that grows non-parasitically on a tree or other plant] are common.

·        These forests are not so distinct in the southern parts of the country. They occur only in the Nilgiri and Palni hills at 1070-1525 metres above sea level.

·        It is a "stunted rain-forest" and is not so luxuriant as the true tropical evergreen.

·        The higher parts of the Western Ghats such as Mahabaleshwar, the summits of the Satpura and the Maikal Range, highlands of Bastar and Mt. Abu in the Aravali Range carry sub-types of these forests.

Sub-tropical Moist Pine Forests

Distribution

·        Western Himalayas between 73°E and 88°E longitudes at elevations between 1000 to 2000 metres above sea level.

·        Some hilly regions of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Naga Hills and Khasi Hills.

Timber

·        Chir or Chil is the most dominant tree which forms pure stands.

·        It provides valuable timber for furniture, boxes and buildings.

·        It is also used for producing resin and turpentine.

Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen Forests

Distribution

·        Found in the Bhabar, the Shiwaliks and the western Himalayas up to about 1000 metres above sea level.

Climatic Conditions

·        Annual rainfall is 50-100 cm (15 to 25 cm in December-March).

·        The summers are sufficiently hot and winters are very cold.

Characteristics

·        Low scrub forest with small evergreen stunted trees and shrubs.

·        Olive, acacia modesta and pistacia are the most predominant species.

D. Montane Temperate Forests

Montane Wet Temperate Forests

Climatic Conditions

·        Grows at a height of 1800 to 3000 m above sea level

·        Mean annual rainfall is 150 cm to 300 cm

·        Mean annual temperature is about 11°C to 14°C and the

·        Average relative humidity is over 80 per cent.

Distribution

·        Higher hills of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in the Eastern Himalayan region.

Characteristics

·        These are closed evergreen forests. Trunks have large girth.

·        Branches are clothed with mosses, ferns and other epiphytes.

·        The trees rarely achieve a height of more than 6 metres.

·        Deodar, Chilauni, Indian chestnut, birch, plum, machilus, cinnamomum, litsea, magnolia, blue pine, oak, hemlock, etc. are important species.

Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests

Climatic Conditions

·        Annual rainfall varies from 150 cm to 250 cm

Distribution

·        Occurs in the temperate zone of the Himalayas between 1500 and 3300 metres.

·        Cover the entire length of this mountain range in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Darjeeling and Sikkim.

Characteristics

·        Mainly composed of coniferous species.

·        Species occur in mostly pure strands.

·        Trees are 30 to 50 m high.

·        Pines, cedars, silver firs, spruce, etc. are most important trees.

·        They form high but fairly open forest with shrubby undergrowth including oaks, rhododendrons and some bamboos.

Timber

·        It provides fine wood which is of much use for construction, timber and railway sleepers.

Himalayan Dry Temperate Forests

Climatic Conditions

·        Precipitation is below 100 cm and is mostly in the form of snow.

Characteristics

·        Coniferous forests with xerophytic shrubs in which deodar, oak, ash, olive, etc are the main trees.

Distribution

·        Such forests are found in the inner dry ranges of the Himalayas where south-west monsoon is very feeble.

·        Such areas are in Ladakh, Lahul, Chamba, Kinnaur, Garhwal and Sikkim.

E. Alpine Forests

·        Altitudes ranging between 2,900 to 3,500.

·        These forests can be divided into: (1) sub-alpine; (2) moist alpine scrub and (3) dry alpine scrub.

·        The sub-alpine forests occur lower alpine scrub and grasslands.

·        It is a mixture of coniferous and broad-leaved trees in which the coniferous trees attain a height of about 30 m while the broad leaved trees reach only 10 m.

·        Fir, spruce, rhododendron, etc. are important species.

·        The moist alpine scrub is a low evergreen dense growth of rhododendron, birch etc. which occurs from 3,000 metres and extends upto snowline.

·        The dry alpine scrub is the uppermost limit of scrub xerophytic, dwarf shrubs, over 3,500 metres above sea level and found in dry zone. Juniper, honeysuckle, artemesia etc. are important species.

Forest Type in India	% of Total Area
Tropical Moist Deciduous	37
Tropical Dry Deciduous	28
Tropical Wet Evergreen	8
Sub-Tropical Moist Hill	6
Tropical Semi-Evergreen	4
Rest below 4