Indian Geography
🔒 Log in to trackHimalayas, peaks, passes, plateau, coasts and lakes
🔒 Log in to trackIndia has six physiographic divisions: Himalayas, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains and Islands.
The Himalayas — three parallel ranges (north to south)
| Range | Other name | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Himadri | Greater / Inner Himalaya | Highest peaks, perennial snow |
| Himachal | Lesser / Middle Himalaya | Hill stations — Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital; Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar ranges |
| Shiwalik | Outer Himalaya | Youngest, lowest; Duns (Dehradun) are longitudinal valleys between Himachal and Shiwalik |
The Aravallis are the oldest fold mountains of India; the Himalayas are among the youngest.
Highest peaks to remember
| Peak | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| K2 (Godwin Austen) | Karakoram, Ladakh (PoK-administered area) | Highest peak claimed by India, 8,611 m |
| Kangchenjunga | Sikkim | Highest peak within India's administered territory, 8,586 m |
| Nanda Devi | Uttarakhand | Highest entirely within India |
| Anamudi | Anaimalai Hills, Kerala | Highest peak of South India (2,695 m) |
| Doddabetta | Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu | Highest peak of Nilgiris |
| Guru Shikhar | Mount Abu, Rajasthan | Highest peak of Aravallis |
| Dhupgarh | Satpura (Pachmarhi), MP | Highest peak of Satpura |
Mountain passes (very common PYQ)
| Pass | State/UT | Connects / note |
|---|---|---|
| Karakoram Pass | Ladakh | Ladakh–Xinjiang (China) |
| Khardung La | Ladakh | Leh–Nubra valley; one of the highest motorable passes |
| Zoji La | Ladakh / J&K | Srinagar–Kargil–Leh |
| Banihal | J&K | Jammu–Srinagar (Jawahar Tunnel, Pir Panjal) |
| Rohtang | Himachal Pradesh | Kullu–Lahaul-Spiti; Atal Tunnel runs beneath it |
| Baralacha La | Himachal Pradesh | Manali–Leh road |
| Shipki La | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej enters India here; route to Tibet |
| Lipulekh | Uttarakhand | India–Tibet–Nepal trijunction; Kailash Mansarovar yatra |
| Mana Pass | Uttarakhand | Near Badrinath, to Tibet |
| Nathu La | Sikkim | India–China trade route, reopened 2006 |
| Jelep La | Sikkim | Sikkim–Lhasa via Chumbi valley |
| Bomdi La | Arunachal Pradesh | Towards Tawang |
| Palghat (Palakkad) Gap | Kerala–Tamil Nadu | Between Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills |
| Thal Ghat / Bhor Ghat | Maharashtra | Mumbai–Nashik / Mumbai–Pune |
Peninsular plateau and coasts
- Western Ghats (Sahyadri) are continuous and higher; Eastern Ghats are broken by rivers. The Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012) and a biodiversity hotspot.
- Deccan Trap — basaltic lava region of Maharashtra; source of black soil.
- West coast from north: Konkan (Mumbai–Goa) → Kannad → Malabar (Kerala, with kayals/backwaters, e.g. Vembanad).
- East coast: Northern Circars (north) and Coromandel (south); wide deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri.
Lakes
| Lake | Fact |
|---|---|
| Wular (J&K) | Largest freshwater lake of India |
| Chilika (Odisha) | Largest brackish-water lagoon of India |
| Sambhar (Rajasthan) | Largest inland salt lake |
| Loktak (Manipur) | Floating phumdis; Keibul Lamjao, the only floating national park |
| Pulicat (AP–TN) | Lagoon; Sriharikota island separates it from the sea |
| Dal (Srinagar) | Houseboats, shikaras |
The six physiographic divisions
India is divided into: (1) The Himalayas, (2) The Northern Plains, (3) The Peninsular Plateau, (4) The Indian Desert, (5) The Coastal Plains, (6) The Islands. Every "which division" question starts by placing the place in one of these boxes.
The Himalayas - three parallel ranges
From north to south (highest to lowest):
| Range | Also called | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Himadri | Greater / Inner Himalaya | Highest average height (about 6,000 m); perennial snow; all 8,000-m peaks |
| Himachal | Lesser / Middle Himalaya | Widest range; hill stations (Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital, Darjeeling); Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar and Mahabharat ranges; valleys of Kashmir, Kangra and Kullu |
| Shiwalik | Outer Himalaya | Youngest and lowest (900-1,100 m); valleys between Himachal and Shiwalik are called Duns (Dehradun, Kotli Dun, Patli Dun) |
| In the north-east the ranges bend south as the Purvanchal hills: Patkai Bum, Naga Hills, Manipur Hills and Mizo (Lushai) Hills. The Himalayas are among the world's youngest fold mountains; the Aravallis are the oldest fold mountains of India. |
The peak ladder (superlatives asked again and again)
| Peak | Range / state | Claim to fame |
|---|---|---|
| K2 (Godwin Austen), 8,611 m | Karakoram, Ladakh (India's official map) | Highest peak of India; 2nd highest in the world |
| Kangchenjunga, 8,586 m | Sikkim | Highest peak of Sikkim; 3rd highest in the world |
| Nanda Devi, 7,816 m | Uttarakhand | Highest peak entirely within India |
| Anamudi, 2,695 m | Anaimalai Hills, Kerala | Highest peak of South India |
| Doddabetta, 2,637 m | Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu | Highest of the Nilgiris |
| Guru Shikhar, 1,722 m | Mount Abu, Rajasthan | Highest of the Aravallis |
| Dhupgarh, 1,350 m | Satpura (Pachmarhi), MP | Highest of the Satpura |
| Parasnath, 1,365 m | Chota Nagpur, Jharkhand | Highest of Jharkhand |
Passes - grouped by state (the single most repeated table)
- Ladakh/J&K: Karakoram Pass (Ladakh-Xinjiang), Khardung La (Leh-Nubra valley), Zoji La (Srinagar-Kargil-Leh), Banihal (Jammu-Srinagar; Jawahar Tunnel under the Pir Panjal).
- Himachal Pradesh: Rohtang (Kullu-Lahaul & Spiti; the Atal Tunnel runs beneath it), Baralacha La (Manali-Leh road), Shipki La (the Sutlej enters India here).
- Uttarakhand: Lipulekh (Kailash-Mansarovar route), Mana Pass (near Badrinath), Niti Pass.
- Sikkim: Nathu La (India-China trade, reopened 2006), Jelep La (via the Chumbi valley).
- Arunachal Pradesh: Bomdi La, Diphu Pass.
- Western Ghats gaps: Thal Ghat (Mumbai-Nashik), Bhor Ghat (Mumbai-Pune), Palghat (Palakkad) Gap between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills (Kerala-TN).
Plateau, ghats, coasts and lakes
The Peninsular Plateau is India's oldest landmass, made of hard crystalline rock; its north-west edge is the Deccan Trap of basalt lava (source of black soil). The Chota Nagpur Plateau is the mineral storehouse; the Meghalaya Plateau (Garo-Khasi-Jaintia hills) is separated from Chota Nagpur by the Malda gap. The Western Ghats (Sahyadri) are continuous, higher and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012); the Eastern Ghats are low and broken by rivers. The Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Cardamom hills join the two. West coast (north to south): Konkan, Kannad (Kanara), Malabar - Kerala's backwaters (kayals, e.g. Vembanad) lie here. East coast: Utkal/Northern Circars in the north and Coromandel in the south, with wide deltas. Superlative lakes: Wular (J&K, on the Jhelum) - largest freshwater lake; Chilika (Odisha) - largest brackish-water lagoon; Sambhar (Rajasthan) - largest inland salt lake; Loktak (Manipur) - floating phumdis; Pulicat (AP-TN) - lagoon behind Sriharikota island; Kolleru (AP) - freshwater lake between the Krishna and Godavari deltas; Lonar (Maharashtra) - a meteorite-impact crater lake; Pangong Tso (Ladakh) - brackish high-altitude lake.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Mountain pass ↔ state or route
A pass name (Nathu La, Zoji La, Shipki La, Rohtang, Bhor Ghat) with states or linked places as options.
Group passes by state: Ladakh/J&K (Karakoram, Khardung La, Zoji La, Banihal); Himachal (Rohtang, Baralacha La, Shipki La); Uttarakhand (Lipulekh, Mana, Niti); Sikkim (Nathu La, Jelep La); Arunachal (Bomdi La, Diphu).
Ghats of the Sahyadri: Thal (Mumbai-Nashik), Bhor (Mumbai-Pune), Palghat (Kerala-TN).
Remember the extra fact attached to each (Shipki La - Sutlej enters India; Rohtang - Atal Tunnel; Banihal - Jawahar Tunnel).
Lipulekh Pass, used by pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar, is in which state?
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Uttarakhand (Pithoragarh district), on the India-Tibet border near the Nepal tri-junction.
Peak superlatives ↔ range or state
'Highest peak of South India / of the Aravallis / entirely within India', or a peak with states as options.
Learn the ladder: K2 (Karakoram) > Kangchenjunga (Sikkim) > Nanda Devi (fully in India, Uttarakhand).
Range tops: Anamudi (Anaimalai, Kerala - South India), Doddabetta (Nilgiris), Guru Shikhar (Aravalli, Mount Abu), Dhupgarh (Satpura), Parasnath (Jharkhand).
Match the word in the stem (range, state, 'entirely within') to the right row.
Anamudi, the highest peak of South India, is in which state?
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Kerala - in the Anaimalai Hills (2,695 m).
Himalayan ranges, hills and their features
Order of the three ranges, 'Duns lie between…', 'youngest/oldest mountains', or which hills belong to the Purvanchal.
North to south: Himadri (highest) → Himachal (hill stations, Pir Panjal, Dhauladhar) → Shiwalik (lowest, youngest).
Duns = valleys between Himachal and Shiwalik.
Purvanchal = Patkai Bum, Naga, Manipur, Mizo hills. Aravallis = oldest fold mountains of India.
Hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie and Nainital lie in which Himalayan range?
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The Himachal (Lesser/Middle) Himalaya - the widest range and home of most hill stations.
Lake superlatives and lake types
'Largest freshwater / brackish / salt lake', 'floating national park lake', 'crater lake', lake ↔ state.
Fresh = Wular (J&K), brackish lagoon = Chilika (Odisha), inland salt = Sambhar (Rajasthan).
Special: Loktak (Manipur, phumdis), Lonar (Maharashtra, meteorite crater), Pulicat (AP-TN lagoon), Kolleru (AP).
Read the adjective in the stem - fresh, brackish or salt - before choosing.
Loktak Lake, famous for its floating vegetation called phumdis, is in:
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Manipur. The Keibul Lamjao National Park floats on it.
Plateaus, ghats and coastal plains
Questions on the Deccan Trap, Chota Nagpur, Malda gap, Western vs Eastern Ghats, or which coast (Konkan, Malabar, Coromandel) lies where.
West coast north to south: Konkan (Maharashtra-Goa), Kanara (Karnataka), Malabar (Kerala). East coast: Northern Circars (Odisha-AP), Coromandel (Tamil Nadu).
Western Ghats = continuous, high, UNESCO site; Eastern Ghats = low, broken by rivers.
Deccan Trap = basalt lava (black soil); Chota Nagpur = minerals; Malda gap splits Meghalaya plateau from Chota Nagpur.
Which statement is correct?
- The Western Ghats are continuous.
- The Eastern Ghats are higher than the Western Ghats.
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Only 1. The Western Ghats are continuous and higher; the Eastern Ghats are lower and cut through by the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
Shortcuts that save time
Z-K-K (Zoji, Khardung, Karakoram) = Ladakh; R-S-B (Rohtang, Shipki, Baralacha) = Himachal; L-M (Lipulekh, Mana) = Uttarakhand; N-J (Nathu, Jelep) = Sikkim; Bomdi = Arunachal; Palghat = Kerala–TN gap.
Shipki La lies in which state?
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Himachal Pradesh — it is where the Sutlej enters India.
India claimed: K2 → India administered: Kangchenjunga → South India: Anamudi → Nilgiris: Doddabetta → Aravallis: Guru Shikhar → Satpura: Dhupgarh.
Say it as one chain. Examiners swap the adjectives between the four lakes.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Calling the Shiwaliks the oldest range — they are the youngest; the Aravallis are the oldest fold mountains.
Placing the Duns between Himadri and Himachal — they lie between Himachal and Shiwalik.
Confusing Nathu La (Sikkim) with Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) as the Kailash Mansarovar route — Lipulekh is the traditional one.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Six divisions: Himalayas, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Desert, Coastal Plains, Islands.
Himadri > Himachal > Shiwalik (north to south); Duns lie between Himachal and Shiwalik; Purvanchal = Patkai, Naga, Manipur, Mizo.
K2 (Karakoram) - Kangchenjunga (Sikkim) - Nanda Devi (fully inside) - Anamudi (South) - Guru Shikhar (Aravalli) - Dhupgarh (Satpura).
Passes: ZK-K = Ladakh, R-S-B = Himachal, L-M = Uttarakhand, N-J = Sikkim, Bomdi = Arunachal.
Fresh Wular, brackish Chilika, salty Sambhar, floating Loktak, meteoric Lonar.
Practice: 18 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 3 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.