Maarg Manthan · Topic 13.2

Major Physical Divisions of India

Geography › India: Location, Geology and the Himalayas · Topic 13.2

India is divided into five major physiographic divisions: the Himalayan mountains in the north, the Indo-Gangetic plain, the Peninsular Plateau, the coastal plains and the islands. They differ in age, rock, relief and stability, from the young, unstable Himalayas to the ancient, rigid Peninsula. About 43 per cent of the land is plains, 28 per cent plateau, 19 per cent hills and 11 per cent mountains.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · India: Location, Geology and the Himalayas

At a Glance

Divisions Himalayas, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, coastal plains, islands
Plains About 43 per cent of area
Plateau About 28 per cent
Hills About 19 per cent
Mountains About 11 per cent
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: India: Location, Geology and the Himalayas

Where Does It Fit?

This is the second topic of the macro on India’s location, geology and the Himalayas. The previous topic gave the location and frontiers, and this one gives the broad structure of the land. The next topic begins the study of the rock systems with the oldest, the Archaean. Previous topic: India as a Geographical Unit and Its Frontiers. Next topic: Archaean Rock System of India.

What Are the Five Physical Divisions?

In short: India has a young mountain wall in the north, a river-built plain below it, an ancient plateau, fringing coasts and two island groups.

Division	Origin and age	Main features	Stability
The Himalayas	Young fold mountains from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, as in Continent-Continent Convergence – Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau	Three parallel ranges, the Greater Himalaya, Lesser Himalaya and Shiwaliks, with the trans-Himalaya and the Purvanchal in the east	Youngest and the most unstable; earthquakes and landslides
The Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra Plain	Alluvium laid down by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems in a foredeep at the foot of the Himalayas	Flat, featureless and fertile; the Punjab, Ganga and Brahmaputra plains and the delta	Young and sensitive to earthquakes along the Himalayan front
The Peninsular Plateau	One of the oldest and most stable land masses, a part of ancient Gondwanaland, as in Archaean Rock System of India	Rolling plateau with hill ranges, the Deccan Trap in the west, and mineral wealth	Stable; earthquakes are rare and mild
The Coastal Plains	Built by sediments from rivers and by uplift or submergence of the coast	Narrow western coastal plain and broad eastern coastal plain with deltas	Stable
The Islands	Lakshadweep are coral atolls, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a tectonic island arc, an extension of the Arakan Yoma	Coral reefs in Lakshadweep; hills, forests and Barren Island, the only active volcano in India, in the Andaman and Nicobar group	Lakshadweep is stable but vulnerable to sea-level rise, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are seismically active

The Lakshadweep is considered part of the volcanic chain of the Reunion hotspot, built up by coral over the sunken peaks, as in Minor Ocean Relief Features. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie on the subduction zone of the Indian and Burmese plates, which gave rise to the 2004 earthquake and tsunami, as in Ocean-Ocean Convergence and Island Arcs.

How Much of India Is Mountain, Plateau and Plain?

Relief type	Height	Share of area
Mountains	Above 2,135 m	About 10.7 per cent
Hills	305 to 2,135 m	About 18.6 per cent
Plateaus	305 to 915 m	About 27.7 per cent
Plains	Below about 305 m	About 43 per cent

The large share of plains and plateaus, which are suited to farming and settlement, gives India a high ratio of arable land, which is about half of the area, a share that is among the highest in the world. The plains have the densest population, and the plateau holds most of the minerals. The mountains and hills, which have a low population density, provide water, forests and hydropower.

Why Does This Division Matter?

Each division has its own role in the physical and human geography of India. The Himalayas shape the climate, feed the perennial rivers and act as a barrier; the plains are the granary and the most populated region; the plateau is the mineral and industrial base and has black and red soils; the coasts hold the ports and fisheries; and the islands extend India’s maritime reach and exclusive economic zone, as in UNCLOS, Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zone. The pattern is also a record of geological history: the Peninsula is the stable old block, the Himalayas the young collision zone, and the plain the trough in between filled by sediment. Geologists also note the sub-surface continuity, since the plate is still moving north at around 5 cm a year and compressing the region, which is why the plain is not a rigid platform. As an analytical point, the physical division of India is the first step to understanding almost every other topic in Indian geography, from drainage to soils to agriculture, because each of these is organised along the same lines.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Foundation Frame for all Indian geography
Facts Relief shares asked
Link Geology and hazards

What Came Next?

The next topic begins the study of the rock systems of India with the Archaean system. Next topic: Archaean Rock System of India.

Key People and Terms

Physiography Study of landforms
Gondwanaland Ancient southern supercontinent
Foredeep Trough in front of a mountain range
Barren Island India’s active volcano
Atoll Ring of coral
Arakan Yoma Myanmar range continuing to the Andaman Islands

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Five divisions: Himalayas, Plains, Plateau, Coasts, Islands.
Plains are about 43 per cent of the area.
Peninsula is the oldest and most stable block.
Barren Island is the only active volcano.
Lakshadweep consists of coral islands.

Do Not Confuse With

Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Coral atolls versus tectonic island arc
Hills and mountains 305 to 2,135 m versus above 2,135 m
Plateau and plain Elevated ancient block versus low alluvial lowland

Memory Hook

Young mountains, fertile plains, old plateau, fringing coasts, two island worlds.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for contrasts between the divisions. These points add depth.

Age Young versus ancient
Stability Earthquake-prone versus stable
Economy Water, food, minerals, ports

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the major physical divisions of India and bring out the contrast between the Himalayas and the Peninsular Plateau.”

How to Answer

Divisions Five.
Contrast Age and stability.
Share Plains, plateau, hills.
Role Water, food, minerals.

GS Relevance

Prelims: five divisions, age and stability, share of relief types. GS Paper 1: physical geography of India.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major physical divisions of India?

India has five major physical divisions: the Himalayan mountains, the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plain, the Peninsular Plateau, the coastal plains, and the islands, which include Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They differ in age, rocks, relief and geological stability.

Which is the youngest and most unstable physical division of India?

The Himalayas are the youngest and most unstable division, formed by the collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate. Tectonic movement is still active, causing frequent earthquakes and landslides, and the mountains are still rising slowly.

Which is the oldest and most stable division of India?

The Peninsular Plateau is the oldest and most stable land mass of India. It was part of the ancient Gondwanaland and is made of very old crystalline rocks, with little earthquake activity, and it holds most of India's mineral resources.

What percentage of India is plains?

About 43 per cent of India's area is plains, 27.7 per cent is plateau, 18.6 per cent is hills between 305 and 2,135 metres, and 10.7 per cent is mountains above 2,135 metres. The large share of plains and plateau supports farming and settlement.

How do the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands differ?

Lakshadweep consists of coral atolls built on submerged volcanic ridges and has no recent tectonic activity, but is vulnerable to sea-level rise. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a tectonic island arc, an extension of the Arakan Yoma, with hills, forests and India's only active volcano, Barren Island.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Peninsular Plateau is one of the most stable land masses of the world.

True

It is formed of very old rocks.

2 Barren Island is located in the Lakshadweep.

False

It is in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

3 Plains make up about 43 per cent of India's area.