India is a huge country in southern Asia, located on the Indian subcontinent between the headwaters of the Indus system in the Punjab in the West and the Ganges river system in the East. It is bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. India washes from the south Indian Ocean, and off the northern coast of India is the island of Sri Lanka.
The relief of India is very diverse - from the plains in the South of India, to the glaciers in the North, in the Himalayas, and from the desert regions of the West, to the tropical forests in the East. India's length from north to south is about 3220 km, and from east to west - 2930 km. India's land border is 15200 km, and its sea border is 6083 km. Height above sea level varies from 0 to 8598 meters. The highest point is Mount Kapchspupga. India covers an area of 3,287,263 sq. km, although this figure is not entirely accurate, because some sections of the border are disputed by China and Pakistan. India is the seventh largest country in the world.
In India, seven natural regions are distinguished: the Northern mountain range (consisting of the Himalayas and the Karakorum), the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Great Indian Desert, the Southern Plateau (Deccan Plateau), the East Coast, the West Coast and the Adaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
In India, there are seven large mountain ranges: the Himalayas, Patkai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats.
The Himalayas stretch from east to west (from the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Sivalik Mountains in the south (800-1200 m), then the Lesser Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Greater Himalayas (5500-6000 m). In the Himalayas are the origins of the three most big rivers India: Ganges (2510 km), Indus (2879 km) and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennara, Kaveri). Several rivers flow into the Gulf of Cambay (Tapti, Narbad, Mahi and Sabarmati). Apart from the Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra, all other rivers in India are not navigable. During the summer rainy season, accompanied by snow melting in the Himalayas, flooding in northern India became common. Every five to ten years, almost the entire Jamno-Ganges plain is under water. Then from Delhi to Patna (the capital of the highway Bihar), i.e. more than 1000 km can be reached by boat. In India, it is believed that the legend of the Flood was born here.
India Statistics
(as of 2012)
The inland waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their feeding, are divided into "Himalayan", full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacier and rainwater supply, and "Deccan", mainly with rainfall, monsoon feeding, large fluctuations in runoff. high water from June to October. On all large rivers, there is a sharp rise in level in summer, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave its name to the country, after the partition of British India, turned out to be for the most part in Pakistan.
There are no significant lakes in India. Most often, oxbow lakes are found in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The most large lake Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used for salt evaporation. India has a population of over 1.21 billion, which is one sixth of the world's population. India is the most populous country on Earth after China. India is a multinational country.
The largest peoples: Hindustans, Telugu, Marathi, Bengalis, Tamils, Gujarati, Kannara, Punjabis. About 80% of the population is Hinduism. Muslims make up 14% of the population, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2%, Buddhists - 0.7%. Most Indians are villager... Average life expectancy: about 55 years.
Relief of India
Through the territory of India, the Himalayas stretch in an arc from north to north-east of the country, being a natural border with China in three sections, interrupted by Nepal and Bhutan, between which, in the state of Sikkim, is the highest peak of India, Mount Kanchenjunga. Karakorum is located in the far north of India in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, mainly in the part of Kashmir held by Pakistan. In the northeastern appendix of India, there are the medium-altitude Assamo-Burma Mountains and the Shillong Plateau.
The main centers of glaciation are concentrated in the Karakorum and on the southern slopes of the Zaskar ridge in the Himalayas. The glaciers are fed by snowfalls during the summer monsoons and snow drifts from the slopes. The average height of the snow line decreases from 5300 m in the west to 4500 m in the east. Glaciers are retreating due to global warming.
Hydrology of India
The inland waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their feeding, are divided into "Himalayan", full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacier and rainwater supply, and "Deccan", mainly with rainfall, monsoon feeding, large fluctuations in runoff. high water from June to October. On all large rivers, there is a sharp rise in level in summer, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave its name to the country, after the partition of British India, turned out to be mostly in Pakistan.
The largest rivers, originating in the Himalayas and for the most part flowing through the territory of India, are the Ganges and Brahmaputra; they both flow into the Bay of Bengal. The main tributaries of the Ganges are Yamuna and Koshi. Their low banks cause catastrophic floods every year. Other important rivers of Hindustan are the Godavari, Mahanadi, Kaveri and Krishna, which also flow into the Bay of Bengal, and the Narmada and Tapti flow into the Arabian Sea - the steep banks of these rivers prevent their waters from overflowing. Many of them are important as sources of irrigation.
There are no significant lakes in India. Most often, oxbow lakes are found in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The largest lake Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used for salt evaporation.
Coast of india
Length coastline is 7,517 km, of which, 5,423 km belong to mainland India, and 2,094 km - Andaman, Nicobar, and Laccadives. The coast of mainland India has the following character: 43% - sandy beaches, 11% rocky and rocky beach, and 46% watt or swampy beach. Weakly dissected, low, sandy shores have almost no convenient natural harbors, therefore major ports located either at the mouths of rivers (Calcutta), or artificially arranged (Chennai). South west coast Hindustan is called the Malabar Coast, south east coast- The Coromandel Coast.
The most remarkable coastal regions of India are the Great Kachskiy Rann in Western India and the Sundarban, the marshy lower reaches of the Ganges and Brahmaputra deltas in India and Bangladesh. Part of India is two archipelagos: the coral atolls Lakshadweep west of Malabar Coast; and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the Andaman Sea.
Natural resources and minerals of India
The minerals of India are diverse and their reserves are significant. The main deposits are located in the north-east of the country. On the border of the states of Orisa and Bihar, there are iron ore basins that are among the most important in the world (the largest is Singbhum on the Chhota Nagpur plateau). Iron ores have high quality... General geological reserves amount to over 19 billion tons. India also possesses significant reserves of manganese ores.
Somewhat north of the iron ore are the main coal basins (in the states of Bihar, West Bengal), but these coals are of low quality. The explored reserves of coal in the country are about 23 billion tons (the total coal reserves in India, according to various sources, are estimated at 140 billion tons). In the north-east of the country, there is a concentration of minerals that is especially favorable for the development of heavy industry. The state of Bihar is the richest region in India in minerals.
The minerals of South India are diverse. These are bauxite, chromite, magnesite, brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands. In Central India ( Eastern state of Madhya Pradesh) also has significant deposits of ferrous metals and coal.
Radioactive thorium contained in monocyte sands can become an important source of energy. Uranium ores have been discovered in the state of Rajasthan.
Climate of India
India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert, causing monsoons. The Himalayas serve as a barrier to cold Central Asian winds, thus making the climate in most of Hindustan warmer than at the same latitudes in other regions of the planet. The Thar Desert plays a key role in attracting the humid southwestern winds of the summer monsoon, which provide most of India with rain from June to October. India is dominated by four main climates: humid tropical, dry tropical, subtropical monsoon and alpine.
In most of India, there are three seasons: hot and humid with the dominance of the southwestern monsoon (June - October); relatively cool and dry with a predominance of the northeastern trade wind (November - February); very hot and dry transitional (March - May). During wet season more than 80% of the annual precipitation falls.
The most humid are the windward slopes of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas (up to 6000 mm per year), and on the slopes of the Shillong Plateau is the rainiest place on Earth - Cherrapunji (about 12000 mm). The driest areas are the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (less than 100 mm in the Thar Desert, dry period 9-10 months) and the central part of Hindustan (300-500 mm, dry period 8-9 months). Precipitation fluctuates greatly in different years... On the plains, the average January temperature increases from north to south from 15 to 27 ° C, in May everywhere 28-35 ° C, sometimes reaching 45-48 ° C. During the humid period, temperatures in most of the country are 28 ° C. In the mountains at an altitude of 1500 m in January -1 ° C, in July 23 ° C, at an altitude of 3500 m, respectively -8 ° C and 18 ° C.
The flora and fauna of India
Due to the peculiarities of the location of India and the diverse climatic conditions everything grows in this country. Or almost everything: from drought-resistant thorny shrubs to tropical rainforest evergreen forests. There are such plants and trees as palms (more than 20 species), ficuses, giant trees - batangor (up to 40 m high), sal (about 37 m), cotton tree (35 m). Indian banyan tree amazes with its unusual appearance - a tree with hundreds of aerial roots. According to the Botanical Service, there are about 45 thousand in India. different types plants, of which more than 5 thousand are found only in India. In India, there are tropical evergreen forests, monsoon (deciduous) forests, savannas, woodlands and shrubs, semi-deserts and deserts. In the Himalayas, the vertical zonation of the vegetation cover is clearly manifested - from tropical and subtropical forests to alpine meadows. As a result of long-term human exposure, the natural vegetation cover of India has been greatly altered, and in many areas almost destroyed. Once covered in dense forests, India is now one of the least forested areas in the world. Forests are preserved mainly in the Himalayas and in the highest mountain ranges of the peninsula. The coniferous forests of the Himalayas are composed of Himalayan cedar, fir, spruce and pine. Since they are located in remote areas, their economic value is limited.
More than 350 species of mammals live in India. The main representatives of the fauna here are: elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, a huge number of different species of deer, bison, antelope, bison and striped hyenas, bears, wild pigs, jackals, monkeys and wild Indian dogs. Only in India, the barasinga deer lives - there are only about 4 thousand individuals of it. Reptiles include king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater turtles and lizards. The wild bird world of India is also diverse. It has about 1200 species and 2100 subspecies of birds: from hornbills and eagles to the symbol of the nation - the peacock.
There are river dolphins in the Ganges delta. In the seas washing India, the dugong lives - one of the rarest animals in the world, a representative of a small detachment of lilacs, or sea cows.
As part of the government's special programs for the protection of wild animals, a network has been created in the country national parks and nature reserves, the largest and most famous of which are Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Kaziranga in Assam, Corbett in Uttar Pradesh and Periyar in Kerala. On this moment there are only 350 national parks and reserves.
Mother of great religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. The spiritual wisdom of India is much older than most modern religions and cults. It is tens of thousands of years old, and maybe even more. Indian sacred texts contain descriptions of things unseen for modern man. They tell about the greatest civilizations that existed on the planet in ancient times. And of course, the earth itself, the air of this country is saturated with that special atmosphere of spirituality and holiness that has enveloped India for centuries.
India has many holy, sacred places with a unique energy. Many such places are located in the mountains, more precisely, the mountains themselves and are sources of strength and special energy, which makes them places of power, sacred points of the Earth. Kailash (Kailash) - This mountain is located in the west of the Tibetan Plateau, near the border with Nepal. For Buddhists, Hindus, Bonpo and Jains, Kailash is the center of the Earth and the center of the universe. Kailash neither geologically nor geographically belongs to the Himalayan ridge, geologists believe that the mountain rose from the ocean along with the plateau, and natural forces gave its faces a shape similar to a pyramid. But there is another opinion - Kailash is a creation of ancient civilizations, it is a pyramid with the correct edges, fulfilling its special role, which is unknown today. Which version you like more - choose for yourself. The edges of this pyramid are almost exactly oriented to the cardinal points. Cracks in rock on the southern slopes are very reminiscent of the outlines of the swastika, which in Buddhism symbolizes the strength of the spirit. Hindus consider Kailash to be the materialization of the spiritual center of the Universe on Earth. According to the Vedas, this is the abode of Shiva - the great destroyer. There are many places of power on Earth that radiate a special energy that helps accelerate the spiritual development of a person and establish a connection with higher worlds through telepathy. Kailash is considered one of these places. Pilgrims go around this abode of the gods in a circle, people, at least modern people, have never climbed this mountain. Just a few years ago, the path to this sacred place became again accessible to pilgrims.
Located in the state of Uttarakhand, Mount Om Parvat (the second name is Adi-Kailash, or Small Kailash) is also revered by Hindus as sacred. The patterns formed on the top of the mountain by eternal snows and rocks are very similar in outline to Omkara - the sacred symbol of the Hindus. Kailash and Om Parvat are really very similar. Just like next to Kailash is located sacred lake Manasarovar, at the foot of Om Parvat is Yonglingkong Lake, also sacred to Hindus. Unlike Kailash, a group of climbers climbed Om Parvat in 2004, but respecting the sacred status of the mountain, they did not climb to the top.
Near the Gomukh cave, from where the Ganges flows out, is Mount Shivling (Shivlinga). According to legend, once Shri Shiva himself, the supreme god of Hinduism, took the form of a peak-shaped mountain, the Lingam, in response to the request of Vishnu and Brahma, who wanted to worship him. According to some sources, Shivling is a projection of the heart of Shiva, the Spirit of the Universe in the material world.
Mount Bhagirathi is located next to Shivlinga on the road to Gomunkhu. The mountain got its name in honor of the great saint who begged Shiva to send a new river for these places when the great river Sarasvati dried up. The upper reaches of the Ganges are also called Bhagirathi.
Ladakh is a place that is located in India, it is the highest point, as it is located high in the mountains... In order to visit it, you can choose only 5 months, since that is exactly how long it is open to visitors and nothing more.
Generally, Ladakh, this is a place where a lot of holy places are collected, especially those places that are made of stone are noticeable. They were made in the shape of pagodas and have no windows or doors. This place can be safely called a place of calmness and warmth that it gives to people. Ladakh is located between several mountain systems. The population here is quite diverse, that is, you can meet Indo-European people, Tibetan and many others.
Ladakh is also called Little Tibet, because it is very similar, both in culture and in nature, to itself Tibet... In ancient times, Ladakh had an important strategic position, as many trade routes passed through it. If you delve into history, you can learn that it was here that the Great Silk Road passed, and that Buddhists founded monasteries.
When the western borders were closed, trade unfortunately fell into disrepair and until 1974 Ladakh was closed for tourists. But now the government India tourism is also actively developing, since this is the main income. If we talk about living creatures, then there are quite a few of them, for example, there are about 225 species of birds here. These are finches, robins, redstarts, hoopoes, etc.
Ladakh is also known for the fact that here a large number of monasteries that are located on the tops of the mountains. Each of them has signs that symbolize spirits. To know your inner world, you need to come here. You will immerse yourself in a world where there are no problems and noise, there is no bad mood. There can only be peace, spirituality and self-knowledge.
Kind time of day to all readers of the site "I and the World", today we have prepared for you an article about the most high mountain in India.
This is a mysterious and incomprehensible peak of the world, which is a landmark of India. Perhaps you have already guessed that we are talking about the Indian Himalayas, or rather about its highest point.
Highest mountain in India- this is Mount Kanchenjunga in the translation of "Five Treasures of Snow". It is located in the mountain range of the Indian Himalayas.
The height of Mount Kanchenjunga is more than 8000 meters above sea level. It is the third highest eight-thousander in the world after Chogori.
Mount Kanchenjunga consists of 5 main peaks, their names are as follows: Kanchenjunga Main 8 586 m, Kanchenjunga South 8 491 m, Kanchenjunga Central 8 478 m, Kanchenjunga West 8 505 m, Kangbachen 790 m.
The mountains are beautiful and inaccessible, beckoning adventure seekers. They, as if towering over people, challenge them. Climbers have always sought to conquer the majestic peaks, often sacrificing their lives for the sake of the goal. The conquest of mountain peaks goes to people, it is very expensive, sometimes even at the cost of life. Many names of such brave souls have survived in history.
The northern border of India is the highest mountains in the Himalayas. The site of the mountain system, Kanchenjunga is located on the border of two countries: Nepal and India.
The history of the conquest of the mountain
Until the middle of the nineteenth century, Mount Kanchenjunga was considered the highest, but after the expedition to Chomolungma (Everest) in 1849, it turned out that Kanchenjunga is the third highest peak in the world.
The first expedition to Mount Kanchenjunga was carried out in 1955 by two climbers, George Band and Joe Brown.
Kanchenjunga is one of the most dangerous mountains our planet, a large number of tragic incidents sets it apart from other mountains exceeding 8000 meters.
Any attempt to disturb her peace is punishable by imminent death. This may seem like a hoax, but the statistics are rather sad. In the next 43 years, not a single woman managed to return alive from such a trip.
For Indian residents, Kanchenjunga is sacred and in essence a "obstinate woman."
There are legends among the Indian people that the mountain is not given to women who tried to conquer it.
Only at the end of the twentieth century, a climber from England, Jeanette Harrison, conquered this height. However, after 1.5 years, Mount Dhaulagiri took her life.
Climbing to the top of the mountains is very dangerous species sports, but in the cases of Kanchenjanga, an interesting question arises: why the mountain will be conquered by men, but not women? After all, the climbers who attempted to conquer the mountain were quite experienced and were not inferior in skill to men. It is possible indeed ancient legend true, and the mountain abhors rivals?
One of the landmarks of India is its mountains. The mountains attract with little people, untouched flora and fauna, and the incomparable splendor of dazzling snow-white peaks, although not all mountains can boast of this. If you think that there is only one in India, you are mistaken and here I will tell you a little about other Indian mountains.
In total, there are 3 mountain systems in India and several mountain ranges and mountain ranges, which are scattered throughout its territory.
I'll make a reservation right away that this article is not a reminder of a geography lesson, it has a purely practical meaning if you are going on a long trip. From the point of view of climbers, the mountains begin where the mountain begins, that is, from an altitude of 2.5-3 thousand meters above sea level. But he considers mountains and less tall arrays, since they are climate-forming, therefore, when going on a trip, you need to have an idea of the terrain, since fluctuations in altitude even in 500-700 meters already significantly affect the climate and weather of the region.
So, Himalayas are the dominant mountain range of the Indian subcontinent.
The Himalayas arose about 50 million years ago as a result of the collision of tectonic plates that support the continents, the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate. Educated Mountain chain became the border between the two great ecosystems of the Earth - the temperate Palaearctic zone, which covers most of Eurasia and the tropical and subtropical zones of Indomalaya, which include the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Here the climate of all the surrounding countries is determined: the Himalayas act as a kind of natural barrier against cold winds coming from the poles, great, feeding the surrounding valleys are born here ...
The Himalayas are known to be the most high mountains, this is where highest peaks the world, including Everest (Sagarmatha (Skt), (non).
The Himalayas stretch across the territory of India from Pradesh in the east to and Kashmir in the west, being the natural border of India, separating it from northeastern Asia. These mountain ranges cover an area of almost 500,000 square kilometers.
Mountain system Karakorum, which also has a tectonic origin, passes in India through the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the peak K2 located here is the second highest peak in the world. The Karakorum stretches from Pakistan to China, and what is called "Indian Tibet" is actually part of these mountains.
Mountain system Patkai or Purvanchal lies along the eastern border of India, dividing it with Myanmar, these mountains were created by a tectonic process similar to that of Himali. The system includes 3 mountain ranges that are part of Patkai Bam, Garo and Lushai. These mountains are characterized by conical peaks, steep slopes and deep valleys, but they are lower than the first two, the most high point 4578 m.
Western Ghats, also called the Sahyadri Ridge, runs along the western edge of the plateau in South India. The western ghats stretch along the coast of the Arabian Sea in the states, and Tamil Nadu. The most high peak western ghats of Anaimalai Hills in Kerala at an altitude of 2695 meters.
Eastern Ghats pass through the states of West, Pradesh and, along the coast, parallel to the Bay of Bengal. This mountain range is divided into sections by rivers, Godavari, Kaveri and Mahanadi The highest peak is 1680 m.
Aravalli ridge stretched for 800 km across - from the northeast in the state, it ends about
