Indian Geography

India is the largest country in the Indian Subcontinent, deriving its name from the river Indus which flows in the northwest. Indian mainland extends in the tropical zone from latitude 8 degree 4 minute North to 37 degree 6 minute North and from longitude 68 degree 7 minute East 97 degree 25 minute East. The country lies wholly in the northern and eastern hemispheres. Even though it falls under Monsoon climatical category, the climate varies from one place to another. India stretches 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km from east to west. The total length of the mainland coastline is nearly 6,100 km and the land frontier is about 15,200 km. With an area of about 3,287,782 sq. km, India is the seventh largest country in the world and accounts 2.4% of total world area. The north of the country is bordered by the mighty Himalayas, the highest mountains on earth. This ranges separate India from China, Tibet and Bhutan in the east. Kanchenjunga (8598 metres) is the highest mountain peak in India. On the western side, India is separated by Arabian Sea and on Eastern side by Bay of Bengal. The Indian ocean on the south separate India from rest of the world. In the north, the mighty river Ganga, which has the source in Himalaya, with its tributaries, drains a large part of the north and created a fertile Gangetic Plain. South of the northern plains, the land rises up into the high plateau known as the Deccan and stretch itself till Indian peninsulas. With Vidhyas and Satapura on the north, it is bordered by Sahyadris (Western Ghat) on west and by Eastern Ghat on the East. This two Ghats run parallel to the coast and meet in the extreme south in Nilgiris hills.