NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Geography Chapter 2 Physical Features of India

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science Geography Chapter 2 Physical Features of India contain answers to the textbook exercise questions. The NCERT solutions are easy and accurate that helps with the questions asked in the examinations. These solutions cover all the questions of the chapter in detail. NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science Geography Chapter 2 are prepared by our subject experts in very easy language. All our solutions are updated as per the latest CBSE Syllabus and Guidelines.

Class 9 Social Science Geography Chapter 2 NCERT Solutions

Question 1: Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.

(i) A landmass bounded by sea on three sides is referred to as

(a) Coast
(b) Island
(c) Peninsula
(d) none of the above

Solution: (c) Peninsula

(ii) Mountain ranges in the eastern part of India forming its boundary with Myanmar are collectively called as

(a) Himachal
(b) Uttarakhand
(c) Purvanchal
(d) none of the above

Solution: (c) Purvanchal

(iii) The western coastal strip, south of Goa is referred to as

(a) Coromandel
(b) Konkan
(c) Kannad
(d) Northern Circar

Solution: (b) Kannad

(iv) The highest peak in the Eastern Ghats is

(a) Anai Mudi
(b) Kanchenjunga
(c) Mahendragiri
(d) Khasi

Solution: (c) Mahendragiri

Question 2: Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) What is the bhabar?

Solution: The Bhabar is that narrow belt of the plain which is covered with pebbles and lies along the foothills of the Shiwaliks from the Indus to the Teesta.

(ii) Name the three major divisions of the Himalayas from north to south.

Solution: The Great or the Inner Himalayas or the Himadri, the Middle Himalayas or the Himachal, and the Outer Himalayas or the Shivaliks.

(iii) Which plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhyan ranges?

Solution: The Malwa plateau lies between the Aravali and the Vindhya Ranges.

(iv) Name the island group of India having coral origin.

Solution: Lakshadweep Islands is the island group of India having coral origin

Question 3: Distinguish between

(i) Bhangar and Khadar

Bhangar	Khadar
These are the older alluvium or old soil and form the largest part of the Northern Plains.	The newer and younger deposits of the flood plains. Renewed every Year.
Lies above flood plains of rivers.	Is newer, younger deposit of flood
Presents a terrace like feature.	Contains calcerous deposits locally known as Kankar.
Less fertile	More fertile

(ii) Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats

Western Ghats	Eastern Ghats
Lies parallel to the Western Coast.	Lies parallel to the Eastern Coast.
They are continuous and can be crossed through passes only	They are discontinuous and irregular
The Western Ghats’ average elevation is 900 – 1600 metres	The Eastern Ghats average elevation is 600 metres
This range is a source of many large rivers.	No big river originates from this range.
It experiences orographic rain mostly in summer due to the summer monsoons.	It receives rain both in summer and winter, especially in winter through winter monsoons.
Soil is highly fertile.	Soil is not as fertile as western ghats.
Rice, spices, rubber and fruits like coconuts, cashew nuts etc. are grown.	Rice, ground nuts, cotton, tobacco, coconuts etc. are grown

Question 4: Which are the major physiographic divisions of India? Contrast the relief of the Himalayan region with that of the Peninsular plateau.

Solution: The major physiography 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
Young fold mountains made from the uplift of the strata formed by the sedimentary rocks.	Created from igneous and metamorphic rocks after splitting of Gondwanaland.
Consists of the loftiest mountains and deep valleys.	Consists of broad and shallow valleys, and rounded hills.
The ranges have I-shaped and U-shaped valleys.	It has horsts, rift valleys and troughs.
It is the origin of perennial rivers.	It has rainfed, seasonal rivers.
From the point of view of geology, this region forms an unstable zone.	This region forms a stable zone

Question 5: Give an account of the Northern Plains of India.

Solution: The Northern Plains have been formed from the alluvium that the mountain rivers deposited here. This turned the soil on the surfaced land fertile for growing a rich harvest of variety of crops. This led to the development of the Indus River Valley Civilisation. The rich soil was further aided by favourable climate and constant water supply from the rivers. Between the mouths of the Indus and the Ganga-Brahmaputra, the North Indian Plain covers a distance of 3200 km. It is 300 to 150 km wide at some places. The North Indian Plains have the Indus river system in the west and the Ganga-Brahmaputra river system in the east. The first includes Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj. The Indus flows into the Arabian Sea. The second includes Ganga, its tributaries and the Brahmaputra which combine as Meghna as they drain into the Bay of Bengal. They form the world’s largest and fastest growing delta. The difference in relief has led the North Indian Plains to be divided into four zones:

(i) Bhabhar,
(ii) Tarai,
(iii) Bangar and,
(iv) Khadar.

Question 6: Write short notes on the following.

(i) The Indian Desert

Solution: The Indian desert lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills. It is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes called barchans. This region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year (15 cm). It has arid climate with low vegetation cover. Streams appear during the rainy season. Soon after they disappear into the sand as they do not have enough water to reach the sea. Luni is the only large river in this region.

(ii) The Central Highlands

Solution: The Central Highlands lies to the north of the Narmada river. It covers the major portion of the Malwa plateau. The rivers in this region flow from southwest to northeast; which indicates the slope of this region. It is wider in the west and narrower in the east. Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand mark the eastward extension of this plateau. The plateau further extends eastwards into the Chhotanagpur plateau.

(iii) The Island groups of India

Solution: India has 2 main island groups, namely Lakshadweep and Andaman and

Nicobar island. The Lakshadweep consists of many small islands located opposite the Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea. The islands of this group are formed of coral deposits called ‘atolls’ in Malayalam which refer to their ring or ‘horse-shoe’ shape. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on the other hand, are larger in size. They are more in number and more widely scattered. There are about 200 islands in the Andaman group and 19 islands in the Nicobar group.