The Indian subcontinent is situated in the middle of Asia, between East and West. India is the southernmost extension of Asia. The Indian mainland stretches from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in the south, and from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat in the east. India’s territorial limit stretches out to sea for up to 12 nautical miles (21.9 kilometers) from the coast.
Table of Contents
- Geographical Location of India
- Size of India
- India & Its Neighbours
- Comparison between different Indian Geographical Borders
- Coastlines of India
- Advantages
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- MCQs
India’s Location in World Map
Geographical Location of India
Geographical Location of India
- The Indian mainland stretches between latitudes 8°4′ north and 37°6′ north, and longitudes 68°7′ east and 97°25′ east.
- Thus, the latitudinal and north-south extents are 3214 km and 2933 km, respectively.
- India is entirely located in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
- The Tropic of Cancer (23°30′ North) runs through the center of the country.
- It divides the country into almost two equal halves.
- North India is to the north of this latitude, and South India is to the south.
- Similarly, the longitude of 82°30′ East crosses virtually through the center of the country. It is known as Indian Standard Meridian.
India’s Location
Size of India
- India is enormous in size; It is the world’s seventh-largest country by landmass.
- India has a total size of 3.28 million square kilometers.
- With a land boundary of 15,200 km and a coastal limit that includes the islands of 7,516 km, India covers 2.4 percent of the world’s land area.
- When we look at the outline of India on a map, we can easily notice natural characteristics such as young fold mountains that border the country in the north, northwest, and northeast.
- The east-west stretch of India and the north-south stretch of India are both roughly 3000 kilometers long.
- However, the east-west stretch is significantly shorter than the north-south stretch.
- The large distance between the country’s eastern and western ends even causes a time lag in the country’s local time.
- There is a two-hour time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh.
- But their clocks, however, reflect the same time because India adheres to a conventional time zone.
- Along with longitude 82.30° E, Indian Standard Time is observed. It runs through the city of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
India & Its Neighbours
India & Its Neighbours
- In South Asia, India holds a very important strategic location.
- There are 28 states and eight union territories in India.
- Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north, and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east all have land borders with India.
- The two island republics of Sri Lanka and the Maldives are our southern neighbors across the sea.
- The Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar constitute a small sea passage that separates Sri Lanka from India, whereas the Maldives Islands are located to the south of the Lakshadweep Islands.
- The longest border among which India shares with its neighbors is Bangladesh, while the shortest border is with Afghanistan.
- India and its neighbors have long had strong geographical and historical ties.
India’s Neighbouring Countries
Comparison
Comparison between different Indian Geographical Borders
- The subcontinent is geographically separated from the rest of Asia in a significant way.
- For example, the plateau of Baluchistan is cut off from the West by two great ranges, the Sulaiman and the Kirthar.
- The Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and the Himalayas form a vast mountain wall along the north, cutting it off from the countries beyond.
- The mountains are incredibly high and difficult to cross.
- Similarly, it is separated from Burma by the Eastern Himalayan offshoots to the south.
- Except in Nepal, India’s northern border is formed by the Himalayas and other lofty mountains—the Muztagh Ata and Aghil Kunlun mountains to the north of Kashmir and the southeastern portion of the Zaskar ranges to the east of Himachal Pradesh.
- China, Nepal, and Bhutan border her to the north.
- India and Burma are separated by a number of mountain ranges in the east. Bangladesh is also bordered on the east by the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
- Afghanistan and Pakistan are located in the northwest.
- India and Sri Lanka are separated by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Straits.
- India’s territory includes the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. Indira Point (formerly Pygmalion Point) on Great Nicobar, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands, is India’s most southern territory.
Coastlines of India
Coastlines of India
- India’s coastline stretches for 7516.6 kilometers [6100 kilometers of mainland coastline plus 1197 kilometers of Indian island coastline], passing through 13 states and union territories (UTs).
- The faulting of Gondwanaland during the Cretaceous period resulted in India’s straight and regular coastline (Continental Drift).
- As a result, there aren’t many good natural harbors along India’s coast.
- Following the dissolution of Gondwanaland, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea was formed during the Cretaceous or early Tertiary periods.
Coastlines of India
East Coast
- Between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal is the East Coast.
- It stretches all the way from the Ganga delta to Kanyakumari.
- It is defined by river deltas such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery.
- The significant geographical features of the east coast include Chilka Lake and Pulicat Lake (lagoon).
West Coast
- From the Gulf of Cambay (Gulf of Khambhat) in the north to Cape Comorin in the south, the west coast strip stretches (Kanyakumari).
- It is separated into three sections from north to south:
- The Konkan coast
- The Karnataka coast and
- The Kerala coast
- It is made up of alluvium that has been transported down from the Western Ghats by short streams.
- It is dotted with coves (a small bay), creeks (a short, sheltered waterway such as an inlet in a shoreline or a channel in a marsh), and estuaries.
- The Vembanad Lake is the largest of the lakes, lagoons, and backwaters on the Kerala coast (Malabar Coast).
Advantages
Advantages of India’s Geographical Location
- India’s strategic location allows her to maintain strong ties with other nations.
- India’s subcontinent is connected to countries in the north and south.
- The southern half of the country, which extends out into the Indian Ocean, is a crucial strategic location for the country in international trade.
- Through its maritime channels, India’s long coastline has increased its interaction with the rest of the world.
- The Indian Ocean is named after India because of its prime location in the Indian Ocean.
- Traders and travelers used mountain passes to move in and out of India in ancient times when sea routes were not well explored.
- India’s advantageous location in Asia aided its development of trade and global participation.
Conclusion
Conclusion
India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. During the last five decades, it has made multifaceted socio-economic improvements. It has progressed significantly in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and overall economic development. India has also had a crucial role in shaping world history.
FAQs
Question: Which hemisphere is India located in?
Answer:
India lies entirely in the Northern hemisphere. The major land ranges between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
Question: What is the location of India with respect to the Indian Ocean?
Answer:
India’s location with relation to the Indian Ocean is to the north, as the Indian Ocean is on India’s southernmost side.
Question: Which is the southernmost part of India?
Answer:
Cape Comorin is a rocky cape in Tamil Nadu state, southeastern India, that forms the subcontinent’s southernmost point. It is the southernmost point of the Cardamom Hills, which are part of the Western Ghats range that runs along India’s west coast.
MCQs
MCQs
Question: Consider the following statements on India’s Location.
- India is the world’s seventh-largest country by area.
- India covers 4.2% of the world’s land area.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) See the Explanation
- India is enormous in size; It is the world’s seventh-largest country by landmass.
- India has a total size of 3.28 million square kilometers.
- With a land boundary of 15,200 km and a coastal limit that includes the islands of 7,516 km, India covers 2.4 percent of the world’s land area.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
Question: With which of the following countries does India share its longest border?
(a) China
(b) Afghanistan
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Pakistan
Answer: (c) See the Explanation
- India has a land border of 15106.7 kilometers that runs through 92 districts in 17 states.
- All other states in the country, with the exception of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Delhi, Haryana, and Telangana, have one or more international borders or coastlines and can be considered frontline states in terms of border control.
- The longest border among which India shares with its neighbors is Bangladesh, while the shortest border is with Afghanistan.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
