CONTENTS Unit 1: Himalayan Regional Geography 1. HIMALAYAN PHYSIOGRAPHY ..........8 5. Pig ....................................................37 1. Trans Himalayas ....................................8 6. Horses and Ponies ...............................37 2. The Himalayas ......................................9 7. Goat ..................................................37 3. Important Passes of Himalayas .............14 8. Wool ..................................................37 4. Signifi cance of Himalayas .....................15 9. Sericulture .........................................38 10. Fisheries ............................................38 2. HIMALAYAN DRAINAGE SYSTEM ...18 11. Apiculture (Bee Keeping) ......................38 1. Indus River System ..............................18 2. The Ganga River System ......................20 7. DEMOGRAPHY OF 3. Brahmaputra River System ...................23 HIMALAYAN REGION ....................39 1. Population Growth in Himalayan 3. HIMALAYAN CLIMATE SYSTEM .....25 Region ............................................... 39 2. Western Himalayas ..............................39 1. Seasonal Rhythm .................................25 3. Eastern Himalayan ...............................41 2. Annual Rainfall ...................................27 8. HIMALAYAN SYSTEM POPULATION 4. HIMALAYAN NATURAL COMPOSITION .............................44 VEGETATION & WILDLIFE ..............29 1. Ethnic composition of Himalayan 1. Natural Vegetation ...............................29 region ................................................ 44 2. Major Forest Products ..........................29 2. Scheduled Castes ................................45 3. Minor Forest Products ..........................29 3. Distribution of SCs in Himalayan region ..45 4. Indirect uses of forests ........................30 4. Tribal population in Himalayan region .....45 5. Vegetation Division of Himalayas ...........30 5. Distribution of STs in Himalayan region ...46 6. Wildlife ..............................................32 6. Tribal Economy ...................................46 7. Languages and Dialects used 5. HIMALAYAN SOILS .......................34 in Himalayan region ............................ 47 1. Major Soils found in Himalayan Region ...34 8. Religious Composition .........................47 2. Soil erosion ........................................34 9. Literacy in Himalayan Region ................48 10. Migration ...........................................49 6. HIMALAYAN BIOTIC 11. Internal Migration in Himalayan region ....50 RESOURCES ................................36 1. Livestock ...........................................36 9. HIMALAYAN AGRICULTURE ...........51 2. Cattle ................................................36 1. Crop combination in the Himalayan 3. Buffaloes ...........................................36 region ................................................ 51 4. Sheep ................................................37 2. Dryland Farming in Himalayan region ......51 3. Agro-Climatic Region of Himalayas ........51 Pakal Dul Project ...................................58 Turga Pumped Storage Project ...............58 10. MINERAL RESOURCES Renuka dam ..........................................59 IN HIMALAYAN REGION ................53 Lower Kalnai hydropower project ............59 1. Metallic Minerals................................. 53 2. Non Metallic Minerals ..........................54 12. HIMALAYAN NATURAL HAZARDS & DISASTERS ...............................60 11. ENERGY RESOURCES 1. Major Natural Hazards and IN HIMALAYAS .............................55 Disasters in Himalayas ......................... 60 2. Earthquakes .......................................60 1. Conventional Sources of Energy .............55 3. Droughts ............................................61 2. Non Conventional Energy Sources ..........55 4. Floods ...............................................61 3. Recent Developments ...........................56 Himalayan springs .................................56 5. Cloudburst .........................................62 Natiwar Mori Hydro Electricity Project .....57 6. Landslides.......................................... 62 Kishanganga Hydro Electricity Project ....57 7. Avalanches .........................................63 Unit II: Regional Geography of Northern Plains 1. THE GREAT PLAIN OF NORTH 4. SOILS OF GREAT NORTHERN INDIA ..........................................66 PLAINS .......................................87 1. Origin of the Plain ...............................66 1. Soil erosion in the Great Plains ..............89 2. Geomorphology of the Plain .................66 2. Desertifi cation ....................................90 3. Regional Division of Plains.................... 67 4. Signifi cance of the Plain .......................69 5. NATURAL VEGETATION& WILDLIFE OF GREAT NORTHERN 2. IMPORTANT RIVER WATER PLAIN .........................................91 PROJECTS & DAMS IN NORTHERN 1. Forest Products ...................................92 PLAIN .........................................71 2. Social Forestry ....................................92 3. Wild Life ............................................93 3. INDIAN MONSOON & CLIMATIC 4. National Parks ....................................94 REGIONS OF INDIA .......................73 5. Biosphere Reserves .............................94 1. Introduction ........................................73 6. Cattle ................................................96 2. Traditional Theory ...............................73 7. Buffaloes ...........................................96 3. Dynamic Theory ..................................74 8. Sheep ................................................96 4. Factors Affecting Indian Monsoon ..........74 5. Theory of Bursting Monsoon .................79 6. BIOTIC RESOURCES OF GREAT 6. Rainfall Pattern in India ........................81 NORTHERN PLAINS ......................96 7. Climatic Regions of India ......................83 1. Goats ................................................97 8. Recent Developments ...........................85 2. Horses, Ponies, Donkey & Mules ............97 India International Cherry Blossom Festival-2018 ...........................85 3. Camel ................................................97 9. Soils.................................................. 87 4. Livestock Products ..............................97 5. Fisheries ............................................97 9. GREAT NORTHERN PLAINS-LAND UTILIZATION & 7. DEMOGRAPHY OF THE AGRICULTURE ........................... 113 GREAT NORTHERN PLAINS ...........98 1. Land Use ..........................................113 1. Factors Governing Distribution of 2. Agriculture .......................................113 population .......................................... 99 3. Crop Combination of Northern Plains ....115 2. Literacy in the Great Northern Plains ...101 4. Food Crops .......................................115 3. Work ...............................................101 5. Cash Crops .......................................116 4. Coal ................................................105 6. Oil Seeds .........................................117 5. Petroleum or Mineral Oil ....................105 7. Agro Climatic Regions ........................118 6. Pipelines .........................................105 8. Case study of Green Revolution ...........118 9. Metalic Minerals ...............................123 8. ENERGY RESOURCES 10. Non- Metallic Minerals .......................123 IN GREAT NORTHERN PLAINS ..... 105 1. Natural Gas ......................................108 10. MINERAL RESOURCES IN GREAT 2. Electricity ........................................109 NORTHERN PLAINS .................... 123 3. Non conventional Energy Sources ........ 109 1. Earthquakes .....................................126 4. Recent Developments .........................110 2. Droughts ..........................................126 Mohar Reservoir Project .......................110 Arun-3 Hydro Electric Project ................110 11. NATURAL HAZARDS & DISASTERS North Koel reservoir project..................111 IN GREAT NORTHERN PLAINS ..... 126 Bansagar canal project ........................112 1. Floods .............................................127 Unit III: Regional Geography Peninsular India 1. THE PENINSULAR PLATEAU 8. Recent Developments .........................146 COASTAL PLAINS AND ISLANDS .130 Mahadayi River water sharing dispute ...146 1. Peninsular Plateau ............................130 Polavaram multi-purpose project ..........146 Mekedatu dam project .........................147 2. Coastal Plains ...................................133 Par-Tapi-Narmada inter-state river 3. The Indian Islands .............................134 link project ..........................................148 2. DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF 3. CLIMATE OF PENINSULAR INDIA .149 PENINSULAR INDIA .................... 136 1. Factors Infl uencing the Climate of 1. Origin of Peninsular Drainage ..............136 Peninsular India ................................ 149 2. Seasonal Rhythm of Monsoon 2. West fl owing rivers ............................136 in Peninsular India .............................149 3. East Flowing Rivers ............................139 3. Annual Rainfall in the Peninsula India ...151 4. Waterfalls in Peninsular India ..............142 4. Climatic Regions of Peninsular India ....152 5. WATER RESOURCES AND IRRIGATION ...143