Geography of India
India is one of the largest countries in the world and is located in South Asia.
It is known for its diverse physical features, climate, rivers, mountains,
plateaus, deserts, forests, and rich biodiversity. India is the seventh-largest
country by area and one of the most important nations in the world economically,
historically, and culturally. Questions related to India are extremely important
for competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, Banking, Defence, PSC,
Teaching, and various GK examinations.
India at a Glance
| Topic |
Information |
| Country |
India |
| Continent |
Asia |
| Region |
South Asia |
| Capital City |
New Delhi |
| Largest City |
Mumbai |
| Official Languages |
Hindi and English |
| Currency |
Indian Rupee (INR) |
| Total States |
28 States |
| Total Union Territories |
8 Union Territories |
| Area |
About 3.28 Million km² |
| Population |
More than 1.4 Billion |
| National Animal |
Tiger |
| National Bird |
Peacock |
Location and Boundaries of India
| Direction |
Bordering Country / Water Body |
| North |
China, Nepal, Bhutan |
| West |
Pakistan and Arabian Sea |
| East |
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bay of Bengal |
| South |
Indian Ocean |
| Island Neighbours |
Sri Lanka and Maldives |
Major Physical Divisions of India
| Physical Division |
Important Fact |
| Northern Mountains |
Includes the Himalayan mountain range |
| Northern Plains |
Fertile plains formed by rivers |
| Peninsular Plateau |
Oldest landmass of India |
| Indian Desert |
Thar Desert located in Rajasthan |
| Coastal Plains |
Eastern and Western Coastal regions |
| Islands |
Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands |
Major Mountain Ranges of India
| Mountain Range |
Important Fact |
| Himalayas |
Highest mountain range in the world |
| Aravalli Range |
Oldest fold mountain range in India |
| Western Ghats |
UNESCO biodiversity hotspot |
| Eastern Ghats |
Discontinuous mountain range |
| Vindhya Range |
Separates North and South India |
| Satpura Range |
Central Indian mountain range |
Highest Peaks of India
| Peak |
Important Fact |
| Kangchenjunga |
Highest peak in India |
| Nanda Devi |
Second highest peak fully within India |
| K2 (Godwin Austen) |
Second highest peak in the world |
| Anamudi |
Highest peak in South India |
Major Rivers of India
| River |
Important Fact |
| Ganga |
Most sacred river in India |
| Brahmaputra |
Flows through Assam and Bangladesh |
| Yamuna |
Major tributary of Ganga |
| Godavari |
Longest river in Peninsular India |
| Krishna |
Important south Indian river |
| Narmada |
Flows westward into Arabian Sea |
| Tapti |
West-flowing river of central India |
| Kaveri |
Important river of South India |
Major Plateaus and Plains of India
| Region |
Important Fact |
| Deccan Plateau |
Largest plateau region in India |
| Malwa Plateau |
Located in Central India |
| Chota Nagpur Plateau |
Rich in mineral resources |
| Indo-Gangetic Plain |
Most fertile plain region |
Climate of India
| Climate Type |
Important Region |
| Tropical Monsoon Climate |
Most parts of India |
| Desert Climate |
Rajasthan |
| Mountain Climate |
Himalayan Region |
| Tropical Wet Climate |
Western Coast and Northeast |
Major Natural Resources of India
| Resource |
Important Region |
| Coal |
Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh |
| Iron Ore |
Odisha and Karnataka |
| Mica |
Jharkhand |
| Bauxite |
Odisha |
| Petroleum |
Assam and Mumbai High |
| Natural Gas |
Krishna-Godavari Basin |
Agriculture of India
| Crop |
Major Producing Region |
| Rice |
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab |
| Wheat |
Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh |
| Sugarcane |
Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra |
| Cotton |
Gujarat and Maharashtra |
| Tea |
Assam and West Bengal |
| Coffee |
Karnataka |
Important Cities of India
| City |
Importance |
| New Delhi |
Capital city of India |
| Mumbai |
Financial capital of India |
| Kolkata |
Cultural capital of India |
| Chennai |
Major port city in South India |
| Bengaluru |
IT hub of India |
| Hyderabad |
Technology and pharmaceutical center |
Famous National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries
| National Park |
Important Fact |
| Jim Corbett National Park |
First national park in India |
| Kaziranga National Park |
Famous for one-horned rhinoceros |
| Gir National Park |
Home of Asiatic lions |
| Sundarbans National Park |
Largest mangrove forest region |
| Ranthambore National Park |
Known for Bengal tigers |
Important One-Liner GK Facts About India
| Question |
Answer |
| Capital of India |
New Delhi |
| National animal of India |
Tiger |
| National bird of India |
Peacock |
| Highest peak in India |
Kangchenjunga |
| Longest river in India |
Ganga |
| Largest state by area |
Rajasthan |
| Smallest state by area |
Goa |
| Largest freshwater lake in India |
Wular Lake |
| Saltwater lake in Odisha |
Chilika Lake |
| Highest mountain range in India |
Himalayas |