India can be divided into six natural regions

��������� India can be divided into six natural regions: I. Himalayas –������� II. Indo-Gangetic plain������ -������� III. Central Plateau ������� IV. Deccan Plateau ������� V. East Coast ����������� VI. West Coast ����������

������� The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world. Himalayas means the “abode of snow. ” ���� The Himalayas are located in the northernmost region of the South Asian Subcontinent. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world, and is part of the Himalayas in Nepal. K 2 is the highest peak in the Himalayas within India. The Himalayas have acted as a natural barrier against enemies. The Himalayas prevent cold wind of Central Asia from entering India and stop Southwest monsoon winds helping drop rain and making India fertile. The Perennial, or long lasting rivers of North India, find their source in the Himalayas. Tourists are attracted to the natural beauty of the area.

������– ������� The Indo-Gangetic Plain lies at the foothills of the Himalayas. The Indus(������ ) and Ganges (����� ) Rivers make the Indo-Gangetic Plain one of the most fertile basins of the world. Food, grains, and sugar cane are grown here. It is believed that the ancient civilizations of India were founded near river areas. Today these regions remain densely populated. The Ganges (also called the Ganga) is the longest river in India.

CENTRAL PLATEAU (�������) The Central Plateau (Malwa Plateau- �������) divides North India and South India. The plateau is made of hard crystalline rocks. Coal, iron ore, and manganesium are the main minerals found here.

THE DECCAN PLATEAU(������ ): ������� The Deccan Plateau is triangular shaped. The northern part slopes westwards and rivers in that region flow to the Arabian Sea, while the southern part slopes eastward and rivers in that region flow to the Bay of Bengal. The plateau is bounded on the east and west by mountain ranges know as the Eastern and Western Ghats. The coastal strip between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is narrow, while that between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal is broad. The rivers on the west coast are short and swift and do not end in deltas. On the east coast, a number of rivers form deltas. There are more ports and natural harbours in the west than in the east. The north western part of the plateau has lava soil well suited for cotton cultivation.

EAST COAST - WEST COAST East Coast: The East Coast lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. The main rivers and deltas of the south are located in this region. West Coast: This regions lies between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. This is a narrow long plain. There are many lagoons along the coast, useful for island transport.