NCERT CLASS 9 SOCIAL SCIENCE: GEOGRAPHY- Chapter 1.

India Size and location

Location of India

• India is situated in the Northern Hemisphere
• India extends between 8 degree 4' North and 37 degree 6' North latitudes and between 68 degree 7'east and 97 degree 25' East longitudes.
• The Tropic of Cancer(23 degree 30' North) divides India into almost two equal parts.

Size of India

• Area of India: 3.28 million square km.
• India occupies 2.4 %of the total geographical area of the world.
• India is the 7th largest country of the world.
• India's land boundary with other countries is about 15,000 Km.
• Length of India's coastline including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands is 7,516.6 Km.
• From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time lag of about 2 hours.
• 82 degree 30' East is the Standard meridian of India.

India and the world

India occupies a dominant position in the world map as it is connected with the rest of the world with both land and sea routes. This helps India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast and with South East and East Asia from the eastern coast.  

India's Neighbours

• India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories
• The country that shares land boundary with India are Pakistan, Afghanistan, China(Tibet), Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
• Sri Lanka is seperated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait an the Gulf of Mannar

Important questions with answers

                                   

1.       What is the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India?

   Answer: The latitudinal extent of India from North (Kashmir) to South (Kanyakumari) is 37 degree 6' N to 8 degree 4' N and the longitudinal extent of India from the west (Gujarat) to East (Arunachal Pradesh) is 68 degrees 7' E to 97 degrees 25' E.

2.       What is the area of India?

   Answer:  The area of India is 3.28 million square km.

3.       What percentage of the total geographical area of the world is covered by India?

  Answer:  2.4 percent.

4.       When was the Suez Canal opened?

   Answer: The Suez Canal was opened in the year 1869.

5.       Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the __________________  and  _______________________.

    Answer: Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait.

6.       The sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west but the watches show the same time. How does this happen?

Answer:  There is a difference of two hours in the local time of Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh. But in order to prevent confusion, the Standard Meridian of India (82 degrees 30') passing through Mirzapur( in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country. The Standard Meridian is almost at the middle portion of India. So, according to the Indian Standard Time, the sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat.

7.        The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why?

Answer: The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance for the following reasons.

a.       The Trans-Indian Ocean routes help India in establishing a close relationship with the industrially developed countries of Europe in the west and also the under-developed countries of East Asia.

b.      India enjoys a favorable climate, which is neither too hot nor too cold as it is bounded by both land and water bodies.

c.       India has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean which puts India in an advantageous position in carrying out trade and commerce with its neighboring and distant countries.