Geography in India

India's geography is as varied as the religions and cultures. Tourists to India can spend time on the beaches, in the mountains, or visiting deserts. The southern region of India is surrounded by oceans. Northern India is a range of different mountains, with the Himalayas being the most notable range in India. The northwest side of India is dry and mountainous while the northeast region is forested mountains. The western side of India houses the deserts of the country. Tourists will find that southern India has the warmer tropical weather of an equatorial area, while the northern mountainous areas are colder, even affording opportunities for snow skiing.

Mountains

The northern mountainous region of India includes the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Patkai mountains. These are some of the tallest mountain ranges in the world, and the placement of these ranges greatly affects the overall climate of India. There are also some smaller mountain ranges that make up the geography of India, including the Western and Eastern Ghats. India's mountain ranges are probably best known for Mt. Everest on the range of the Himalayas. The tallest mountain peak, many adventurers spend time and energy trying to climb to the top of this peak. Some are successful, but many end up having to forfeit the climb to the top and feel confident in the distance they were able to climb.

Oceans and Bodies of Water

India is a peninsula, so the whole lower half juts out in the ocean. India is surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the southwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southeast, and the Indian Ocean directly south. There are also a number of gulfs and rivers that flow through and around India. With 12 major river systems, the longest river in India is the Ganges. This river is the lifeline for many Indian people who rely on its waters, and it's also a sacred river worshipped by the people. Because of the vast number of rivers in India, tourists will notice that river towns are often full of rice paddies since the rivers provide a natural source of irrigation to farmers.

Deserts and Forestry

Western India is covered by the Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert. This dry area is largely composed of rocks and old salt lake bottoms, although a small percentage of the desert is sand dunes. Tourists to the Thar Desert will notice that this area is largely inhabited by Indian tribes. These tribes travel frequently and depend upon the monsoon season for water. The desert is so expansive that it extends into Pakistan where the name changes from Thar to Cholistan.

The plateau region of India is called the highlands, and it's composed of three main plateaus. The climate here is mild, with summers ranging from mild to hot and most winters staying mild. Visitors to the highlands will notice that much of the plateaus are covered in thorny brush, with a small percentage of it being composed of dense forests. The rivers help irrigate this area and provide water to the plateaus. Since India is so large, it's possible to find almost every type of familiar geographical topography.