Here we are giving some extra questions based on the chapter India–Size and Location. The questions also act as notes for revision. The questions would help in understanding the chapter and its various topics and concepts. You can also see the solutions of the chapter by clicking the link given in the end.
A Short Summary
Location of India: Class 9 Geography
- India lies entirely in the Northern hemisphere.
- The main land extends between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
- The Tropic of Cancer (23° 30’N) divides the country into almost two equal parts.
- To the southeast and southwest of the mainland, lie the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep islands in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea respectively.
Size of India: Class 9 Geography
- India is the seventh largest country of the world.
- Indian landmass has an area of 3.28 million square km (3,287,263 square kilometres.)
- India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area and 17% of the total population of the world
- India’s total land boundary is 15,200 km and the total length of the coast line of the mainland including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is 7,516.6 km.
- India is bounded by the young fold mountains in the northwest, north and north east.
- South of about 22° north latitude, it begins to taper, and extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on its east.
- The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the mainland is about 30°. Despite this fact the east-west extent appears to be smaller than the north-south extent.
- From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours.
- Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30’E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
- The latitudinal extent influences the duration of the day and night, as one moves from south to north.
India and the World: Class 9 Geography
- The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West Asia.
- India is a southward extension of the Asian Continent.
- The trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia provide a strategic central location to India.
- The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast and with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast.
- No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed, it is India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean which justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.
- India’s contacts with the World have continued through the ages but her relationships through the land routes are much older than her maritime contacts. The various passes across the mountains in the north have provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans restricted such interaction for a long time.
- These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times.
- The ideas of the Upanishads and the Ramayana, the stories of Panchatantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system thus could reach many parts of the world.
- The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different countries. On the other hand, the influence of Greek sculpture, and the architectural styles of dome and minarets from West Asia can be seen in different parts of our country.
India’s Neighbours
- India occupies an important strategic position in South Asia. India has 28 states and 7 Union Territories.
- Shares its land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east.
- Our southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island countries, namely Sri Lanka and Maldives.
- Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar while Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the Lakshadweep Islands
Extra Questions: Very Short Answer Type 1 Mark Questions
1. Location and Size
1. The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through which state?
2. What is the easternmost longitude of India?
3. Which latitude divides India into two equal halves?
4. In which hemispheres does India lie?
5. What is the position of India in the largest countries of the world based on area? [CBSE 2016]
6. What is the distance between north-south and east-west extremity of India in kilometres?
7. Why is India called a peninsula?
8. Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian Sea.
9. Mention island groups of India lying in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. [CBSE 2016]
10. Which Island group of India lies to its south-east?
11. What is the location of India with respect to latitude and longitude?
12.What is meant by Indian Standard Time?
Answers
1. Odisha
2. 97° 25′ E
3. Tropic of Cancer (23° 30’N)
4. India lies completely in Northern and Eastern Hemisphere.
5. Seventh
6. North-South–3214 km | North-West–2933 km
7. India is called a peninsula because it is surrounded on three sides by water bodies, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
8. Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea.
9. Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
10. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
11. The mainland extends between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
12. The time applicable all over India is Indian Standard Time.