India geographer position. Geographical position
The Republic of India is today one of the most dynamically developing countries in the world, without which not a single internationally significant political or economic forum can do. The huge volume of the domestic market, associated with a large population, and an advantageous geographical location make this country an important player in the international arena.
Geographical position
India is home to one of the most ancient civilizations, which originated in the Indus River Valley. The isolated geographical location of the country, surrounded on all sides by the Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal) and the highest mountain system on Earth - the Himalayas, deserves special attention.
The Himalayas stretch across the territory of India in an arc, from north to northeast, and to the south of them lies the vast and fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain, on the territory of which in ancient times there were suitable conditions for the emergence of a highly developed urban civilization with a developed complex society and efficient agriculture .
Another major geographical feature of India is the Thar Desert, which extends east of the Ganges Valley and is separated from it by the high Aravali mountain range.
Hydrology of the subcontinent
Along with the geographical position of India, the hydrography of the subcontinent is of great importance for its historical development and current state. A huge number of rivers of varying lengths and depths flow through the territory of the state - from small streams to such giants as the Indus and Ganges.
Most often, when classifying rivers on the territory of the Republic of India, the source of their food is taken as a basis. To define the nature of nutrition, the terms “Himalayan” and “Deccan” are used. The first category includes deep, vast rivers with stable year-round feeding from snow and glacial masses melting on the peaks of the Himalayas, as well as from rain and monsoon sources. Deccan rivers are typically fed by rain.
Distribution of the flow of the largest rivers
Deccan rivers include those that have unstable nutrition from monsoons and rains, and therefore are prone to drying out and unstable flow. However, all the country's rivers have a flood period in their calendar - from June to October, when the maximum amount of precipitation falls in India.
It is worth noting that the largest river, the Indus, which gave its name to the country, after the partition of the British colony, mostly ended up on the territory of Pakistan. However, there are other major rivers in India, such as the Ganges and Brahmaputra, as well as the Yamuna, Koshi, Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna and Narmada. Most of the rivers flow into the Indian Ocean, and some into the Arabian Sea.
Climate of India
The vast territory of India, as well as its geographical location, determine the country's climate. For example, large geographical features such as the Himalayas and the Thar Desert have a great influence on seasonal temperature fluctuations and wind direction. They contribute to the formation of monsoons, which are a distinctive feature of the subcontinent.
In addition, such a feature of India’s geographical location as its access to the Indian Ocean, which washes the country on both sides, is important. Thus, India was isolated from other states for a long time due to geographical reasons.
The climate of India is characterized by three distinct seasons: hot and humid, lasting from June to October; cool and dry - from November to February; very hot and dry - from March to May. During each of these seasons, the temperature can fluctuate depending on the region's altitude above sea level and its position in relation to the Himalayas, but in the lowland regions of the country it rarely drops below fifteen degrees above zero. At the same time, in the mountainous regions of the country, temperatures can drop to -8 degrees Celsius.
Economy of India
The state of the Indian economy is greatly influenced by its geographical location, features of historical development, which include the caste system, as well as the demographic situation.
Indian politics and economics are inextricably linked to demographics, primarily because the country has the second largest population in the world, second only to China. The country's population is more than 1,326,000,000 people and tends to increase, in contrast to China, whose population has begun to decline in recent years.
India's population and size make the country one of the world's leading players, which, however, does not alleviate the enormous social tension that exists in the country due to colossal stratification and appalling poverty. In addition, vestiges such as the caste system and many religious prejudices prevent the country from increasing social mobility and efficiently using human resources.
India has a large labor force. The country's working population includes more than five hundred million people, which has become the basis for the stable growth of the Indian economy over the past decades. However, it is worth noting that the level of well-being varies significantly across different geographical regions of the Republic of India, as well as between rural and urban areas. In addition, some castes do not have the opportunity to get out of poverty, which is often criticized by the world community.
Population of India
India is an example of a highly urbanized country. It has a large number of cities with a population of more than one million people, and the largest of them is Mumbai, whose population, according to official estimates, exceeds thirteen million people. Delhi, the capital of the country, is no more than one million inhabitants behind Mumbai.
The geographical location of India, coupled with its large population, creates special conditions for political life within the country. And great ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity contributes to rising tensions.
Dean is an arid hilly plateau, bounded on the west and east by the Western (higher) and Eastern Ghats mountains. The Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri rivers flow through the Deccan plateau in the direction from West to East. Interestingly, according to modern ideas, the Deccan Plateau was formed tens of millions of years ago as a result of the “swelling” of the earth’s surface from an asteroid impact from the opposite side of the globe in the Gulf of Mexico (it was this catastrophe that was probably the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs).
In the north is the world's highest system of the Himalayan ("Abode of Snow") mountains (the highest point of Chomolungma - 8848 m above sea level) with snowy peaks and glaciers; in the east is the fertile Ganges valley.
In addition to the Himalayas, six more large mountain ranges rise in India: Paktai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Saptura, Sadyari (Western Ghats), Eastern Ghats.
The Himalayas stretch from east to west (from the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Siwalik Mountains in the south (altitudes 800-1200 m), then the Lesser Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Greater Himalayas (5500-6000 m).
The Paktai Mountains (Purvachal, Eastern Highlands) stretch along India's border with Burma and Bangladesh. highest point - 4578 m.
The Aravali Mountains stretch for 725 km from Delido. Gujarat. The highest point is Mount Guru (1722 m).
The Vindhya Mountains rise on the border of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Deccan Plateau. They stretch over a distance of 1050 km, heights up to 700-800 m.
The Satpura Mountains stretch for 900 km from the Western Lowland to the interfluve of the Tapti and Narmada. The highest point is Dhupgarh - 1350 m.
The Western Ghats (Sadkhryadri) stretch for 1600 km along the western coast of India for 1600 km - from the mouth of the river. Tapti to Cape Camorin. The highest point is Dodabetta (2633 m).
The eastern Ghats stretch along the eastern coast of India. Highest point - 1680 m.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain occupies the central and eastern part of India, its area is 319 thousand sq. km. Up to 250 million people live on the territory of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
To the west, the Thar Desert (Thar, Great Indian Desert) adjoins the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
The southeastern part of Hindustan forms a vast plain - Tamil Nadu.
Situated in the tropical zone and protected by mountains from the cold northern winds, India is characterized by a hot, humid climate, richness and diversity of flora and fauna.
Hindustan Peninsula I also sometimes call it the Indian subcontinent - and there is every reason for this, both because of its impressive size (about 2 thousand km in the East-West direction and 3 thousand km in the North-South direction), and because of its geological history - in the distant past, Hindustan, as a result of continental drift) separated from Africa and “drifted” to Asia.
Mysterious India. India is an interesting and exciting holiday, rich cultural heritage and unique nature. Perhaps you have long been thinking about visiting some unforgettable place. India is the best fit for these purposes. India is chosen by tourists who want to relax on magnificent beaches, buy quality things, and also explore ancient buildings and beautiful places.
Geographical location of India
The Republic of India is located on the territory of the Hindustan Peninsula, the shores of which extend into the waters of the Indian Ocean. On the northern side of India are China, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal, on the eastern side are Burma and Bangladesh, and on the western side is Pakistan. India occupies almost 3,300,000 sq. km and is inhabited by almost 1 billion local residents. Time in the country is slightly different from Moscow, 2.3 hours ahead, and in summer time 1.3 hours ahead. The largest populated cities are Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Madras.
The most interesting and exciting holiday destinations in India
There are a huge number of beautiful beaches in India, which are famous for their exquisite beauty throughout the world. Tourists mainly choose beach areas in Kerala and Goa. But the beaches of Mumbai are famous for their active night activities. On these beaches there are places with colorful discos, where a huge number of travelers spend their time, among whom you can meet not only ordinary vacationers, but also some celebrities.
There are also excellent diving spots here. And lovers of a relaxing holiday will have the opportunity to enjoy the indescribable beauty of the local nature.
Those who like to shop with all their hearts will be able to please themselves with the local amazingly beautiful souvenirs, which are sold here in abundance. It is also worth paying attention to fabrics in local shops, where you can find cashmere, Rajasthani cotton and the most delicate silk. Local tea is no less popular. But don’t forget about spicy spices, which are of the highest quality and at an extremely low price, such as turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and a huge number of others.
No less tempting are the local jewelry, which is made from various metals, gold, silver, copper, brass, using stones and other decorations.
Indian cuisine and attractions
Restaurants serving local cuisine will delight any gourmet, as they offer dishes for almost every taste. The main difference between Indian cuisine is the use of spices, which local chefs know how to competently add even to sweets.
India has a huge number of places that are worth seeing, since throughout its territory there is a large concentration of ancient buildings and ancient forts. This republic has regular excursions to the best places, which showcase local ancient tombs, majestic temples, and much more, into which a lot of effort has been invested in restoration.
An equally interesting place to relax in India is walking through local nature reserves, where various spices are grown on plantations.
After numerous excursions and walks, you definitely need to relax and sunbathe on the spacious beaches, which are distinguished by a high level of service.
India is located in South Asia, and most of it is located on the Hindustan Peninsula. In the northwest, India borders with Pakistan, in the north with Afghanistan, in the northeast with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and in the east with Myanmar and Bangladesh. In the southwest, India is washed by the waters of the Arabian Sea, in the southeast by the Bay of Bengal, which belongs to the Indian Ocean basin. In the south, India is separated from Sri Lanka by the rather narrow Palk Strait. The profitability of the economic and geographical position is determined, first of all, by the location of India halfway between the countries of South-West and South-East Asia. At the same time, India’s land borders mostly pass along inaccessible borders: India is separated from Pakistan by the Thar Desert, from Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Bhutan by the world’s highest mountains, the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Karakoram, and from Myanmar and Bangladesh by impenetrable jungles. The richness of Indian nature lies in its diversity. 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by plains and plateaus. India resembles a huge triangle with its apex pointing towards the Indian Ocean. Along the base of the Indian triangle stretch the mountain systems of the Karakoram, Gindukusha and the Himalayas. South of the Himalayas lies the vast, fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain. To the west of the Indo-Gangetic Plain stretches the barren Thar Desert. Further south is the Deccan Plateau, which occupies most of central and southern India. The plateau is bordered on both sides by the mountains of the Eastern and Western Ghats; their foothills are occupied by tropical forests. The climate of India over most of its territory is subequatorial, monsoon. In the north and northwest it is tropical, with precipitation of about 100 mm/year. On the windward slopes of the Himalayas, 5000-6000 mm of precipitation falls per year, and in the center of the peninsula - 300-500 mm. In summer, up to 80% of all precipitation falls. The largest rivers of India - the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra - originate in the mountains and are fed by snow, glaciers and rain. The rivers of the Deccan Plateau are fed by rain. During the winter monsoon, the rivers of the plateau dry up. In the north of the country, brown-red and red-brown savannah soils predominate, in the center - black and gray tropical and red soil laterint soils. In the south - yellow earth and red earth soils, developed on lava covers. The coastal lowlands and river valleys are covered with rich alluvial soils. The natural vegetation of India has been greatly modified by man. Monsoon forests have survived only 10-15% of the original area. India's forest area is being reduced by 1.5 million hectares every year. ha. Acacias and palm trees grow in savannas. In subtropical forests - sandalwood, teak, bamboo, coconut palms. Altitudinal zones are clearly defined in the mountains. India has a rich and diverse fauna: deer, antelope, elephants, tigers, Himalayan bears, rhinoceroses, panthers, monkeys, wild boars, many snakes, birds, fish. India's recreational resources are of global importance: coastal, historical, cultural, architectural, etc. India has significant mineral reserves. Manganese deposits are concentrated in central and eastern India. The subsoil of India is rich in chromites, iron ore, uranium, thorium, copper, bauxite, gold, magnesite, mica, diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones. Coal reserves in the country amount to 120 billion tons (Bihar and West Bengal). India's oil and gas are concentrated in the Asamu Valley and the Gujarat plains, as well as on the Arabian Sea shelf near Bombay. Adverse natural phenomena in India are droughts, earthquakes, floods (8 million hectares), fires, avalanches in the mountains, soil erosion (the country loses 6 billion tons), desertification in western India, and deforestation.
The population of India as of May 18, 2016 is 1,289,020,000 people according to data. India's estimated population as of July 2014 is 1,236,344,631. India's population growth rate is 1.2%, which is 94th among all countries in the world in 2013. India's population is more than 1.27 billion people as of 2014, which is more than one sixth of the world's population (17.5% of the world's population). India is projected to become the most populous country in the world by 2025, surpassing China. India's population reached 1 billion in 1998.
Geographical position
Borders, area
India is located in South Asia on the Hindustan Peninsula. In the north it borders with Bhutan (border length - 700 km), China (4056 km) and Nepal (1751 km), in the east - with Bangladesh (4351 km) and Myanmar (Burma, 1143 km), in the northwest - with Pakistan (3244 km) and Afghanistan (106 km). In the east it is washed by the Bay of Bengal, in the south by the Palk Bay and Palk Strait and the Indian Ocean, in the west by the Arabian Sea. The narrow Palk Strait and Gulf of Manara separate India from Sri Lanka. The maritime border of India and Indonesia runs along the Great Channel between the islands of Great Nicobar and Sumatra. India includes the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, as well as the islands of the Lakshadweep group (Laccadive and Amindive Islands) in the southeastern part of the Arabian Sea.
The area of the country is 3.287 million km2. The length of the land border is 15,351 km, includes the Hindustan Peninsula, part of the Himalayas, the Karakoram, the eastern part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (east of the Sutlej River), several groups of islands in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
The length of the coastline is about 7516 km. The shores are predominantly low, sandy, weakly dissected, with lagoons. There are few convenient natural harbors; many large ports are located either at the mouths of rivers (Calcutta) or artificially constructed (Chennai). The southern part of the western coast of the Hindustan Peninsula is called the Malabar Coast, the southern part of the eastern coast is called the Coromandel Coast.
The natural and geographical conditions of the country are extremely diverse.
About 3/4 of India's territory is plains and plateaus. Most of the Hindustan Peninsula is occupied by the Deccan Plateau (Decan, derived from the word Dakshin - southern), which also looks like a triangle, the apex of which is located at the southern tip of India. It stretches for 1600 km from north to south and 1400 km from west to east. Geologically, the plateau is much older than the Himalayas. It is a Precambrian platform composed mainly of gneisses, granites, crystalline schists, limestones and sandstones. In some places there are basalt outcrops of the Cretaceous period. The plateau is bordered on both sides by the Eastern and Western Ghats. In the south are the Cardamom Mountains, composed of gneisses and schists, from which spurs of the Palni and Anaimalai mountains extend. Anaimalai Mountains (highest point - Anaimudi, 2698 m) are the highest in South India.
Between the Deccan and the Himalayas, the alluvial Indo-Gangetic plain stretches in a wide arc along the Ganges. It is located in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Its length is about 3 thousand km, width 250–350 km. The total area of the plain is 650 thousand km 2. What stands out here is the plain of the Ganga River, which stretches for 1050 km and covers an area of 319 thousand km 2. Approximately 1/4 of the country's population lives on the plain.
In the west, the Thar Desert adjoins the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The desert begins at the Kachchh Rann and stretches north along the Indo-Pakistani border.
Coastal lowlands border the Deccan Plateau. The lowland of the western coast is a narrow flat strip stretching from Surat (Gujarat) to Cape Camorin for 1500 km. It is very diverse in landscape. There are swamps, lagoons, mud flats, river estuaries, bays and islands. Large rivers flowing into the Gulf of Cambay carry large amounts of sediment here, which contributed to the creation of the comparatively large Gujarat Plain. To the south of it the lowland narrows to 50 km. In the south of Kerala, the lowland expands again, reaching a length of up to 100 km.
The lowland of the eastern coast stretches from Cape Camorin to the common delta of the Krishna and Godavari rivers for 1100 km. It is widest in the state of Tamil Nadu, moving the Eastern Ghats away from the sea by 100–120 km. However, there are also bottlenecks, the width of which does not exceed 32 km. Since most of the Deccan rivers flow from west to east, they covered almost the entire area of the lowland with alluvium. The deltas of these rivers are fertile, provided with irrigation and therefore densely populated.
In the northeast is the Chhota Nagpur plateau (average height of about 600 m), above which individual tower-shaped ridges of dense sandstone rise to a height of 1366 m. The plateau descends in the north towards the river valley. Ganga is near the steps.
India has seven mountain ranges with peaks over 1000 m: the Himalayas, Patkai or Eastern Highlands, Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura, Sahyadri or Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats.
The Himalayas (Himalaya, Abode of Snows) stretch from east to west (from the gorge of the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas are widest in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and rise to their highest altitude in eastern Nepal. 50 million years ago, in place of the Himalayas there was a huge Tethys Sea. In general, the Himalayas consist of three main ranges: the Siwalik Mountains on the southern edge of the mountain system (average height 800–1200 m), the Greater Himalayas along the border with Tibet (5500–6000 m) and the Lesser Himalayas (2500–3000 m), located between the Greater Himalayas. Himalayas and Siwalik Mountains. The Lesser and Greater Himalayas are characterized by alpine landforms and are deeply dissected by rivers.
Patkai or Purvachal stretches along India's border with Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh. In terms of the time of formation, they are contemporaries of the Himalayas. Highest point – 4578 m.
The Aravali in Northern India stretch for almost 725 km from northeast to southwest from Delhi through the state of Rajasthan to the northeastern edge of the state of Gujarat. This is an ancient folded chain consisting of short parallel ridges, heavily eroded, with flattened peaks and an abundance of scree. They are considered the remnant of a huge mountain system, the peaks of which were covered with snow. The highest point is Mount Guru Shikhar (1722 m) in the city of Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan.
The Vindhyas rise on the border of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Deccan Plateau, separating North India from South India. They stretch for a distance of 1050 km, separating the plain from the plateau. This is the southern steep edge of the Malva basalt plateau, strongly dissected by river valleys and not forming a continuous chain. The average height is up to 300 m, the highest height is 700–800 m. The highest point is 881 m.
In the northern part of the Deccan Plateau there are medium-altitude rocky ridges of Satpura, Mahadeo, Maikal, composed of gneisses, crystalline schists and other rocks, between which there are extensive lava plateaus. Satpura in Central India stretches 900 km from Eastern Gujarat on the coast of the Arabian Sea through Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to Chhattisgarh, from the Western Lowlands along the interfluve of the Tapti and Narmada rivers. They run parallel to the Vindhya Mountains south of the Narmada River, which flows in the lowlands between these mountain ranges. The highest point is Mount Dhupgarh, 1350 m.
The Western Ghats, or Sahyadri, stretch for 1600 km along the western coast of India - from the mouth of the river. Tapti to Cape Camorin. The average height of the mountains is 900 m. Their western slope descends with sheer ledges to the sea, the eastern slope is gentle, cut through by the valleys of large rivers (Krishna, Godavari, Mahanadi). Their southern continuation is the horst massifs of the Nilgiri, Anaimalai, and Cardamom Mountains with sharp peaks, steep slopes, and deep gorges. The highest point is the city of Doddabetta (2633 m) in the northwestern part of the state of Tamil Nadu.
The eastern edge of the Deccan Plateau is formed by the Eastern Ghats. They stretch along the east coast of India, from West Bengal, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu. The Eastern Ghats connect with the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Mountains region. They are divided into separate massifs by powerful rivers flowing from west to east as a result of the tilt of the Deccan Plateau to the east. Highest point – 1680 m.
Rivers, lakes, seas
According to the nature of their feeding, the rivers of India are divided into the Himalayan rivers, which are full throughout the year (mixed snow-glacial and rain feeding) and Deccan rivers (mainly rain feeding) with large fluctuations in flow, with floods from June to October.
The Himalayas are the source of three of India's largest rivers: the Ganga (2510 km), the Indus (2879 km) and the Brahmaputra (2900 km). The Ganges and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal, and the Indus into the Arabian Sea.
Most of the major rivers of Central and South India, starting on the West Coast, flow into the Bay of Bengal (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennaru, Cauvery). Several rivers flow into the Gulf of Cambay (Tapti, Narmada, Mahi and Sabarmati).
All major rivers experience a sharp rise in water levels in summer. As a result of the action of monsoons and the melting of mountain snows, the runoff is greatest. Floods have become a common occurrence in North India. Many Deccan rivers dry up during the dry season (March-May).
Apart from the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra, all other rivers in India are not navigable.
There are few large lakes; they are confined to mountainous areas, mainly of glacial or tectonic origin. The largest is Wular Lake in the Kashmir Valley. There are dammed lakes that arose as a result of landslides, landslides, and the formation of moraine ridges. On the Deccan plateau there is Lake Lonar of volcanic origin.
In the east, India is washed by the waters of the Bay of Bengal, in the south by the Palk Strait and the Indian Ocean, and in the west by the Arabian Sea.
Vegetation
The peculiar position of India (altitude range of about 9000 m) and the fluctuation of the average annual precipitation in different regions from less than 100 to more than 10 thousand mm have determined the diversity of the flora - from thorny bushes of deserts to plants of tropical rainforests. According to the Botanical Survey of India, there are about 45 thousand different plant species in the country, including more than 5 thousand endemics. Ficus trees are represented here by more than 100 species, and palm trees by more than 20 species.
The vegetation of the Hindustan Peninsula and the Indo-Gangetic Plain is represented mainly by savannah of acacias, euphorbias, palm trees, banyan trees, as well as monsoon shrubs and forests of teak, sandalwood, bamboos, terminalia, and dipterocarps. Deciduous mixed forests with a predominance of tallow grow in the northeast. On the slopes of the Western Ghats and in the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra there are evergreen mixed forests.
In the Himalayas and Karakoram, altitudinal zonation is clearly evident. At the foot of the Western Himalayas are the terai (swampy sparse forests and shrubs). Above 1200 m, monsoon forests, mountain pine forests with evergreen undergrowth, dark coniferous forests with evergreen and deciduous species. At an altitude of about 3000 m, mountain meadows and steppes begin. In the east, humid tropical evergreen forests rise to 1500 m. Higher up are mountain forests with subtropical species, dark coniferous forests, and mountain meadows.
The natural vegetation of India has been greatly modified by man. Monsoon forests survive on only 10–15% of the original area; On the Indo-Gangetic plain, natural vegetation has hardly been preserved; secondary savannas, open forests and thorny bushes dominate on the Hindustan Peninsula.
In areas below 900 m above sea level. m. vegetation can be classified as tropical and monsoon. Here grow: tropical rain evergreen forests (Mizoram, Andaman Islands and in the Himalayas adjacent to West Bengal), subtropical moist mountain forests (slopes of the Western Ghats, Orissa, Nilgiri Mountains), evergreen tropical rainforests (in the Cardamom valleys mountains, in the west of Karnataka), tropical deciduous forests (Deccan Plateau, Siwalik Mountains), dry savannah vegetation (west of Delhi, in Punjab and Rajasthan), desert vegetation (in the western part of Rajasthan), mangrove vegetation (in deltas of the Ganga, Mahanadi, Godavari, and Krishna rivers).
Animal world
The fauna of India is extremely diverse. Almost all major classes and families of animals, birds and insects are found here, numbering approximately 75 thousand different species, including 2500 species of fish, 150 species of amphibians, 450 species of reptiles, 2000 species of birds, 850 species of mammals. Among the mammals, the most typical are monkeys (macaques, tonkoboli, gibbons), deer (spotted, sambar and black), antelopes, bulls (gaur, Indian and dwarf buffalo), Indian elephant, tiger, panther, and Himalayan bear are also found. The lion, leopard, and Kashmir deer have been almost completely exterminated.
The Indian elephant is smaller in size than its African counterpart. It does not exceed 3 m in height and 3.2 m in length. Its tusk is much smaller than that of an African elephant. However, the Indian elephant has long been a domestic animal, used both for work and for ceremonial events. In ancient India, the elephant was an integral part of the armed forces.
The Indian tiger, especially one of its varieties, the Bengal tiger, belongs to the largest representatives of the Indian felines (the male reaches a length of 3 m and weighs on average from 180 to 290 kg). In the past, tigers were mercilessly destroyed. In 1972, only 1,827 individuals remained in India. In 1973, a program was launched to restore this population, 16 tiger reserves were established and all hunting of tigers was completely prohibited. After 10 years, the number of tigers amounted to 4,230 individuals.
The Gir or Asiatic lion is preserved only in the Gir forest on the Kathiyawar Peninsula. It differs from its African relative in its much smaller mane. An adult male reaches up to 292 cm in length. Protected by the state. There are about 210–220 individuals in the forest.
The Indian bison, or gaur, is the largest ungulate animal (the male reaches 195 cm in height and weighs on average more than 900 kg). Protected by the state.
The Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros is the largest species of the family. The height of the male at the withers is up to 180 cm, length is 335 cm. The record size of the horn is 61 cm, which is much smaller than that of the white African rhinoceros (over 200 cm). Due to high poaching demand for horns, rhinoceroses in India are carefully protected. They are found mainly in Kaziranga National Park.
The Huloka gibbon, or white-browed gibbon, is the only representative of the great apes in India. The male reaches a height of 90 cm and weighs from 6 to 8 kg. Found only in the forests of Assam.
Langur, or tonkotel, belongs to one of the most common species of monkeys in India. The famous companion of the god Rama, the monkey king Hanuman belonged to the langurs. An adult langur reaches 75 cm in height, weighs up to 21 kg, and tail length is 90–100 cm.
The Gangetic gharial is a very large reptile (the length of an adult crocodile can reach 6.6 m). Indian crocodiles are small in number and do not pose a serious threat to people and livestock. In 1974, a project was launched to artificially breed crocodiles on special farms.
The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in India. It reaches a length of 5.5 m. Its bite, especially in spring, is fatal even to animals such as an elephant. The Indian cobra is noticeably smaller than the king cobra (length - 160–180 cm). Snake charmers sometimes use a big-eyed snake (up to 3.5 m long) instead of a cobra.
In India, there are pythons and many other snakes (ribbon krait, or bungar, coral snakes, Russell's viper, rattlesnake, or pit viper, shield-tailed snakes, blind snakes, egg snakes, about 25 species of snakes), geckos, chameleons.
Many bird species are famous for their colorful plumage (Rose-winged Cramer's Parrots, Red-headed Weavers, Black Drongos, Kingfishers, Fruit Pigeons, Black-and-Red Grubeaters, Rose-cheeked Bulbuls, Golden-fronted Leaflets). Species diversity and numbers of crane-like birds (rare black-necked crane, Indian crane Antigonus, Egyptian heron, etc.), stork-like birds (Indian marabou and others), parrots, honeycreepers, ravens, waterfowl (pelicans, teal, ducks) are striking. Bank roosters are the ancestors of domestic chickens, and wild peacocks, often found in Central India, are mainly descendants of birds bred in the gardens of the Mughal rulers. The Indian starling, or mynah, has spread to many tropical regions. There are vultures, kites and crows. In winter, the number of birds doubles - birds from Europe and Northern Asia fly in for the winter.
There are 47 nature reserves and national parks in India. The largest of them are the Gir Forest in Gujarat (the Asiatic lion is protected), Kaziranga in Assam and Jaldapara in West Bengal (the Indian rhinoceros is protected).
India is located in the tropical zone and is protected by mountains from the cold northern winds. Due to this, northern India is 3–8 °C warmer in winter than other areas of the globe located at the same latitudes. The climate in India is equatorial in the south and subtropical in the north. The climate of the eastern part (Ganges and Brahmaputra basin) is subequatorial monsoon, the western part (Indus basin) is tropical. The average temperature in May is 38 °C, in the northwest – 48 °C.
There are three seasons: hot, humid, dominated by the southwest monsoon (June - October); dry, relatively cool, with a predominance of northeastern trade winds (November - February); very hot, dry, transitional (March-May). There are three or six seasons: rainy season: (June-September), cold season (October-February) and hot season (March-June) or spring (March-April), hot season (May-June), rainy season ( July-August), cool season (September-October), cold season (November-December) and cold deciduous season (January-February). There are two climatic seasons in South India: rainy (June-November) and hot (December-May).
In North India, the average January temperature is 13°C and the average June temperature is 33.6°C. In South India in Trivandrum (the capital of Kerala), the average January temperature is 26.8 °C, the average May temperature is 28.4 °C. In North India in Delhi, temperatures in winter can drop to -2 °C and rise to 48 °C in the shade during the hot season. There are no sudden changes in temperature in South India.
In June-July, India is covered by the monsoon. Annual rainfall ranges from 90 mm in Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) to 11,000 mm in Charapunji (Meghalaya), the rainiest place on the planet.
The windward slopes of the Western Ghats and Himalayas are the most humid (up to 5–6 thousand mm per year), the rainiest place on Earth is the slopes of the Shillong massif (about 12 thousand mm). The driest areas are the northwestern part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (in places less than 100 mm, dry period 9–10 months) and the central part of the Hindustan Peninsula (300–500 mm, dry period 8–9 months). The amount of precipitation varies greatly from year to year.
India is a huge country: more than 3000 km from north to south and about 2000 km from west to east. Height above sea level varies from 0 to 8598 m (Chogori in the north, on the border with China - 8611 m). The climate is accordingly very diverse. When the beach season just opens in Goa (on the Indian Ocean coast) (November), there is already snow in the Himalayas. On the other hand, July-August, when southern India is very hot and humid, is the best time to travel to Ladakh (the region lying on the Tibetan plateau behind the great Himalayan range). In mountainous areas, air temperature and weather are highly dependent on altitude.
The monsoon begins in late May from the southwest coast (Kerala) and moves north across the country for the next two months. During this time, it rains every day, sometimes for two hours at a time, interspersed with the sun coming out, and in regions like Assam and West Bengal, it seems endless and causes all sorts of inconveniences, problems and floods every time. In September, monsoon rains begin to decline. From November to March, the dry northeast monsoon blows from the landward side. It is associated with cool, clear weather; Only in the southeastern coastal strip (the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh), on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, precipitation occurs during the retreat of the wet monsoon: its maximum occurs in October-December. It is also better not to travel to the south during this period.
After the rainy season, the dry season begins, which on the plains in the northern part of the country in December and January is very cool: in Delhi, for example, during these two months the temperature during the day rarely rises above 20 ° C, and at night it is simply cold, also because There is no central or any other heating in most buildings. Therefore, many tourists in the second half of December and January-February travel south to the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, where at this time the sun is shining in an almost cloudless sky, the ocean surf is roaring and the temperature is about 30 °C, which can be difficult to believe even once there.
The peak ski season in the Himalayas is December and January. Temperatures rise everywhere from February and reach their peak in May, just before the start of the rainy season.
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