Indian Geography – Miscellaneous Topics Notes with PDF

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Indian Geography

Physical Geography & Natural Phenomena

• Tidal Phenomenon:
  • At Chandipur (Odisha), the sea water recedes significantly from the shoreline, allowing people to walk on the sea floor during low tide.
• Locust Invasions:
  • Locusts enter India primarily from Pakistan.
• Coral Reefs:
  • Found in the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, and around the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands.
  • They are not found in the Gulf of Cambay.
• Dust Storms:
  • Dust storms in Rajasthan during May-June are caused by convectional currents and the fact that the Aravalli hills are parallel to the south-western winds.
• Plains:
  • The Imphal Basin in Manipur is an example of a Lacustrine plain (formed from lake deposits).

Regions

• Jangal Mahal region is situated in West Bengal.
• The Dandakaranya region spans across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Malabar Coast is associated with water resources.
• Middle Ganga Plain is associated with soil resources.
• Kutch is a dry, arid region and is not correctly matched with forest resources.

Resource Distribution

• Mineral Resources:
  • Kolhan area is known for its mineral resources.
  • Kolar in Karnataka is a major gold mining region.
  • Jharia in Jharkhand is a major coal field.
  • Panna in Madhya Pradesh is known for diamond mines.
  • Incorrect Match: Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) is not correctly matched with iron-ore. It is primarily an agricultural and trading hub.

Cities and Their Specialties

• Kolkata: Underground Railway (Metro), Diamond Harbour, Salt Lake City.
• Ratnagiri: Mangoes, Fishing Centre.
• Aligarh: Locks.
• Dehradun: Rice cultivation (Basmati).
• Dindigul: City in Tamil Nadu.
• Specialised Towns (Near Mumbai):
  • Alibag: Holiday resort.
  • Balapur: Petro-chemical complex.
  • Nhava Sheva: Port (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust).

Demography

• The study of population and vital statistics of human communities is called Demography.
• According to the 2011 Census, Goa had the highest percentage of urban population among the listed states.

Indian Economy & Industry

Agriculture & Fertilizers

• India is the third largest producer and consumer of fertilizers in the world, after China and the USA.
• India is the second-largest producer of nitrogenous fertilizers in the world.
• Agricultural Universities:
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya is located in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology is located in Uttar Pradesh.
  • Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University is located in Telangana.
  • Incorrect Match: Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya is located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, not Rajasthan.

Other Industries

• India is not the ninth-largest steel-producing country (it is now among the top two).
• India is the second-largest producer of silk in the world.
• India does not rank third in the world in coal production (it is the second-largest producer).

Economic Data and Projects

• During 2017-18, Iraq was the leading crude oil supplier to India.
• The ‘Urja Ganga’ project is a gas pipeline project launched in October 2016. It runs within India, not from Iran.
• The Integrated Rural Development (IRDP) programme was initiated during the Sixth Five-Year Plan.
• The Green Highway Policy aims at tree plantation along highways.

Land Revenue Systems

• The Ryotwari System was a land revenue system where the peasant owned the land and was directly responsible for paying land revenue to the government.

Indian Institutions & Infrastructure

Space & Atomic Research

• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is located in Thumba, Kerala. Its establishment there was primarily because Thumba is situated on the geomagnetic equator.
• Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, not in Karnataka.
• Pokhran in Rajasthan is the site of India’s nuclear tests.
• India’s first nuclear reactor was named Apsara.

Postal Services

• The Speed Post Service was launched by the Indian Postal Department in 1986 to compete with courier services.

Other Institutions

• The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is located in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

Energy

Energy Sources

• Biogas plants are unique as they can provide both power (energy) and manure (organic fertilizer).

Art & Culture

Handicrafts and Textiles

• Puthukkuli shawls are a heritage craft of Tamil Nadu.
• Uppada Jamdani saris are a heritage craft of Andhra Pradesh, not Karnataka.
• Sujni embroidery is traditionally from Bihar, not Maharashtra.
• Textiles and Sarees:
  • Chanderi, Banarasi, and Kanjivaram are types of sarees.
  • Moradabadi is not a type of saree; it is associated with brassware from Moradabad.

International & Geopolitics

Geopolitics

• The Indian Ocean has become a location for military bases of many big powers due to the strong geo-political benefits in the region and its adjacent countries.

Corporate Headquarters

• The headquarters of Cairn Energy is in Scotland.

Religious & Cultural Sites

Pilgrimage Sites

• Rameshwaram is in Tamil Nadu.
• Dwarika (Dwarka) is in Gujarat.
• Sarnath is in Uttar Pradesh.
• Mahakal Temple (Mahakaleshwar) is in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

Sports Venues

Stadiums

• Brabourne Stadium is in Mumbai.
• Green Park Stadium is in Kanpur.
• Eden Gardens is in Kolkata.

Science and Technology in India

Inventions and Introductions

• The telephone was introduced in India in 1851.

Important Personalities

Field of Expertise

• Dr. Manmohan Singh is an economist.
• Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was an expert in aeronautics.
• Dr. D.S. Kothari was a physicist.
• Dr. M.S. Swaminathan is associated with agriculture/genetics, not geology.

Archaeology

Human Fossils

• The first human fossil in India was found in the Narmada Valley.

Know More About Indian Geography:

• Indian Geography – Miscellaneous Topics – Old Year Questions
• Indian Geography – Miscellaneous Topics One Liner Questions & Answers