Plateaus – Physical Divisions of India Notes with PDF

These notes are your ultimate revision weapon to revise Plateaus – Physical Divisions of India . We’ve distilled years of previous exam questions (PYQs) into one powerful, concise resource. Everything you need to know, nothing you don’t.

• PYQs, Decoded: All key concepts from past exams, organized and simplified.
• Revise in Record Time: Short, precise, and designed for last-minute review.
• Focus on What Matters: Master high-probability topics and boost your confidence.
• Free PDF to download.

Indian Peninsular Plateau – Geology & Formation

• Geological Time Scale & Events
  • The rocks of Peninsular India are among the oldest, estimated to be around 3600 million years old.
  • Before the Carboniferous Period, the peninsula was part of the supercontinent Gondwanaland.
  • The Extra-Peninsular mountains (like the Himalayas) were formed during the Cenozoic Era.
  • A major volcanic eruption in the Cretaceous Period created the Deccan Traps.
  • The Deccan Trap lava plateau was formed around 66.25 million years ago.
• Major Formations & Rock Types
  • The Deccan Trap is a large, thick lava plateau with layers of lava up to thousands of metres deep, made of Basaltic Lava.
  • During the Carboniferous Period, coal formation occurred in four major basins:
    • Damodar Valley
    • Son Valley
    • Mahanadi Valley
    • Godavari Valley
  • The districts of Munger, Jamui, and Nawada in southeastern Bihar are composed of Dharwar geological formations.
  • The Rohtas district is composed of Vindhyan geological formations.

Indian Peninsular Plateau – Physical Divisions

• The Meghalaya Plateau
  • The Meghalaya Plateau is part of the larger Indian Peninsular Plateau.
  • It is separated from the main plateau by a gap known as the Malda Gap.
  • The plateau comprises three main hill ranges:
    • Garo Hills
    • Khasi Hills
    • Jaintia Hills
  • The Bhuban Hills are not part of the Meghalaya Plateau; they are located southeast of the Barak Valley.
• The Chotanagpur Plateau
  • The Chotanagpur Plateau is characterized as a front-sloping plateau.
  • Its highest part is the ‘Patland‘ in the central-western area, reaching about 1,100 meters.
  • Dhanbad is the most densely inhabited district here due to the development of mining industries and industrialization.
  • The region is known for its mineral wealth (coal, iron ore, mica), but the soil is mostly red and less fertile.
• Other Plateaus & Regions
  • The Malwa Plateau lies between the Aravalli range in the north and the Vindhya range in the south.
  • The Dandakaranya region spans across the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Alabama Hill is located to the south of the Bijapur upland.
• General Features
  • The Peninsular Plateau is roughly triangular in shape.
  • It extends from the plains of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the north to the southern tip of India.

Know More About Plateaus – Physical Divisions of India:

• Plateaus – Physical Divisions of India – Old Year Questions
• Plateaus – Physical Divisions of India One Liner Questions & Answers