CLASS 9 - GEOGRAPHY - INDIA SIZE AND LOCATION

India Size and Location

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is the longitudinal and latitudinal extension of India?
Answer:
The longitudinal extension is 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E and the latitudinal extension is 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N.

Question 2.
Name the island group of India lying in the Arabian Sea.
Answer:
The Lakshadweep Island.

Question 3.

What is the southernmost latitude of India?

Answer:
Southernmost latitude of India is 8°4′ N.

Question 4.
What is a narrow channel of sea which separates two land masses known as?
Answer:
Strait.

Question 5.
What is the total length of the coastline of the mainland of India including its islands? HOTS
Answer:
Around 7,516.6 kilometres.

Question 6.
Which places in India experience sunrise first and last respectively?
Answer:
Arunachal Pradesh experiences sunrise first, and Saurashtra in Gujarat last.

Question 7.
Which longitude represents the Standard Meridian of India?
Answer:
Longitude of 82° 30′ E.

Question 8.
Why has India selected a Standard Meridian of India with an odd value of 82° 30′ E?
Answer:

• Because it is divisible by 7°30′, a standard adopted by almost all the countries of the world.
• It lies almost in the middle of India, and as such, it suits us the most.

Question 9.
How many states does India consist of?
Answer:
29.

Question 10.
How many Union Territories does India consist of?
Answer:
7.

Question 11.
Name the place said to be the situated on three seas. Name the seas also.
Answer:
Kanyakumari. The seas are the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.

Question 12.
Name the Indian states which share borders with Pakistan.
Answer:
Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Question 13.
Name India’s neighbouring countries in the north-west.
Answer:
Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Question 14.
Which neighbouring country is situated in the south-west of India?
Answer:
Maldives.

Question 15.
Name India’s neighbours on the northern borders.
Answer:
China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan.

Question 16.
Which two island countries are India’s southern neighbours?
Answer:
Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Question 17.
Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar separate which two countries?
Answer:
Sri Lanka and Indian

Question 18.
In which year did Indira Point submerge under water due to Tsunami? ,
Answer:
The southernmost point called Indira Point (earlier called Pygmalion Point) got submerged in Tsunami in 2004.

Question 19.
In which island is active volcano found in Andaman and Nicobar islands?
Answer:
Barren island.

Question 20.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie in which direction with respect to the mainland of India?
Answer:
Southeast to the mainland.

Question 21.
What is the time difference between the westernmost and the easternmost tips of India?
Answer:
Two hours.

Question 22.
Name the largest country in the world, and what is India’s position?
Answer:
Russia is the largest country, and India stands seventh in terms of size.

Question 23.
Which neighbouring country is located on the West of India?
Answer:
Pakistan.

Question 24.
Name any two neighbouring countries of India which are lying in the east. HOTS
Answer:
Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Question 25.
Name the two routes by which India is connected with Europe, North America and South America.
Answer:

• The Cape of Good Hope,
• The Suez Canal.

Question 26.
Which countries make the Indian subcontinent?
Answer:
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Question 27.
Name a country that shares a common boundary with India?
Answer:
Afghanistan.

Question 28.
Name any two states of India that shares its land boundary with Bangladesh.
Answer:
West Bengal and Assam.

Question 29.
Name any two Indian states that share its boundary with Nepal.
Answer:
Uttar Pradesh and Assam.

Question 30.
Name any one state that has international border.
Answer:
Gujarat.

Question 31.
What is the position of India in respect of area of the world?
Answer:
7th position.

Question 32.
Name the neighbouring countries that share their boundaries with India.
Answer:
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mynmar, Banglandesh, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is the longitudinal extent of India? Mention the degree of longitude for the Standard Meridian. State the importance of Standard Meridian.
Answer:
The longitudinal .extent of India is 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
The degree of longitude of Standard Meridian of India is 82° 30′ E.
According to the International accepted convention, the Standard Meridian of a country must be either a multiple of 7.5 or 15 or it has to pass through some important city. Though 82° 30′ E meridian does not pass through the exact centre of the country, but it is still chosen as the Standard Meridian as it passes through an important city called Mirzapur. It is 512 hours ahead of GMT.

Question 2.
What is latitudinal extent of India? How is the latitudinal spread in India advantageous to her? State two points.
Answer:
The Indian Union is situated between about 8°4′ N and 37°6′ N. This north-south extent is about 3200 km in length.

• The southern part of India gets more heat from the sun than the northern parts.
• The difference between the duration of the day and night is far more in the northern parts than in the southern parts.

Question 3.
Explain the significance of India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean.
Answer:

• This helps India to establish close contact with west Asia, Africa, Europe from western coast and with south-east and east Asia from the eastern coast.
• The sea routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities.
• The ideas of Upanishads and Ramayana, Indian numerals and the decimal system could reach to many parts of the world.
• The spices, muslin and other merchandises were taken to other countries.
• Influence of Greek sculpture and styles of dome and minaretes can be seen in our countiy.

Question 4.
Describe the implications of India’s longitudinal extent.
Answer:

• India’s geographical location is favourably important for international trade.
• Due to its central location in the eastern hermisphere, India lies on the major trade routes.
• It has helped in establishing close cultural and commercial contacts with these countries.

Question 5.
Name the major islands groups lying in the Arabian Sea. Explain any two m^jor features of it. .
Answer:
The major island groups lying in the Arabian Sea are the Lakshadweep group. It consists of many small islands located opposite to Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea.
Features:

• It is composed of small coral islands that cover a small area of 32 square kilometres. Kavaratti Island is its administrative headquarters.
• It has great diversity of flora and fauna.
• Lakshadweep consists of 11 islands.
• Most of the area is cultivated with coconut.
• A bird sanctuary is located in Pitti Island which is inhabitated by humans.

Question 6.
In what way the central location of India in the Indian Ocean has been to its advantage?
Answer:
India is a centrally situated country in relation to west Asia, Africa and Europe on the western side and south-east Asia and Australia on the eastern side:

• India is favourably located on the world’s highway of trade and commerce.
• It has helped in establishing close cultural and commercial contacts with these countries.

Question 7.
What is meant by the Indian Standard Time? What is its importance?
Answer:
Indian Standard Time (1ST)-is that which is accepted all over India. We have accepted 82° 3(7 E longitude as the Standard Meridian of India. It was accepted as it lies almost in the middle.
The Indian Standard Time has a great importance:

• It has prevented a lot of confusion and has brought harmony in time throughout the country.
• The local time at each longitude is different. So in order to follow one timing, India has accepted the 82° 30’E as the Standard Meridian of India.

Question 8.
Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt at Kanyakumari but not so in Kashmir?
Answer:
Kanyakumari is just 8° away from the Equator. As Equator receives the direct sunrays, there would not be hardly any difference between day and night. Whereas, Kashmir is 37° away from the Equator. So, the difference between the duration of day and night is about 5 hrs.

Question 9.
Explain why Ahmedabad and Kolkata are able to see the noon sun exactly overhead in a year but not Delhi. VBQ
Answer:
Ahmedabad has latitude 23°N and Kolkata 22.5°N, while Delhi is at latitude 28°N. This means that the first two cities lie within the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer is the circle of latitude on the earth that marks the apparent position of the sun at the time of the northern solstice. It is also the farthest north latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead. So in Delhi, the sun is never directly overhead.

Question 10.
List six countries of the world bigger than India. Compare the size of India with these countries.
Answer:

• Russia,
• Canada,
• United States of America,
• China,
• Brazil,
• Australia.

Each one of these is two to five times larger than India.

Question 11.
With reference to India, name the following surrounding it:
(i) Mqjor islands,
(ii) Seas, oceans and bays.
Answer:
(i)

• Lakshadweep,
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

(ii) Sea → Arabian Sea
Ocean → Indian Ocean Bay → Bay of Bengal

Question 12.
Assess the significance of the central location of India in the Indian Ocean.
Or
“India has an important position on the globe.” Justify by giving three arguments.
Answer:
Central location of India is of great significance because:

• India has a central location between the East and West Asia.
• India is a southward extension of the Asian continent.
• The Trans Indian ocean routes connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia.
• Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean and help India to have contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from West Coast and with South East and East Asia from Eastern Coast.
• India’s eminent position in Indian Ocean justifies naming of an ocean after it.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
“India has a long coastline which is advantageous”. Explain. HOTS
Answer:

• India has the longest coastline on the Indian Ocean. This long coastline (7,517 km) has given a tremendous boost to India’s maritime trade. Almost 90% of India’s international trade is carried on through sea.
• India has this long coastline mainly due to the Deccan peninsula extending into the Indian Ocean and dividing it into two water bodies, viz., the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
• India’s central location at the head of the Indian Ocean and its long coastline have much helped in its interaction through the sea. The sea routes passing through the ocean provide easy connectivity to India with the West and the East.
• India has developed many major ports on its western and the eastern coasts. Some of them, such as Mumbai, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam etc., have become centres of India’s flourishing shipping industry.
• This long coastline on the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal has helped India to establish close maritime contacts in the following ways:
  • With West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast.
  • With East Asia and the South-east Asia from the eastern coast.

Question 2.
How is India’s geographical location favourable for international trade?
Answer:

• Due to its central location at the head of the Indian Ocean, countries of East Africa, West Asia, South and South-East Asia, and East Asia could be reached through sea routes.
• Unlike landlocked countries (surrounded by land on all sides), it has an easy access to the outside world. The ocean routes from East and South-East Asia, and Australia to Africa, and Europe pass through the Indian Ocean.
• India is connected with Europe, North America and South America through both the routes-the Cape of Good Hope and the Suez Canal.
• India can also reach Canada and USA through the Strait of Malacca after crossing the Pacific Ocean.
• India is favourably located on the world’s highway of trade and commerce both to the east and the west.

Question 3.
How did India’s contact with the rest of the world contribute in the exchange of ideas and commodities? Explain.
Answer:

• India held ah important position in the ancient world. It had trade relations with many countries. One of the famous land routes was connected to the famous silk route of China.
• These routes 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 had trade relations with South-East Asian countries like Cambodia, Java, Sumatra, Bali, Sri Lanka, Burma and Siam.
• From the time of Kanishka, Indian traders started going to China, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
• During the Medieval period, India came in close contact with many foreign lands such as the Arabs, the Turks, the Mongols, the Chinese and the Europeans.