India: Size and Location
1. Location (स्थिति)
India is a vast country lying entirely in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Latitudinal Extent: 8°4’N to 37°6’N
- Longitudinal Extent: 68°7’E to 97°25’E
- The Tropic of Cancer (23°30’N) divides the country into almost two equal parts.
Island Groups:
- Southeast: Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal)
- Southwest: Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea)
- Do you know? Southernmost point ‘Indira Point’ submerged in 2004 Tsunami.
2. Size (आकार)
The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million sq. km.
- Global Share: 2.4% of total geographical area.
- Rank: 7th largest country in the world.
- Land Boundary: Approx 15,200 km.
- Total Coastline: 7,516.6 km (Mainland + Islands).
1. Russia, 2. Canada, 3. USA, 4. China, 5. Brazil, 6. Australia, 7. INDIA
North-South extent appears larger than East-West, but both are approx 30°.
India and The World
3. Standard Meridian (IST)
- Time Lag: There is a time lag of 2 hours from Gujarat (West) to Arunachal Pradesh (East).
- Because of this, the time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30’E) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
- Location: This meridian passes through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh).
Why 82°30’E?
It passes through the center of the country. If we didn’t have one IST, watches in Gujarat would show a different time than in Assam, creating confusion for trains & flights!
4. Strategic Location
India is a southward extension of the Asian Continent.
- Central Location: India sits between East and West Asia.
- Trans Indian Ocean Routes: Connect Europe (West) to East Asia.
- The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, helping establish close contact with:
- West Asia, Africa, Europe (from West Coast)
- SE Asia, East Asia (from East Coast)
- No other country has as long a coastline on the Indian Ocean as India.
Opening of this canal reduced India’s distance from Europe by 7,000 km!
5. Exchange of Ideas
Land routes are much older than maritime routes.
→ These ideas reached the world. Spices & Muslin were exported.
→ In return, we got Greek Sculpture & architectural styles (Domes/Minarets).
India’s Neighbors (भारत के पड़ोसी)
India occupies a strategic position in South Asia.
Currently: 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
6. Land Boundaries
India shares its land boundaries with:
- Northwest: Pakistan & Afghanistan
- North: China (Tibet), Nepal, Bhutan
- East: Myanmar & Bangladesh
7. Southern Neighbors (Sea)
- Sri Lanka: Separated by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.
- Maldives: Islands situated to the south of the Lakshadweep Islands.
Key Terms:
• Subcontinent: A large landmass that forms part of a continent (India, Pak, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh).
• Strait: A narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water (e.g., Palk Strait).
Find out the states which do not have an international border or lie on the coast!
(Hint: M.P., Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana)
☺ End of Chapter 1 Notes