India's physical landscape is one of the most diverse on Earth, shaped by millions of years of tectonic drama. The majestic Himalayas — the world's youngest and highest fold mountains — rose from the ancient Tethys Sea when the Indian plate drove northward into the Eurasian plate. Understanding India's six physiographic divisions and the layered structure of the Himalayas is a high-priority topic for SSC CGL, with questions on peaks, passes, valleys, regional divisions, and the Eastern hills appearing in nearly every paper.
India is divided into six well-defined physical units, each with distinct relief, climate, and economic importance.
How many physiographic divisions is India divided into?
Which physiographic division was formed by the alluvial deposits of the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra?
The Great Indian Desert (Thar) is an arid region located in north-western .
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of Bengal, while the Islands lie in the Arabian Sea.
The Himalayas are young fold mountains formed by a tectonic collision — one of the most dramatic geological events in Earth's history.
The Himalayas were formed by the collision of the Eurasian plate with which other plate?
The shallow sea whose sediments were folded upward to form the Himalayas was called the:
The Himalayas are classified as young mountains and are still rising slowly.
The Aravalli range in India is an example of an fold mountain.
The Himalayas are not a single range but a series of parallel ridges arranged from north to south, each with distinct altitude and character.
| Range | Average Height | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Trans-Himalayas (Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar) | Very high (above 6,000 m) | North of Great Himalayas; K2/Godwin Austin (8,611 m) — world's 2nd highest; Siachen glacier; Shyok river (b/w Karakoram & Ladakh); Indus river (b/w Ladakh & Zanskar) |
| Great Himalayas / Himadri / Inner Himalayas | Avg 6,000 m | Highest & most continuous range; Mt Everest (8,848 m); Kanchenjunga (8,598 m); Nanda Devi (7,816 m); Namcha Barwa (eastern most point); Nanga Parbat (western most point) |
| Lesser Himalayas / Himachal / Middle Himalayas | Avg 4,000 m | Pir Panjal (J&K), Dhauladhar (HP), Nagtibba (Uttarakhand), Mahabharat Range (Nepal); Kashmir Valley lies b/w Great & Lesser Himalayas |
| Shiwaliks / Outer Himalayas / Sub-Himalayas | Avg 1,000 m | Outermost & youngest range; replaced by Duars in the East; longitudinal valleys b/w Lesser & Shiwaliks called Duns; largest Dun = Dehradun |
| Peak | Height | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mt Everest | 8,848 m | Highest in the world; Nepal name Sagarmatha; Tibet name Chomolungma |
| Kanchenjunga | 8,598 m | Highest in India (Sikkim) |
| Nanda Devi | 7,816 m | Highest peak in Uttarakhand |
| Mt Kamet | — | Uttarakhand |
| Annapurna | 8,091 m | Nepal |
| Dhaulagiri | 8,167 m | Nepal |
| Mount Makalu | — | Nepal |
| State/Region | Local Name of Range |
|---|---|
| Jammu & Kashmir | Pir Panjal Range |
| Himachal Pradesh | Dhauladhar |
| Uttarakhand | Nagtibba |
| Nepal | Mahabharat Range |
How many main longitudinal ranges make up the Himalayas from north to south?
The longitudinal valleys between the Lesser Himalayas and the Shiwaliks are called:
K2 / Godwin Austin, at 8,611 m, is located in the Range of the Trans-Himalayas.
In the Eastern Himalayas the Shiwaliks are replaced by the , which are good for tea cultivation.
The Himalayas are divided into four regional segments based on the rivers that bound them from west to east.
| Regional Division | Bounded Between (Rivers) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab / Kashmir Himalayas | Indus and Sutlej | Karewas (glacial lake deposits); Zaffron cultivation; Dal Lake, Wular Lake (fresh); Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri (salt water) |
| Kumaon Himalayas | Sutlej and Kali | Nanda Devi, Kedarnath, Badrinath; Bhotiyas tribe |
| Nepal Himalayas | Kali and Teesta | Largest segment; Mt Everest, Kanchenjunga, Annapurna |
| Assam / Arunachal Himalayas | Dihang and Teesta | Kangtu & Namcha Barwa peaks; rivers: Kameng, Subansiri, Dibang; tribes: Monpa, Abor, Mishimi, Nyishi, Naga |
The Kumaon Himalayas are bounded between which two rivers?
Karewas, the glacial lake deposits used for Zaffron cultivation, are found in which region?
The Punjab / Kashmir Himalayas are bounded between the Indus and rivers.
In the Arunachal Himalayas, the tribes from west to east are Monpa, Abor, Mishimi, Nyishi, and .
Valleys, lakes, and passes are recurring exam topics — each with a strategic or geographic significance.
| Lake | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Dal Lake | Freshwater | Srinagar, J&K |
| Wular Lake | Freshwater (largest freshwater lake in India) | J&K |
| Pangong Tso | Saltwater | Ladakh (India–China border) |
| Tso Moriri | Saltwater | Ladakh |
| Loktak Lake | Freshwater (floating national park) | Manipur |
| Pass | Note |
|---|---|
| Karakoram Pass | Highest pass in J&K |
| Banihal Pass | Jammu to Kashmir / Srinagar route |
| Pir Panjal Pass | Jammu to Kashmir |
| Burzil Pass | Kashmir to Gilgit |
| Zoji La | Kashmir to Leh |
| Umling La | Highest motorable road in the world (part of Himank Project) |
Which is the highest pass in Jammu & Kashmir?
Loktak Lake, home to the only floating national park in the world, is located in which state?
The pass known as connects Kashmir to Leh.
Umling La is the highest road in the world, part of the Himank Project.
Beyond the Brahmaputra, the Himalayas turn southward and are known as the Purvanchal or Eastern Hills, forming India's north-eastern frontier.
The Eastern Hills, the north-eastern extension of the Himalayas, are collectively known as:
Which is the southernmost range of the Purvanchal?
The River flows into the Mizoram Molasses Basin.
The state animal of Manipur is the Shangai Deer, also known as the Deer.
Key peaks and comparative data that appear frequently in SSC CGL.
Which is the highest peak in India?
Mt Everest is known by which name in Tibet?
Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is the highest peak lying entirely within .
The Siachen Glacier is the longest glacier in the Himalayas, associated with Operation (1984).
Take 5 questions at a time — tap an option to check. After each round, revise the notes above and take the retest for 5 fresh questions, until you've mastered the whole chapter.