India is a huge country in southern Asia, located on the Hindustan peninsula between the headwaters of the rivers of the Indus system in the Punjab in the West and the Ganges river system in the East. It borders Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. From the south, India is washed by the Indian Ocean, and north coast India is the island of Sri Lanka.

The relief of India is very diverse - from the plains in the South of India, to the glaciers in the North, in the Himalayas, and from the desert regions of the West, to rainforest in the East. The length of India from north to south is about 3220 km, and from east to west - 2930 km. The land border of India is 15,200 km, and the sea border is 6,083 km. The height above sea level varies from 0 to 8598 meters. The highest point is Mount Kapchspyupga. India covers an area of ​​3,287,263 sq. km, although this figure is not entirely accurate, because. some sections of the border are disputed by China and Pakistan. India is the seventh largest country in the world.

There are seven natural regions on the territory of India: the Northern mountain range (consisting of the Himalayas and the Karakoram), the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Great Indian Desert, the Southern Plateau (Dean Plateau), the East Coast, the West Coast and the Adaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

Seven large mountain ranges rise in India: the Himalayas, Patkai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats.

The Himalayas stretched from east to west (from the Brahmaputra River to the Indus River) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Sivalik Mountains in the south (altitudes 800-1200 m), then the Lesser Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Greater Himalayas (5500-6000 m). The Himalayas are home to the three most big rivers India: Ganges (2510 km), Indus (2879 km) and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennaru, Kaveri). Several rivers flow into the Gulf of Cambay (Tapti, Narbad, Mahi and Sabarmati). Except for the Ganges, the Indus and the Brahmaputra, all the other rivers of India are not navigable. During the summer rainy season, followed by snowmelt in the Himalayas, flooding in North India became a common occurrence. Once every five to ten years, almost the entire Jamno-Gangetic plain is under water. Then from Delhi to Patna (the capital of Bihar), i.e. a distance of more than 1000 km can be traveled by boat. In India, they believe that the legend of the Flood was born here.

Statistical indicators of India
(as of 2012)

The internal waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their food, are divided into "Himalayan", full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacier and rain food, and "Dean", mainly with rain, monsoon food, large fluctuations in flow, flood from June to October. For everyone major rivers In summer, there is a sharp rise in the level, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave the name to the country, after the partition of British India, was mostly in Pakistan.

There are no significant lakes in India. Most often there are oxbow lakes in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial-tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. Most large lake Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used to evaporate salt. The population of India is over 1.21 billion people, which is one-sixth of the world's population. India is the most populated country on Earth after China. India is a multinational country.

Largest nations: Hindustanis, Telugu, Marathas, Bengalis, Tamils, Gujaratis, Kannars, Punjabis. About 80% of the population are adherents of Hinduism. Muslims make up 14% of the population, Christians - 2.4%, Sikhs - 2%, Buddhists - 0.7%. Most Indians are rural people. Average life expectancy: about 55 years.

Relief of India

On the territory of India, the Himalayas stretch in an arc from the north to the northeast of the country, being a natural border with China in three sections, interrupted by Nepal and Bhutan, between which, in the state of Sikkim, is the highest peak of India, Mount Kanchenjunga. Karakorum is located in the far north of India in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, mostly in the part of Kashmir held by Pakistan. In the northeastern appendix of India, the mid-altitude Assam-Burma Mountains and the Shillong Plateau are located.

The main centers of glaciation are concentrated in the Karakoram and on the southern slopes of the Zaskar range in the Himalayas. The glaciers are fed by snowfalls during the summer monsoons and snow drifts from the slopes. The average height of the snow line decreases from 5300 m in the west to 4500 m in the east. Due to global warming glaciers are retreating.

Hydrology of India

The internal waters of India are represented by numerous rivers, which, depending on the nature of their food, are divided into "Himalayan", full-flowing throughout the year, with mixed snow-glacier and rain food, and "Dean", mainly with rain, monsoon food, large fluctuations in flow, flood from June to October. On all large rivers, a sharp rise in the level is observed in summer, often accompanied by floods. The Indus River, which gave the name to the country, after the partition of British India, turned out to be mostly in Pakistan.

The largest rivers, originating in the Himalayas and for the most part flowing through the territory of India, are the Ganges and the Brahmaputra; both flow into the Bay of Bengal. The main tributaries of the Ganges are the Yamuna and the Koshi. Their low banks cause catastrophic floods every year. Other important rivers Hindustan, these are Godavari, Mahanadi, Kaveri and Krishna, also flowing into the Bay of Bengal, and Narmada and Tapti flowing into the Arabian Sea - the steep bank of these rivers does not allow their waters to overflow. Many of them are important as sources of irrigation.

There are no significant lakes in India. Most often there are oxbow lakes in the valleys of large rivers; there are also glacial-tectonic lakes in the Himalayas. The largest lake, Sambhar, located in arid Rajasthan, is used to evaporate salt.

Coast of India

The length of the coastline is 7,517 km, of which 5,423 km belong to mainland India, and 2,094 km to the Andaman, Nicobar, and Laccadive Islands. The coastline of mainland India has the following character: 43% sandy beaches, 11% rocky and rocky coast, and 46% watts or swampy coast. Weakly dissected, low, sandy shores have almost no convenient natural harbors, so large ports are located either at the mouths of rivers (Kolkata) or artificially arranged (Chennai). The south of the western coast of Hindustan is called the Malabar coast, the south of the east coast is called the Coromandel coast.

The most remarkable coastal regions of India are the Great Rann of Kutch in Western India and the Sundarbans, the swampy lower reaches of the Ganges and Brahmaputra deltas in India and Bangladesh. Two archipelagos are part of India: the coral atolls of Lakshadweep to the west of the Malabar coast; and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the Andaman Sea.

Natural Resources and Minerals of India

The mineral resources of India are diverse and their reserves are significant. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. On the border of the states of Orisa and Bihar, there are iron ore basins that are among the most important in the world (the largest is Singbhum on the Chhota-Nagpur plateau). Iron ores are of high quality. General geological reserves are over 19 billion tons. India also has significant reserves of manganese ores.

Somewhat to the north of the iron ore are the main coal basins (in the states of Bihar, West Bengal), but these coals are of low quality. The explored reserves of hard coal in the country are about 23 billion tons (the total coal reserves in India, according to various sources, are estimated at 140 billion tons). In the north-east of the country, there is a particularly favorable concentration of minerals for the development of heavy industries. The state of Bihar is the most mineral-rich region in India.

The minerals of South India are diverse. These are bauxites, chromites, magnesites, brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands. In Central India (the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh) there are also significant deposits of ferrous metals and coal.

An important source of energy can be radioactive thorium contained in monocyte sands. Uranium ores have been discovered in the state of Rajasthan.

Climate of India

The climate of India is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar desert, causing monsoons. The Himalayas serve as a barrier to the cold Central Asian winds, thus making the climate in most of Hindustan warmer than at the same latitudes in other regions of the planet. The Thar Desert plays a key role in attracting the humid southwesterly winds of the summer monsoon, which provide most of India with rain between June and October. India is dominated by four main climates: humid tropical, dry tropical, subtropical monsoon and highland.

In most of India, there are three seasons: hot and humid with the dominance of the southwest monsoon (June - October); relatively cool and dry with a predominance of the northeast trade wind (November - February); very hot and dry transitional (March - May). During the wet season, more than 80% of the annual precipitation falls.

The windward slopes of the Western Ghats and the Himalayas are the most humid (up to 6000 mm per year), and on the slopes of the Shillong Plateau there is the rainiest place on Earth - Cherrapunji (about 12000 mm). The driest areas are the western part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (less than 100 mm in the Thar Desert, dry period 9-10 months) and the central part of Hindustan (300-500 mm, dry period 8-9 months). The amount of precipitation varies greatly from year to year. On the plains, the average January temperature increases from north to south from 15 to 27 °C, in May it is 28-35 °C everywhere, sometimes reaching 45-48 °C. During the wet period, temperatures in most parts of the country are 28 °C. In the mountains at an altitude of 1500 m in January -1 ° C, in July 23 ° C, at an altitude of 3500 m, respectively -8 ° C and 18 ° C.

Flora and fauna of India

Due to the peculiarities of the location of India and the diverse climatic conditions everything grows in this country. Or almost everything from drought-resistant thorny shrubs to tropical rainforest evergreen forest plants. There are such plants and trees as palm trees (more than 20 species), ficuses, giant trees - batangor (up to 40 m high), sal (about 37 m), cotton tree (35 m). Indian banyan is striking in its unusual view- a tree with hundreds of aerial roots. According to the Botanical Survey, there are about 45,000 plants in India. various kinds plants, of which more than 5 thousand are found only in India. On the territory of India there are humid tropical evergreen forests, monsoon (deciduous) forests, savannahs, woodlands and shrubs, semi-deserts and deserts. In the Himalayas, the vertical zonality of the vegetation cover is clearly manifested - from tropical and subtropical forests to alpine meadows. As a result of long-term human impact, the natural vegetation of India has been greatly altered, and in many areas almost destroyed. Once heavily forested, India is now one of the least forested areas in the world. Forests have been preserved mainly in the Himalayas and in the highest mountain ranges of the peninsula. The coniferous forests of the Himalayas consist of Himalayan cedar, fir, spruce and pine. Since they are located in hard-to-reach areas, their economic value is limited.

More than 350 species of mammals live in India. The main representatives of the fauna here are: elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, a huge number of different species of deer, bison, antelopes, bison and striped hyenas, bears, wild pigs, jackals, monkeys and wild Indian dogs. The barasinga deer lives only in India - there are only about 4 thousand of them. Reptiles include king cobras, pythons, crocodiles, large freshwater turtles and lizards. World wild birds India is also diverse. It has about 1,200 species and 2,100 subspecies of birds, from hornbills and eagles to the symbol of the nation, the peacock.

There are river dolphins in the Ganges Delta. In the seas surrounding India, the dugong lives - one of the rarest animals in the world, a representative of a small detachment of siren, or sea cows.

As part of the government’s special programs for the protection of wild animals, a network of national parks and reserves has been created in the country, the largest and most famous of which are Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Kaziranga in Assam, Corbett in Uttar Pradesh and Periyar in Kerala. On this moment there are only 350 national parks and reserves.

Capital- Delhi.
Time ahead of Moscow by 2.5 hours.
Square- 3,287,000 sq. km.
Population- about 1 billion people.
National language: Hindi, English spoken. India knows no equal in terms of the number of languages. According to the latest census, 1,652 languages ​​are registered in India, 15 of which are listed in a special appendix to the Constitution. The modern literary language, Hindi, the official language of the seven northern states, is and official language Indian Union.
National currency: Indian rupee, 100INR=2.3042USD.
Religion: 80% of the population are Hindus, Muslims make up a significant religious minority - 12%. The number of Christians reaches only 18 million. Mostly they are Catholics and Protestants. There are also Orthodox parishes. Of the confessions born on Indian soil, Sikhism stands out, the number of followers of which exceeds 17 million. In Mumbai (formerly Bombay) there is a small (about 200 thousand), but influential community of fire-worshipping Parsis. In the seaside cities of Kerala, you can meet followers of Judaism (about 6 thousand). About 26 thousand representatives of aboriginal tribes profess various pagan beliefs.
Geographical position
India is located on the Hindustan peninsula between the headwaters of the rivers of the Indus system in the Punjab in the West and the river system of the Ganges in the East.
The southeastern part of Hindustan forms a vast plain - Tamil Nadu.
The Hindustan Peninsula is sometimes also called the Indian subcontinent - and there is every reason for this both because of its impressive size (about 2 thousand km in the East-West direction and 3 thousand km in the North-South direction), and because of for its geological history - in the distant past, Hindustan, due to continental drift) separated from Africa and "drifted" to Asia.
Relief
In the south, the vast Deccan plateau stretches (1600 km from north to south and 1400 km from west to east), which has an arid climate, rapids, rivers that become very shallow in winter and drought-resistant vegetation such as savannahs and forests with falling leaves.
The Deccan is an arid, rolling plateau bounded on the west and east by the Western (higher) and Eastern Ghats. The Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri rivers flow through the Dekan plateau in the direction from West to East. Interestingly, according to modern ideas, the Deccan plateau was formed tens of millions of years ago as a result of "swelling" earth's surface from an asteroid impact from the opposite side of the globe in the Gulf of Mexico (it was this catastrophe that was probably the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs).
In the north is the world's highest system of the Himalayan ("Abode of the Snow") mountains (the highest point of Chomolungma - 8848 m above sea level) with snowy peaks and glaciers; to the east is the fertile valley of the Ganges.
In addition to the Himalayas, six more large mountain ranges rise in India: Paktai (Eastern Highlands), Aravali, Vindhya, Saptura, Sadyari (Western Ghats), Eastern Ghats.
The Himalayas stretched from east to west (from the Brahmaputra river to the Indus river) for 2500 km with a width of 150 to 400 km. The Himalayas consist of three main mountain ranges: the Sivalik Mountains in the south (altitudes 800-1200 m), then the Lesser Himalayas (2500-3000 m) and the Greater Himalayas (5500-6000 m).
The Paktai Mountains (Purwachal, Eastern Highlands) stretch along India's border with Burma and Bangladesh. highest point - 4578 m.
The Araval Mountains stretch for 725 km from Delido pcs. Gujarat. The highest point is Mount Guru (1722 m).
The Vindhya Mountains rise on the border of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Deccan Plateau. They stretched for a distance of 1050 km, heights - up to 700-800 m.
The chain of the Satpur Mountains stretches for 900 km from the Western Lowland to the interfluve of the Tapti and Narmada. The highest point - Dhupgarh - 1350 m.
Western Ghats (Sadhryadri) stretch for 1600 km along the western coast of India for 1600 km - from the mouth of the river. Tapti to Cape Camorin. The highest point is Dodabetta (2633 m).
The Eastern Ghats stretch along the east coast of India. The highest point is 1680 m.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain occupies the central and eastern part of India, its area is 319 thousand square kilometers. Up to 250 million people live on the territory of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
To the west, the Thar Desert (Thar, Great Indian Desert) adjoins the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Minerals
The mineral resources of India are diverse and their reserves are significant. The main deposits are located in the northeast of the country. On the border of the states of Orisa and Bihar, there are iron ore basins that are among the most important in the world (the largest is Singbhum on the Chhota-Nagpur plateau). Iron ores are of high quality. General geological reserves are over 19 billion tons. India also has significant reserves of manganese ores. Somewhat to the north of the iron ore are the main coal basins (in the states of Bihar, West Bengal), but these coals are of low quality. The explored reserves of hard coal in the country are about 23 billion tons (the total coal reserves in India, according to various sources, are estimated at 140 billion tons).
In the north-east of the country, there is a particularly favorable concentration of minerals for the development of heavy industries. The state of Bihar is the most mineral-rich region in India.
The minerals of South India are diverse. These are bauxites, chromites, magnesites, brown coal, graphite, mica, diamonds, gold, monazite sands. In Central India (the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh) there are also significant deposits of ferrous metals and coal.

Inland waters
The rivers Ganges (2510 km), Brahmaputra (2900 km), Indus (2879 km), Narbada and others are deep and navigable for a long distance. Many Deccan rivers dry up during the dry season. Floods are frequent during the rainy season in North India.
Climate
The climate of India is very diverse.

The Himalayas have cold winters with occasional frosts and snowfall. On the northern plains - cool winters and sharp fluctuations in temperature, depending on the time of day, summers are very hot.
On the Deccan Plateau, temperature fluctuations are small, but in higher regions, the nights are cold in winter.
It is always hot in the plains of Tamilland, but the temperature does not rise as high as in the northern regions of the country.
The most important feature of the Indian climate is the rainy season (monsoon period). It lasts from June for about 2 months. During the rest of the year, the climate is characterized by aridity (with the exception of the western coast).
Animal and vegetable world
The Hindustan peninsula is a whole continent, the climatic and geographical originality of which contributes to the prosperity of the animal and plant world.
In India, there are about 45 thousand plant species, of which 15 thousand are found only in India. Forests in India cover an area of ​​639 thousand square kilometers, which is 19.45% of the entire territory of the country.
There are approximately 82,000 different animal species in India, including 850 mammal species, 2,000 bird species, 2,500 fish species, 150 amphibian species, 450 reptile species, and approximately 60,000 insect species.
Although species ranges overlap each other, each region has its own idiosyncrasies. The hangul is limited to the Kashmir Valley in northern India, rhinoceroses are found in separate floodplains along the Brahmaputra River in the east, black langur in the Western Ghats, and Western India serves as a refuge for the last remaining Asiatic lions.
The two most impressive species are the Bengal tiger and the Indian elephant, still found throughout the area, although in Lately their population has been greatly reduced.
The Bengal tiger reaches a length of 3 meters and a weight of up to 290 kg. Even in the recent past, tigers were mercilessly destroyed, and by 1973, when special program to restore the population of Bengal tigers, there were only 1827 individuals. By 1986, the population of Bengal tigers had increased to 4230 individuals.
The Indian elephant is slightly smaller than the African elephant. Its size reaches 3 meters in height and 3.2 in length. And, unlike the African, it lends itself well to training and has long been a pet. IN ancient world Indian elephants were often used in the armed forces.
The Asiatic (Gir) lion survived only in the Gir forest on the Kathiwar Peninsula in Western India. Its number reaches 210-220 individuals.
Gaur or Indian bison is the largest ungulate animal in India. The male reaches 95 cm in height and weighs over 900 kg.
The large Indian rhinoceros reaches 180 cm in height and 335 cm in length. The length of the horn reaches 61 cm. Indian rhinos are found mainly in the Kazirang National Park.
The only representative of the anthropoid apes - the Huloka gibbon - is found in the forests of Assam. The height of the male reaches 90 cm, weight up to 8 kg.
Langur is the most common monkey species in India. The male langur reaches 75 cm in height, weight - up to 21 kg.
The king cobra is the largest venomous snake in India. It reaches a length of 5.5 m. The bite of a king cobra is deadly even for an elephant.
Indian cobra (another species poisonous snakes) reaches a length of 180 cm.
The Gangetic gharial lives in the Ganges valley. The length of this crocodile reaches 6.6 m. The population of this crocodile is rather small.
In order to preserve rare and small species of flora and fauna, 83 national parks, 447 nature reserves, 23 tiger reserves, 200 zoos and 8 biosphere reserves have been created in India.

Reserves and National parks
national park Dachigam (Kashmir)
Wide valley: mountain slopes. live here rare view deer - hangul, black and brown bears, leopards; heron nests. Airport: Srinagar, 22 km. Railway station: Jammu, 311 km. Season: June - July. Accommodation: Srinagar - water houses on Dal and Nagin lakes.
Govind Sagar Bird Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh)
The bird sanctuary is inhabited by cranes, ducks, geese, teals. Airport: Chandigarh, 135 km. Railway station: Nangal, 13 km. Accommodation: You can stay in Bakra.
Corbett National Park (Uttar Pradesh)
Foothills of the Himalayas in the vicinity of Dikal; saline forests and plains. Fauna: tigers, elephants, leopards and various birds. Excellent fishing in the Ramgang River. Airport: Pantnagar, 115 km. Railway station: Ramnagar, 51 km. Season: November - May. Accommodation: in the park.
Dadwa National Park (Uttar Pradesh)
Nepal border. Tigers, sloth bears and panthers live here. Airport: Lucknow, 251 km. Railway station: Dadva, 4 km. Season: November - May. Accommodation in the park.
Flower Valley National Park (Uttar Pradesh)
When in bloom, this "garden on the roof of the world", elevated to a height of 3500 m, dazzles with exuberant colors. Location: 44 km from Badrinath. Railway station: Rishikesh, 280 km. Season: June - July.
Sariska National Park (Rajasthan)
About 200 km from Delhi. Forest and open plains. Sambar (the largest of the Indian deer), chetal (spotted deer), nilgai (Indian antelope), black deer, leopard, tiger; good night view. Airport: Jaipur, 160 km. Railway station: Alwar, 35 km (bus service). Season: February - June. Accommodation: in the park.
Ranthambhor (Sawai Madhopur - Rajasthan)
Hilly forests, plains and lakes. Sambar, chinkara (Indian gazelle), tiger, sloth bear, crocodiles and migratory waterfowl. Airport: Jaipur, 162 km. Railway station: Sawai-Madhopur, 11 km. Season: November - May. Accommodation: in the park and in Sawai Madhopur.
Bandavgari National Park (Madhya Pradesh)
Situated in the Vindya Mountains. The park has a diverse fauna including panthers, sambars and gaurs. Airport: Jabalpur, 166 km. Railway station: Umaria, 34 km. Accommodation: forest hotel in the park.
Bharatpur National Park (Keoloadeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary) (Rajasthan)
The most famous bird sanctuary in India. There are many unique waterfowl here, a large number of migrants from Siberia and China; cranes, geese, herons, snake-catchers, etc. Airport: Agra, 52 km. Railway station: Bharatpur, 5 km. Road connection: 176 km from Jaipur, 177 km from Delhi. Season: September - February. Accommodation: on the territory of the reserve.
Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)
Saline forests and savanna. The only place where the barashingha (marsh deer) lives; in addition, there are tiger, chetal, gaur (Indian bison), monkeys. Airport: Nagpur, 270 km. Railway station: Jabalpur, 170 km. Season: November - March. Accommodation: on the territory of the park, in Cana and Kisli.
Shivpuri National Park (Madhya Pradesh)
Open forests and lake. Fauna: chinkara, chousingha (four-horned antelope), nilgai, tiger, leopard, waterfowl. Airport: Jhansi, 95 km. Season: February - May. Accommodation: motel, forest holiday home.
Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
Meadows and swamps. Fauna: Indian one-horned rhinoceros, water bull, tiger, leopard, elephant, deer, various birds. It is possible to move around the park on elephants. Airports: Jorhat, 96 km, and Guwahati, 217 km. Railway station: Furkating, 78 km. Season: February - May. Accommodation: in the park.
Reserve Manas (Assam)
On the border with Bhutan. Rainforest, savannah and river banks are inhabited by rhino, water bull, tiger, elephant, golden langur, waterfowl. Fishing is allowed. Airport: Guwahati, 176 km. Railway station: Sarupeta, 40 km. Season: January - March. Accommodation: on the territory of the reserve.
Palamau Tiger Reserve (Bihar)
Rocky and wooded hills. Tiger, leopard, elephant, sambar, wild tropical cat, rhesus monkey, rarely wolf. Airport: Ranchi, 155 km. Railway station: Daltonganj, 19 km. Season: February - March. Accommodation: in Belt.
Hazaribag National Park (Bihar)
Salt marshes and wooded hills. Sambar, nilgai, chetal, tiger, leopard, rarely - muntjak (large barking deer). Airport: Ranchi, 100 km. Railway station: Hazaribag, 67 km. Season: February - March. Accommodation: in the park.
Sunderbans Tiger Reserve (West Bengal)
Mangrove forests. Tiger, river cat, deer, crocodile, dolphin, various birds. Transport: external and internal transportation by boats. Airport: Kolkata, 48 km. Season: February - March. Accommodation: there are no hotels and conditions for overnight stay on the territory and near the reserve.
Jaldapara Game Reserve (West Bengal)
Tropical forest and savanna. Rhinoceros, elephant, various birds. Airport: Bagdogra, 155 km. Railway station: Madari Hat, 11 km. Season: March - May. Accommodation: holiday home in Jaldapar.
Similipal Tiger Reserve (Orissa)
Extensive saline forest. Tiger, elephant, leopard, sambar, chetal, muntjak deer and deer. Airport: Bhubaneswar, 310 km. Railway station: Baripada, 50 km. Season: November - June. Accommodation: Tourist holiday homes in the vicinity.
Periyar Game Reserve (Kerala)
Large artificial lake. Elephant, gaur, wild dog, black langur, beavers, turtles; numerous species of birds, including the hornbill and the water owl. View from the water. Airports: Madurai, 160 km, Cochin, 208 km, and Thiruvananthapuram, 258 km. Railway station: Madurai, Kottayam, 110 km, and Bodinayakanur, 67 km. Accommodation: a good choice hotels in the vicinity of the reserve.
Vedanthangal Waterfowl Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
One of the most picturesque mass nesting sites in India. Cormorants, herons, storks, pelicans, grebes and many others. Airport: Chennai (Madras), 85 km. Railway station: Chengalpattu, 28 km. Season: October - March. Accommodation: forest rest house.
Point Calimer Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
It is primarily known for its flamingos. There are herons, teals, curlews, plovers and blackbucks and wild boars. Airport: Tiruchirappalli, 200 km. Railway station: Point Calimer, 0.5 km. Season: November - January. Accommodation: forest rest house.
Pulikat Bird Sanctuary (Andhra Pradesh)
Flamingo, gray pelican, heron, tern. Airport and railway station: Chennai (Madras), 60 km. Accommodation: overnight in Nellur.
Dandeli National Park (Karnataka)
The park is inhabited by bison, panthers, tigers and sambars. Easily accessible from Goa. Airport: Belgaon, 142 km. Railway station: Alnaver, 20 km. Accommodation: Holiday homes in Kullji Forest and Mandurli and River View Bungalows in Dandeli.
Jawhar National Park includes Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks (Karnataka) and Mudumalai Game Reserves (Tamilnadu) and Wayanad (Kerala)
Dense mixed forest. The largest population of elephants in India; leopard, gaur, sambar, muntjak deer and giant squirrel. Birds include the Indian cuckoo, barbet and trogon.
Bandipur (Karnataka)
Airport: Bangalore, 190 km. Railway station: Mysore, 65 km. Available to tourists from Coimbatore and Udhagamandalam. Accommodation: in the park.
Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu)
Airport: Coimbatore, 16 km. Railway station: Udhagamandalam, 68 km.
Nagarhole (Karnataka)
Airport: Bangalore. Railway station: Mysore. Accommodation: tourist cottages.
Wayanad(Kerala)
Airport: Cochin, 300 km. Railway station: Calicut, 111 km. Accommodation: forest rest house.
Krishnagiri Upavan National Park (Maharashtra)
Formerly known as Borivili, this nature reserve protects an important natural area near Bombay. Kanheri caves, Vihar, Tulsi and Povari lakes. Waterfowl and small mammals. Open air cinema next to the Lion Safari Park. Airport: Mumbai (Bombay), 20 km. Railway station: Borivili, 3 km. Season: October - June. Accommodation: tourist cottages.
Taroba National Park (Maharashtra)
Teak forest and lake. Tiger, leopard, nilgai, gaur. Night inspections. Airport: Nagpur, 208 km. Railway station: Chandrapur, 45 km. Season: March - May. Accommodation: in the park.
Sasangir National Park (Gujarat)
Wooded plains and lake. The only habitat of the Asiatic lion; other fauna: sambar, chowsingha, nilgai, leopard, chinkara and wild boar. Airport: Rajkot, 153 km. Railway station: Sasangir, 0.5 km. Season: January - May. Accommodation: in the park.
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary (Gujarat)
Lake. Migratory waterfowl. Local bird species include flamingos. Airport: Ahmedabad, 64 km. Railway station: Weeramgam, 40 km. Season: November - February. Accommodation: there are conditions for living near the lake.
Reserve "Small Kachsky Rain" (Gujarat)
Desert. Herds of kura (Indian wild donkey), wolf, caracal. Airport: Ahmedabad, 195 km. Railway station: Dhangadra, 25 km. Season: October - June. Accommodation: on the territory of the reserve and in Dhangadra. Passage from Bhuj is possible.
Velvadar National Park (Gujarat)
Savannah of the New Delta. Large concentration of black goats. Airport and railway station: Bhavnagar, 65 km. Season: October - June. Accommodation: in the park.

Industry and production
In the chemical industry, the production of mineral fertilizers stands out. The importance of petrochemistry is growing. Resins, plastics, chemical fiber, synthetic rubber are produced. Developed pharmaceutical industry. The chemical industry is represented in many cities of the country.
Light industry is a traditional branch of the Indian economy. The cotton and jute industries stand out in particular. In terms of the production of cotton fabrics, India is one of the leading countries in the world, and in the production of jute products (technical, packaging, furniture fabrics, carpets) it ranks first. The largest centers of the cotton industry are Bombay and Ahmedabad, jute - Calcutta, Textile factories are located in all major cities of the country. In India's exports, textile and clothing products account for 25%.
The food industry produces goods both for domestic consumption and for export. The most widely known in the world indian tea. Its production is concentrated in Kolkata and in the south of the country. India is the world's leading tea exporter.
Agriculture. The leading branch of agriculture in India is crop production (4/5 of the value of all products). The sown area is 140 million hectares, but there are practically no land resources for new development. Agriculture needs irrigation (40% of the cultivated area is irrigated). Forests are reduced (slash-and-burn agriculture is still preserved).
The main part of the cultivated area is occupied by food crops: rice, wheat, corn, etc. The main industrial crops of India are cotton, jute, tea, sugar cane, tobacco, and oilseeds (rapeseed, peanuts, etc.). Coconut palm, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, citrus fruits, spices and spices are also grown. The agricultural year is almost universally divided into two seasons in India - kharif (summer) and rabi (winter). Large land fund.
Animal husbandry is the second most important branch of agriculture in India, much behind crop production. Cattle are used in peasant farms mainly as draft power. Milk, hide and skin of animals are used.
Fishing is of considerable importance in the coastal regions. The use of seafood can improve the food situation in the country.

Holidays(where would we be without them!)
Northern India.
Almost every day there is some kind of holiday here. However, at least take note of the following:
January: January 26, Republic Day (Delhi).
February-March: Holiday of flowers and spring - Holi.
July-August: Colorful holiday Teej. (Jaipur). August 15, Independence Day, (Delhi).
September-October: Spectacular holidays of Diwali and Dasheher.
November: Pushkar Desert Fair. (Pushkar).
Western India.
February-March: Unique Mardi Gras (Goa).
March: Dance festival. (Khajuraho).
July-August: Festival of the thousand-headed snake Nagpanchami and also the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
August-September: Spectacular holidays dedicated to the gods Krishna and Ganesh.
(Bombay). December: Christmas in Goa.
South India.
There are more of them here than in any other part of India. Therefore, you will definitely fall into one of them, even if you are not lucky enough to participate in the biggest holidays listed below:
January: Pongal Festival, a three-day Tamil harvest festival. Water festival in Madurai. The Great Elephant Trek.
February: Great Jain festival celebrated every 12-14 years. (Shravanbelagola).
April-May: Puram Elephant Parade. (Trichur).
August-September: Onam holiday; Serpentine boat races in Kerala and the national festival of Diwali, Hindu New Year.
October: Ten-day celebration-carnival of Dasheher. (Mysore).
Eastern India.
February-March: Shivaratri - dedicated to the god Shiva.
June-July: Spectacular Chariot Festival, the largest religious holiday India. (Puri).
October: Sadarang Music Festival (Kolkata)
November-December: Konari dance festival. (Konarak).

When compiling the description of the country, materials from the sites were used:
http://www.krugosvet.ru/aMenu/1.htm
http://www.gold-pelican.spb.ru/countrys.php
http://tours.belti.ru/all_maps.php
http://www.oval.ru/encycl.shtml

The wealth of Indian nature is in its diversity. 3/4 of the country's territory is occupied by plains and plateaus. India resembles a huge triangle, directed by its apex at. Along the base of the Indian triangle stretched the Karakorum, Gin-dukush and mountain systems.

South of the Himalayas lies the vast, fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. To the west of the Indo-Gangetic Plain lies the barren Thar Desert.

Further south is the Deccan Plateau, which occupies most of the central and southern. On both sides, the plateau is bordered by the mountains of the Eastern and Western Ghats, their foothills are occupied by tropical forests.

The climate of India in most of its territory is subequatorial, monsoonal. In the north and northwest - tropical, where precipitation is about 100 mm / year. On the windward slopes of the Himalayas, 5000-6000 mm of precipitation falls annually, and in the center of the peninsula - 300-500 mm. In summer, up to 80% of all precipitation falls.

The largest rivers of India - the Ganges, the Indus, the Brahmaputra, originate in the mountains and are fed by snow-glacier and rain. The rivers of the Deccan plateau are fed by rain. During the winter monsoon, the rivers of the plateau dry up.

In the north of the country, brown-red and red-brown savannah soils predominate, in the center - black and gray tropical and red-earth laterinth soils. In the south - yellow earth and red earth, developed on lava covers. The coastal lowlands and river valleys are covered with rich alluvial deposits.

The natural vegetation of India has been greatly altered by man. Monsoon forests have survived only 10-15% of the original area. Every year, the area of ​​forests in India is reduced by 1.5 million hectares. In grow acacias, palm trees. In subtropical forests - sandalwood, teak, bamboo, coconut palms. In the mountains it is clearly expressed

India is rich and varied animal world: deer, antelopes, elephants, tigers, Himalayan bears, rhinos, panthers, monkeys, wild boars, many snakes, birds, fish.

The recreational resources of India are of world importance: coastal, historical, cultural, architectural, etc.

India has significant reserves. Manganese deposits are concentrated in central and eastern India. The bowels of India are rich in chromites, uranium, thorium, copper, bauxites, gold, magnesites, mica, diamonds, precious and semi-precious stones.

Coal reserves in the country amount to 120 billion tons (Bihar state and West Bengal). India's oil and gas are concentrated in the Asamu valley and on the plains of Gujaratu, as well as on the shelf in the Bombay region.

unfavorable natural phenomena In India, there are droughts, earthquakes, floods (8 million hectares), fires, snowfall in the mountains, soils (6 billion tons the country is losing), desertification in western India, and deforestation.

Inland waters

The central and western parts of India receive water from the Ganges, sacred to all Hindus, and its tributaries, called the Ganges valley. The Assam region receives its water from the Brahmaputra, which originates in the northern Himalayas and flows into Bangladesh. The Indus rises in Tibet and flows west through Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan.

Due to the abundance of water and fertile land, the region of the northern river valleys is the most populated region of the country and it was there that Indian civilization originated. To the south of this region lies the vast triangular Deccan plateau, which occupies almost the entire Indian peninsula. The height of the plateau is from 300 to 900 m, however, sometimes there are chains up to 1200 m high. In many places it is crossed by rivers. In the east and west, the plateau is framed by mountain ranges: the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats rise to a height of up to 900 m. Between them and the Arabian Sea lies the narrow plain of the Malabar coast. The Eastern Ghats rise to a height of about 460 m. Between them and the Bay of Bengal lies a narrow flat strip of the Koro Mandel coast.

Climate

Due to the large territory and the presence of different climatic zones, the climate of India is diverse, tropical monsoon in the north, predominantly tropical in the rest of the territory, subequatorial in the south of the peninsula. The rainy season is June - October, most pronounced in Bombay. The cool dry season lasts from late October to early March; This best time to visit the Hindustan Peninsula. At this time in most areas clear, sunny days. In March, the hot season begins, reaching a peak in May, when the thermometer rises to 49 ° C. The southwest monsoon season begins on the west coast at the end of May and is accompanied by precipitation (from 60-6000 mm). Especially heavy rains occur in the north-east of India; here is the rainiest place on Earth (about 12,000 mm of precipitation per year). Tourism resources by virtue of their geographical location and climatic features have seasonal appeal.

In Kolkata, the January temperature is in the range from 13?C to 27?C, in July - from 26?C to 32?C. In Bombay - from 19? C to 28? C in January, from 25? C to 29? C in July.

Flora and fauna

In the arid regions bordering Pakistan, the vegetation is quite poor. Bamboo and palm trees grow in some areas. In the Ganges valley, which receives a fairly high amount of rainfall, the flora is more abundant, especially in the southern part of the region, where mangroves and hardwoods predominate. The lower slopes of the Himalayas are covered with fairly dense coniferous forests in the northwest and subtropical forests in the east of the region. Especially a lot of magnolias, rhododendron and oak. The coastal region of southwestern India and the slopes of the Western Ghats are overgrown with dense tropical forests: bamboo, teak, and other evergreen trees. On the Deccan Plateau, the vegetation is less dense, however, there are forests with palm trees, bamboo and deciduous trees. The fauna in India is represented quite widely. Among the representatives of the cat family, the tiger, panther, leopard, Snow Leopard, cheetah, clouded leopard. Other large mammals include the Indian elephant, rhinoceros, black bear, wolf, jackal, buffalo, antelope, several species of monkeys, and deer. There are many mountain goats (ibex, serau) in the Himalayas and other mountainous regions. In India, there are especially a lot of poisonous snakes, including cobras, scales and others. Among reptiles there are also pythons, crocodiles. Among the large number of birds, the peacock, heron, parrots, kingfisher are especially distinguished.

India is a large state in South Asia. In terms of area, it ranks seventh in the world. Its landscapes are deserts, high mountains and plains, so it is not surprising that the country has a wide variety of natural resources. What minerals are rich in India? How are the country's resources estimated? Let's find out.

Geographic location of India

The Republic of India is the second state in the world in terms of population. It is home to 1.35 billion people. At the same time, there are approximately 406 people per square kilometer. The country is located between Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and China. In the southeast it is washed by the Bay of Bengal, in the southwest by the Arabian Sea, and by the Laccadia Sea in the south.

The republic occupies an area of ​​3.28 million km 2, covering the Hindustan peninsula and a number of islands, such as Agatti, Kavaratti, Sagar, Piram, etc. Some of them are uninhabited. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are of volcanic origin, Minicoy, Amandive and Laccadia Islands are coral atolls.

The coastline of India has a length of 7.517 kilometers, of which more than 5 thousand kilometers belong to the continental part. The coasts of the country are represented by sandy beaches and swampy areas (watts), which are periodically flooded by the tides. Small areas are represented by rocks and stony placers.

Agro-climatic resources

Due to the influence of the Himalayan mountains and the Thar Desert, India is much warmer than in other regions of the planet at the same latitudes. The hottest period occurs in the spring, when the temperature reaches 35-45 °C. It is cooler in summer and winter, the temperature is around 25-28 degrees.

The climatic conditions of the country make it possible to farm almost all year round and get a crop two or three times. The only drawback is the lack of precipitation. They only come from June to October when the rainy season starts. But this is not always beneficial, because floods begin along with precipitation. From October to May the climate is very dry, so about 40% of all arable land is irrigated by rivers.

In most of the country, the land is not very suitable for use. All the fault of erosion and salinity due to the abuse of fertilizers. Agriculture is represented mainly by individual land plots up to two hectares in size.

In the arid regions of the Deccan, resistant crops such as millet are grown. Where river irrigation is possible, rice and wheat grow. In all regions of the country there are plantations of bananas, coconut palms, sesame, mustard, peanuts, legumes, pineapples, citrus fruits, mangoes, etc. India occupies the leading places in the world in the cultivation of sugar cane, tea, coffee, spices, tobacco and cotton.

Waters of India

The water natural resources of India are 12 major rivers and their tributaries. The most significant of them: Indus, Ganges, Godvari, Brahmaputra, Kaveri, Krishna, Tapti, etc. All these rivers originate in three main areas:

• Mountain ranges of the Himalayas and Karakoram.
• Western Ghats.
• The Vidhya and Satpura ranges in the middle part of the country.

The Indus River, which gave the name to the entire state, begins in Tibet and flows mainly in Pakistan. But the Ganges and Brahmaputra flow mainly in India. They are among the longest and deepest in all of South Asia. The length of each river exceeds 2,500 kilometers.

Himalayan and Karakorum have snow food. All year round they do not lose their power, due to which they are actively used for irrigating fields. They have great energy potential. The remaining two systems are powered by rainfall. At the end of the period of showers, they become very shallow. In the area of ​​​​the Deccan plateau, they completely dry up. But during the rains, all large drains overflow the banks, flooding the land and the nearest settlements.

Minerals

India is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. Over the past decades, it has been confidently mastering the industrial, agricultural sectors, as well as the software market. Due to the large territory and features of the relief, the country has a variety of resources. The main minerals of India:

• Oil.
• Natural gas.
• Mica.
• Diamonds.
• Limestone.
• Coal.
• bauxites.
• Manganese.
• Iron.
• Chromium.
• Titanium.

About 90 oil and gas fields have been discovered in the country, mainly in its western part. In addition, the country has deposits of phosphates and fluorites, lead, zinc, tin, gypsum, graphite, and uranium. India is also famous for its precious and semi-precious stones such as sapphire, aquamarine, emerald, jet, quartz, jasper and other minerals.

Despite all the wealth of the subsoil, the country's exports are not too large compared to imports. Due to the large population, more than half of the resources are used by local residents and do not enter the external market. Thus, coal mining in India ranks third in the world, but the republic is in second place in terms of its consumption. In terms of oil production, it is not even among the top ten countries (23 or 24), but in terms of consumption it ranks third in the world.

Mica

The most common minerals in India are micas. In 2010, the country accounted for 60% of this resource. In the state of Andhra Pradesh there is a large mica belt that stretches for 100 kilometers. It is also the main source of minerals.

In India, mica is represented mainly by muscovite or fuchsite. Here it is processed into sheets or powder. Later they are used for insulators, condensates, refractory paints, adhesives and building materials. Mica is also used in design, electrical and radio engineering, and in the aviation industry. India produces about 2-4 tons of the mineral per year.

Gold

Another significant mineral in India is gold. But here the country leads rather in the consumption of the metal than in its production. Gold in India is closely connected with national traditions. No wedding is complete without it. It is sewn into a sari, worn in the form of bracelets, rings and pendants. Guests are sure to give a pair of products from precious metal or give money to buy it.

By the amount of gold that is stored in Indian homes, the republic can safely be called the richest. India consumes about 800 tons of metal annually, which is almost three times more than China produces, and it is the leader in this business. A large number of The USA, Australia, Russia, South Africa and Peru also mine, but India is not on the list of leaders.

Forests

This type of natural resource in India is considered scarce, although the forest zone covers more than 20% of the country's territory. The fact is that not all of them are suitable for industrial use, and those that are best suited grow in the Himalayas and are prohibited for felling.

Nevertheless, many valuable breeds are growing in the country, which are exported. So, in India there is sandalwood, teak, myrobalan, bassia, sissu, bamboo. They are used in construction, for the production of shellac wax, plywood, furniture and various medical preparations. In industry, not only the wood of these species is used, but also essential oils and fruits. They are suitable for perfumery, cosmetology, drug making and more.

Valuable breeds grow mainly in the subtropical climate zone. However, wood is also mined in the Indian Thar Desert. Local acacias are a source of tannins and dyes. They cover sailboats, fabrics, and with the help of acacia catechu, the cassocks of monks are dyed orange.

Animal world

The fauna of India is one of the most diverse on the planet. At the same time, about 20% of all local animals are endemic, that is, they are found only here. The Himalayas served as a natural barrier for them, preventing them from penetrating further onto the continent.

In India, the hooded gulman, or langur, lives exclusively in the Nilgiri mountains. Only in the Western Ghats is found the lion-tailed macaque, the lizard Calot Eliot, the prickly dormouse. The Andaman Islands has a hornbill, as well as its own species of shrews and barn owls. Endemic to the Nicobar Islands are ringed or necklace parrots.

Typical inhabitants of India are rhinos, elephants, lions, Bengal tigers, hyenas, bison, antelopes, temminki cats, Himalayan bears, slow loris, gibbons, manuls, Tibetan lynxes, cat bears - binturongs. Many poisonous snakes live here, including king cobras. There are crocodiles, turtles, more than 1000 species of birds. To preserve the unique and diverse nature of the country, there are 500 national parks and reserves in it.