Physical Geography

Physical Geography of India

Explore the magnificent terrain of the Indian subcontinent β€” from the majestic Himalayan peaks reaching 8,611 metres to the vast coastal plains at sea level. A comprehensive study of India's diverse physiographic features.

3,287,263
Sq. Kilometres
7th
Largest Nation
8,611m
Highest Point
7,516km
Coastline
Scroll to Explore
πŸ“
3,214 km
North-South Extent
Kashmir to Kanyakumari
πŸ“
2,933 km
East-West Extent
Gujarat to Arunachal
🌍
2.4%
World's Land Area
7th Largest Country
🧭
82Β°30'E
Standard Meridian
IST (UTC+5:30)
🌊
15,106 km
Total Land Border
7 Countries
🏝️
1,382
Total Islands
A&N + Lakshadweep
Section 01

Location & Geographical Extent

India occupies a prominent position in South Asia, extending across a vast expanse of the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres. The nation's geographic coordinates define its unique position on the global stage.

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Hemispheric Position

India lies entirely within the Northern Hemisphere (north of the Equator) and Eastern Hemisphere (east of Prime Meridian), providing climatically advantageous positioning.

  • Latitude Range 8Β°4'N β€” 37Β°6'N
  • Longitude Range 68Β°7'E β€” 97Β°25'E
  • Latitudinal Span ~29 degrees
  • Longitudinal Span ~30 degrees
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Linear Dimensions

The territorial expanse of India covers a substantial portion of South Asia, with near-equal north-south and east-west measurements giving it a roughly quadrilateral shape.

  • North-South 3,214 km
  • East-West 2,933 km
  • Total Land Area 3,287,263 kmΒ²
  • Shape Quadrilateral
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Global Significance

India represents a significant portion of Earth's landmass, commanding important positions geographically and geopolitically with extensive maritime boundaries.

  • World's Land Share 2.4%
  • Asia's Land Share 7.3%
  • Global Area Rank 7th Position
  • Continent Asia (South)
⏰

Standard Meridian & Time

Despite spanning ~30Β° longitude, India maintains a unified time zone (IST) for administrative convenience, based on a centrally located standard meridian.

  • Standard Meridian 82Β°30' East
  • Reference Location Mirzapur, UP
  • Time Zone IST (UTC+5:30)
  • Actual Time Diff (E-W) ~2 hours
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Precise Geographic Coordinates

Detailed positional data for Indian territory

🧭
Northern Latitude
8Β°4'N to 37Β°6'N
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Eastern Longitude
68Β°7'E to 97Β°25'E
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Total Land Area
3,287,263 kmΒ²
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Territorial Waters
~314,070 kmΒ²
🏝️
Exclusive Economic Zone
2,305,143 kmΒ²
πŸ—ΊοΈ
Total Maritime Area
~2.37 million kmΒ²

Cardinal Extreme Points

The furthest geographical points defining India's territorial boundaries in each cardinal direction.

⬆️

Indira Col

Siachen Glacier, Ladakh

37Β°6'N, 77Β°50'E
⬇️

Indira Point

Great Nicobar Island

6Β°45'N, 93Β°49'E
➑️

Kibithu

Arunachal Pradesh

28Β°18'N, 97Β°25'E
⬅️

Ghuar Mota

Kutch, Gujarat

23Β°41'N, 68Β°7'E
Section 02

Tropic of Cancer (23Β°30'N)

The Tropic of Cancer traverses through the heart of India, dividing the nation into tropical and subtropical climatic zones. This latitude marks where the Sun appears directly overhead during summer solstice.

Geographic Significance: The Tropic of Cancer at 23Β°30'N latitude divides India into two distinct climatic zones. Areas north experience four seasons, while southern regions have tropical climate with less seasonal variation.

Eight States Traversed

From West to East across India

01
Gujarat
Jasdan, Surendranagar
02
Rajasthan
Kalinjarh, Banswara
03
Madhya Pradesh
Shajapur, Ujjain, Rajgarh
04
Chhattisgarh
Sonhat, Surguja, Balrampur
05
Jharkhand
Lohardaga, Ranchi, Gumla
06
West Bengal
Krishnanagar, Nadia
07
Tripura
Udaipur, South Tripura
08
Mizoram
Champhai, Siaha
Section 03

Neighbouring Nations

India shares its terrestrial and maritime boundaries with nine sovereign nations, maintaining one of the most extensive border systems globally.

India's borders span diverse terrains β€” from the frozen glacial heights of Siachen to tropical coastal waters separating it from Sri Lanka. The nation shares land borders with seven countries totalling 15,106 km, and maritime borders with two countries across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Total Land Border 15,106 km
Longest Border Bangladesh (4,096 km)
Shortest Border Afghanistan (106 km)
Mainland Coastline 7,516 km
πŸ‡΅πŸ‡°

Pakistan

Northwestern Frontier
Border Length 3,323 km
Border Type Radcliffe Line
Indian Border States
Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³

China

Northern Frontier
Border Length 3,488 km
Border Type Line of Actual Control (LAC)
Indian Border States
Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
πŸ‡³πŸ‡΅

Nepal

Northern Frontier
Border Length 1,751 km
Border Type Open Border
Indian Border States
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim
πŸ‡§πŸ‡Ή

Bhutan

Northeastern Frontier
Border Length 699 km
Border Type Land
Indian Border States
Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
πŸ‡§πŸ‡©

Bangladesh

Eastern Frontier
Border Length 4,096 km
Border Type Longest Land Border
Indian Border States
West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram
πŸ‡²πŸ‡²

Myanmar

Eastern Frontier
Border Length 1,643 km
Border Type Land
Indian Border States
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
πŸ‡¦πŸ‡«

Afghanistan

Northwestern (POK)
Border Length 106 km
Border Type Via POK (Disputed)
Border Region
Through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

Sri Lanka

Southern Maritime
Separation Palk Strait (54 km)
Nearest Distance ~30 km
Water Bodies
Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar, Adam's Bridge
πŸ‡²πŸ‡»

Maldives

Southwestern Maritime
Distance ~400 km
From Lakshadweep Islands
Water Body
Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea
Section 04

Physiographic Relief Map

The Indian subcontinent exhibits extraordinary topographic diversity, from the world's highest mountain peaks to extensive coastal plains.

Elevation Profile of India

Interactive colour-coded physiographic representation

Himalayas (5000m+)
Plains (150-300m)
Plateau (600-900m)
W. Ghats (900-1500m)
E. Ghats (600-900m)
Coastal (0-100m)
Desert (100-150m)
Islands
THE HIMALAYAS (8,611 m) NORTHERN PLAINS (150-300 m) THAR DESERT PENINSULAR PLATEAU (600-900 m) WESTERN GHATS EASTERN GHATS Lakshadweep Andaman & Nicobar Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal INDIAN OCEAN