Stretching over three million kilometres squared, India is an enormous and varied nation.
Originally a continent in its own right, the India sub-continent collided with Asia around 50-55 million years ago forming the Himalayan mountains in one of the most dramatic events of recent geological history. Due to this unique geological past, India has gained a varied and dramatic landscape. It’s this dramatic landscape that has shaped the human history of India, inspiring the beguiling mountain monasteries, fortresses and the epic architecture that Indian civilisations have become synonymous with.
Some of the most significant geographical regions of India include;
- The Northern Mountains
The Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and Pakti mountain ranges, dominate the whole of northern India. As the tallest mountains in the world, the Himalayas have a fundamental impact on the weather for the rest of India. The mountains block cold polar winds and melt waters from the heavy snow and glaciers form the grand rivers that flow through the whole country, particularly the extensive wetlands of neighbouring Bangladesh.
- The Indo-Gangetic Plain
Created from the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers that flow from the mountains, the Indo-Gangetic plain is a vast swathe of flat land through central India of incredibly fertile soil. The plain dominated by extensive flat floodplains, farms threaded with irrigating canals as well as vast grassland homes to large mammals like rhinoceroses and buffalo.
- Thar Desert
Northwest India is dominated by the Thar Desert, the 7th largest desert in the world. Formed when the great mountain rivers changed their course east, forming the Indo-Gangetic plain, and starved of rainfall by the sheltering Himalayas, the Thar Desert is a region of sand dunes and rocky outcrops.
- The Deccan Plateau
Covering the majority of southern India, the Deccan Plateau is a region of ancient highlands formed way back when India was part of the Earth’s original super-continent Gondwanaland. Today the highlands protect south India from the worst of the Indian Ocean’s monsoons to create a pleasant and beautiful region of hills, rivers and forests.
If you’re interested in experiencing India’s epic vistas for yourself then Southall Travel specialise in Indian travel packages. With years of industry experience, Southall Travel can offer a wide range of flights and tour packages whilst their expert Southall Travel staff will work tirelessly to acquire the best prices available.