The Class XI Geography Text Book: India: Physical Environment makes a humble attempt to awaken the young minds about the rich and diverse aspects of India’s Physical Environment: Location and Space Relations, Geological Structure and Physiography, Drainage system, Climate, Natural Vegetation, Soils, Natural Hazards and Disasters.Unity in diversity is the essence of India. Diversity in terms of its geological structures: ranging from old peninsular block, and Aravalli Hills to young Deltas and alluvial plains, Relief and Physical features: ranging from the lofty Himalayas to low lying coastal plains and islands; Climate: ranging from the wettest Cherapunjee and Mawsynram in district West Khasi Hills in Meghalays to driest Thar Desert in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, Rajasthan; Natural Vegetation: Ranging from Equatorial and Tropical Evergreen and tidal mangrove forests to xerophytes in the Indian desert are only a few of the many diverse features of its geography. These physical diversities though unrelated yet have been enriched by its socio-cultural diversities in terms of religions, faiths and believes, livelihood, culture and language, population composition, economic achievements and technological advancement etc. India has a distinction among all the countries of the world with harmonious coexistence of various religions, speakers of many languages and practitioners of various cultures over many centuries. These diversities in no way are impediments in forging a sense of unity and belonging to all its inhabitants. On the contrary, these have always reinforced the bond of unity among people of India. The role played by the mountain wall in its North and Indian Ocean to its South created an unique arena for the interplay of various natural and social factors which in turn contributed in making India a melting pot of cultural fusion needs unending celebrations from one and all. However, above all these lies the Indian Monsoon, operating as an important synthesizing factor between the relief and climate, nature and society, economy and politics and the dense network of perennial rivers working like the life lines of India’s culture and economy have always reinforced the bond of oneness among its diverse natural and socio-cultural attributes.
Overview
Syllabus
Chapter No.
Module No.
Module Name
Chapter 1
Module 1
Location — Space Relations and India’s Place in The World – Part 1
Module 2
Location — Space Relations and India’s Place in The World– Part 2
Assignment 1
Chapter 2
Module 3
Basic Concepts About Structure and Geological Divisions of India
Module 4
India: Physiography of Himalayas and Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plain
Module 5
Peninsular India: Hills and Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plain and Indian Islands
Module 6
Unity and Diversity in Relation to Structure and Physiography
Assignment 2
Chapter 3
Module 7
Drainage – Part 1
Module 8
Drainage – Part 2
Module 9
Drainage – Part 3
Assignment 3
Chapter 4
Module 10
Monsoon Climate : Unity and Diversity in India - Part 1
Module 11
Monsoon Climate: Mechanism and Nature of the Indian Monsoon
Module 12
Monsoon Climate : The Rhythm of Seasons in India
Module 13
Monsoon Climate – India: Traditional Seasons, Climatic Regions, Vulnerability and Disasters
Assignment 4
Chapter 5
Module 14
Natural Vegetation Concepts
Module 15
Natural Vegetation -Types of Forests
Module 16
Natural Vegetation – Forests and Environmental Wellbeing
Assignment 5
Chapter 6
Module 17
Soil as an Organism
Module 18
Soil Types
Module 19
Soils – Degradation, Erosion and Conservation
Assignment 6
Chapter 7
Module 20
Natural Hazards and Disaster
Module 21
Natural Hazards and Disaster : Earthquakes and Tsunami
Module 22
Natural Hazards and Disasters : Tropical Cyclone and Landslide
Module 23
Natural Hazards and Disasters : Flood and Drought
Assignment 7
Final Assessment
Taught by
Dr. Tannu Malik
