NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science

Geography Chapter 1 – India - Size and Location

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.
(i). The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Orissa
(c) Chhattisgarh
(d) Tripura
Ans: (c) Orissa

(ii). The easternmost longitude of India is

(a) 97° 25′ E
(b) 68° 7′ E
(c) 77° 6′ E
(d) 82° 32′ E
Ans: (a) 97°25′

(iii). Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim have common frontiers wit
(a) China
(b) Bhutan
(c) Nepal
(d) Myanmar
Ans: (c) Nepal

(iv). If you intend to visit Kavaratti during your summer vacations, which one of the following Union
Territories of India you will be going to:
(a) Puducherry
(b) Lakshadweep
(c) Andaman and Nicobar
(d) Diu and Daman
Ans: (c) Lakshadweep

(v). My friend hails from a country which does not share land boundary with India. Identify the
country.
(a) Bhutan
(b) Tajikistan
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Nepal
Ans: (b) Tajikistan
 2.Answer the following questions briefly.
(i). Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian sea.
Ans: Lakshadweep
(ii). Name the countries which are larger than India.
Ans: Russia, Canada, China, USA, Brazil and Australia
(iii). Which Island group of India lies to its south-east?
Ans: Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(iv). Which Island countries are our southern neighbours?
Ans: Maldives and Sri Lanka

Class 9 Geography Chapter 1 extra Questions and Answers

Very Short Answer Questions
1.What is the Easternmost longitude of India?
Answer: The Easternmost longitude of India is 97°25′ E at Kibithu in district
Anjaw of Arunachal Pradesh.

2.What is the longitude of the Westernmost point of India?

Answer: Guhar Moti in Kutch district, near the Sir Creek in Gujarat state is at
68°7′ East longitude.

3. Which Indian states have common frontiers with our neighbouring country
Bhutan?
Answer: The states of West Bengal, Asom, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
have common frontiers with Bhutan.

4. Name the countries sharing a land boundary with India.

Answer: The countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China,
Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

5. If you go to Silvassa, which union territory will you be in?

Answer: You will be in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, as
Silvassa is its capital.

6. The Southernmost latitude of the Indian Union is located in which state or

union territory?
Answer: The Southernmost latitude of the Indian Union is Indira Point,
located at the Southernmost tip of the Nicobar islands in the union territory
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It lies at a latitude of 6°45′ North.

7. Which Indian states border three countries?

Answer: The Indian states that border three countries are Sikkim, Arunachal
Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
8. Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian sea.
Answer: The Lakshadweep islands lie in the Arabian sea.

9. What is unique about the ‘Indira Point’?

Answer: Indira Point is the Southernmost point within the Indian Union,
located in the Nicobar islands. It was submerged under sea water by the
Tsunami of 2004.
10. Which countries are land neighbours of India, but are not considered as
part of the Indian subcontinent?
Answer: The countries are Myanmar, Afghanistan and China.

11. Which union territory of India has the least area?

Answer: The union territory of Lakshadweep has an area of only 32 sq km,
which is the least among all the union territories.

12. Which state of India has the least area?

Answer: The state of Goa has an area of 3702 sq km, which is the least
among all the states (Delhi is considered as a union territory, not a state).

13. How many hours is the Indian Standard Time (1ST) is ahead or behind
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)?
Answer: Since, India is to the East of Greenwich (located at 0° longitude) and
its standard time is calculated at 82°30′ E, India is 5.30 hours ahead of
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

14. What is the latitude of the Southernmost point on the Indian main land?
Answer: The Southernmost point on the Indian main land is Kanyakumari at a
latitude of 8°4′ N.

15. Which union territory was converted into a state in 1987?

Answer: Goa was a union territory when it became independent from
Portuguese rule in 1961. It was made into a state in 1987.

16. Is it true that the land area of Russia is more than the combined areas of
Australia and India?
Answer: Russia has a land area of 17.09 million sq km. Australia and India
together have a combined land area of 7.69 + 3.28 million sq km = 10.97
million sq km. Thus, this is true.

17. India’s contacts with the world were established first by land routes or
sea routes?
Answer: The land routes, because the various passes across the mountains in
the North have provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans
restricted such interaction for a long time.
18. The Tropic of Cancer passes through which states of India?
Answer: The Tropic of Cancer passes through the states of Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura
and Mizoram.

Fig: Tropic
of cancer

19. Which country has a common frontier with the four Indian states of
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim?
Answer: The country having common frontier with these Indian states is
Nepal.

20. If you intended to visit Kavarati during your summer vacations, which
union territory of India will you be going to?
Answer: Kavarati is the capital of the union territory of Lakshadweep.

21. In which year did the Indira Point got submerged under the seawater?
Answer: 2004 is the year when Indira Point got submerged under the
seawater.

22. Name the imaginary line in India along which time is taken as standard
time.
Answer: Standard Meridian is the imaginary line in India along which time is
taken as standard time.
23. What is the length of Indian coastline?
Answer: Length of Indian coastline is 7516.6 km.

24. What is the East-West extension of India in kilometres?

Answer: The distance of East-West extension of India in 2933 kms.

25. What is the position of India in respect of area in the world?

Answer: India holds 7th position in the world in term of area.

26. Name the water bodies that separate Sri Lanka from India?
Answer: Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar are water bodies that separate Sri
Lanka from India.
27. What is the length of Indian land boundary?
Answer: The length of Indian land boundary is 15200 km.

28. If you want to visit Lakshadweep during your winter holiday, which water
body you have to cross?
Answer: We have to cross Arabian sea if we visit Lakshadweep.

29. How many countries in the world are larger than India in terms by land
area? Name them according to their position?
Answer: There are six countries in the world larger than India. They are
Russia, Canada, China, United States of America, Brazil and Australia.

30. They are Russia, Canada, China, United States of America, Brazil and
Australia.
Answer: The distance of North-South extension of India in 3214 kms.

31 What is the North-South extension of India in kilometres?

Answer: The latitudinal line that divides India in two equal parts is Tropic of
Cancer.

32. Which latitudinal line divides India into approximately two equal parts?
Answer: Indian Standard Time (1ST) is 5:30 hrs ahead of GMT (Greenwich
Mean Time).

33. What is the time difference between 1ST and GMT?

Answer: The days and nights are almost equal at Kanyakumari because it lies
near the equator

34. Why days and nights are almost of equal duration at Kanyakumari?
Answer: Bangladesh shares the longest boundary with India. It is 4053 km
long.
35. Which country shares the longest boundary with India?
Answer: Gujarat has the longest coastline in India.

36. What is the total area of India’s land mass? What percentage of total
geographical area of the world does it cover?
Answer: Total area of India is 3.28 million sq km. It covers about 2.4 per cent
of the total geographical area of the world.

37. Which states of India neither have a coastline and nor have an
International border?
Answer: The states of India which neither have a coastline and nor have an
international border are Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and
Jharkhand.

38. What is the total land boundary of India?

Answer: The total land boundary of India is about 15200km.

39. What is the total length of India’s coastline?

Answer: The total length of India’s coastline (including the islands) is about
7517 km.

40. Which neighbour country lies to the South-East of the Nicobar Islands?
Answer: The neighbour country is Indonesia.

41. Which union territories (or part of them) are found on the West coast of
India?
Answer: The union territories (or part of them) which are found on the West
coast of India are Daman and Diu, and Mahe (part of Puducherry).
Lakshadweep is off the West coast of India, not on it.

42. Find out the number of union territories along the Western and Eastern
coasts.
Answer: Union Territories along the (a) Western Coast Lakshadweep, Daman
and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Mahe (belonging to Puducherry). (b)
Eastern Coast Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar islands.

43. Find out area wise which is the smallest and which is the largest state.
Answer: Area wise (a) Largest State Rajasthan (342239 sq km) (b) Smallest
State Goa (3702 sq km)

44. Name the group of island lying in the Arabian sea.

Answer: Lakshadweep island lie in the Arabian sea.
45. Name the countries which are larger than India.
Answer: Russia, Canada, USA, China, Australia and Brazil are the – countries
that are larger than India.

46. Which island group of India lies to its South-East?

Answer: Andaman and Nicobar islands lie to the South-East of India.

47. Which island countries are our Southern – neighbours?

Answer: Sri Lanka and Maldives are the two island countries that are the
Southern neighbours of India.

48. In which hemisphere India is located?

Answer: India is located in northern hemisphere.

49. What is the latitudinal extent of India?

Answer: The main land extends between latitudes 804′ N and 3706′ N.

50. What is the longitudinal extent of India?

Answer: India lies between the longitudes of 6807′ E and 97025′ E.

51. Which tropic divides India into almost two equal parts?
Answer: The Tropics of Cancer (2303(r N).

52. Name the two Island groups of India.

Answer: Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in Bay of Bengal and
Lakshadweep Islands in Arabian Sea.

53. What is total area of Indian landmass?

Answer: Total landmass of India has an area of 3.28 million square Kms

54. Which countries are bigger than India in size?

Answer: Russsia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil and Australia.

55. What is the total length of coastline of the mainland including Andaman
& Nicobar & Lakshadweep Islands?
Answer: The total length of the coastline of India is 7,516.6 Kms.

56. Which two seas are located around India?

Answer: The Arabian sea on the west and Bay of Bengal on the east of
Peninsula.

57. What is the time lag between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh?
Answer: There is a time lag of 2 hours.
58. What is the standard meridian of India?
Answer: The standard Meridian of India is 82° 30’E.

59. From where does Standard Meridian pass in India?

Answer: The Standard Meridian of India passes through Mirzapur in Uttar
Pradesh.

60. Why 82° 30′ E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India?
Answer: 82° 30′ E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India since
it passes almost from the centre of India.

61. Do you justify Indian Ocean’s name after India?

Answer: Yes, as no other country has a longer coastline on the Indian Ocean
as India has and indeed, it is India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean
which justifies the naming of an ocean after it.

62 What is the total length and width of India?

Answer: Total length of India is 3214 Kms and the width is 2933 Kms.

63. How had India kept her relationship with the world in ancient times?
Answer: Various passes across the mountains in the north have provided
passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans restricted such
interaction for a long time.

64. Which ideas from India could reach the world?

Answer: The ideas of the Upanishads and Ramayana, the stories of
Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and the decimal system could reach many
parts of the world.

65. What commodities were taken from India to various parts of the world?
Answer: The spices, muslin and many other merchandise were taken from
India to different countries.

66. How many states and union territories does India have?
Answer: India has 28 states and 7 union territories.

67. Which is the smallest and the largest state of India areawise?
Answer: The smallest state is Goa and the largest state is Rajasthan.

68. Name the states which do not have an international border or lie on the
coast.
Answer: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand.
69. Name the states of India, sharing border with Pakistan.
Answer: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

70. Which states of India share border with China?

Answer: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh.

71. Name the states sharing border with Myanmar.

Answer: Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.
72. Which states of India share border with Bangladesh?
Answer: West Bengal, Bihar, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.
73. Which countries share their border with India?
Answer: India share its land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the
north west, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north, Myanmar and
Bangladesh in the east.
74. Which two Island countries are India’s neighbours?
Answer: Sri Lanka and Maldives.
75. Which water bodies separates Sri Lanka from India?
Answer: Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed
by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.

76. Name the Eastern coastal states of India.

Answer: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa (Odisha) and West Bengal.

77. Name the Western coastal states from South to North?

Answer: Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

78. If you intend to visit Kavaratti during summer vacation, which union
territory you will be going to?
Answer: Lakshadweep Islands in Arabian Sea.

79 With which country do states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West

Bengal and Sikkim have common frontiers?
Answer: Nepal.

80. Name the states through which the Tropic of Cancer passes.
Answer: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, W. Bengal,
Tripura and Mizoram.

81. Name the place situated on three seas of India.

Answer: Kanyakumari.
82. Name the union territories of India.
Answer: Delhi, Daman and Diu, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Puducherry
(Pondicherry).

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Just before independence, how were the Provinces and states in India
organised?
Answer: Just before independence in 1947, there were two types of states in
India the Provinces and the Princely states. Provinces were ruled directly by
British officials who were appointed by the Viceroy. Princely states were
ruled by local, hereditary rulers, who acknowledged sovereignty of the
British in return for local autonomy. Examples of the rulers of Princely states
are the Nizam of Hyderabad and Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and
Kashmir.

2. What is the strategic significance of India’s location in Asia?

Answer: The Indian land mass has a central location between East and the
West Asia. The trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of
Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia provide a strategic central
location to India.
The various passes across the mountains in the North have provided
passages to the ancient travellers. These routes have contributed in the
exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times. Thus, India is very
strategically located.

3. Give the reasons for selecting longitude 82°30′ as the Standard Meridian of
India.
Answer: The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the Indian main land is
about 30°. Thus, from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a time
difference of almost two hours. So the local time along the Standard
Meridian of India (82°30′ E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is
taken as the Indian Standard Time for the whole country. This is near to the
centre of the country and also an exact multiple of a half hour related to
Greenwich in England, which is at 0° longitude.

4. Why is the difference between day and night durations not felt at
Kanyakumari, but not so in Kashmir?
Answer: Since, the axis of rotation of the Earth is tilted at 23.5° to the
perpendicular, the circle of illumination of the Earth varies from summer to
winter. At the equator, it does not cause any time difference between day
and night throughout the year, but North or South of it the durations vary.
Kanyakumari is close to the equator, while Kashmir is far away. So, this
difference is felt in Kashmir in winter or summer, but not at Kanyakumari.
5. Why 82030’E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India?
Answer: From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours.
Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82° 30′ E) passing through
Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole
country. Otherwise different regions of India would have different times,
which would create problems; so, to have one common standard time for the
whole country, this has been selected and called Indian Standard Time (1ST)

6. Classify the states into four groups each having common frontiers with (a)
Pakistan (b) China (c) Myanmar (d) Bangladesh
Answer: States having common frontiers with (a) Pakistan Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir (b) China Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir (c) Myanmar Manipur,
Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram (d) Bangladesh West Bengal,
Asom, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram

7. The Sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to

Gujarat in the West, but the watches show the same time. How does this
happen?
Answer: From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours,
but the watches show the same time because the time along the Standard
Meridian of India (82°30′ E) passing through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh is
taken as the standard time for the whole country. Because the same
standard time for the whole country has been adopted, the watches show
the same time in Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat and in all parts of the
country.

8. Why the latitudinal extent influences the duration of the day and night as
one moves from North to South?
Answer: The latitudinal extent influences the duration of day and night as
one moves from South to North. When a place is near the equator, Sunrays
falls on it straight, so days and nights are almost equal, but as it moves away
from equator, sunrays falls on it slanting, so nights are longer and days are
shorter. Places near equator have almost equal day and night.

9. Why is Indian Ocean named after our country? Give three reasons.
Answer: Indian Ocean is named after India because
(i) India has the longest coastline on the Indian Ocean.
(ii) India has a central location between East and West Asia.
(iii) India’s Southernmost extension Deccan Peninsula protrudes into Indian
Ocean that makes it significant to international trade done through Indian
Ocean.
10. Kota (in Rajasthan) is located at a latitude of about 76°E and Barpeta (in
Asom) is at a latitude of about 91°E. What is the difference in local time at
the two locations?
Answer: Since, Barpeta is East of Kota, the local time at Barpeta will be ahead
of local time at Kota. A difference of 1° longitude is the same as 4 minutes
time difference. Thus, the time difference between the two towns, = 4 min x
(91°E-76°E) = 60 min.

11. When was the Suez Canal opened? How it has benefitted India?
Answer: The Suez Canal was opened in 1869. It has reduced the distance
between India and Europe by 7000 km. Earlier the sea route from Europe to
India was via cape of Good Hope which is the Southern tip of Africa. This
route was very long. Thus, Suez Canal has reduced the distance between
India and Europe.

12. Which longitude has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India?
Explain any two reason for its selection.
Answer: 82° 30′ E longitude has been selected as the Standard Meridian of
India. It has been selected because
(i) it passes through the middle of country.
(ii) like Standard Meridian of other countries it also divisible by 7 hrs and 30
minutes.

13. What is India’s latitudinal and longitudinal extent? What is the total area
of India?
Answer: (i) Latitudinal extent: 8°4′ N to 37° 6′ N
(ii) Longitudinal extent: 68° T E to 97° 25′ E
(iii) The landmass of India has an area of 3.28 million sq km.

14. Explain why the cities of Mumbai and Chennai are able to see the noon
Sun exactly overhead twice a year, but Delhi never sees it exactly overhead.
Answer: Mumbai and Chennai are South of the Tropic of Cancer (23.30′ N),
while Delhi is North of it. Due to the tilt of the axis of rotation of the Earth by
23.5°, parts of the Earth North of the Tropic of Cancer will never have the
noon Sun exactly overhead. Parts to its South will have the noonday Sun
exactly overhead twice a year, between the time of the Vernal Equinox in
March and the Autumnal Equinox in September.

15. Name the countries which are larger than India.

Answer: The countries which are larger than India are: (i) Russia
(ii) Canada
(iii) USA
(iv) China
(Iv) Brazil
(vi) Australia

16. What is the significance of India’s central location?

Answer: India is a south west extension of the Asian continent. The trans
Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the west and
the countries of East Asia provide a strategic central location to India. The
Deccan Plateau protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to
establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western
coast and East Asia and Southeast from the eastern coast.

17. The Sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to
Gujarat in the west but the watches show the same time. How does this
happen?
Answer: From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours.
Hence, time along the Standard Meridian of India (82° 30′ E) passing through
Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.
So to have uniform time in the country, a Standard Meridian is taken and
thus, the timings in Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat are the same.

18. What do you know about the size of India?

Answer: The land mass of India has an area of 3.28 million sq. kms. India’s
total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical area of
the world. India is the seventh largest country of the world starting with
Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, Australia and India. India has a land
boundary of about 15,200 km. The total length of the coastline of the
mainland including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is 7,576.6 kms.

Long Type Answer Questions

1. What is the longitudinal extent of India? What is its implication?
Answer: The longitudinal extent of India is from 68° 7’E to 97°25′ E. The Earth
rotates from West to East. So, the Sun appears to move from East to West.
There is a corresponding time difference of one hour for every 15° of
longitudinal difference. Due to this there is local time variation of almost two
hours between extreme Eastern and Western part of India. Due to this time
variation one uniform Standard Meridian (82°30′) has been chosen for India,
so that every place in India should have one standard time, that is known as
Indian Standard Time (IST).

2. Why is India called a subcontinent? Name the countries which form a part
of Indian subcontinent?
Answer: A subcontinent is a big geographical unit that have different
geographical features than rest of the continent. The Indian subcontinent
exhibits such features in the continent of Asia.
(i) It covers 2.4 per cent of the Earths total land area. It has long land frontier
that is about 15200 km and nearly 7500 km long coastline.
(ii)Its natural frontiers like Himalayas in North and Deccan Peninsula provides
it a unique identity on the globe.
(iii) Its longitudinal and latitudinal extent is 30°. The Himalayas separate it
from rest of Asia. It enjoys unique climate, natural vegetation and culture.
The Indian subcontinent comprises of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and
Bhutan.

3. What influence did the land routes to India have on cultural exchanges in
ancient times?
Answer: India’s contacts with the world have continued through the ages, but
her relationships through the land routes are much older than her maritime
contacts. The various passes across the mountains in the North have
provided passages to the ancient travellers, while the oceans restricted such
interaction for a long time. These routes have contributed in the exchange of
ideas and commodities since ancient times. The ideas of the Upanishads and
the Ramayana, the stories of panchtantra the Indian numerals and the
decimal system. The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from
India to different countries.

4. The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered
of great significance. Why?
Answer: The Indian land mass has a central location between the East and
the West Asia. India is a Southward extension of the Asian continent. The
trans Indian Ocean routes which connect the countries of Europe in the West
and the countries of East Asia provide a strategic central location to India.
The Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to
establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western
coast and with South-East and East Asia from the Eastern coast. No other
country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has indeed. Thus,
India’s eminent position in the Indian Ocean which justifies the naming of an
ocean after it.

5. Describe the location and size of India in three points each.

Answer:
Location
(i) India is the 7th largest country in the world which lies entirely in Northern
hemisphere.
(ii) The main land extends between latitudes 8°4′ N and 37°6′ N and
longitudes 68°7′ E and 97°25′ E.
(iii) The tropic of cancer (23°30′ N) divides the country into almost two equal
parts.
Size
(i) The landmass of India has an area of 3.28 million sq km.
(ii) India’s total area accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the total geographical
area of the world.
(iii)India has a land boundary of about 15200 km and the total length of
coastline is 7516.6 km.

6. India has a long coastline which is advantageous. Explain.

Answer: No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India
has and indeed it has provided a significant boost to India’s maritime trade.
Almost 90 per cent of India’s international trade is done through sea. The
Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to
establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the Western
coast and with South-East Asia and East Asia from the Eastern coast. India’s
central location at the head of the Indian Ocean and its long coastline have
much helped in its interaction through sea. The sea routes passing through
the Indian Ocean provides easy connectivity to India with the West and the
East. India has developed many ports on its Western and Eastern coast like
Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, etc which have become major
centres for international business.

7. How did India’s contact with rest of the world contribute in the exchange
of ideas and commodities? Explain.
Answer: India has a long history of international ties. Despite living with in
natural frontiers, Indian society has not developed in isolation. It has
influenced the rest of the world and in return has also been influenced by
the rest of the world. India’s contact with the outside world was much before
the sea routes. The various passes across the Himalayas has provided
gateway to many ancient travellers. While Ocean restricted such
interaction. These routes have contributed in exchange of ideas and
commodities since ancient times.
Due to unique position in Asia, the ancient land routes, including famous ‘Silk
Route’ passed through the Indian subcontinent. The ideas of the Upanishads,
the Ramayana, the Gita and other Indian scriptures were known to the world
in older ages. The Indian numerals as well as decimal system long back
crossed the border. The Arabs took these ideas to the West. India’s silk,
spices, handicrafts, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to
different countries. The Greek enriched the Indian culture with their
contribution in the field of architecture, science, etc. Islamic influence (from
West Asia) is clearly visible in architectural styles of domes, arch, minarets,
etc.
8. India said to enjoy a strategic position with reference to the International
Trade Route. In your view which features provide India a strategic advantage?
Answer: India occupies a unique position on the globe. It enjoys a unique
proximity with Europe, Africa and Australia. The Indian landmass has a
central location between East and West Asia. India is Southward extension of
Asia thus it forms the South-Central Peninsula of world largest continent. The
Deccan Peninsula, India’s Southward extension protrudes into Indian Ocean
and divides it into two seas, the Arabian sea on the West and the Bay of
Bengal on its East.
The Deccan Peninsula helps India to establish easy contact with West Asia,
East Africa and Europe from Western coast also establishes contacts with
South-East Asia, East Asia and Australia from Eastern coast. India has the
longest coastline in Indian Ocean. These geographical features provides India
a significant edge in International trade. Lakshadweep, Puducherry and
Delhi.

9. Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt at
Kanyakumari but not so in Kashmir?
Answer: (i) The circle of illumination divides the equator into two equal parts.
The days and nights are, therefore, of the same duration at the equator.
(ii) As Kanyakumari is quite near the equator, the day and night difference is
hardly one hour.
(iii) But as we move away from the equator towards the poles, the variation
(difference) in the duration of day and night becomes greater. It is because of
the unequal division of the parallels of latitudes by the circle of illumination.
(iv) Kashmir is over 300 away from the equator and so the difference in
duration of day and night is over 4 hours there.

10. What is the significance of India’s central location?

Answer: (i) India is very favourably located in relation to Eurasia, Africa and
Australia.
(ii) It occupies central position in the eastern hemisphere.
(iii) It lies at the head of the Indian Ocean. It is the largest country with the
largest coastline on the Indian ocean. The third largest Ocean is rightly
named after India as the Indian Ocean.
(iv) India’s location has many economic advantages. It helped in establishing
economic and cultural contacts with the East and the West in ancient times.
(v) It is favourably located on the world’s highway of trade and commerce,
both to the east and the west. There are some prominent air routes and sea
routes passing through the Indian subcontinent.

11. Why is 82° 30′ E selected as the Standard Meridian of India?

Answer: The 82° 30′ E Meridian has been selected as the Standard Meridian
of India for the following reasons:
(i) There is a general understanding among the countries of the world to
select a Standard Meridian in the multiples of 71/20 east and west of Prime
Meridian. It is equal to half an hour.
(ii) A country’s standard time is derived from such a Central Meridian. The
minimum difference of time between two consecutive Standard Meridians
should be half an hour.
(iii) Another consideration is that the central meridian of a country should
pass through, as far as possible, from its centre.

12. Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt
at Kanyakumari but not so in Kashmir?
Answer: These places do not have the same duration of day and night. The
circle of illumination divides the Equator into two equal parts. The days and
nights are, therefore, of the same duration at the equator. As Kanyakumari is
quite near the equator the day-night difference is hardly one hour there. But
as we move away from the equator towards the poles, the variations in the
duration of day and night becomes greater. It is because of the unequal
division of the parallels of latitude by the circle of illumination. Kashmir is
over 30° away from the equator and so the difference in duration of day and
night is over four hours there.

13. What are India’s unique locational features?

Answer: (i) India lies completely on the north of the equator. So it is situated
in the Northern Hemisphere.
(ii) The Tropic of Cancer passes through the middle of India. While its
southern part (i.e., the peninsular India) falls in the tropical zone, the
northern half lies in the subtropical zone or warm temperate zone.
(iii) India is also situated to the east of the Prime Meridian. It lies not only in
the Eastern Hemisphere but also has central position in it.
(iv) India occupies the South-Central peninsula of the world’s largest and the
most popular continent, Asia.
(v) It also lies at the head of the Indian Ocean. It has the longest coastline on
this ocean.

14. What is the location of India in the world?

Answer: India is very favourably located in relation to Eurasia, Africa and
Australia. It occupies central position in the Eastern hemisphere or the
Orient. It forms South-Central peninsula of Asia. It lies at the head of the
Indian Ocean. It is the largest country with the longest coastline on the
Indian Ocean. The third largest ocean is rightly named after India-as the
Indian Ocean. India’s location has many economic advantages. It helped in
establishing economic and cultural contacts with the East and the West in
ancient times. It is favourably located on the world’s highways of trade and
commerce, both to the east and the west.

15. Classify the states into five groups each having common frontiers with
Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Answer: (i) Pakistan: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
(ii) China: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal
Pradesh.
(iii) Myanmar: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram.
(iv) Bangladesh: Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya and
Tripura.
(v) Nepal: Uttarakhand, U.R, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

16. How has India developed relationships with the world through the land
route?
Answer: The passes across the mountains in the north have provided
passages to the ancient travellers. These routes have contributed in the
exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times. The ideas of
Upanishads, Ramayana, the stories of Panchtantra, the Indian numerals and
the decimal system could thus, reach many parts of the world. The spices,
muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different countries.
On the other hand, influence of Greek sculpture, their architectural styles of
domes arid minarets can be seen in India.

17. Throw more light on India occupying an important and strategic position
in South Asia.
Answer: (i) India has 28 States and 7 Union Territories.
(ii) India shares its land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the
north-west, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north and Myanmar and
Bangladesh in the east.
(iii) Our southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island
countries, namely Sri Lanka and Maldives.
(iv) Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by
the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar while Maldives Islands are situated to
the South of the Lakshadweep Islands. India has had strong geographical and
historical links with her neighbours.

18. Why 82°30′ E has been as the standard meridian of India?

Answer: 82°30’E meridian has been selected as the standard meridian of
India for the following reasons:
(i) This is a general understanding among the countries of the world to select
a Standard Meridian in multiples of 7°30′ east and west of Prime Meridian. It
is equal to half an hour.
(ii) A country’s standard time is derived from such a central meridian. The
minimum difference of time between two consecutive standard meridians
should be half an hour.
(iii) From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours.
Hence, time along the standard meridian of India (82°30’E) passing through
Mirzapur (U.P.) is taken as the standard time for the whole country.