Chapter 1: India – Size and Location (Class 9, Geography – NCERT

Question and Answers)

NCERT QUESTION/ANSWERS
Q1: Why 82°30′E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India? (4 marks)

Ans:
 82°30′E is selected as the standard meridian of India because there is a time lag of 2 hours from the extreme
East (Arunachal Pradesh) to the extreme West (Gujarat) of India.

 Time at each location is different which creates confusion.

 To avoid confusions and difficulties arising out of local time differences, a meridian that is centrally located is
chosen.

 This meridian in India is at 82° 30′ E which passes through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh is also known as Standard
Meridian of India.

Q2: Why is the difference between day and night durations hardly felt at Kanyakumari, but not so in Kashmir?
(4 marks)

Ans:
 The difference of day and night is hardly felt in Kanyakumari because it lies South of the Tropic of Cancer, closer
to the equator.

 As equator receives direct Sunrays, there is not much difference in day and night there.

 On the other hand, Kashmir lies North of the Tropic of Cancer, far from the equator. There is significant
difference of 4-5 hours between day and night. Sun rays are not direct they are slanting here.

 So the difference between day and night in Kashmir and Kanyakumari is due to their latitudinal location.

Q3: Find out the number of Union Territories along the Western and Eastern coasts. (2 marks)

Ans:
Union Territories along the:
(i) Western Coast Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
(ii) Eastern Coast Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Q4: Find out area-wise which is the smallest and which is the largest state. (2 marks)

Ans:
Area-wise:
(i) Largest State Rajasthan (342239 sq km)
(ii) Smallest State Goa (3702 sq km)

Q5: Find out the states which do not have an international border or lie on the coast. (1 marks)

Ans:
States which do not have international border or lie on the coast are Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana
and Chhattisgarh.
Q6: Classify the states into four groups each having common frontiers with (4 marks)

(i) Pakistan (ii) China (iii) Myanmar (iv) Bangladesh

Ans:
States having common frontiers with:

(i) Pakistan, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

(ii) China Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

(iii) Myanmar Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.

(iv) Bangladesh West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

Q7: Answer the following short questions briefly: (4 marks)

(i) Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian sea.

Ans. Lakshadweep islands lie in the Arabian sea.

(ii) Name the countries which are larger than India.

Ans: Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil and Australia are the countries larger than India.

(iii) Which island group of India lies to its South-East?

Ans: Andaman and Nicobar islands lies to the South-East of India.

(iv) Which island countries are our Southern neighbours?

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

Q8: 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? (2 marks)

Ans:
 From Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh there is a time lag of two hours, but the watches show the same time.

 It is 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.

Q9: The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why? (4 marks)

Ans:
The central location of India at the head of the Indian ocean is of great significance due to the following reasons:

 Sea trade links could be established with countries of East Africa, West Asia, Europe, East and South East Asia.

 Central location at the head of the Indian Ocean, gave India an easy access to the outside world from all areas.

 This also ensured that people coming from outside India could enter India through sea route.

 East and West coasts gave India a strategic advantage to do trade with both Eastern and Western countries.

 It has given India a distinct climate than the rest of the Asian Continent.
EXTRA IMPORTANT QUESTION/ANSWERS
Q 10: Why did we choose 82°30′ E longitude as the standard meridian of India? (4 marks)

Ans:
We have chosen 82°30E longitude as the standard meridian because:

(i) Standard Meridian is required to avoid difference in time within the country.

(ii) India has selected 82°30′ East longitude as its Standard Meridian because it passes centrally through India, hence
equidistant from East and West.

(iii) It is selected as Prime Meridian to avoid time lag of 2 hours from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat. This is known as the
Indian Standard Time.

Q11: What do you understand by Indian Standard Time? Mention its importance. (4 marks)

Ans:
Indian Standard Time refers to the time that is accepted all over India.

It lies on the longitude of 82° 30′ E and is known as Standard Meridian of India.

Its importance are as follows

(i) IST has enabled India to overcome the difference of two hours between its Easternmost and Westernmost regions.

(ii) IST has prevented confusion arising out of differences in local time at each longitude in India. It has provided a
uniform timing throughout the country.

Q12: What is the strategic significance of India's location in Asia? (4 marks)

Ans:
The strategic significance of India's location in Asia are as follows:

(i) It has made trade possible through land routes as India is located centrally between East and West Asia.

(ii) It has made trade possible through sea routes as countries of East Africa, Europe and East Asia connect through Trans
Indian Ocean routes.

(iii) These routes have contributed in the exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times.

Q13: Why is Indian Ocean named after our country? Give three reasons. (4 marks)
OR
Justify the naming of Indian Ocean after India.

Ans:
Indian Ocean is named after India due to its important features which are

(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, the Deccan Peninsula, extends towards the Indian ocean, which makes it significant
to international trade done through the Indian ocean
Q14: What is the longitudinal extent of India? What is its implication? (4 marks)

Ans:
The longitudinal extent of India is 68°7′ E to 97°25′E. Its implications are:

(i) The longitudinal degrees provides East-West extent to India.

(ii) The longitudinal extent provides time differences. In India there is a time gap of two hours from its extreme East to
extreme West.

(iii) Due to the longitudinal extent, India has chosen a meridian that is centrally located (82°30′ E) as its
standard meridian.

Q15: Describe the location and size of India in three points each. (4 marks)

Ans.
Location:

(i) India lies entirely in the Northern hemisphere.

(ii) The mainland 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. Its Southern part is considered as
the tropical zone and Northern is considered as the sub-tropical zone of India.

Size:

(i) India is the seventh largest country in the World after Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil and Australia. The landmass
of India has an area of 3.28 million sq km.

(ii) India's total area accounts for about 2.4% of the total geographical area of the world.

(iii) India has a land boundary of about 15,200 km and the total length of coastline including Andaman and Nicobar and
Lakshadweep islands is about 7,516.6 km.

Q16: India has had strong geographical and historical links with its neighbours. Comment. (4 marks)

Ans:
India has a long history of international ties. It has also strong geographical and historical links with her neighbours.

This can be justified from the points below:

(i) The various passes across the Himalayas have provided gateways to many ancient travellers. These routes have
contributed in exchange of ideas and commodities since ancient times.

(ii) Due to India's unique position in Asia, the ancient land routes, passed through the North of India.

(iii) The ideas of the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Panchtantra and other Indian scriptures were known to the world in
earlier times. Indian numerals as well as decimal system also crossed the border.

(iv) Greeks enriched the Indian culture with their contributions in the field of architecture, science etc. Islamic influence
(from West Asia) is clearly visible in architectural styles of domes, arch, etc in India.

(v) Sea route opened India's contact to East Africa, Europe and East-Asia. But even before it was discovered, land routes
provided good scope of interaction of India to the outside world.
MAP WORK:

Q1: Identify the following with the help of map reading.

(i) The Island groups of India lying in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
(ii) The countries constituting the Indian Subcontinent.
(iii) The States through which the Tropic of Cancer passes.
(iv) The northernmost latitude in degrees.
(v) The southernmost latitude of the Indian mainland in degrees.
(vi) The eastern and the western-most longitude in degrees.
(vii) The place situated on the three seas.
(viii) The strait separating Sri Lanka from India.
(ix) The Union Territories of India.
(x) Locate the tropic of Cancer, Standard Meridian along with its coordinates.

Ans:
Q2: Locate the Indian states along with its capital cities.