INDIA WEATHER and MAPS

India Maps - General
India Maps - World Heritage Sites

India Maps - Geographic overview

India maps denote a country one-third the size of the United States, and populated with three times the number of people. The country is divided into four main regions: the Himalayas, the northern river-plains, the Deccan, and the Eastern and Western Ghats.

India maps show that India's unusual topography and geographical position create unique and widely diversified climatic conditions, which range from tropical to temperate, and from semi-desert to monsoon.

The three parallel ranges of the Himalaya extend 1,500 miles along the northern and eastern margins of the country. Maps of India show that they include 30 of the world’s highest peaks and some of the most spectacular high altitude landscape in the world which supports a wealth of flora and fauna, much of which is unique to the region.

Moving to the east are the hill stations, with names that conjure up past times and images of tea estates, gracious bungalows and days filled with leisure.

India Maps - The Ganges and The Thar Desert

From the snow-capped peaks, icy streams tumble to the valleys and join together to form the legendary rivers of the Indus,the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. These vast rivers flow across the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Besides being a highly cultivated region it contains most of the known mineral deposits of the subcontinent. The alluvial soil deposited by the rivers and the abundance of water makes the northern plains region the most fertile and densely populated area of the republic.

To the west is the desert of Thar, whose sands were crossed by the wealthy caravans on the spice route. This semi-arid area was the home of the proud warriors and warlords who formed the Rajput dynasties. The forbidding forts that tower out of the sand, the spectacular palaces and the truly beautiful temples are a fitting memorial to Rajastan’s great past.

In the central belt at the base of the Deccan plateau, lie pristine forests that are home to some of the many tribal people who still follow their ancient way of life.

India maps show that this area supports luxuriant trees such as the mangrove and the sal, a hardwood timber. This region has been designated as a national park and is a government-protected reserve with tigers and large herds of wild elephants. Running east from, the Western Ghats, the map of India shows the Deccan Plateau comprises hard crystalline rock and black volcanic soil. This is a lush, verdant area with abundant rainfall. The coast has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country with white sand shaded by coconut palms.

India Maps - Kerala

The commercial and financial centre of Mumbai is on the southwest coast. It is capital of Maharastra and the most populated city in the country.

Further to the south is the tourist centre of Goa that still retains a distinctly Portuguese charm.

Karnataka also has a rich historic and cultural heritage with its capital, Bangalore the centre of India’s IT revolution.

Kerala with Cochin and the spectacular backwaters and Tamil Nadu Andhra Pradesh are the three very distinct southern states still largely undiscovered but with a wealth of ancient temples and stunning architecture.