====== Mountain Ranges of India ======

India has several major mountain ranges that play crucial roles in climate, agriculture, defense, and tourism. These ranges are broadly classified into **young fold mountains** and **old fold mountains**.

===== The Himalayas (Young Fold Mountains) =====

==== Formation ====

  * **Age**: 25-30 million years old (Tertiary period)
  * **Formation**: Collision between Indian and Eurasian plates
  * **Type**: Young, fold mountains
  * **Still rising**: About 1 cm per year

==== Divisions of Himalayas ====

**Latitudinal Divisions (South to North):**

^ Range ^ Local Name ^ Height ^ Features ^
| **Outer Himalayas** | Shivaliks | 900-1200m | Foothills, youngest |
| **Lesser Himalayas** | Himachal | 1200-3700m | Hill stations |
| **Greater Himalayas** | Himadri | 3700-8850m | Highest peaks, glaciers |

**Longitudinal Divisions (West to East):**

  * **Kashmir Himalayas** - K2, Nanga Parbat
  * **Himachal Himalayas** - Dhaula Dhar, Pir Panjal
  * **Kumaon Himalayas** - Nanda Devi, Kedarnath
  * **Central/Nepal Himalayas** - Mt. Everest, Kanchenjunga
  * **Assam Himalayas** - Namcha Barwa

==== Major Peaks ====

^ Peak ^ Height (m) ^ Location ^ State/Country ^
| **K2** | 8,611 | Karakoram | Pakistan-administered Kashmir |
| **Kanchenjunga** | 8,586 | Sikkim-Nepal border | Sikkim |
| **Nanda Devi** | 7,816 | Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand |
| **Kamet** | 7,756 | Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand |

===== Western Ghats =====

==== Characteristics ====

  * **Type**: Block mountains (fault-block)
  * **Length**: 1,600 km
  * **Orientation**: North-South along western coast
  * **Average height**: 900-1200m
  * **Highest peak**: **Anamudi (2,695m)** in Kerala

==== Sections ====

^ Section ^ Location ^ Key Features ^
| **Northern** | Maharashtra, Gujarat | Sahyadri range |
| **Central** | Karnataka, Goa | Bababudan Hills |
| **Southern** | Kerala, Tamil Nadu | Nilgiri, Cardamom Hills |

==== Important Peaks ====

  * **Kalsubai (1,646m)** - Highest in Maharashtra
  * **Mullayanagiri (1,930m)** - Highest in Karnataka  
  * **Doddabetta (2,637m)** - Highest in Nilgiris
  * **Anamudi (2,695m)** - Highest in Western Ghats

==== Significance ====

  * **Monsoon barrier** - Causes orographic rainfall
  * **Biodiversity hotspot** - Endemic species
  * **River source** - Origin of many peninsular rivers
  * **Coffee and spice cultivation**

===== Eastern Ghats =====

==== Characteristics ====

  * **Type**: Residual mountains (eroded)
  * **Length**: 1,750 km
  * **Orientation**: Northeast-Southwest
  * **Average height**: 600m
  * **Discontinuous** - Broken by rivers

==== Key Ranges ====

  * **Javadi Hills** - Tamil Nadu
  * **Shevaroy Hills** - Tamil Nadu
  * **Pachhaimalai** - Tamil Nadu
  * **Nallamala Hills** - Andhra Pradesh
  * **Simhachalam Hills** - Andhra Pradesh

==== Highest Peaks ====

  * **Jindhagada Peak (1,690m)** - Odisha
  * **Arma Konda (1,680m)** - Andhra Pradesh
  * **Deomali (1,672m)** - Odisha

===== Other Mountain Ranges =====

==== Aravalli Range ====

  * **Location**: Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi
  * **Type**: Oldest fold mountains in India
  * **Age**: Pre-Cambrian (2.5 billion years)
  * **Highest peak**: **Mount Abu (1,722m)**
  * **Direction**: Southwest to Northeast
  * **Significance**: Mineral wealth (zinc, lead, copper)

==== Satpura Range ====

  * **Location**: Central India (MP, Maharashtra)
  * **Direction**: East-West
  * **Highest peak**: **Dhupgarh (1,350m)**
  * **Features**: Extensive plateau region

==== Vindhya Range ====

  * **Location**: Central India
  * **Significance**: Traditional divide between North and South India
  * **Rivers**: Chambal, Betwa, Ken originate here

===== Strategic and Economic Importance =====

==== Defense ====

  * **Natural barriers** - Himalayas protect northern borders
  * **Strategic passes** - Khyber, Bolan (historical invasion routes)
  * **Border security** - Mountain warfare challenges

==== Climate Impact ====

  * **Monsoon patterns** - Western Ghats create rain shadow
  * **Temperature regulation** - Altitude affects climate
  * **Water cycle** - Snow/glacier melt feeds rivers

==== Resources ====

^ Mountain Range ^ Key Resources ^ Economic Activity ^
| **Himalayas** | Hydroelectric potential, tourism | Power generation, hill stations |
| **Western Ghats** | Coffee, spices, timber | Plantation agriculture |
| **Eastern Ghats** | Minerals (bauxite, iron ore) | Mining, industries |
| **Aravallis** | Marble, minerals | Mining, quarrying |

===== Environmental Concerns =====

  * **Deforestation** - Loss of forest cover
  * **Climate change** - Glacier retreat in Himalayas
  * **Mining impacts** - Environmental degradation
  * **Urbanization pressure** - Hill station development

===== UPSC Relevance =====

  * **Paper**: General Studies Paper I (Geography)
  * **Topics**: Physical features, climate impact, economic geography
  * **Previous Year Questions**:
    - Compare Western and Eastern Ghats (2020)
    - Himalayan formation and divisions (2019)
    - Mountain ranges and monsoon patterns (2018)

===== Memory Techniques =====

**Himalayan Divisions (South to North)**: **S**mall **H**ills **G**row **T**aller
  * **S**hivaliks (Outer)
  * **H**imachal (Lesser)  
  * **G**reater Himalayas (Himadri)
  * **T**rans Himalayas (Karakoram)

**Western Ghats Sections**: **N**orthern **C**entral **S**outhern
  * **N**orthern - Maharashtra
  * **C**entral - Karnataka
  * **S**outhern - Kerala/Tamil Nadu

===== Related Topics =====

  * [[indian_geography:cyclones|Impact on cyclone patterns]]
  * [[indian_geography:coastal_regions|Influence on coastal geography]]
  * [[indian_geography:deccan_plateau|Relationship with Deccan Plateau]]

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//Sources: NCERT Class 11 Geography, Certificate Physical and Human Geography//