India is one of the ancient civilisations in the world. It has moved forward, displaying remarkable progress in the field of agriculture, industry, technology and overall economic development. India has also contributed significantly to the making of world history. In CBSE Notes Class 9 Geography Chapter 1 on India – Size and Location, you will learn about India’s extent and standard meridian, India’s contact with the world through the International Highway of Trade and Commerce and India’s neighbours. So, go through these CBSE Class 9 Social Science notes and explore these topics in detail.
Chapter 1 India Size And Location
CBSE Notes Class 9 Geography Chapter 1 India – Size and Location
Location
India is lying entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, as shown in the figure below.
- The land extends between latitudes 8°4’N and 37°6’N and longitudes 68°7’E and 97°25’E.
- The Tropic of Cancer (23° 30’N) divides India into almost two equal parts.
Size
India’s total area accounts for about 2.4% of the total geographical area of the world. Thus, it is the 7th largest country in the world by its size.
- India has a land boundary of about 15,200 km.
- The total length of the coastline of the mainland is 7,516.6 km including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
- India is bounded by the mountains in the northwest, north and northeast. South of about 22° north latitude, it begins to taper and extends towards the Indian Ocean, dividing it into two seas, the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on its east.
- Time along the Standard Meridian of India (82°30’E) passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) is taken as the standard time for India.
The map below shows the Extent of India and the Standard Meridian.
India and the World
The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and West Asia. India is a southward extension of the Asian continent. The trans-Indian Ocean routes connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia. No other country has as long a coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has. India’s contacts with the World have continued through the ages. The spices, muslin and other merchandise were taken from India to different countries. On the other hand, the influence of Greek sculpture and the architectural styles of domes and minarets from West Asia can be seen in different parts of India.
India’s Neighbours
India has 28 states and eight Union Territories. India shares its land boundaries with:
- Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest
- China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north
- Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east
The southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island countries, Sri Lanka and Maldives. India has had strong geographical and historical links with its neighbours.