Class 6th

The major seasons recognised in India are:

1. Cold Weather Season (Winter) December to February
2. Hot Weather Season (Summer) March to May
3. Southwest Monsoon Season (Rainy) June to September
4. Season of Retreating Monsoon (Autumn) October and November

Cold Weather Season or Winter

During the winter season, the sun rays do not fall directly in the region. As a result, the temperatures are quite low in northern India.

Hot Weather Season or Summer

In the hot weather season sun rays more or less directly fall in this region. The temperature becomes very high. Hot and dry winds called loo, blow during the day.

South-West Monsoon Season or Rainy Season

This season is marked by the onset and advance of monsoon. The winds blow from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal towards the land. They carry moisture with them. When these winds strike the mountain barriers, rainfall occurs.

Season of Retreating Monsoon or Autumn

Winds move back from the mainland to the Bay of Bengal. This season is called the retreating monsoons. The southern parts of India, particularly Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh receive rainfall in this season.

The climate is about the average weather condition, which has been measured over many years. The climate of India has broadly been described as Monsoon type.

Monsoon is taken from the Arabic word ‘mausim’, which means seasons. Due to India’s location in the tropical region, most of the rain is brought by monsoon winds. Agriculture in India is dependent on rains. Good monsoons mean adequate rain and a bountiful crop. The climate of a place is affected by its location, altitude, distance from the sea, and relief. Therefore, we experience regional differences in the climate of India.

Natural Vegetation

We see a variety of plant life in our surroundings like small plants called bushes and shrubs like cactus and flowering plants etc. Besides there are many tall trees, some with many branches and leaves like neem, mango or some, which stand with few leaves such as palm. The grasses, shrubs and trees, which grow on their own without interference or help from human beings are called natural vegetation. Different types of natural vegetation are dependent on different climatic conditions, among which the amount of rainfall is very important. Due to varied climatic conditions, India has a wide range of natural vegetation.

Why are Forests Necessary?

Forests are very useful and perform various functions. Plants release oxygen that we breathe and absorb carbon dioxide. The roots of the plants bind the soil; thus, they control soil erosion. Forests provide us with timber for furniture, fuelwood, fodder, medicinal plants and herbs, lac, honey, gum, etc.

Forests are the natural habitat of wildlife. Natural vegetation has been destroyed to a large extent because of the reckless cutting of trees.

Wildlife

Forests are home to a variety of species of animals and a large variety of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds, insects and worms which dwell in the forest. The tiger is our national animal. It is found in various parts of the country. Gir forest in Gujarat is the home of Asiatic lions. Elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses roam in the forests of Assam. Elephants are also found in Kerala and Karnataka. Camels and wild asses are found in the Great Indian desert and the Rann of Kuchchh respectively.

The peacock is our national bird. Other common birds are parrots, pigeons, mynah, geese, bulbul and ducks. There are several bird sanctuaries which have been created to give birds their natural habitat.

There are several hundreds of species of snakes found in India. Cobras and kraits are important among them. Due to the cutting of forests and hunting, several species of wildlife of India are declining rapidly. Many species have already become extinct. In order to protect them many national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves have been set up. The Government has also started Project Tiger and Project Elephant to protect these animals.

Locational Setting

India is located in the northern hemisphere. The Tropic of Cancer (23°30’N) passes almost halfway through the country. From south to north, mainland of India extends between 8°4’N and 37°6’N latitudes. From west to east, India extends between 68°7’E and 97°25’E longitudes. Due to great longitudinal extent of about 29°, there could be wide differences in local time of places located at two extreme points of India. As such, the difference between these two points would be of about two hours.

India’s Neighbours

There are seven countries that share land boundaries with India.

Political and Administrative Divisions

India is a vast country divided into 29 States and 7 Union Territories. Telangana became the 29th state of India on 2 June 2014. It was previously a part of Andhra Pradesh. Delhi is the national capital. The states have been formed mainly on the basis of languages.

Physical Divisions

India has diversity of physical features such as mountains, plateaus, plains, coasts and islands. Himalaya mean ‘the abode of snow’. The Himalayan mountains are divided into three main parallel ranges. The northernmost is the Great Himalaya or Himadri. The world’s highest peaks are located in this range. Middle Himalaya or Himachal lies to the south of Himadri.

The Northern Indian plains lie to the south of the Himalayas. They are generally level and flat. These are formed by the alluvial deposits laid down by the rivers– the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. These river plains provide fertile land for cultivation. That is the reason for high concentration of population in these plains.

In the western part of India lies the Great Indian desert, dry, hot and sandy stretch of land. To the south of northern plains lies the Peninsular plateau. This is a region with numerous hill ranges and valleys. Aravalli hills, one of the oldest ranges of the world, border it on the north-west side. The Vindhyas and the Satpuras are the important ranges. The rivers Narmada and Tapi flow through these ranges. These are west-flowing rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats or Sahyadri’s border the plateau in the west and the Eastern Ghats provide the eastern boundary. The plateau is rich in minerals like coal and iron-ore. To the West of the Western Ghats and the East of Eastern Ghats lie the Coastal plains. The western coastal plains are very narrow. The eastern Coastal plains are much broader. There are a number of east flowing rivers. The rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri drain into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers have formed fertile deltas at their mouth. The Sunderban delta is formed where the Ganga and Brahmaputra flow into the Bay of Bengal.

Lakshadweep Islands are located in the Arabian Sea. These are coral islands located off the coast of Kerala. The Andaman and the Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of the Indian mainland in the Bay of Bengal.

Mountains

• A mountain is any natural elevation of the earth surface.
• There are permanently frozen rivers of ice. They are called glaciers.
• Mountains may be arranged in a line known as the range.
• The Himalaya, the Alps and the Andes are mountain ranges.
• There are three types of mountains—Fold Mountains, Block Mountains and Volcanic Mountains.
• The Himalayan Mountains and the Alps are young fold mountains.
• The Aravalli range in India is one of the oldest fold mountain systems.
• Block Mountains are created when large areas are broken and displaced vertically.
• Volcanic mountains are formed due to volcanic activity, e.g. Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa.

Plateaus

• A plateau is an elevated flat land.
• The Deccan plateau in India is one of the oldest plateaus.
• The Tibet plateau is the highest plateau in the world.
• The African plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining.
• The lava plateaus are rich in black soil that are fertile and good for cultivation.

Plains

• Plains are large stretches of flat land.
• Most of the plains are formed by rivers and their tributaries.
• In India, the Indo-Gangetic plains are the most densely populated region of the country.

Landforms and the People

• Humans have been living in different kinds of landforms in different ways.
• Sometimes, natural calamities such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms and floods cause widespread destruction.

The surface of the earth is not the same everywhere.

Mountains, plateaus and plains are different landforms of the earth.

A mountain is a natural elevation of the earth surface. There are three types of mountains—Fold mountains, Block mountains and Volcanic mountains.

A plateau is an elevated flat land. It is a flat-topped table land standing above the surrounding area. A plateau may have one or more sides with steep slopes.

The Deccan plateau is one of the oldest plateaus.

The Tibet plateau is the highest plateau in the world.

Plains are large stretches of flat land. Some plains are extremely level while others may be slightly rolling and undulating.

Human habitation is found on different kinds of landforms. But population varies on these landforms. Mountains are generally not thickly populated. But plains are the regions where the thick population is found.

The land is precious. We must not use it in a wasteful manner. Construction work of any type should not be carried on fertile land. Also, we should not throw garbage on land. It is our duty to take care of the land or any other natural gift. If we do this we will be conscious citizens

Lithosphere

1. The outermost part of the Earth which consists of Upper Mantle and Crust of the Earth is known as Lithosphere.
2. Tectonic plates are a subdivision of Lithosphere.
3. Lithosphere has rigid mechanical properties. Pedosphere is the uppermost part of the lithosphere which reacts chemically with other 3 other major domains of earth namely; hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere.
4. Thickness – about 100 km.

There are Two Main Divisions of the Earth’s Surface

Continents – the large landmasses.

The Highest Mountain Peak on this earth is Mount Everest. The current official elevation is 8,848 metres above sea level. The elevation was measured and established by an Indian survey conducted in 1955. The border between Nepal and China runs across its summit points.

Ocean basins – the huge water bodies.

Mariana Trench is the deepest Oceanic trench on Earth.  The deepest portion is at 11,034 metres. Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean. Mariana Trench is 69 km in width and 2550 km in length. Mariana Trench derives its name from the nearby Mariana Islands which is located at around 200 km from the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.

Continents

 There are seven major continents and these are separated by large water bodies.

1. Asia

1. The largest continent on Earth is Asia.
2. Asia is also the most populous continent on earth i.e. it is home to approximately 60% of the world’s population as of 2019.
3. Asian continent occupies approximately 30% of the Earths total land area.
4. To the south of the Asian continent lies the Indian Ocean, to its North lies the Arctic Ocean and to its East lies the Pacific Ocean.
5. Asia and Africa are separated by the Suez Canal.
6. Asia and Europe are separated by the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

2. Africa

1. The 2nd largest continent on Earth in Africa. Africa covers 20% of the Earths total land area.
2. Africa is also the 2nd most populous country on Earth.
3. A large part of Africa lies in the Northern Hemisphere.
4. The Equator, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn passes through Africa. It holds the distinction of the only continent having all 3 latitudes passing through it.
5. Worlds longest river Nile is in Africa. It has 2 main tributaries and passes through 11 countries. It flows from Tanzania located in South of Africa and flows till Egypt located in the North of Africa. This is a Northward flowing river and is around 6650 km long.
6. The largest hot desert on Earth is the Sahara Desert which is located in Africa. It extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the West, to the Red Sea located in the East. The Sahara Desert covers a large part of the African Continent.  The Mediterranean Sea lies to the North of Sahara Desert.

3. Europe

1. Europe is the 6th largest continent of Earth, occupying around 2% of the surface of the Earth.
2. Russia is the largest country in the European continent.
3. Western Civilization was born in Europe.
4. Atlantic Currents has the biggest influence on the European Continent.
5. To the South of Europe lies the Atlantic Ocean, to the North of Europe lies the Arctic Ocean, to the West of Europe lies the Atlantic Ocean.

4. North America

1. North America is the third largest continent in the world.
2. The continent lies completely in the Northern and Western Hemisphere.
3. The Isthmus of Panama a narrow strip links North America and South America.
4. This continent is surrounded by three oceans and they are the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean.

5. South America

1. There are 12 Sovereign States in South America.
2. This Continent is located in the Southern Hemisphere. In terms of total area, South America is the 4th largest continent.
3. The Pacific Ocean is located to the West of South America.
4. To the East of South America lies the Atlantic Ocean.
5. Brazil is the most populous country in South America.
6. The Andes Mountain is the worlds longest above water Mountain range and it is located in South America.
7. The worlds largest river is the Amazon river and it is located in South America.

6. Australia

1. Australia is the smallest continent that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. It is surrounded on all sides by the oceans and seas.
3. It is called an island continent.

7. Antarctica

1. Antarctica is a huge continent and lies completely in the Southern Hemisphere.
2. The South Pole lies in the South Polar Region almost at the centre of this continent and is permanently covered with thick ice sheets.

Various countries have their research stations here. India also has its permanent research base stations here, namely Maitri, Dakshin Gangotri, and Bharati.

Hydrosphere

1. The hydrosphere includes water on earth in Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Lakes and even in frozen forms.
2. Only 2.5% of Earths water is freshwater. And even in this 2.5%; approximately 69% is in the form of snow and ice.
3. 97.5% of Earths water is salt water, which is unfit for human consumption.
4. Approximately 71% of the Earth surface is covered by oceans.

Oceans

1. The three chief movements of ocean waters are the waves, the tides and the ocean currents.
2. Oceans are the major part of the hydrosphere and they are all interconnected.
3. The Five Major Oceans in order of their size are
   1. the Pacific Ocean:  It is almost circular in shape. Asia, Australia, North and South Americas surround it.
   2. the Atlantic Ocean: It is the second-largest ocean in the world. It is ‘S’ shaped. It is flanked by the North and South Americas on the western side, and Europe and Africa on the eastern side.
   3. the Indian Ocean: It is the only ocean named after a country, that is, India. The shape of the ocean is almost triangular. In the north, it is bound by Asia, in the west by Africa and in the east by Australia.
   4. the Southern Ocean: It surrounds the continent of Antarctica
   5. the Arctic Ocean:  It is located within the Arctic Circle and surrounds the North Pole. The Bering strait a narrow stretch of shallow water connects it with the Pacific Ocean.

Atmosphere

The earth is surrounded by a layer of gas called the atmosphere.

1. The atmosphere extends up to a height of about 1,600 kilometres.
2. The atmosphere is divided into five layers based on composition, temperature and other properties and they are:
   1. the troposphere
   2. the stratosphere
   3. the mesosphere
   4. the thermosphere
   5. the exosphere
3. About 99 per cent of clean and dry air in the atmosphere is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen 78 per cent, oxygen 21 per cent and other gases like carbon dioxide, argon and others comprise 1 per cent by volume.

Biosphere – The Domain of Life

1. The biosphere is the narrow zone of contact between the land, water and air.
2. It is the zone where life exists that makes this planet unique.
3. The organisms in the biosphere are commonly divided into:
   1. the plant kingdom
   2. the animal kingdom
4. The three domains of the earth interact with each other and affect each other in some way or the other.

Major Landforms of the Earth: UPSC Notes –Download PDF Here

Consider the following statements

1. Russia is the largest continent located in Asia.
2. River Nile flows in Southwards direction.
3. Himalayan Mountain range is the longest above-water mountain range in the world.
4. North America is the birthplace of Western Civilization

Which of the following statements are true?

1. All the statements are true
2. None of the statements is true
3. Only 1, 2 and 3 are true
4. Only 1, 2 and 4 are true.

Consider the following statements

1. Nitrogen comprises only 21% of the Earth’s atmosphere.
2. The lithosphere is also known as the ecosphere.
3. The Balkan peninsula is separated from Asia by the Black and Aegean Seas.
4. The Danube is the longest river in Europe.

Which of the following statements are true?

A) All the statements are true

B) None of the statements is true

C) Only 3 and 4 are true

D) Only Statement 1, 2 and 3 are true.

Map – A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to a scale.

Atlas – When many maps are put together we get an Atlas. Atlases are of various sizes, measurements drawn on different scales.

They are of different types of maps. Some of them are described below.

Physical Maps

Maps showing natural features of the earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, oceans etc., are called physical or relief maps.

Political Maps

Maps showing cities, towns and villages, and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries are called political maps.

Thematic Maps

Some maps that focus on specific information; such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing distribution of forests, industries etc., are known as thematic maps.

There are three Components of Maps – distance, direction and symbol.

Distance

Scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map. Scale is very important on any map. If you know the scale, you will be able to calculate the distance between any two places on a map. When large areas like continents or countries are to be shown on paper, then we use a small scale. It is called a small scale map. When a small area like your village or town is to be shown on paper, then we use a large scale that is 5 cm. It is called a large scale map.

Direction

There are four major directions, North, South, East and West. They are called cardinal points. Other four intermediate directions are north-east (NE), southeast (SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW). We can find out the direction of a place with the help of a compass. It is an instrument used to find out main directions. Its magnetic needle always points towards north-south direction.

Symbols

It is the third important component of a map. It is not possible to draw on a map the actual shape and size of different features such as buildings, roads, etc. So, they are shown by using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures and lines. These symbols give a lot of information in a limited space. Maps have a universal language that can be understood by all. There is an international agreement regarding the use of these symbols. These are called conventional symbols.

Various colours are used for the same purpose. For example, generally blue is used for showing water bodies, brown for mountain, yellow for plateau and green is used for plains.

Sketch

A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale. Sometimes a rough drawing is required of an area to tell where a particular place is located with respect to other places. Such a rough drawing is drawn without scale and is called a sketch map.

Plan

A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale. A large-scale map gives a lot of information, but there are certain things, which we may sometimes want to know, for example the length and breadth of a room, which can’t be shown in a map. At that time, we can refer drawings drawn to scale called a plan.