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Schematic map of the Indo-Gangetic Plain
Schematic map of the Indo-Gangetic Plain

The Indo-Gangetic Plain also known as The Kathwiarschi plains is a large and fertile plain encompassing most of northern and eastern India, the most populous parts of Pakistan, and virtually all of Bangladesh. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The region is named after the Indus and the Ganges, the twin river systems that drain it. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Indo-gangetic plain is home to many religions, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Aryans.

The Indo-Gangetic plain is bound on the north by the abruptly rising Himalayas, which feed its numerous rivers and are the source of the fertile alluvium deposited across the region by the two river systems. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running The southern edge of the plain is marked by the Vindhya- and Satpura Range, and the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The Vindhya Range ( Sanskrit: विन्‍ध्य is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent which geographically The Satpura Range is a range of Hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat state near the Arabian Sea coast running east through The Chota Nagpur Plateau (also Chhota Nagpur) is a plateau in eastern India which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Orissa, On the west rises the Iranian Plateau. The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern

The region is one of the most populated areas on Earth, being home to nearly 900 million people (or over 1/7th of the world's population). EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001

Contents

Topography

Topographically the plain is homogeneous, with only the floodplain bluffs, changes in river channels and other related features of river erosion forming natural features. Topography ( topo-, "place" and graphia, "writing" is the study of Earth 's Surface features or those of Planets Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind

Two narrow terrain belts, collectively known as the Terai, constitute the northern boundary of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India In the area where the foothills of the Himalayas encounter the plain, small hills known locally as ghar (meaning house in Hindi) have been formed by coarse sands and pebbles deposited by mountain streams. Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in hilly areas at the base of a Mountain range.

Groundwater from these areas flow on the surface where the plains begin, converting large areas along the rivers into swamps. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations The southern boundary of the plain begins along the edge of the Great Indian Desert in the state of Rajasthan, before continuing east along the base of the hills of the Central Highlands to the Bay of Bengal. The Thar Desert ( Hindi: थार मरुस्थल also known as the Great Indian Desert, is Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The hills vary in elevation from 300 to 1200 metres and lie on a general east-west axis.

The Central Highlands are divided into northern and southern parts. The northern part is centered on the Aravalli Range of eastern Rajasthan. The Aravalli Range is a range of mountains in western India running approximately 800 km from northeast to southwest across Rajasthan state In the northern part (in the state of Madhya Pradesh), the Malwa Plateau comprises the southern part of the Central Highlands and merges with the Vindhya Range to the north and south. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often The Vindhya Range ( Sanskrit: विन्‍ध्य is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent which geographically

Divisions

Some geographers subdivide the Indo-Gangetic Plain into several parts: the Indus Valley, the Punjab Plain, the Haryana Plains, and the middle and lower Ganga. A geographer is a Scientist whose area of study is Geography, the study of Earth 's physical environment and Human habitat The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd The Punjab Plain is an Alluvial plain in the north-west of India. The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent These regional distinctions are based primarily on the availability of water.

By another definition, the Indo-Gangetic Plain is divided into two drainage basins by the Delhi Ridge; the western part consists of the Punjab Plain and the Haryana Plain, and the eastern part consists of the Ganga-Brahmaputra drainage systems. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, This divide is only 300 metres above sea level, causing the perception that the Indo-Gangetic Plain appears to be continuous between the two drainage basins. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface

Both the Punjab and Haryana plains are irrigated with water from the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops The Ravi River (रवि ਰਾਵੀ راوی is a River in Pakistan and India. The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest The irrigation projects in progress on these rivers have led to a decrease in the flow of water, which reaches the lower drainage areas in the state of Punjab in India and the Indus Valley in Pakistan. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. The benefits that the increased irrigation has brought to Haryana farmers are controversial, due to the effects that irrigation has had on agricultural life in the Punjab areas of both India and Pakistan.

The middle Ganga extends from the Yamuna River in the west to the state of West Bengal in the east. For the goddess of the river who is sometimes called Yamuna see Yami The Yamuna (Sanskrit यमुना West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. The lower Ganga and the Assam Valley are more verdant than the middle Ganga. Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city

The lower Ganga is centered in West Bengal, from which it flows into Bangladesh. After joining the Yamuna, both rivers form the Ganges Delta. The Ganges Delta (also Sunderban Delta or the Bengal Delta) is a River delta in the South Asia region of Bengal, consisting of Bangladesh

The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet as the Yarlung Zangbo River and flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, before crossing into Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश   Aruṇācal Pradeś is the easternmost state of India Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially

Extent

As a large plain, the exact extent can vary from source to source. Roughly, the Indo-Gangetic Plain stretches across:

The fertile Terai region is the Nepalese extension of the Plain. Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The rivers encompassed are the Beas, the Chambal, the Chenab, the Ganges, the Gomti, the Indus, the Ravi, the Sutlej and the Yamuna. The Chambal River (Hindi-चम्बल is a Tributary of the Yamuna River in central India. HeadMarala3jpg|200px|right|thumb|A View of Marala Headworks on Chenab near Sialkot]] The Chenab River (ਚਨਾਬ, चनाब چناب literally 'Moon( The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent The Gomti, Gumti or Gomati River (गोमती Gomtī) is a Tributary of the Ganges River. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd The Ravi River (रवि ਰਾਵੀ راوی is a River in Pakistan and India. The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest For the goddess of the river who is sometimes called Yamuna see Yami The Yamuna (Sanskrit यमुना The soil is rich in silt, making the plain one of the most intensely farmed areas of the world. Silt is Soil or rock derived Granular material of a Grain size between sand and clay Even rural areas here are densely populated. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume

Agriculture

Farming on the Indo-Gangetic Plain primarily consists of rice and wheat grown in rotation. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Other crops include maize, sugarcane, and cotton. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp

The main source of rainfall is the southwest monsoon which is normally sufficient for general agriculture. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months The many rivers flowing out of the Himalayas provide water for major irrigation works.

Stressed water supplies

Due to a rapidly growing population (as well as other factors such as global warming which affects monsoon and Himalayan runoff), this area is considered at high risk for water shortages in the future. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the

History

The region is known for the Indus Valley Civilisation and is responsible for the birth of ancient India. The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin The flat and fertile terrain has facilitated the repeated rise and expansion of empires, including the Gupta empire, Kanauj, Magadha, the Maurya Empire, the Mughal Empire and the Sultanate of Delhi - all of which had their demographic and political centres in the Indo-Gangetic plain. The Gupta Empire ( Hindi: गुप्त राजवंश was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 C WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kannauj ( Hindi कन्नौज Urdu: کنوج) also spelt Kanauj, Magadha (मगध formed one of the sixteen Mahājanapadas ( Sanskrit, "great countries" or regions in ancient India. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए Demographics or demographic data refers to selected population characteristics as used in government Marketing or opinion research or the Demographic profiles Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions During the Vedic and Epic eras of Indian history, this region was referred to as "Aryavarta" (Land of the Aryans) which was bordered on the west by the Indus and on the south by the Vindhya Mountain range. Aryavarta ( Sanskrit: आर्यावर्त "abode of the Aryans quot is the ancient name for northern and central India, where the culture During the Islamic period, the Turkish rulers referred to this region as "Hindustan" (Land of the Hindus), deriving from the Persian term for the Indus Valley. Hindustan (हिन्दुस्तान, ہندوستان,) is one of the popular Names of India. This term was later used to refer to India in general but even into the modern era, the dialect of Hindi-Urdu spoken in this region is called Hindustani as well as the local music and culture. [1][2]

Both British and independent India also had their demographic and political centres here (first in Calcutta and then Delhi). For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The History of the Republic of India began on August 15, 1947 when India became an independent Dominion within the British Commonwealth Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population

Languages

The language of the Indo-Gangetic plain was previously Indo-Aryan. The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family

There is in addition a great variety of regional languages, which in several cases form a dialect chain with one another. A dialect continuum is a range of Dialects spoken across a large geographical area differing only slightly between areas that are geographically close and gradually decreasing

Cities

Among the largest cities of the Indo-Gangetic plain are Ahmedabad, Delhi, Dhaka, Faisalabad, Hyderabad (Pakistan), Kanpur, Karachi, Kolkata,Lahore, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Multan, Patna, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, and Surat. Ahmedabad (અમદાવાદ Amdāvād, Hindi: अहमदाबाद) is the largest city in Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Dhaka (also known as Dacca ( Bangla: ঢাকা ɖʱaka is the Capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District. ( is a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Hyderabad (Pakistan may refer to Hyderabad Pakistan, the city in Sindh Hyderabad District (Pakistan Hyderabad Airport Kanpur ( Hindi: कानपुर Urdu: کان پور spelled as Cawnpore before 1948 is one of the most populous cities in the north India (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Lucknow is also a mansion in New Hampshire Lucknow ( लखनऊ لکھنؤ Lakhnaū) is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh Ludhiana (ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ | लुधियाना is a city and a Municipal corporation in Ludhiana district in the Indian state of ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province |name = Islamabad|native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = Capital City |total_type In this region, it is hard to define where one megalopolis begins and one ends. A megalopolis (or megapolis) is defined as an extensive Metropolitan area or a long chain of roughly continuous metropolitan areas

Administrative divisions

Because it is not fully possible to define the boundaries of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, it is also difficult to give an exact list of which administrative areas are part on the plain.

The areas that are completely part or more than half part of the plains are:

Small parts of the following administrative areas are or are not part of the plain:

References

  1. ^ India. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city Bihar ( Hindi:बिहार Urdu: بہار bɪhaːr) is a state in eastern India. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Haryana (हरियाणा Punjabi: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ hərɪjaːɳaː is a state in northern India. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area ( Bengali script: ত্রিপুরা is a state in North-East India. Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U West Bengal ( Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchim Bônggo poʃtʃim bɔŋgo is a state in eastern India. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Madhesh (मधेस also known as Terai (or Tarai) is the flat southern region of Nepal Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often Meghalaya is a small state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means "The Abode of Clouds" in Sanskrit and Jharkhand ( Hindi: झारखंड Bengali: ঝাড়খণ্ডdʒʰaːɽkʰəɳɖ is a state in eastern India. Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. CIA - The World Factbook. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people
  2. ^ Hindustani Classical Music. Indian Melody. Retrieved on 2007-12-14. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people

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