Landscape
India has several distinct landscapes. In the north, the Himalayas contain high peaks, deep valleys and mountain passes. Below them, the northern plains stretch across river basins that include the Ganga, also called the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra. Much of this low, gently sloping ground consists of sediment carried and deposited by rivers, and it supports dense settlement.
Farther south, the land rises into the Peninsular Plateau, which includes the Deccan. The Western Ghats run close to the Arabian Sea, while the Eastern Ghats border the peninsula toward the Bay of Bengal. A narrow coastal strip separates the Western Ghats from the sea; the eastern coastal plain is generally broader.
The northwest presents another contrast. The Thar Desert extends across western Rajasthan and into Pakistan, with sandy and rocky terrain very different from the river plains. India’s geography also includes offshore islands: Lakshadweep lies in the Arabian Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast in the Bay of Bengal.
