📖 Major physiographic divisions
- The Himalayas — young fold mountains, formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates; divided into the Greater, Middle (Lesser), and Outer (Shivalik) Himalayas.
- The Northern Plains — formed by alluvial deposits of the Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra river systems; among the most fertile and densely populated regions in the world.
- The Peninsular Plateau — one of the oldest and most stable landmasses on Earth, part of the ancient Gondwana landmass; includes the Deccan Plateau, Central Highlands, and the Eastern and Western Ghats.
- The Coastal Plains — the narrow Western Coastal Plain and the wider Eastern Coastal Plain, differing in width, river deltas, and formation.
- The Islands — the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (volcanic/tectonic origin) in the Bay of Bengal, and the Lakshadweep Islands (coral origin) in the Arabian Sea.
⛰️ Why this matters
India's physiography directly explains its climate patterns (e.g. the Himalayas blocking cold Central Asian winds and trapping monsoon rains), river systems, and agricultural zones — making it foundational to nearly every other Geography topic.
