📖 Major soil types of India
- Alluvial soil — found in the Northern Plains, formed by river deposits; India's most fertile and widespread soil type, ideal for wheat, rice, and sugarcane.
- Black (Regur) soil — found in the Deccan Plateau (especially Maharashtra), formed from volcanic (basalt) rock; retains moisture well, ideal for cotton cultivation.
- Red and Yellow soil — found in parts of the Peninsular Plateau, generally less fertile, low in nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Laterite soil — found in high-rainfall areas (Western Ghats, parts of the northeast), formed by intense leaching; poor for most crops but suitable for tea and cashew.
- Arid/Desert soil — found in Rajasthan, sandy and low in humus, suitable only for drought-resistant crops.
🌳 Natural vegetation zones
Vegetation broadly follows rainfall and temperature gradients: Tropical Evergreen forests (Western Ghats, northeast — high rainfall areas), Tropical Deciduous forests (most widespread, moderate rainfall areas), Thorn and Scrub vegetation (arid northwest), Mangrove forests (deltaic coastal regions like the Sundarbans), and Montane/Alpine vegetation (Himalayan high-altitude zones).
