Longitudinal Division of the Himalayas

The Himalayas or the Himalayan range are a set of mountain ranges in the lower part of Asia. These mountain ranges separate the Indian subcontinent from the rest of the Tibetan plateau. Some of the highest peaks of the world such as Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, etc are present on these mountain ranges. There are nearly 100 peaks on these mountain ranges that exceed the height of 7200m. In this context, the highest peak outside the Himalayan mountain ranges of Asia is the Aconcagua range in the Andes. The Himalayan mountain ranges act as a barrier between the alluvial planes in the south and the Tibetan plateau in the North. The Himalayan mountain ranges can be divided longitudinally into four subdivisions from west to east. 

Longitudinal division of the Himalayas

From the west, all the way up to the east, Himalayan mountain ranges can be divided longitudinally into four major divisions. Theses have been outlined in the following 

• Himachal or Punjab or Kashmir Himalayas
• Kumaun Himalayas 
• Nepal or Central Himalayas 
• Eastern or Assam Himalayas

These have been discussed in detail in the following.

Himachal or Punjab or Kashmir Himalayas

All the greater, lesser, and outer Himalayas are represented properly in the Himalayas of the Himachal Pradesh region. The Himachal Himalayas’ northern slope is covered densely with lakes, plains as well as forests. On the contrary, the southern slopes of the Himachal Himalayas are rugged and forest-clad. While discussing the Himalayas of this region, the Kashmir Himalayas are important. The Kashmir Himalayas particularly lie between Sutlej and the Indus River. A major portion of the Himalayas is present in between the Himachal and the Jammu and Kashmir region. This is sometimes referred to as the Punjab Himalayas. The Himalayas in the Jammu and Kashmir region are known for their deep valleys, snow-covered peaks, high mountain passes, and interlocking spurs. The mountain ranges in this region are 3000 m high and have several glaciers.

The Kumaon Himalayas

The Kumaun Himalayas is situated between the Kali and the Sutlej gorges. The mountain ranges in Kumaun Himalayas extend for about 320 km. Well-known peaks in the Kumaun Himalayas include Nandadevi, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Kamet, etc. Well-known Mountain ranges in this region involve Dhaula Dhar, Mussoorie Nagtiba, etc. The Kumayan Himalayas is also home to several ice caps and glaciers in Uttarkhand giving rise to different rivers such as the Pindari, Yamunotri, Gangotri. The Kumaun Himalayas receive snowfall during winter. Further, the region has Deodar forests between the heights of 1600 – 3200m and coniferous forests above the height of 3200 m. 

Nepal or Central Himalayas

The Central Himalayas is situated between the Tista River and the Kali River. It is 800kms long. Some of the most famous peaks throughout the world such as the Makalu, Mt. Everest Annapurna, Kanchenjunga Dhaulagiri, and Gosainthan are located in these regions. The mountains here are seen to have an ortho clinical plan and the Kathmandu valley is also located here. In this region, the lesser Himalayas are also called by the name Mahabharat Lekh

Eastern or Assam Himalayas 

The Eastern Himalayas are nearly 750kms in length and are situated between the Tista River and the Brahmaputra rivers. The Easter Himalayas mostly cover areas of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. The longitudinal valleys in these regions are quite narrow. Moreover, it receives rainfall of more than 200cms. Fluvial erosion is dominant in the Eastern Himalayan regions due to high rainfall. There is a deficiency of glaciers and ice caps in this region as it is rather close to the densely forested tropics. Earthquakes are quite common in this region due to the presence of fractured rocks; this part of the Himalayas is mostly inhabited by tribes. 

Conclusion

The entire article has been written on the core topic of the longitudinal division of the Himalayas. The Himalayas form an incredible mountain system and the great wall between the alluvial plains in India and the Tibetan Plateau. The Himalayas can be longitudinally divided into four main parts. The topic of longitudinal divisions of India is quite important in geography. Each longitudinal division has been further discussed throughout the article.