The Indian Subcontinent- Position, Extent, and Physical Features

On three sides, India is surrounded by the sea, with a high mountain range separating it from the rest of Asia in the north. As a result, the Indian subcontinent has emerged as a separate entity. India is a large country with a wide range of physical characteristics. As a result, some knowledge of the major physical characteristics as well as the major aspects of its geography is required. 

In this article, we will learn more about the Indian subcontinent and Its position, extent, and physical features, along with which countries are included in the Indian subcontinent?

Indian Subcontinent

The region surrounded by the Indian Ocean is known as the Indian Subcontinent. The Indian Subcontinent is located in Southern Asia.

Which countries are included in the Indian subcontinent?

The countries constituting the Indian subcontinent are India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Features of Indian Subcontinent

The features of the Indian subcontinent are included as follows:

• Position

On the northwest, north, and northeast, a massive landmass of South Asia is surrounded by new fold towering mountains. To the southwest is the Arabian Sea, to the southeast is the Bay of Bengal, and to the south is the Indian Ocean. The Indian subcontinent is a well-defined landmass in South Asia.

The countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, as well as Sri Lanka, a small island separated by the Palk Strait, make up this subcontinent. India alone spans almost three-quarters of the subcontinent’s surface area and shares a common border with each of them. She and her five neighbors create a distinct geographical entity with certain shared cultural characteristics.

The Indian subcontinent’s mainland, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, is located between 8°4’N and 37°6’N latitudes and 68°7’E and 97°25’E longitudes.

If Sri Lanka, the sixth country in this subcontinent, is included, the latitude begins at 6°N. The Tropic of Cancer (23 1/2°N) runs across the heart of India.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is home to the country’s northernmost point, while Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari is home to the country’s southernmost point. The country’s southernmost point, however, is in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which are located further south.

Indira Point is the name given to it currently. It is located at latitude 6°30′ N. Gujarat is India’s westernmost state, whereas Arunachal Pradesh is its easternmost. The country’s northern regions are fairly far from the equator. As a result, the sun’s rays strike such areas more obliquely. As a result, unlike the southern regions of the country, this part of the country receives less sunlight and has a frigid temperature. Because they are near the equator, the difference in day duration is significantly less in the southernmost portion of India, only around 45 minutes.

The Tropic of Cancer runs practically the whole length of the country. Thus, half of the country is in the Tropical or Torrid zone to the south of the Tropic of Cancer, while the other half is in the Subtropical zone to the north side of the Tropic of Cancer.

• Size and Extent of the Subcontinent:

India occupies 32,872,263 square kilometers, Pakistan 7,96,095 square kilometers, Bangladesh 1,48,393 square kilometers, Nepal 1,47,181 square kilometers, Bhutan 46,500 square kilometers, and Sri Lanka 65,610 square kilometers, making up the Indian subcontinent’s total area of 44.9 lakh square kilometers.

The 82°30’E meridian aids in establishing the Indian Standard Time (IST), which is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and spans 3,200 kilometers from north to south and 3,000 kilometers from the east side to the west. In Sri Lanka and Nepal, the same meridian (821/2°E) determines the time.

• Position and Extent of India:

India is a component of Asia, a huge continental landmass. It is situated on one of Southern Asia’s peninsulas. From Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, the country is vast.

The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, respectively, are located on the western and eastern sides of peninsular India. The latitudinal extent of India ranges from 8°4′ north to 37°6′ north.

The Tropic of Cancer (231/20N) runs through the centre of the country, from 68° 7′ E to 97° 25’E. Both the northern and eastern hemispheres are situated in the country.

India’s strategic location is critical because it lies on the world’s major water routes. India has maritime connections with south-west Asia and Africa on the west, and south-east Asia on the east, due to its geographic location. Because of its location, India has been able to make use of the Suez Canal’s commerce route to North America and Europe. 

Geographically, the Indian subcontinent can be divided into four parts.

The northern region stretches from the Indus River’s watershed in the northwest to the Ganges River’s watershed in the northeast. This area includes Rajasthan and the Punjab hills.

The Deccan includes hill and forest zones as well as the high and arid Deccan plateau, which is located south of the Vindhya mountain range.

The Nilgiri Hills separate the southern region from the rest of the country.

• Size of India:

India is ranked seventh among the world’s largest countries. India covers around 3.28 million square kilometres.

India’s area is approximately equivalent to that of Europe’s continent, minus Russia. India has an area eight times the size of Japan.

India is the world’s second-largest country by population (next to China only). Except for Asia, no other continent has a larger population than India. 

A Cooking Ingredient Originating from the Indian Subcontinent

The cooking ingredient originating from the Indian subcontinent are:

Along with the flavoured butter ghee, foods in the Indian subcontinent are flavoured with various varieties of chilli, black pepper, cloves, and other strong herbs and spices.

Ginger is a versatile component in Indian cuisine, as it may be used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

Pickled ginger is a common complement to cooked rice, and chopped ginger is fried with pork.

Desserts include ginger juice and ginger simmered in syrup. Curries frequently contain turmeric and cumin.

Conclusion

The Indian subcontinent, or simply the subcontinent, is a South Asian physiographic region. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are all the countries constituting the Indian subcontinent.