Neighbours of India

NEIGHBOURS OF INDIA

India occupies an important strategic position in South Asia. India has 28 states and nine Union Territories (Figure 1.5).

Figure 1.5: India and Adjacent Countries

India shares its land boundaries with Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China (Tibet), Nepal and Bhutan in the north, and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east. Our southern neighbours across the sea consist of the two island countries, namely Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar, while the Maldives Islands are situated to the south of the Lakshadweep Islands.

India has had strong geographical and historical links with its neighbours. Look at the physical map of Asia in your atlas, and note how India stands apart from the rest of Asia.

More to know

Before 1947, there were two types of states in India — the provinces and the Princely states. Provinces were ruled directly by British officials, who were appointed by the Viceroy. Princely states were ruled by local, hereditary rulers, who acknowledged sovereignty in return for local autonomy.

School Bhuvan is a portal providing map-based learning to bring awareness among the students about the country’s natural resources, environment, and their role in sustainable development. It is an initiative of Bhuvan — NRSC/ISRO based on the NCERT syllabus. You can explore various maps of India related to the second stage on https://bhuvan-app1.nrsc.gov.in/mhrd_ncert/.

Let's find out

*  The number of Union Territories along the western and eastern coasts.

*  Area-wise which is the smallest and which is the largest state?

*  The states which do not have an international border or lie on the coast.

*  Classify the states into four groups each having common frontiers with

               (i) Pakistan,                             (ii) China,

              (iii) Myanmar, and                    (iv) Bangladesh.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK