LOCATION OF INDIA
India is a country of vast geographical expanse. In the north, it is bound by the lofty Himalayas. The Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south wash the shores of the Indian peninsula.
India has an area of about 3.28 million sq. km. The north-south extent from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is about 3,200 km. And the east-west extent from Arunachal Pradesh to Kuchchh is about 2,900 km. The lofty mountains, the Great Indian Desert, the Northern Plains, the uneven plateau surface, and the coasts and islands present a diversity of landforms. There is a great variety in the climate, vegetation, wildlife as well as in the language and culture. In this diversity, we find the unity that is reflected in traditions that bind us as one nation. India has a population of more than one hundred twenty crores since the year 2011. It is the second-most populous country in the world after China.
Locational setting
India is located in the northern hemisphere. The Tropic of Cancer (23°30'N) passes almost halfway through the country (Figure 7.2). From south to north, the mainland of India extends between 8°4'N and 37°6'N latitudes. From west to east, India extends between 68°7'E and 97°25'E longitudes. If we divide the world into eastern and western hemispheres, which hemisphere would India belong to? Due to the great longitudinal extent of about 29°, there could be a wide difference in the local time of places located at two extreme points of India. As such, the difference between these two points would be of about two hours. As you have learnt earlier, the local time changes by four minutes for every one degree of longitude. The sun rises about two hours earlier in the east (Arunachal Pradesh) than in the west (Gujarat). You have already read earlier, why the local time of longitude of 82°30'E has been taken as the Indian Standard Time. This meridian or longitude is also termed as the Standard Meridian of India.
Do you know?
1. The peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.
2. Large countries which stretch extensively from east to west do not have a single Standard Time for the whole country. The USA and Canada have seven and six-time zones respectively. Do you remember how many time zones are there in Russia?
Source: This Topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK