In-text Questions
1. Why 82°30’E has been selected as the Standard Meridian of India?
India is a large country, with a time lag of two hours from the easternmost point to the westernmost point. To avoid confusion, 82°30’E longitude, which passes through Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, is chosen as the Standard Meridian of India because it lies approximately in the middle of the country.
2. Why is the difference between the durations of day and night hardly felt at Kanniyakumari but not so in Kashmir?
Kanniyakumari is located near the equator, where the difference in the duration of day and night is minimal throughout the year. However, in Kashmir, which is farther from the equator, the difference is greater due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis.
Exercise Questions
1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:
(i) The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Odisha (Correct Answer)
(c) Chhattisgarh
(d) Tripura
(ii) The easternmost longitude of India is
(a) 97° 25’ E (Correct Answer)
(b) 68° 7’ E
(c) 77° 6’ E
(d) 82° 32’ E
(iii) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim have common frontiers with
(a) China
(b) Bhutan
(c) Nepal (Correct Answer)
(d) Myanmar
(iv) If you intend to visit Kavaratti during your summer vacations, which one of the following Union Territories of India will you be going to?
(a) Puducherry
(b) Lakshadweep (Correct Answer)
(c) Andaman and Nicobar
(d) Daman and Diu
(v) My friend hails from a country which does not share a land boundary with India. Identify the country.
(a) Bhutan
(b) Tajikistan (Correct Answer)
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Nepal
2. Answer the following questions briefly:
(i) Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian Sea.
The Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea.
(ii) Name the countries which are larger than India.
The countries larger than India are Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, and Australia.
(iii) Which island group of India lies to its southeast?
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie to the southeast of India.
(iv) Which island countries are our southern neighbours?
Our southern neighbours are Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
3. The sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west, but the watches show the same time. How does this happen?
India follows a single time zone based on the Standard Meridian of India, which is 82°30’E. Therefore, even though the sun rises earlier in Arunachal Pradesh, the entire country follows the same standard time.
4. The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why?
India’s central location at the head of the Indian Ocean is significant because it helps in establishing trade routes between the East and the West. This has facilitated the exchange of ideas, culture, and goods over centuries, making India a hub for international trade.