Question

Give a brief description of the Great Northern Plains of India.

Answer 1

Instructions:

• Specify the location, extent and area of the northern plains. (1.5 marks)
• Explain the formation of the northern plains (1.5 marks)

Solution:

• The northern great plains are situated in the northern part of India, between the Himalayas and the peninsular plateau.
• The plains cover an area of about 7 lakh square kilometres. They stretch 2,400 kilometres in length and 240 to 320 kilometres in width.
• The northern plains are formed by the interplay of 3 major himalayan river systems: The Indus river, the Ganga river, and the brahmaputra river- along with their tributaries. The alluvial soil that is brought down by the rivers from the himalayan mountain also has resulted in the formation of the northern plains.