Question

What is dun?

Answer 1

The longitudinal valley lying between Shiwaliks and lesser Himalaya are known as Duns.

• The word Shiwalik has its origin in the geological formation found in and around a place called Sivawala near Dehra Dun.
• Some of the examples of Duns are Dehra Dun, Kotli Dun, Chandigarh-Kalka Dun, Patli Dun, Nalagarh Dun, Harike Dun.
• Dehra Dun is the largest of all the duns with an approximate width of 22-25 km and length of 35-45 km.

Himalayas

• The Himalayas are structurally fold mountains and geologically young mountains.
• The Himalayas represents one of the most rugged mountain barriers of the world and one of the loftiest mountains.
• Himalayas extend over the borders of India in the North.
• Himalayan mountain ranges run in a west-east direction. It extends from Brahmaputra in the East to Indus in the West.
• Himalayan mountains covers a distance of approximately 2,400 Km and it forms an arc.
• The width of Himalayan mountains varies from 150 Km in Arunachal Pradesh to 400 Km in Kashmir.
• The altitudinal variations are lesser in the Western half than in the Eastern half.
• Along the longitudinal extent of the Himalayas, there are three parallel ranges.
• A number of valleys lie between these ranges

Himadri

• Himadri is the most continuous range and the highest mountain peaks are located in the Himadri range.
• The Northern Most range of Himalayas are known as Himadri or Inner Himalayas or the Greater Himalayas.

Himachal

• Himachal is also known as Lesser Himalayas.
• Himachal is the mountain range lying to the south of Himadri.
• Himachal is the most rugged mountain system.
• The longest range in the Himachal is the Pir Panjal Range.
• Some of the prominent valleys such as Kullu and Kangra valley and prominent mountain ranges in Himachal are Dhaula Dhar and Mahabharat ranges.

Shiwaliks

• Shiwaliks are the outermost ranges of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
• Altitudes varies from 1100 m to 900 m. and the width varies from 10 km to 50 km.
• The longitudinal valley lying between lesser Himalaya and the Shiwaliks are known as Duns.

Physical Features of India – Broad Classification

The physical features of India can be divided into 6 physiographic divisions which are given below:

1. The Himalayan Mountains
2. The Coastal Plains
3. The Peninsular Plateau
4. The Islands
5. The Northern Plains
6. The Indian Desert