๐ Topic 05 of 6 ยท Chapter 01 ยท Location & Physiography
Coastal Plains & Islands of India
Western Coastal Plain (Konkan, Malabar), Eastern Coastal Plain (Coromandel, Northern Circars), Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep.
๐ Coastal Plains โ Overview
India has a coastline of about 7,516 km (mainland + islands). The coastal plains lie between the sea and the mountains/plateaus. They are divided into Western Coastal Plain (along Arabian Sea) and Eastern Coastal Plain (along Bay of Bengal).
๐ Western Coastal Plain
| Section | States | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat Plain | Gujarat | Rann of Kutch; Gulf of Khambhat; Kathiawar Peninsula |
| Konkan Coast | Maharashtra, Goa | Narrow; rocky; many creeks; Mumbai harbour |
| Karnataka Coast | Karnataka | Narrow; Mangalore port |
| Malabar Coast | Kerala | Widest part; backwaters (Kayals); lagoons; Kochi port |
Key Features of Western Coastal Plain:
- Narrow โ 10โ25 km wide (except Malabar)
- Backwaters (Kayals) โ lagoons in Kerala; used for fishing, transport, tourism
- Estuaries โ rivers form estuaries (not deltas) due to steep gradient
- Heavy rainfall โ windward side of Western Ghats
๐ Eastern Coastal Plain
| Section | States | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Circars | Odisha, Andhra Pradesh | Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna deltas; Chilika Lake (largest coastal lagoon) |
| Coromandel Coast | Tamil Nadu | Cauvery delta; Chennai; receives NE monsoon rainfall |
Key Features of Eastern Coastal Plain:
- Wider โ 100โ130 km wide
- Deltas โ rivers form deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery)
- Chilika Lake โ largest coastal lagoon in India; Odisha; Ramsar site
- Receives rainfall from Northeast monsoon (October-December)
โญ Western vs Eastern Coastal Plain:
โข Western = narrow = estuaries = backwaters = heavy SW monsoon rainfall
โข Eastern = wider = deltas = Chilika Lake = NE monsoon rainfall
โข Chilika Lake = largest coastal lagoon in India = Odisha = Ramsar site
โข Western = narrow = estuaries = backwaters = heavy SW monsoon rainfall
โข Eastern = wider = deltas = Chilika Lake = NE monsoon rainfall
โข Chilika Lake = largest coastal lagoon in India = Odisha = Ramsar site
๐๏ธ Islands of India
| Feature | Andaman & Nicobar | Lakshadweep |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Bay of Bengal | Arabian Sea |
| No. of islands | 572 islands (36 inhabited) | 36 islands (11 inhabited) |
| Capital | Port Blair | Kavaratti |
| Largest island | Middle Andaman | Andrott |
| Southernmost point | Indira Point (Great Nicobar) | โ |
| Type | Volcanic origin (Barren Island โ only active volcano in India) | Coral origin (atolls) |
| Nearest country | Myanmar (north), Indonesia (south) | Maldives (south) |
| UNESCO | โ | Coral reefs; biosphere reserve |
๐ Exam Tip:
โข Barren Island = only active volcano in India = Andaman & Nicobar
โข Indira Point = southernmost point of India = Great Nicobar Island
โข Lakshadweep = coral islands = Arabian Sea = smallest UT of India
โข Chilika Lake = largest coastal lagoon = Odisha = Ramsar site
โข Kayals = backwaters = Kerala = lagoons separated from sea by sand bars
โข Barren Island = only active volcano in India = Andaman & Nicobar
โข Indira Point = southernmost point of India = Great Nicobar Island
โข Lakshadweep = coral islands = Arabian Sea = smallest UT of India
โข Chilika Lake = largest coastal lagoon = Odisha = Ramsar site
โข Kayals = backwaters = Kerala = lagoons separated from sea by sand bars