Page 11 - SST Class 04

Advantage of the Himalayas

The Himalayas are scenic. At the same time they are useful to us in many ways :

u The Himalayas are like natural barriers on our northern borders.
u They protect our country from icy winds blowing from Tibet and China.

u The monsoon clouds deflect from them and bring rain to the whole of India.

u Many rivers originate from the glaciers in the Himalayas, which give us water as
well as fertile soil.

u A number of dams have been constructed in the Himalayas; they give us electricity
and help to control floods.

u The Himalayas have dense forests which are a rich source of wood and other forest
products.

u Many well-known hill stations are located in the Himalayas.

mountain chain : a series of connected mountains.

mountain range : a line or group of mountains.
glacier : a river of ice which moves down very slowly.
valley : an area of low land between hills or mountains; or, a plain area through which a
river flows.
Terai : the foot-hills of the shivalik range in the himalayas.

Facts

• India is home to all types of landforms, such as mountains, plains, plateaus, deserts, coasts and
islands.
• The northern mountains comprise two ranges : Karakoram and Himalayan.

• The Karakoram range is located from the Pamir Knot to Indus Gorge.
• The Himalayas are located in the north of India.
• From west to east, the Himalayas can be divided into three parts : western Himalayas, central
Himalayas and eastern Himalayas.
• From north to south, the Himalayas can be divided into three ranges : greater Himalayas (Himadri),
middle Himalayas (Himachal) and lower Himalayas (Shivalik).

• There are a number of passes in the northern mountains; these were used for travel and trade in the
past.
• The Himalayas are useful to us in several ways.

Great Northern Mountains 11