Landforms

 

Landforms and Life

What are landforms?

• Landforms are natural features on the Earth’s surface that make up the terrain (like mountains, plateaus, plains, and deserts).

• They are formed over millions of years.

• Different landforms have different climates, plants, animals, and human settlements.

• Humans have adapted to all landforms in different ways.

• The landforms can be broadly be divided into three categories: Mountains, Plateaus and Plains.

Significance of Landforms

• Landforms provide living space for humans, animals, and plants.
• Mountains, plains, and plateaus influence rainfall, temperature, and the type of plants that grow.
• Mountains and plateaus give minerals, forests, and water; plains provide fertile soil for crops.
• They support human activities –Mountains: tourism, terrace farming, forests.
• Plateaus: mining, industries.
• Plains: agriculture, transport, and trade.

• The type of landform decides how and where people build homes and live.
• Each landform supports different plants and animals adapted to its environment.   (e.g., Yaks in mountains, camels in deserts, fish in plains’ rivers.)
• It helps in forming various cultures and traditions. 

Mountains

• Mountains are landforms much higher than the surrounding areas.

• They have a broad base, steep slopes, and a narrow summit.

• High-altitude mountains are covered with snow, while lower parts have melting snow that forms rivers.

Examples of Rivers:

• Ganga River – Originates from the Himalayas, about 2,500 km long.

  • Tributaries from Himalayas: Yamuna, Ghaghara

  • Tributaries from Vindhya Range: Son (Sone) River

Hills:

• Highlands that are lower, with gentle slopes and rounded tops.

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🌏 Major Mountain Ranges of the World

Mountain Range	Continent	Highest Peak
Himalayas	Asia	Mount Everest (8,849 m)
Andes	South America	Mount Aconcagua (6,961 m)
Alps	Europe	Mont Blanc (4,805.59 m)
Eastern Africa	Africa	Mount Kilimanjaro (isolated mountain, highest free standing mountain ) 5,895 m
South India	Asia	Anamudi (Kerala)  (2,695 m)

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Mount Acancagua

Mont Blanc

Mount Kilimanjaro

Anamudi (Kerala)

❄️ What is Snow?

• In most parts of India, precipitation is rain or hail.

• At high altitudes, precipitation occurs as snow, covering the land with a white blanket.

• Snow and hailstones are solid forms of water.

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🧭Young and Older Mountains :

1. Mountains with tall and sharp peaks, like the Himalayas, are relatively young. They were formed recently in Earth’s history. They are called young because they are still in the developmental stage and their height is increasing continuously.
2. Mountains that are short and have rounded tops, like the Aravallis are considered ‘old mountains’. Due to continuous erosion, their peaks are rounded.

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🌳 Mountain Environment

• Covered with montane forests (coniferous trees).

• Common trees: Pine, Fir, Spruce, Deodar.

• At higher altitudes: only grasses, mosses, and lichens grow.

• Home to animals like the golden eagle, peregrine falcon, Canadian lynx, mountain hare, etc.

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👩‍🌾 Life in the Mountains

1. Agriculture

• Land is rugged and steep.

• Farming is done in valleys or on terrace farms (steps cut into slopes).

• In many areas, herding (raising animals) is preferred.

2. Tourism

• Mountains attract tourists for their natural beauty.

• Activities: skiing, hiking, mountaineering, paragliding.

• Tourism brings income, but also causes environmental pressure.

3. Culture and Religion

• Many mountains are sacred.

• Mount Kailash (Tibet) is holy in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon religion.

• Mount Everest – called Chomolungma in Tibet (Mother Goddess of the World) and Sagarmatha in Nepal (Goddess of the Sky).

• Mountains are often worshipped by local communities.

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🧗‍♀️ Women Climbers of India

Name	Achievement	Awards
Bachendri Pal	First Indian woman to climb Mount Everest (1984)	Padma Shri (1984), Padma Bhushan (2019)
Arunima Sinha	First female amputee to climb Mount Everest (2013); climbed all seven continent peaks

Himalayas – In Asia; the youngest and highest mountain range in the world.

Mount Everest – World’s highest peak (8,849 m); between Nepal and Tibet (China).

Kanchenjunga – Second highest peak in the Himalayas (8,586 m); between India (Sikkim) and Nepal.

Alps – Mountain range in Europe; highest peak Mont Blanc (4,808 m).

Andes – Longest mountain range in the world; in South America; highest peak Mount Aconcagua (6,961 m).

Anamudi – Highest peak in South India (2,695 m); located in Kerala.

Mount Kilimanjaro- It is the highest mountain in Africa 

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🏞 Plateaus

• Definition: High flat land with steep sides.

• Examples:

  • Tibetan Plateau – “Roof of the World.”

  • Deccan Plateau – in South India, very old.

• Rich in Minerals: Gold, diamonds, coal, iron, manganese.

• Soil: Some plateaus have less fertile soil, but volcanic plateaus are fertile (black soil).

• Waterfalls in Plateaus: Victoria Falls (Africa), Jog Falls (Karnataka), Hundru Falls (Jharkhand), Nohkalikai Falls (Meghalaya).

🌄 Plateaus

1. How Plateaus are Formed

• Plateaus are flat-topped highlands that rise sharply above the surrounding land.

• They are formed by:

  • Earth’s movements (uplift of land due to movements inside the Earth’s crust).

  • Volcanic activity, when lava spreads and cools over a large area.

  • Erosion, where rivers and wind wear down mountains into flat highlands.

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2. Characteristics of Plateaus

• They are flat or gently sloping on the top.

• Their height is higher than the surrounding plains.

• Plateaus are sometimes called “tablelands” because of their flat top.

• They are rich in minerals and resources. (Iron, Copper, Gold, Coal etc.)

• Rivers often cut deep valleys or gorges through them.

• Some plateaus are good for farming and grazing animals.

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3. Examples of Plateaus

• Deccan Plateau – India

• Chota Nagpur Plateau-India

• Tibetan Plateau – China (world’s highest plateau)

• Colorado Plateau – USA

• Kimberley Plateau – Australia

• Plateau of Brazil – South America

Why the Tibetan Plateau is called the “Roof of the World”

• The Tibetan Plateau is called the “Roof of the World” because it is the highest and largest plateau on Earth.

• It lies at an average height of about 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level.

• It is surrounded by some of the world’s highest mountains, including the Himalayas.

• Because it is so high, it seems like it is close to the sky, just like the roof of the world.

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🌾 Plains

• Definition: Flat or gently sloping lands, not higher than 300m.

• Formed by rivers carrying soil and sediments (floodplains).

• Fertile Soil: Best for farming.

• Examples: Ganga Plain (India).

• Life in Plains:

  • Most people live here (easy to settle).

  • Major farming region – rice, wheat, maize, cotton, jute, hemp

  • Irrigation helps farming but reduces groundwater.

  • Rivers used for transport, culture, and festivals.
    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

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🏜 Deserts

• Definition: Very dry areas with little rain.

• Types:

  • Hot deserts – Sahara, Thar.

  • Cold deserts – Gobi (Asia), Antarctica.

• Life in Deserts:

  • Difficult, but people adapt.

  • Thar Desert people have rich culture, songs, and stories.
    
    
    

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🌱 Five Tinais (Ancient Tamil Sangam Poetry)

Tinai	Landform	Main Occupation
Kurinji	Mountains	Hunting, gathering
Mullai	Forests/Grasslands	Cattle rearing
Marudam	Fertile plains	Farming
Neydal	Coasts	Fishing, seafaring
Palai	Desert	Travelling, fighting

Kurinji

Mullai

Marutham

Neithal

Palai