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Himalayan Range


The Himalayas are a young fold mountain system, extending ~2,500 km from Nanga Parbat (west) to Namcha Barwa (east), with a width of 150–400 km. Formed during the Tertiary period (~50 million years ago) by the collision of the Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate, they are still tectonically active.

They act as a barrier to cold winds, a source of perennial rivers, a climatic divide, and a cultural-historical boundary between India and Central Asia.

The system is divided into three longitudinal belts:

Greater Himalaya (Himadri)

  • Location: Northernmost and highest range, running continuously along the entire Himalayan arc.

  • Elevation: 6,000–8,848 m; snow-covered throughout the year.

  • Width: 25–40 km.

  • Composition: Crystalline igneous rocks, gneisses, granites.

  • Geological Origin: Formed from the Tethys Sea sediments uplifted by plate convergence.

🔹 Peaks

  • Mount Everest (8,848.86 m) – highest peak in the world.

  • Kanchenjunga, Nanga Parbat, Nanda Devi, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Makalu.

🔹 Glaciers

  • Siachen (76 km), Baltoro, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Zemu.

  • Glacial features: moraines, cirques, horns, aretes, U-shaped valleys.

🔹 Rivers

  • Major snow-fed rivers originate here: Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra.

🔹 Climate

  • Permafrost zones, snowline at ~4,500–5,000 m, prone to avalanches.

🔹 Tourist & Pilgrimage Sites

  • Everest Base Camp (Nepal)

  • Nanda Devi National Park & Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) – UNESCO sites

  • Kailash Mansarovar (Tibet)

  • Char Dham shrines (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath)

🔹 Geographical Features

  • Highest relief, permanent snow, major glaciers, tectonic instability, earthquakes, and glacial erosion shaping the land.

Inner Himalaya (Himachal / Lesser Himalaya)

  • Location: South of Himadri, separated by deep valleys.

  • Elevation: 3,500–4,500 m.

  • Width: 50–80 km.

  • Composition: Highly compressed sedimentary rocks – sandstones, shales, limestones.

🔹 Ranges

  • Pir Panjal Range – longest range, passes like Banihal, Rohtang, Pir Panjal Pass.

  • Dhauladhar Range – Dharamshala region.

  • Nag Tibba, Mahabharat (in Nepal).

🔹 Valleys

  • Longitudinal duns and intermontane valleys:

    • Kangra Valley, Kullu Valley, Kathmandu Valley, Kashmir Valley.

🔹 Glaciers

  • Smaller than Himadri: Beas Kund, Pindari, Khatling.

🔹 Rivers

  • Tributaries of Ganga (Alaknanda, Mandakini, Bhagirathi) and Indus (Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas) flow through.

🔹 Climate & Vegetation

  • Moderate climate; supports temperate forests of oak, pine, cedar, rhododendron.

  • Rain-shadow valleys (e.g., Spiti, Lahaul) create cold desert conditions.

🔹 Tourist & Pilgrimage Sites

  • Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Srinagar, Mussoorie, Nainital.

  • Monasteries in Himachal and Ladakh.

  • Adventure tourism: trekking, river rafting, skiing.

🔹 Geographical Features

  • Landslides, terraced farming, apple orchards, river gorges, high passes.

Outer Himalaya (Shiwalik)

  • Location: Outermost foothills, youngest part of Himalayas.

  • Elevation: 900–1,200 m (lowest).

  • Width: 10–50 km.

  • Composition: Unconsolidated sediments (sand, silt, gravel, conglomerates) brought by rivers from higher Himalayas.

🔹 Topography

  • Loose rocks → prone to erosion, landslides, and flash floods.

  • Characterized by duns (structural valleys) between Shiwalik and Himachal:

    • Dehradun, Patli Dun, Kotli Dun.

  • Seasonal streams (Chos) create broad alluvial fans at foothills.

🔹 Climate

  • Subtropical climate; monsoon rains cause soil erosion.

🔹 Tourist & Pilgrimage Sites

  • Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Jammu foothills.

  • Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand).

🔹 Geographical Features

  • Piedmont plains, alluvial deposits, thick forests in some parts, low-altitude wildlife sanctuaries.

Dunes & Desert Features

  • Not typical in Shiwalik or Himachal, but Trans-Himalaya (Ladakh, Nubra Valley) has cold desert conditions with sand dunes at high altitude.

  • Aeolian processes (wind-driven geomorphology) create dunes in Nubra Valley, a contrast to glacial landscapes.

Himalayan Divisions

FeatureGreater Himalaya (Himadri)Inner Himalaya (Himachal)Outer Himalaya (Shiwalik)
Elevation6,000–8,848 m3,500–4,500 m900–1,200 m
Width25–40 km50–80 km10–50 km
CompositionCrystalline rocks, granite, gneissSedimentary rocks (shale, limestone)Unconsolidated sediments
GlaciersVery large (Siachen, Gangotri)Small (Pindari, Beas Kund)Absent
ClimateCold, permafrost, snowline above 4,500 mTemperate, forested, rain-shadow desertsSubtropical, monsoon rainfall
RiversIndus, Ganga, BrahmaputraChenab, Jhelum, Alaknanda, BeasSeasonal streams (Chos)
TourismEverest, Nanda Devi, Valley of Flowers, Char DhamShimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kashmir ValleyDehradun, Haridwar, Corbett NP
GeomorphologyU-shaped valleys, moraines, cirquesDoons, gorges, terraced slopesPiedmont plains, duns, alluvial fans


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