Crops in India
Crops : Points to remember
| Point to remember | Crop |
|---|---|
| The crop which requires water-logging for its cultivation | Rice |
| The crop best suited in areas where rain falls only for two months | Pulses |
| The ideal crop for areas with rainfall above 200 cm and sloping hills | Tea |
| The crop which requires a large amount of rainfall and no standing water | Tea |
| The plants which are best for biological nitrogen fixation of the soil | Legumes |
| The crops grown for sale in the market (as against consumption by the farmer) are known as | Cash crops |
Kharif, Rabi and Zaid Crops
| Crop | Period | Major Crops |
|---|---|---|
| Kharif | June to October | Rice, millets |
| Rabi | November to March | Wheat, barley, mustard |
| Zaid | March to June | Water melon, cucumber, musk melon, sugarcane |
| Kharif means autumn in Arabic and kharif crops are harvested in winter, Rabi means spring in Arabic and rabi crops are harvest in spring (March) | ||
Crops in India
| The crop which is sown in largest area in India | Rice (43.9 million hectares as per 2013-14 estimates) |
| The crop whose production is the largest in India | Sugarcane (348.4 million tonnes as per 2013-14 estimates) |
| The cereal crop whose production is the largest in India | Rice (106.3 million tonnes as per 2013-14 estimates) |
| The agricultural produce which has the highest percentage share of imports | Edible Oil (about 68% of imports of food and allied products) |
| The agricultural produce which has the highest percentage share of exports | Rice |
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Top Crop Producing States
| Crop | State |
|---|---|
| The largest producer of paddy in India | West Bengal |
| The largest producer of wheat in India | Uttar Pradesh |
| The largest producer of sugarcane in India | Uttar Pradesh |
| The largest producer of potato in India | Uttar Pradesh |
| The largest producer of groundnut in India | Gujarat |
| The largest producer of tea in India | Assam |
| The largest producer of coffee in India | Karnataka |
| The largest producer of jute in India | West Bengal |
| The largest producer of tobacco in India | Andhra Pradesh |
| The largest producer of bananas in India | Tamil Nadu |
| The largest producer of cassava in India | Tamil Nadu |
| The largest producer of saffron in India | Jammu & Kashmir |
| The largest producer of onion in India | Maharashtra |
| The largest producer of cashew nuts in India | Maharashtra |
| The largest producer of garlic in India | Madhya Pradesh |
| The largest producer of black pepper in India | Kerala |
| The largest producer of cotton in India | Gujarat |
| The largest producer of bamboos in India | Assam |
| The largest producer of litchis in India | Bihar |
| The largest producer of small cardamom in India | Kerala |
| The largest producer of large cardamom in India | Sikkim |
| The largest producer of chilli in India | Andhra Pradesh |
Top Crop Producing Countries
| Crop | Country |
|---|---|
| Largest producer of cardamom | Guatemala |
| Largest producer of vanilla | Indonesia |
| Largest producer of saffron | Iran |
| Largest producer of black pepper | Vietnam |
| Largest producer of rubber | Thailand |
| Largest producer of corn | United States |
| Largest producer of cashew nut | Vietnam |
| Largest producer of cinnamon | Indonesia |
| Largest producer of cloves | Indonesia |
| Largest producer of cocoa | Cote d’Ivoire |
| Largest producer of coconuts | Indonesia |
| Largest producer of coffee | Brazil |
| Largest producer of dates | Egypt |
| Largest producer of oranges | Brazil |
| Largest producer of pistachios | Iran |
| Largest producer of quinoa | Bolivia |
| Largest producer of strawberry | China |
| Largest producer of walnuts | China |
| Largest producer of apricots | Turkey |
| Largest producer of almonds | USA |
Crops : India's Rank in the World
| Feature | Rank |
|---|---|
| Millets, Lemon & limes, Bananas, Sesame, Ginger, Mangoes, Papayas, Jute, Castor Oil seed, Safflower oil seed, Cottonseed* | First |
| Sugarcane, Wheat, Onion, Potatoes, Garlic, Rice, Tea | Second |
| *As per International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) report for the month of March 2017 | |
Types of Farming
| Subsistence Farming |
|
| Intensive Farming |
|
| Shifting Agriculture |
|
Agriculture and related fields
| Type | Related to |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Cultivation of the soil and rearing of animals |
| Horticulture | Cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, ornamental plants |
| Floriculture | Cultivation of flowers |
| Arboriculture | Cultivation of trees and shrubs |
| Apiculture | Bee keeping |
| Aquaculture | Cultivation or rearing of aquatic plants and animals |
| Aviculture | Rearing of birds |
| Pisciculture | Rearing of fish |
| Pomiculture | Growing of fruits |
| Sericulture | Breeding of silkworms |
| Viniculture/Viticulture | Cultivation of grapevines |
Types of Irrigation
1. Surface Irrigation
| Application of water by gravity flow to the surface of the field. |
Types of of surface irrigation - Basin, Furrow and Border
| a. Basin Irrigation | b. Furrow Irrigation | c. Border Irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Flat areas of land are surrounded by low bunds to create basins which are then flooded by water. | Small channels called furrows carry water down the land slope between the crop rows. Water infiltrates into the soil as it moves along the slope. | Borders are long, sloping strips of land separated by bunds. Water flows down the slope of the border, guided by the bunds on either side. |
| Rice is commonly irrigated this way. | Row crops such as maize, sunflower, sugarcane, soybean and also crops which would get damaged by basin irrigation like tomatoes, vegetables, potatoes, beans; fruit trees such as citrus, grape etc. | Close growing crops such as pasture or alfalfa |
2. Sprinkler Irrigation
| Water is pumped through a pipe system and then sprayed onto the crops through rotating sprinkler heads. Not suitable for delicate crops such as lettuce. |
3. Drip Irrigation
| Water is conveyed under pressure through a pipe system to the fields, where it drips slowly onto the soil through emitters or drippers which are located close to the plants. Suitable for all row crops but only high value crops are irrigated this way because of cost involved. |
Mountains and Hills of India
Important Facts
The study of mountains is called Orology
| Feature | Mountain |
|---|---|
| Highest mountain in India | Kanchenjunga |
| Highest mountain in India (incl POK) | Mt K2 also known as Godwin Austin |
| Oldest mountain range in India | Aravallis |
| The highest peak in the Western Ghats and also South India is | Anamudi in Kerala |
| The highest peak in the Aravallis is | Guru Shikhar, near Mt. Abu in Rajasthan |
| Raisina Hill, the area in New Delhi where Rashtrapati Bhavan is located is an extension of | Aravalli Hills |
| The hill ranges which geographically divide northern India from the Deccan Plateau | Vindhyas |
| The Western Ghats are also known as | Sahyadri hills |
| The name of the hill on which the famous Vaishno Devi temple is located | Trikuta |
| Mt Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva of Hindu mythology is located in | Tibet |
Hill Ranges of India
| Range | States |
|---|---|
| Eastern Ghats | Tamil nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal |
| Western Ghats | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra |
| Aravallis | Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana |
| Cardamom Hills | Kerala and Tamil Nadu |
| Anaimalai Hills | Kerala and Tamil Nadu |
| Nilgiri Hills | Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka |
| Palani Hills | Tamil Nadu |
| Satpura Range | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh |
| Vindhyas | Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh |
| Garo Hills | Meghalaya |
| Khasi Hills | Meghalaya |
| Jaintia Hills | Meghalaya |
| Pir Panjal | Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Karakoram | Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir |
Hill Stations of India
| Hill Station | Hills | State |
|---|---|---|
| Anantnag | - | J & K |
| Dalhousie | Dhauladhar range | Himachal Pradesh |
| Darjeeling | Lesser Himalayas or Mahabharat Range | West Bengal |
| Gulmarg | - | J & K |
| Kasauli | - | Himachal Pradesh |
| Kodaikanal | Palani Hills | Tamilnadu |
| Lonavla | Sahyadri Hills | Maharashtra |
| Mahabaleshwar | Sahyadri Hills | Maharashtra |
| Manali | Kullu Valley | Himachal Pradesh |
| Mt Abu | Aravalli Hills | Rajasthan |
| Mussoorie | Garhwal Hills | Uttarakhand |
| Nainital | Kumaon Hills | Uttarakhand |
| Panchmarhi | Satpura Hills | Madhya Pradesh |
| Ooty or Udhamandalam | Nilgiri Hills | Tamilnadu |
| Coonoor | Nilgiri Hills | Tamilnadu |
| Saputara | Sahyadri Hills | Gujarat |
| Horsley Hills | - | Andhra Pradesh |
Highest Mountains of Indian States
| State | Highest Point | Mountain/Hill Range |
|---|---|---|
| Arunachal Pradesh | Kangto | Eastern Himalayas |
| Himachal Pradesh | Reo Purgyil | Western Himalayas |
| Jammu & Kashmir | Mt. K2 | Karakoram |
| Karnataka | Mullayanagiri | Western Ghats |
| Kerala | Anamudi | Western Ghats |
| Maharashtra | Kalsubai | Sahyadris |
| Mizoram | Phawngpui | Lushai Hills |
| Nagaland | Saramati | Naga Hills |
| Odisha | Deomali | Eastern Ghats |
| Rajasthan | Guru Shikhar | Aravalli Hills |
| Sikkim | Kangchenjunga | Eastern Himalayas |
| Tamil Nadu | Doddabetta | Nilgiri Hills |
| Tripura | Betalongchhip | Jamui Hills |
| Uttarakhand | Nanda Devi | Himalayas |
| West Bengal | Sandakphu | Eastern Himalayas |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Saddle Peak | — |
Mountains of the World
| Feature | Name |
|---|---|
| Highest mountain | Mt Everest* (Nepal) 8,848 m |
| Highest mountain in Africa | Mt Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) 5895m |
| Highest mountain in Australia | Mt Kosciuszko 2234 m |
| Highest mountain in Europe | Mt Elbrus (Russia) 5642 m |
| Highest mountain in North America | Mt Denali** (Alaska, USA) 6187m |
| Highest mountain in South America | Mt Aconcagua (Argentina) 7021m |
| Highest mountain in Antarctica | Mt Vinson Massif |
| Highest mountain in Oceania (Australia and New Guinea) | Puncak Jaya (Mount Carstensz) 4884m |
| *Mt. Everest named after Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India is known as Chomolungma in Tibet and Sagarmatha in Nepal. **Mt Denali was earlier known as Mt McKinley and was renamed in 2015. Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii is over 10,000 m tall from its base to peak (taller than Mt. Everest) but most of it lies under the ocean and is only 4,205 m above sea level. | |
Eight Thousanders - Mountains above 8000m in height
| Name | Location | Height | First Scaled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Everest | Nepal | 8,848 m | 1953 |
| Mt K2 or Godwin Austin | Karkoram, POK | 8,611 m | 1954 |
| Kanchenjunga | Sikkim, India | 8,586 m | 1955 |
| Lhotse | Nepal/China | 8,516 m | 1956 |
| Makalu | Nepal/China | 8,485 m | 1955 |
| Cho Oyu | Nepal/China | 8,201 m | 1954 |
| Dhaulagiri | Nepal | 8,167 m | 1960 |
| Manaslu | Nepal | 8,163 m | 1956 |
| Nanga Parbat | Karkoram, POK | 8,126 m | 1953 |
| Annapurna | Nepal | 8,091 m | 1950 |
| Note: There are 14 eight-thousanders in the world and all of them are located in the Himalayan and Karkoram ranges of Asia | |||
Mountain Ranges of the World
| Feature | Name | Length | Highest Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain range in Europe | The Alps | 1,200 km | Mont Blanc, 4,811 m |
| Mountain range in North America | The Rockies | 4,800 km | Mount Elbert, 4,401 m |
| Mountain range in South America | The Andies | 7,000 km | Mt Aconcagua, 7,021 m |
| Mountain range in Africa | Drakensburg | 1,000 km | Thabana Ntlenyana, 3,482 m |
| Mountain range in Australia | The Great Dividing Range | 3,000 km | Mt Kosciuszko, 2,234 m |
| Mountain range in Asia | Himalayas | 2,400 km | Mt Everest, 8,848 m |
| Mountain range in Asia | Karakoram | 500 km | Mt K2, 8,611 m |
| Mountain range in Antarctica | Transantarctic Mountain Range (TAM) | 3500 km | Mt Kirkpatrick, 4,528 m |
Mountain Ranges of the World and Countries
| Range | Countries |
|---|---|
| The Alps | France, Austria, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany and Switzerland |
| The Rockies | The U.S.A., Canada |
| The Andies | Ecuador, Chile, Columbia, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela |
| Drakensburg | South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland |
| Himalayas | Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, Bhutan and Myanmar |
| Karakoram | India, China and Pakistan |
| Hindukush | Pakistan, Afghanistan |
First to Conquer Mt. Everest
| Feature | Name | Date |
|---|---|---|
| First persons | Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay | 29 May 1953 |
| First woman | Junko Tabei | 16 May 1975 |
| First person to summit twice | Nawang Gombu | 1963 and 1965 |
| First woman to summit twice | Santosh Yadav | 1992 and 1993 |
| Oldest person | Yuichiro Muira (80 years 224 days) | 23 May 2013 |
| Oldest woman | Tamae Watanbe (73 years 180 days) | 19 May 2012 |
| Youngest person | Jordan Romera (13 years 10 months 10 days) | 19 May 2012 |
| Youngest female | Malavath Purna (13 years 11 mths) | 25 May 2014 |
| First Indian woman | Bachendri Pal | 23 May 1984 |
| First twins | Tashi and Nungshi Malik | 19 May 2013 |
| First Indian without oxygen | Phu Dorjee | 09 May 1984 |
| First female amputee | Arunima Sinha | 21 May 2013 |
| Most number of times | Apa Sherpa (21 times) Phurba Tashi Sherpa (21 times) | 11 May 2011 24 May 2013 |
| First blind person | Erik Weihenmayer | 25 May 2001 |
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Facts to Remember on Indian Rivers
| General Facts on Indian Rivers |
|---|
| The river system of India can be classified into four groups - 1. Himalayan rivers 2. Deccan (Peninsular) rivers 3. Coastal rivers and 4. Rivers of inland water drainage. |
| Luni, Machhu, Banas, Rupen, Saraswati and Ghagghar are examples of rivers with inland water drainage, i.e. they do not empty into the ocean but get lost into the sand. |
| Subarnarekha, Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Vaigai, Netravati and Sharavati are examples of coastal rivers. |
| The longest flowing river in India is the Ganges or Ganga followed by Godavari, Yamuna, Krishna and Narmada. |
| The longest river which flows through India is the Indus which originates in Tibet and enters Pakistan before flowing into the Arabian Sea. |
| The Ganges is also known as the Bhagirathi since King Bhagirath was responsible for bringing it from the heavens to the earth. The part of the River Ganga which flows into Bangladesh is known as Padma. |
| Most of the Indian rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal but some like Narmada,Tapti, Netravathi and Periyar flow into the Arabian Sea. |
| Five rivers of erstwhile Punjab are Sutlej, Ravi, Beas, Jhelum and Chenab |
| The river also known as Dakshin Ganga is Godavari |
| The Brahmaputra is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet and as Dihang in Arunachal Pradesh. The Brahmaputra river is known as Jomuna in Bangladesh. |
| The river known as Singi Khamban (Lion's mouth) in Tibet River Indus |
| The river known as Bengal’s sorrow is River Damodar |
| Prayag or Allahabad is believed to be the confluence (sangam) of these rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati |
| The number of Indian rivers which have been classified as major rivers by the Government is Twelve. |
| There are three Trans-Himalayan rivers which originate in the high Tibetan Plateau and cut across the mighty Himalayan ranges. Indus, Brahmaputra, and Sutlej. |