Land and forest of India

The explosive growth of the human population has been accompanied by rising expectations and increase in the standard of living. More food, more houses, more transport, more energy and more of everything is required. This growing human need has resulted in depletion of natural resources; deforestation, loss of biodiversity, water and energy scarcity, increasing exploitation of mineral resources etc. have led to the degradation of the environment. It is important to identify and address important issues to conserve and improve the environment.

Our country occupies south central peninsula of Asia. India consists of the main land and two groups of islands Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea. India has a total of about 32, 87,263 sq. km of land and more than 7500 km long coastline. Being situated totally north of the equator, India belongs to the Northern Hemisphere. Though India is the seventh largest country in the world, it occupies only 2.42 per cent of the world’s total area.

Land...

India is characterised by a great diversity of physical features. In the North, there is a vast expanse of terrain, consisting of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, a chain of lofty peaks of mountains, enclosing plateaus and deep and narrow valleys. The surface of north Indian plains along the expanse of the river Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra is made up of alluvium.

The northern plains are the granaries of the country. The peninsular plateau in the south is made up of igneous and metamorphic rocks. This peninsular plateau is rich in minerals. The coastal region and the islands provide sites for fishing and port activities and oceanic wealth. In addition, the island groups have vast coral deposits, rich bio-diversity and are of great strategic importance for defence purposes.

Forests...

A forest is a community of living trees or plants and associated organisms covering a considerable area, utilising sun-shine, air, water and material from the soil to sustain and reproduce itself. Forests provide wood canes, gums, resins, dyes, tannins, fibres, medicines, food etc., to humans.

Flora and fauna...

India has very rich flora and fauna. It is home to about 8100 animal species and 49, 000plant species of which 15000 are flowering plants. Most of the Himalayan and peninsular regions are covered with indigenous flora. Some of them are totally endemic (local, not found elsewhere). The forests and the vegetation thereby, is classified and determined by climatic factors such as temperature, heat, precipitation, soil, relief, drainage etc. The following major types of forests may be identified in India.

(i) Tropical rain forests

(ii) Tropical deciduous forests

(iii) Temperate broad leaf forests

(iv) Temperate needle – leaf or coniferous forests

(v) Alpine and Tundra Vegetation

Of the total forest cover in India, seven North-East states together have 25.7 per cent followed by Madhya Pradesh (20.68 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (10.8 per cent).