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Mountains
What is a mountain?
Types
Mountain and Hill Ranges of India
Formation of Himalayas
Types of Himalayan Range
West to East Division of Himalayas
Purvanchal Hills
Aravalis Mountain Range
Vindhyas Mountian Range
Satpura Mountain range
Western Ghats Mountain Range
Eastern Ghats Mountain Range
Top 10 Highest Mountain Range
Highest peaks of the Indian States (List)
Highest peaks of the Indian States (Map Plotting)
Highest peaks of the Mountain Ranges
Mountain Ranges of the World (List)
Mountain Ranges of the World (Map Plotting)
Practicing through DHITRASHTRA MODE (Simplicrack Special)
Longest Mountain Ranges of the world (List)
Highest Peak of the neighboring Countries of India (SSC Special)
Previous year Questions A hill is a land surface that rises higher than the surrounding area. Generally, a steep hill with
an elevation of more than 600 metres is termed as a mountain.

Contribution
Covering 27% of the world's
land, they contribute 80% of
fresh surface water.

Shape
Population
Erosion, driven by rivers,
Around 12% of the global
weather, and glaciers,
population resides in mountains.
shapes mountains

Formation
Elevated landforms,
steeper than hills, Resources
formed by tectonic Over 50% depend on mountain
forces or volcanism resources, per the UN's FAO.
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Formed through the folding The Himalayas - Iconic

Fold
of the Earth's crust, resulting mountain range created by the
Mountains
in elevated structures. collision of tectonic plates.

Hills formed by the erosion Nilgiris, Parasnath, Girnar,

Residual
of surrounding rock, leaving Rajmahal - Hills in India shaped
Mountains
behind resistant peaks. by erosional processes.

Satpura and Vindhya - Central-

Created by the uplifting or
Block western India features block
tilting of large blocks of the
Mountains mountains with distinct
Earth's crust.
elevations.

Result from volcanic

Barren Island - The only known
Volcano activity, characterized by the
instance of a volcanic
Mountains accumulation of volcanic
mountain in the Andaman Sea.
materials.

Feature dome-shaped
Dome Kedar Dome - A dome-shaped
peaks and are formed by the
Mountains mountain in the Garhwal range
uplifting of rock layers.

Pangaea
A large supercontinent that existed ~225 million years ago
at the .. between the close of the Paleozoic and start of the
Mesozoic (at the Perma-Triassic).

Gondwanaland
A large supercontinent that existed in the southern
hemisphere, clustered near the Antarctic Circle, before it
began to break up ~200 million years ago, consisting of the
modern-day continents of Antarctica, India, Australia,
South America and Africa. Breakup of Gondwanaland

Laurasia
A large supercontinent that existed in the northern
hemisphere before it began to break up ~200 million years
ago, consisting of the modern-day continents of North
America, Europe and Asia.

Tethys
An east-west trending ocean that separated
Gondwanaland from Laurasia
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The Himalayan Ranges

The Himalaya consists of four distinct mountainous ranges:
Trans-Himalaya or Tethys Himalaya
Located in the north.
Associated with the Tethys Ocean.
Greater Himalaya
Major central range.
Houses some of the world's highest peaks.
Lesser Himalaya
Parallel and south of the Greater Himalaya.
Features lower peaks.
Siwalik or Outer Himalaya
Outermost range.
Comprises foothills and low-lying hills.
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Trans Himalayan Range Great or Inner Himalayas

(Himadri)
- Located north of the Great Himalayan range,
often referred to as the Tibetan Himalaya.
- Primary ranges include Zaskar, Ladakh, Kailas, The most continuous range in the
and Karakoram. Himalayas, often known as the
- Also known as Krishnagiri, forming Himadri.
Karakora
India's borders with Afghanistan and
m Range
China.
- Houses K2 (Godwin Austen), the
- Consists of the loftiest peaks with an
second-highest peak globally, at average height of 6,000 meters.
8,611 m.
Ladakh - Located north of Leh, drained by the - Core of this part is composed of
Range Indus River. granite.
- Significant passes include
- Shipki-La, Nathu-La, and Zoji-La are
Khardung La and Digar La to the
north and east of Leh. prominent mountain passes, crucial
for connectivity.
Zaskar - Divides Ladakh from Kashmir
Range lowlands and Chenab River.
- Features rivers such as Hanle,
Khurana, Zanskar, Suru, and Shingo.
- Divides Kinnaur and Spiti in
Himachal Pradesh, hosting Locate in Map Below
Himachal's tallest peaks.
Kailash - An extension of the Ladakh Range
Range in western Tibet.
- Mount Kailash, the highest peak in
the range, at 6,714 m.

The Middle Himalayas, also Shiwaliks

known as Himachal Himalayas
or Lesser Himalaya (Outer or Sub-Himalaya)
- Extends over a width of
Altitude - Altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 Extension
10-50 km.
Range meters.
Average - The average width is approximately 50 - Altitude varies between
Width km. Altitude Range
900 and 1,100 meters.
Prominent - Pir Panjal range is the longest and most
Ranges important range in this region. Valley - Valleys covered with
Characteristics thick gravel and alluvium.
- Dhaula Dhar and the Mahabharat
ranges are also prominent in the Middle - Longitudinal valleys
Himalayas. lying between the Lesser
- Encompasses the famous valleys of Longitudinal
Valleys and Himalaya and the
Kashmir, Kangra, and Kullu in Himachal Valleys
Regions Shiwaliks are known as
Pradesh.
Duns.
- Home to significant Himalayan hill
- Examples include
stations, including Shimla, Mussoorie,
Nainital, Almora, and Darjeeling, among DehraDun, Kotli Dun, and
others. Patti Dun.
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West to East Division

- The part of the Himalayas lying
between the Indus and Satluj rivers.
- Regionally known as Kashmir and
Punjab Himachal Himalaya from west to east
Himalaya respectively.
- The part of the Himalayas lying
between the Satluj and Kali rivers.
Kumaon
- The Lesser Himalaya in Kumaon
Himalaya
Himalaya is represented by the
s
Mussoorie and Nag Tiba ranges.
- Also known as Garhwal Himalaya.
- The Central (Middle) Himalayas
Nepal
situated between the Tista River and
Himalaya
the Kali River.
s
- Also known as Central Himalaya.
Assam - The part lying between the Teesta
Himalaya and Dihang rivers.
s - Known as the Eastern Himalayas.

Purvanchal Hills

Geographical - Southward extension of the Himalayas along the

Extension northeastern edge of India.

- Emerges as a series of comparatively low hills after

Formation
a sudden southward bend at the Dihang Gorge.

Geographical - Extends from Arunachal Pradesh in the north to

Coverage Mizoram in the south.
Constituent - Arunachal Pradesh: Patkai Hills, Miri Hills, Dafla
Hills Hills, Mishmi Hills, Abor Hills.
- Nagaland: Naga Hills.
- Manipur: Manipur Hills, Laimatol Range.
- Mizoram: Mizo Hills (previously known as the
Lushai Hills).
Geopolitical
- Runs along the India-Myanmar Border.
Borders
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Aravali Vindhya Range

- Extends from
- One of the oldest folded mountain Gujarat in the
Age
ranges in the world.
west to the
- Ranges from 300 meters to 900 Geographical
Elevation Ganges river
meters. Extension
valley in
Geographi
cal
- Extends through the states of Varanasi, Uttar
Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Pradesh.
Coverage

Main
- Divided into two main ranges: the - Gives rise to
Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar primary southern
Ranges River Basin
Khetri Range in Rajasthan.
tributaries of the
Contribution
Tallest
- Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu, Rajasthan) Ganges-Yamuna
is the highest point, reaching an basin.
Point
elevation of 1,722 meters.
- Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi is built on - Contributes
Significant to the
Raisina Hill, which is a part of the
Landmark
Aravalli mountain range. Major Chambal,
Tributaries Betwa, Ken,
and Tons
Satpura rivers.

Geographical - Runs parallel to the Vindhya

Orientation Range.

- Extends between the valleys of

Location the Narmada graben in the north
and the Tapi graben in the south.

- Spans eastern Gujarat, borders

Geographical of Maharashtra and Madhya
Coverage Pradesh, and ends in
Chhattisgarh.
Vindhy
a
- Seven mountain ranges or Satpur
Mountain folds include Maikal, Mahadeo a
Ranges/Folds Hills, Kalibhit, Asirgarh,
Bijagarh, Barwani, and Arwani.

- Dhupgarh (1,360 m) near

Pachmarhi on Mahadeo Hills is
Highest Peak
the highest peak above Mean
Sea Level (MSL).
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Western Ghats
(Sahyadri) Eastern Ghats
- Runs from the Tapi valley to a little north of
Geographical
Kanyakumari, covering a distance of
Coverage
approximately 1,600 km.
Regional - Known as Sahyadri in northern
- Runs from northern Odisha through
Names Maharashtra, Sahya Parvatham in Kerala. Geographical Extent Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, passing
- Central part known as Kanara, and the some parts of Karnataka.
Subdivisions southern part referred to as the Malabar
region or the Malabar Coast.
Type of
- Block mountain. - Eroded and cut through by major rivers:
Formation River Connections
Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri.
- Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage
Recognition
Site.
- Nilgiri Mountains (Doddabetta, Anamudi
(2,695 m, Kerala - the highest peak), - Jindhagada(1,690 metres, Highest) ,
Peaks and Mahendragiri, Deomali, Solaikaradu Peak,
Cardamom Hills (Yela Mala), Anaimalai Hills Notable Peaks and
Erramala Hills, Nallamala Hills, Velikonda
Hills Hills
(Elephant Hills), Palani Hills, Brahmagiri Hills, Palkonda Hills, Javadi Hills,
Range. Shevaroy Hills
- Matheran, Lonavala-Khandala,
Famous Hill
Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Amboli Ghat,
Stations
Kudremukh, Kodagu.

Nilgiri, Annamalai, Cardamom, Palani Hills (Eastern

Southern Hill Complex Ghats: Shevaroy, Javadi, Palkonda, Nallamalai,
Northern Circars)
Oblique Ranges in
Ajanta, Satmala, Harishchandra, Balaghat
Maharashtra
Satpura Range (East to
Amarkantak, Maikal, Mahadeo, Gawilgarh, Rajpipala
West)
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Highest peaks of the Indian States

STATE/UT HIGHEST PEAK RANGE/REGION
Arma Konda or Sitamma Konda or
Andhra Pradesh Eastern Ghats
Jindhagadha
Arunachal Pradesh Kangto Eastern Himalayas
Bihar Someshwar Fort Shivallik Hills
Goa Sonsogor Western Ghats
Gujarat Girnar Girnar Hills
Haryana Karoh Peak Morni Hills (Shivalik Hills section)
Himachal Pradesh Reo Purgyil Western Himalayas
Jharkhand Parasnath Chota Nagpur Plateau
Kerala Anamudi Anamalai Hills (Western Ghats)
Karnataka Mullayanagiri Sahyadri Hills (Western Ghats)
Manipur Mount Tempu (Mount Iso) Barail Range
Mizoram Phawngpui Lushai Hills (Patkai Range)
Maharashtra Kalsubai Sahyadri Hills (Western Ghats)
Madhya Pradesh Dhupgarh Satpura Range
Meghalaya Shillong Peak Khasi Hills (Shillong Plateau)
Nagaland Mount Saramati Naga Hills (Patkai Range)
Odisha Deomali Eastern Ghats
Sikkim Kanchenjunga Eastern Himalayas
Tamil Nadu Doddabetta Nilgiri Hills (Western Ghats)
Telangana Doli Gutta Deccan Plateau
Tripura Betlingchip (Jampui Hills) Lushai Hills (Easternmost section)
Uttarakhand Nanda Devi Garhwal Himalaya (Western Himalayas)
Uttar Pradesh Amsot Peak (Rajaji Range) Shivalik Hills
West Bengal Sandakphu Singalila Ridge (Eastern Himalayas)
Andaman and
Saddle Peak (North Andaman Island) -
Nicobar Islands
Jammu and
Nun Kun Peak Western Himalayas
Kashmir
Ladakh Saltoro Kangri Saltoro Range (Karakoram)
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Mountain Ranges of the World
Mountain Location Type Highest Peak
Southern Alps New Zealand Fold Aoraki/Mount Cook
Great Dividing Range Australia Fold Mount Kosciuszko
MacDonnell Ranges Australia Block Mount Zeil
Drakensberg South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini Escarpment Thabana Ntlenyana
Rwenzori Mountains Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo Block Mount Stanley
Atlas Mountains Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia Fold Toubkal
Western Ghats India Escarpment Anamudi
Eastern Ghats India Faulted Jindhagada Peak
Himalayas India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan Fold Mount Everest
Karakoram India, Pakistan, China Fold K2
Hindu Kush Afghanistan, Pakistan Fold Tirich Mir
Tian Shan China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Fold Jengish Chokusu
Ural Mountains Russia, Kazakhstan Fold Mount Narodnaya
Altai Mountains Russia, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan Fold Belukha Mountain
Zagros Mountains Iran, Iraq Fold Dena
Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey,
Caucasus Mountains Fold Mount Elbrus
Iran
Taurus Mountains Turkey Fold Mount Ararat
France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany,
Alps Fold Mont Blanc
Slovenia
Apennine Mountains Italy, San Marino Fold Corno Grande
Pyrenees France, Spain, Andorra Fold Aneto
Scandinavian Mountains Norway, Sweden Fold Galdhøpiggen
Andes South America Fold Aconcagua
Sierra Nevada United States Block Mount Whitney
Sierra Madre Occidental Mexico Fold Cerro Mohinora
Rocky Mountains United States, Canada Fold Mount Elbert
Appalachian Mountains United States, Canada Fold Mount Mitchell
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