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Position and Extent of India – NDA Geography Notes
Covers onset, branches, rainfall patterns, and key NDA exam traps.
NDA • Geography • Moderate • 1–2 Questions • Factual + Conceptual
Introduction
The Position and Extent of India NDA chapter forms the foundation of your Geography preparation for the NDA exam. This topic helps you understand where India is located on the globe, its longitudinal and latitudinal spread, and why its position is strategically important. In this article, we’ll cover all the essential points related to Position and Extent of India NDA, including its latitude, longitude, boundaries, and the concept of the Standard Meridian—everything you need to know for the NDA exam.
Understand the Topic
Location of India
- Hemisphere: Northern & Eastern Hemispheres
- Latitudinal Extent: 8°4′ N to 37°6′ N
- Longitudinal Extent: 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E
Dimensions of India
| Measurement | Distance |
|---|---|
| North–South Extent | 3214 km |
| East–West Extent | 2933 km |
| Land Frontier | 15,200 km |
| Mainland Coastline | 6100 km |
| Total Coastline (including islands) | 7516.6 km |
Extreme Points of India
| Direction | Point | Location |
|---|---|---|
| North | Indira Col | Ladakh |
| South (Mainland) | Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) | Tamil Nadu |
| South (Overall) | Indira Point | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| East | Kibithu | Arunachal Pradesh |
| West | Ghuar Moti | Gujarat |
Area & Population of India
- Area: 32,87,263 sq km (3.28 million sq km) → 2.42% of world’s land area
- 7th largest country by area
- Countries larger than India: Russia, Canada, China, USA, Brazil, Australia
- Population Rank: 2nd (after China)
- India’s Population: ~17.5% of world’s population
Indian Standard Time (IST)
- Standard Meridian: 82°30′ E (82.5° E)
- Passes through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)
- Time Difference from GMT: +5 hours 30 minutes
States through which IST passes:
- Uttar Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
- Odisha
- Andhra Pradesh
Tropic of Cancer in India
- Latitude: 23½° N
- Passes through 8 States (West to East):
| State | City/Region |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | Jasdan |
| Rajasthan | Kalinjarh |
| Madhya Pradesh | Shajapur |
| Chhattisgarh | Sonhat |
| Jharkhand | Lohardaga |
| West Bengal | Krishnanagar |
| Tripura | Udaipur |
| Mizoram | Champhai |
Special Points
- Tropic of Cancer crosses Mahi River twice
- Ranchi (Jharkhand) is located on the Tropic of Cancer
- Tropic of Cancer cuts through the following rivers:
| State | Rivers |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | Mahi, Sabarmati |
| MP | Mahi, Betwa, Kane |
| Jharkhand | Damodar |
| West Bengal | Hooghly |
Land Borders of India
| Neighbour Country | Length Rank |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 1st (longest) |
| China | 2nd |
| Pakistan | 3rd |
| Nepal | 4th |
| Myanmar | 5th |
| Bhutan | 6th |
| Afghanistan | 7th |
Buffer States
- Nepal & Bhutan act as buffer between India and China.
Border States of India
| Neighbour | Bordering States/UTs |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Ladakh (UT) |
| Pakistan | Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat |
| China | Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Nepal | Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, WB, Sikkim |
| Bhutan | Sikkim, WB, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Bangladesh | WB, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| Myanmar | Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram |
Special Cases
- Ladakh shares borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China
- Sikkim: Borders Nepal, Bhutan, China
- Arunachal Pradesh: Borders China, Bhutan, Myanmar
- West Bengal: Borders Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh
- Tripura: Surrounded on 3 sides by Bangladesh
- Uttar Pradesh: Shares boundary with 9 States/UTs (Maximum)
International Boundaries
| Boundary | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Radcliffe Line | Pakistan | 1947 |
| Line of Control (LoC) | Pakistan | Current |
| Radcliffe Line | Bangladesh | 1947 |
| McMahon Line | China | 1914 |
| Line of Actual Control (LAC) | China | Current |
Coastline of India
| Coastal States (Western Coast) | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala |
| Coastal States (Eastern Coast) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal |
Coastal Union Territories
- Puducherry
- Lakshadweep
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
States with Longest Coastline
| State | Length Rank |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | 1st |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2nd |
| Tamil Nadu | 3rd |
| Maharashtra | 4th |
Maritime Boundaries of India
India shares maritime borders with:
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Maldives
- Bangladesh
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Indonesia
Important Gulfs, Straits & Channels
| Feature | Location |
|---|---|
| Gulf of Kutch | West Gujarat |
| Gulf of Khambhat | South Gujarat |
| Gulf of Mannar | Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka |
| Palk Strait | Connects Bay of Bengal & Gulf of Mannar |
| 8° Channel | Maldives–Minicoy |
| 9° Channel | Minicoy–Lakshadweep |
| 10° Channel | Little Andaman–Car Nicobar |
Order of Indian States by Area (Top 5)
- Rajasthan
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Uttar Pradesh
- Gujarat
Order of Union Territories by Area
- Ladakh
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Delhi
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu
- Puducherry
- Chandigarh
- Lakshadweep
Previous Year Questions
Previous Year Questions: Position and Extent of India NDA
[NDA 2019-I]
Q: Which one of the following Union Territories is smallest in terms of geographical area?
(a) Daman and Diu
(b) Chandigarh
(c) Dadra and Nagar Haveli
(d) Lakshadweep
Answer: (d) Lakshadweep
[NDA 2018-II]
Q: Consider the following places of India:
- Itanagar
- Imphal
- Agartala
- Aizawl
Which one of the following is the correct chronological order of the above places in terms of sunrise time?
(a) 3-2-1-4
(b) 2-1-4-3
(c) 1-4-3-2
(d) 4-3-2-1
Answer: (c) 1-4-3-2
[NDA 2017-II]
Q: Which one of the following states in India has the longest coastline?
(a) Odisha
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Karnataka
(d) West Bengal
Answer: (b) Tamil Nadu
[NDA 2017-II]
Q: Sunrise in eastern Arunachal Pradesh would be about how many hours before the sunrise in western Gujarat?
(a) One hour
(b) Two hours
(c) Three Hours
(d) Four Hours
Answer: (b) Two hours
[NDA 2015-II]
Q: The newly formed state of Telangana is surrounded by:
(a) 5 states
(b) 4 states
(c) 6 states
(d) 3 states
Answer: (a) 5 states
(Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka)
[NDA 2015-II]
Q: The IST meridian 82.5° E passes through a number of states in India. Which one of the following sets of states is correct in this respect?
(a) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh
(b) Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha
(c) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
(d) Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
Answer: (b) Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha
[NDA 2013-II]
Q: The Indian Standard Time is ahead of Greenwich Mean Time by:
(a) 3 hrs and 30 minutes
(b) 4 hrs and 30 minutes
(c) 5 hrs and 30 minutes
(d) 6 hrs and 30 minutes
Answer: (c) 5 hrs and 30 minutes
[NDA 2012-II]
Q: Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- The local time of Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) is about two hours ahead of Dwarka (Gujarat).
- The local time at Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) is almost the same.
- The local time of Mumbai (Maharashtra) is one hour ahead of Kolkata (West Bengal).
(a) 1 and 2 Only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 Only
[NDA 2012-I]
Q: The Indian Standard Time (IST) is based on:
(a) 90°E Meridian
(b) 82.5°E Meridian
(c) 75°E Meridian
(d) 0° Meridian
Answer: (b) 82.5°E Meridian
[NDA 2011-II]
Q: The Gulf of Mannar is situated along the coast of:
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Kerala
(c) Karnataka
(d) Andhra Pradesh
Answer: (a) Tamil Nadu
[NDA 2011-I]
Q: Identify from the following states of India through which the Tropic of Cancer passes and arrange them from East to West:
- Gujarat
- West Bengal
- Uttar Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Madhya Pradesh
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
(a) 2-5-7-4-1
(b) 2-4-7-5-1
(c) 3-2-6-7-5
(d) 3-7-4-6-2
Answer: (b) 2-4-7-5-1
(West Bengal → Jharkhand → Chhattisgarh → Madhya Pradesh → Gujarat)
[NDA 2009-II]
Q: The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through:
(a) Orissa
(b) Tripura
(c) Chhattisgarh
(d) Rajasthan
Answer: (a) Orissa
[NDA 2008-I]
Q: Indian Standard Time refers to the local time of which one of the following places in India?
(a) Allahabad
(b) Bhopal
(c) Delhi
(d) Lucknow
Answer: (a) Allahabad
(Now Prayagraj, near 82.5°E meridian)
[NDA 2007-II]
Q: The Tropic of Cancer passes through which one of the following?
(a) Assam
(b) Manipur
(c) Mizoram
(d) Nagaland
Answer: (c) Mizoram
[NDA 2006-I]
Q: Which one among the following is nearest to the Tropic of Cancer?
(a) Patna
(b) Ranchi
(c) Rourkela
(d) Varanasi
Answer: (b) Ranchi
Get NDA Official Previous Year Question Paper from UPSC
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Understanding the Position and Extent of India NDA topic is a crucial part of your NDA Geography preparation. These notes have been structured to give you a clear, concise, and exam-oriented understanding of India’s geographical location, boundaries, and strategic significance.
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