The Earth, Globe and India's Physical Features: Class 6 Study Guide
Maps and the globe help us find places. India has mountains, plains, plateaus, deserts, coasts and islands.
The globe is a model of the Earth that shows the true shape, sizes and directions of continents and oceans. A map is a flat drawing of all or part of the Earth. Maps use a scale, a key (legend) and directions (north, south, east, west).
To describe a location exactly we use latitudes (imaginary lines running east–west, measured in degrees north or south of the Equator at 0°) and longitudes (lines running north–south from the Prime Meridian at 0°, which passes through Greenwich, near London).
Important lines
| Line | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Equator | 0° latitude | divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres |
| Tropic of Cancer | 23½° N | passes through India |
| Tropic of Capricorn | 23½° S | south of the Equator |
| Prime Meridian | 0° longitude | divides East and West Hemispheres |
| Indian Standard Time meridian | 82½° E | used to set the time across India |
India's physical features
India is in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres. Its main physical divisions are the Himalayan mountains in the north, the Northern Plains formed by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, the Peninsular Plateau, the Thar Desert in the west, the coastal plains and the islands of Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. The Himalayas hold the highest peaks, and the plains are fertile and densely populated.
South Asia on a world map.
Mountains, sea and neighbours.
Ganga, Brahmaputra, Godavari…
Use colours and a key.
India and its neighbours
India shares land borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and is close to Sri Lanka and the Maldives across the sea. It is the seventh-largest country in the world by area. Its long coastline touches the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
Worked example and common mistakes
Example: A place at 28° N, 77° E is north of the Equator and east of the Prime Meridian, which fits Delhi. Common mistakes: swapping latitude and longitude, forgetting to write N/S or E/W and ignoring the scale when estimating distances. Practise reading coordinates from an atlas.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. 0°. 2. For example, the Himalayas and the Northern Plains. 3. The Prime Meridian (with the 180° line on the other side).
✨ Key Takeaways
- A globe shows Earth's true shape; a map is flat.
- Latitude runs east–west; longitude runs north–south.
- The Tropic of Cancer passes through India.
- India has mountains, plains, plateaus, deserts and coasts.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- What is the latitude of the Equator?
- Name two physical divisions of India.
- Which line divides Earth into East and West Hemispheres?
Print a KWL chart for research →