geography Class 8 Solutions

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Population

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. China has the largest population in the world.
2. Death rate is number of deaths per year per 1,000 of the population.
3. Life expectancy is the number of years that a person is likely to live.
4. Urban areas generally have a higher population density.
5. A population pyramid is a diagram that shows the age and sex composition of a population.

B. Choose the correct answer 

1. Which continent has the highest population ?

1. Asia
2. Europe
3. North America
4. South America

2. Which of these is an adverse effect of over population ?

1. Environmental degradation
2. Poverty
3. Unemployment
4. All of these.

3. Which of these is not a positive effect of under population?

1. Adequate employment
2. fewer taxpayers
3. Lesser environmental degradation
4. Lower levels of poverty

4. Which of these is a part of the demographic structure of a population ?

1. Age composition
2. Sex ratio
3. Rural and urban populations
4. All of these

5. Which type of population is shown in a bell-shaped population pyramid ?

1. Expanding population
2. Declining population
3. Constant population
4. None of these

C. State whether the following are true or false 

1. In 2016 alone, the population of the world increased by more than 80 million.
Answer. True.

2. Immigration is a factor that can cause overpopulation.
Answer. True.

3. In rural areas, people are typically engaged in secondary activities.
Answer. False. In rural areas, people are typically engaged in primary activities.

4. An adverse sex ratio shows the high position given to women in society.
Answer. False.
An adverse sex ratio shows the low position given to women in society.

5. In a population pyramid, the youngest age group is shown at the bottom.
Answer. True.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
Define the term ‘population’.
Answer:
The term ‘population’ refers to all the people who live in a particular area, city or country.

Question 2.
Define population density.
Answer:
Population density refers to the number of people living in a unit area of space, such as a square kilometre.

Question 3.
Distinguish between immigration and emigration.
Answer:
Immigration is the process of coming to live permanently in another country that is not one’s own.
Emigration is the process of leaving one country to go and live permanently in another country.

Question 4.
Write any two causes of overpopulation ?
Answer:
Causes of overpopulation are :

1. Immigration – When people come from another country.
2. Increased birth rate – due to better medical facilities
3. Decreased death rate – due to better medical facilities.
4. Better medical facilities
5. Lack of family planning.

Question 5.
Mention any two factors that cause population growth in a developed country.
Answer:
In the developed countries of the world, the population increased earlier due to :

1. Economic growth and prosperity as a result of industrialization.
2. Improved medical techniques and health care facilities.
3. Immigration because of better job opportunities and better living conditions.

Question 6.
Mention any two factors that cause population growth in a developing country.
Answer:
In developing countries of the world, rapid increase in population was due to :

1. Modern medical techniques which increased the lifespan of the people.
2. Ignorance of the masses.
3. Traditional beliefs, customs and outlook of people.

Question 7.
What do the rural and urban population consist of ?
Answer:
The rural population consists of the people residing in villages.
The urban population consists of the people living in towns and cities.

Question 8.
What do you understand by the term ‘working population’?
Answer:
The section of the population between 14 – 60 years of age is
considered to be the working population. They are willing and eligible to work and considered an asset for a country as it means high availability of labour for the development of the nation.

 

E. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs:

Question 1.
Write a note on the distribution of population in the world.
Answer:
At present, the population of the world stands at 7.35 billion. China has the largest population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, followed by India, with over 1.2 billion people, the USA with over 321 million people and Indonesia with over 257 million people. Island nations of the Pacific Ocean have populations of just a few thousand.
Continent-wise, Asia has the largest population with over 4.4 billion people, followed by Africa with 1.18 billion people. Europe has over 738 million people, North America has over 573 million people, South America has over 418 million people and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, etc) has over 3’9 million people)

Question 2.
Briefly explain any four factors that affect the population of a place.
Answer:
The are various factors that affect the population of a place such as birth rate, death rate, immigration, emigration, influx of refugees, agricultural development, urbanization, education, topography and climate of a place, employment opportunities, etc,
In developed countries, due to improvements in medical facilities, the death rates have reduced and the lifespan of the people have increased resulting in increase in population.

Question 3.
What is the impact of overpopulation ?
Answer:
Impact of Overpopulation :

1. Adverse effect on the environment : Higher population consumes more natural resources like fresh water, arable land and mineral resources. This leads to deforestation, scarcity of water, extinction of plants and animals, depletion of fossil fuels, pollution, global warming.
2. Adverse effect on economy : Higher population leads to unemployment, overcrowding, shortage of food, fuel, minerals and other resources. This leads to poor quality of education, low per capita income, inflation, less productivity and slow economic growth of the country.
3. Poor quality of life : There is not enough affordable food, shelter and education. People live in congested areas with poor sanitary conditions leading to spread of diseases, poverty and rise in crime rate.

Question 4.
Write the positive as well as negative effects of under population.
Answer:
Impace of Under population
Under population has several positive effects :

1. There are sufficient employment opportunities for everyone.
2. There are fewer instances of overcrowding.
3. There are lower levels of poverty.
4. There are adequate educational, medical and other facilities to meet everyone’s needs.
5. There are sufficient natural resources to meet the requirements of the population.
6. There is lesser pressure on the environment, and hence, lower rates of environmental degradation.

However, there are also some negative effects of under population :

1. The lack of adequate labour leads to low productivity.
2. In some instances, a higher proportion of the population is either too young or too old to work.
3. There are lesser taxpayers, leading to low income for the government.
4. There are not enough people to develop the natural resources of the country.

Question 5.
Write the main differences between rural and urban populations.
Answer:
Rural Population

1. It refers to people living in villages.
2. The population density in rural areas is low.
3. The people do primary activities like farming, fishing, mining etc.
4. The educational and medical facilities are not very highly developed.
5. Poor standards of transport and communication there.
6. Village communities are usually closely-knit with strong emphasis on culture and traditions.

Urban Population

1. It refers to people living in towns and cities.
2. The population density in urban areas is generally high.
3. The people do secondary and tertiary activities like trade, transport, services, etc.
4. The educational and medical facilities are highly developed.
5. Better standards of transport and communication.
6. The socio-cultural ties between people in cities are not as strong as in villages.

Question 6.
What is sex ratio ? What is the meaning of favourable and unfavourable sex ratios ?
Answer:
Sex-ratio means the number of females per 1000 males in a given population. In India, sex ratio is calculated in terms of females per 1000 males. The formula to calculate the sex

The sex ratio is an important characteristic that helps us to study the population of a given area. For example, when we say that the sex ratio in India is 940, it means that there are 940 girls for every 1000 boys.
Favourable sex ratio: The sex ratio is considered favourable if there is an equal or higher number of females per 1000 males in the population. For example, Latvia in Europe has the highest sex ratio with 1179 females for every 1000 males.
Unfavourable sex ratio : An unfavourable sex ratio means that there is a lower number of females per 1000 males in the population. Practices like female foeticide (killing of girls in the womb), female infanticide (killing of girls when they are babies) and domestic violence towards women due to gender discrimination lead to unfavourable sex ratio. For examples, countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Saudi Arabia have low sex ratio.

G Picture study.

Question 1.
What does the picture tell us?
Answer:
A crowded street in Mumbai, India’s most populous city.

Question 2.
Mention any three impacts of such a condition.
Answer:
Overpopulation usually has an adverse effect on the environment, the economy and the quality of life that people lead. A larger population consumes more natural resources

such as fresh water, arable land and mineral resources. As more land is brought under cultivation, the amount of land under forests keeps reducing, impacting the diverse animal and plant populations in these forests. Increases mining for minerals causes further environmental damage. As more factories are set up to meet the needs of the people, more fossil fuels are used and more pollutants are released into the environment.

G Map work. On an outline map of the world mark the top five populous countries of the world.
Answer:

Extra questions

Question 1.
Define the following —

1. Birth rate
2. Death rate
3. Life expectancy
4. Family planning
5. Demography
6. Overpopulation

Answer:

1. Birth rate — It is the number of live births per year per 1000 of the population. The formula for calculating birth rate is
   
2. Death rate — It is the number of deaths per year per 1000 of the population. It is calculated as :
   
3. Life expectancy — It is the number of years that a person is likely to live. It is calculated as the average life span of a population.
4. Family planning — It is the process of controlling the number of children that a person has and the intervals between their births.
5. Demography — It refers to the study of population of a place especially of humans, based on physical, socio-cultural and economic factors such as age and sex, language, religion, economic status, literacy, marital status, etc.
6. Overpopulation — It is an undesirable condition where the number of people in a given area exceeds the availability of resources to meet the needs of all the people. In an over-populated environment, the number of people might be more than the available essential materials for survival like food, clothes, water, shelter, transport, etc.
7. Under population — It is a condition where the number of people living in a given area is less in relation to the available resources of a country. This happens when there are not enough people to make full use of resources such as land, water, forests and the available technology.
8. Population pyramid — It is specially designed diagram that shows the age and sex composition of a population. It is also called as age-sex pyramid.

Question 2.
List few countries with high population density (over population) and few with low population density (under population) ?
Answer:

Question 3.
Mention the causes of underpopulation ?
Answer:
Causes of underpopulation are :

1. Increase in the death rate due to natural disaster like earthquake, Tsunami, flood or man-made disasters such as war.
2. Decrease in birth rate due to genetic reasons.
3. Infertility in the people
4. Emigration – people moving out of a country.

Question 4.
What do you mean by composition of population or demographic structure? What is its significance? Name any two characteristics of a population.
Answer:
Population composition or demographic structure: Refers to the physical, sociocultural and economic attributes of the population such as age and sex, place of residence, language, religion, martial status, literacy, etc.
Significance: The characteristics of population composition are measurable and help in distinguishing one group from another.
Two Characteristics of a population are :

1. Rural and Urban Composition: This is on the basis of where a person resides. Rural refers to villages and urban refers to cities and towns.
2. Age and sex Composition : It refers to the percentage of people in different age groups in a given population and sex ratio (number of females per 1000 males in a population).

Question 5.
What do you understand by age composition of a population ?
Answer:
Age composition refers to the percentage of people in different age groups in a given population. It differs from country to country. It can be working population (people between 14-60 years of age) or dependent population (below 14 and above 60 years of age).

Question 6.
What is the working population of India ?
Answer:
62.5 per cent of the population of India is working population. 29.5 % is in the age group of 0-14 years while 8 % is above 60 years of age.

Question 7.
What leads to unfavourable sex ratio at some places ? Name few social practices leading to it ?
Answer:
Gender discrimination is the major cause of unfavourable sex ratio which gives women a lower status in society. Few social practices leading to unfavourable sex ratio are :

1. Female Foeticide
2. Female infanticide
3. Domestic violence.

Question 8.
Name one scheme launched by the government of India that works towards generating awareness and improving the efficiency of welfare services meant for women in the country.
Answer:
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save girl child, educate girl child).

Question 9.
What is the most effective way to show the age and sex structure of a population ?
Answer:
Population pyramid or Age-sex Pyramid.

Question 10.
Explain the diagram of a population pyramid. Also show the three types of pyramids.
Answer:
The diagram of a population pyramid consists of bars arranged in the form of a pyramid. The bars show different age groups, with the males on the left and females on the right. The base represents the youngest age group and the top represents the oldest. The shape of the population pyramid shows the characteristics of the population. The three types of pyramid are :

1. Expanding population : In this case, the age-sex pyramid is more or less triangular with a broad base and a narrow top. The broad base shows large population of young people which indicates high birth rate. The narrow top shows high death rate in the older age group. Such a pyramid indicates rapid population growth. For example, countries like Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Nigeria have such a population pyramid.
2. Constant Population : The shape of the pyramid is like a bell, with the narrow top and a broad middle for several bars. This shows that the birth rate is almost equal to the death rate, leading to a constant population with the percentage of males and females remaining almost the same. Usually, developed countries such as the USA have this kind of a pyramid.
3. Declining Population : Such a pyramid has a narrow base, a bulging middle that indicates low birth rate and death rates and a slightly narrow apex. Countries like Japan, Germany and Italy have this kind of a pyramid.
   

Question 11.
Why is it important to study the population ?
Answer:
Studying the population helps us to understand how it shapes the world in different ways. Controlling the population correctly is an important task for the government. It plays a big role in the development of a country.

12. Fill in the blanks

1. Population refers to all the people who live in a particular area.
2. At present, the population of the world stand at 7.35 billion.
3. Second most populated country in the world is India.
4. Continent-wise, Asia has the largest population, followed by Africa
5. India’s most populous city is Mumbai.
6. Population Density refers to the number of people living in a unit area of space.
7. In Overpopulation condition, the number of people in a particular area is more than the available resources.
8. Under population puts less pressure on the environment.
9. Sex ratio of 940 means there are 940 girls for every 1000 boys.
10. The sex ratio is usually unfavourable in those countries where gender discrimination is widespread.
11. The average sex ratio in the world is 982 females to every 1000 males.
12. Latvia in Europe has the highest sex ratio with 1179 females for every 1000 males.
13. Triangular shaped population pyramid indicates rapid population growth.
14. Not being able to have babies or produce young ones is called infertility.
15. In India 69 % population is rural and 31 % urban.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Asia: Climate and Natural Vegetation

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A few regions of South-west Asia receive winter rainfall from the temperate cyclones that originate over the Mediterranean Sea. (tropical cyclones, temperate cyclones, north-east winds, south-east winds)
2. The Mediterranean climate is ideally suited growing citrus fruits, (equatorial, warm temperate east coast, Mediterranean, tropical monsoon).
3. The tropical rain forests of Asia are dense and impenetrable, (steppes, mangrove forests, monsoon forests, tropical rain forests)
4. About one-third of the land area of Asia is covered with forest.
5.  Thermal electricity is produced by burning coal and petroleum.

B. Match the following

Answer:

C. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
When does most of Asia receive maximum rainfall ? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
Most of the Asia receives maximum rainfall in the months of April, May and June. In summers, most of Asia has an average temperature of about 32°C. The hot air over the land rises and creates an area of low pressure. There is high pressure in the surrounding seas and oceans. So there is movement of warm moisture-laden onshore winds which are called monsoons. These winds cause heavy rainfall.

Question 2.
Name any two countries that experience Mediterranean climate.
Answer:
Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Israel experience Mediterranean climate.

Question 3.
Explain how the climate of the cold temperate regions of Asia has affected the :

1. Vegetation
2. Wildlife

Answer:

1. Vegetation of the cold temperate regions of Asia — These regions experience long severe winters with heavy snowfall and very short, cool summers with light rainfall. So the natural vegetation has adapted very well to the climate. The evergreen softwood trees of the region are conical in shape and have needle-like leaves. They are called coniferous trees as they have cones in which they bear their seeds. The common tree species are pine, fir, spruce, larch and cedar. The forests are also called as taiga.
2. Wildlife — Several small to medium sized animals such as the fox, sable, bear, mink, lynx and squirrel are found here which have fur over their bodies to protect them from cold weather.

Question 4.
Name some wildlife species found in the taiga region, the tundra region, and the tropical deciduous forests of Asia..
Answer:
Wildlife species found in the taiga region are fox, sable, bear, mink, lynx and squirrel. Wildlife species found in the tundra region of Asia are polar bears, reindeer, foxes, seals and walruses.
Wildlife species found in the tropical deciduous forests of Asia are rhinoceros, elephants, bears, deer, apes, lions, tigers, leopards, etc.

Question 5.
Trees cannot grow of survive in the regions beyond the Arctic Circle in Asia. Why ?
Answer:
Trees or forests cannot grow or survive in the regions beyond the Arctic Circle in Asia because this region has long severe winters and the frozen subsoil which do not permit the growth of trees and this region is, therefore, devoid of forests.

D. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
Identify the main factors that affect the climate of Asia. Explain any two of them.
Answer:
The Main factors that affect the climate of Asia are :

1. Size and latitudinal extent — Asia is the largest continent with a large east-west extent. Also, it stretches across the torrid, temperate and frigid heat zones of the earth.
2. Distance from the sea — Many parts of Asia are far away from the maritime influence of the seas and oceans and experience extreme conditions and continental climate. Places closer to the’Coasts enjoy equable or maritime climate.
3. Relief features — like mountain ranges of Asia extend in the east-west direction and form barriers to the moisture laden winds and the cold winds.
4. Wind — Moisture bearing winds from the south and cold winds of the north affect the climate of the places.
5. Ocean Currents — The cold Oya Siwo and the warm Kuro Siwo ocean currents affect the temperatures of the coastal regions of Japan.

Question 2.
Describe the climatic conditions in Asia from October to March.
Answer:
From October to March, Asia experiences winter season as the northern hemisphere receives the slanting rays of the sun because of the tilt of the earth’s axis. The temperature falls to 0°C and even below freezing point in many parts of the northern Asia. The air over the land is cold and heavy and sinks causing high pressure. The surrounding oceans and seas ! have higher temperature and lower pressure so the cold air
moves from land (high pressure) to sea (low pressure). These winds are dry and hence most of the Asia receives no winter rainfall except South-East Asia, Japan, South-Eastern India i and parts of Sri Lanka, where the same winds cross the seas
and pick up moisture. A few regions of South-West Asia receive winter rainfall from the temperate cyclones that originate over the Mediterranean Sea.

Question 3.
Write about the Mediterranean climate experienced in Asia.
Answer:
The Mediterranean Climate in Asia is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Since these areas experience drought-like conditions in summer, the natural vegetation has adapted to the climate by developing long roots and spongy barks. The evergreen vegetation of oak, acacia, laurel, chestnut, walnut and olive trees is common. Orchards of citrus fruits such as lemons, and oranges, vineyards and farm grains have replaced the natural vegetation. In the absence of natural habitat, not much wildlife is found. Mostly domesticated animals such as donkeys, cattle and sheep are found.

Question 4.
Describe each of these forests :

1. Tropical deciduous
2. Equatorial rainforest.

Answer:

1. Tropical deciduous forests — They are found in tropical monsoon climate. These areas have hot wet summers with heavy rainfall and cool dry winters. Tropical deciduous forests are also called as monsoon forests. They have hardwood, broad-leaved trees which shed their leaves, in the dry season, usually in winter. Teak, Sal, shisham and mango are the common tree species. These thrive in regions of heavy rainfall. Grasses and thorny bushes grow in drier regions. Elephants, rhinoceros, bear, deer, apes, lion tiger, leopard, etc are some of the wildlife species found here.
Such forests are found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Southern China.

2. Equatorial rainforest — Such forests are found in equatorial climate where the temperatures are high of about 28-30°C and rainfall occurs all year round. Such climatic conditions have resulted in dense, hardwood forests with broad-leaved tree species such as mahogany, ebony, rosewood, cinchona, coconut and rubber. There are lianas, creepers and climbers, tall grass, ferns and bamboos that grow between the tall trees, which makes the forests dense and impenetrable. The forests are dark and gloomy as very little sunlight reaches the ground owing to the tall trees whose branches spread out, forming a canopy. Mostly arboreal or tree-dwelling animals such as monkey, apes and colourful birds are found. Reptiles such as lizards, snakes, crocodiles and insects are found in the swampy floors of the forests. Large animals such as elephants and wild cats are only found in the outskirts as the forest interior is too dense.
Such forests are found in countries located close to the equator like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Southern Philippines.

Question 5.
How has modernization changed the natural vegetation of the Mediterranean and steppe regions ?
Answer:

• Mediterranean region — Due to modernization, most of the natural vegetation has been replaced by grain farms, orchards of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges and vineyards.
• Steppes region (Temperate Grassland) —Vast areas of grasslands have been converted into rich farmlands that grow wheat, barley and other food grains.

Question 6.
How are forests useful to the people of Asia?
Answer:
About one-third of the land area of Asia is covered with forest. Some of these forests provide hardwood, bamboo, sandalwood and camphor. They also provide other valuable forest products such as lac, resin, turpentine, honey, medicinal plants and herbs. Natural rubber is obtained from the latex of the rubber tree. The evergreen rainforest of the equatorial region and the monsoon forests of the tropical regions of Asia are the chief sources of these products.
Softwood forests yield softwood for making paper, pulp, newsprint, matchsticks and synthetic fibers such as rayon. These are obtained from trees such as birch, pine, cedar and fir, which grow in the taiga or coniferous forests region of northern Asia, especially Siberia.

Question 7.
Give an account of the mineral resources of Asia.
Answer:
Asia has vast deposits of different types of minerals such as iron ore (India, Malaysia, China, Russia, Japan, the Philippines, North Korea), coal (China, India, Kazakhstan, Russia), bauxite (India, Indonesia, Russia), and petroleum (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Russia).

E. Map study
On an outline map of Asia, mark the following:

• area affected by the monsoons
• regions of equatorial climate
• regions of Mediterranean climate
• areas under the steppes

Answer:
(a) Area affected by the monsoons

F. Picture study

Question 1.
Identify the animal seen in the photograph.
Answer:
Yak

Question 2.
In which climatic region of Asia can you find this animal ?
Answer:
Temperate or mid-latitude Desert region of Asia.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
Write a short note on summer conditions in Asia.
Answer:
From April to June, the sun rays fall directly over the northern hemisphere. In June, it shines overhead the Tropic of Cancer, so most of the continent of Asia, except the extreme northern parts beyond the Arctic Circle is warm with an average temperature of 32°C. Most of the Asia receives maximum rainfall in these months.

Question 2.
Why is Siberia so sparsely populated ?
Answer:
Siberia is sparsely populated as the climate here is very cold. Winters are long and severe with heavy snowfall which the summers are short and cool.

Question 3.
Write a short note on the tropical or hot desert climate and the natural vegetation and wildlife found there.
Answer:
Tropical or hot desert climate prevails in Arabia, Iran and the Thar desert in India and Pakistan. These regions experience very hot dry summers and very cold winters. The daily and annual ranges of temperature are very high and the areas receive less than 25 cm of rainfall annually.
As climatic conditions are harsh, vegetation is scarce and only thorny bushes, shrubs, cacti and clumps of dry grasses are found scattered in the region which is largely bare and devoid of vegetation. Date palms are found in the oases. Camels, horses, mules, gazelles, insects and lizards are some of the wildlife species found in the deserts.

Question 4.
What type of climate do China, Japan and Korea experience?
Answer:
China, Japan and Korea experiences warm temperate eastern margin or China type climate. It is similar to monsoon type except that the winters are colder. Snowfall occurs in winters while rainfall occurs in summer.

Question 5.
Which is the most common domesticated animal in Tibet ? What kind of climate is found in the Plateau of Tibet and the Gobi Desert ?
Answer:
Yak is the most common domesticated animal in Tibet. Temperate (or mid-latitude) desert climate is found in the Plateau of Tibet and the Gobi Desert. Very little rainfall, very cold winters with temperatures below the freezing point and very hot summers is found.

Question 6.
What increases the commercial value of forests in cool temperature eastern margin climate ?
Answer:
Oak, beech, maple and birch are the main trees and their occurrence in almost pure stands and predominance of only a handful of species greatly increase the commercial value of these forests.

Question 7.
List the major types of climate of Asia.
Answer:
The major types of climate of Asia are :

1. Equatorial climate
2. Tropical monsoon climate.
3. Tropical or hot desert climate. .
4. Warm temperate eastern margin or China type climate.
5. Temperate or mid-latitude desert climate.
6. Mediterranean climate
7. Cool temperate eastern margin climate
8. Temperate grassland or steppe climate
9. Cold temperate or taiga climate
10. Arctic or tundra climate.

Question 8.
What are the different types of vegetation found in varied climatic conditions of Asia ?
Answer:
The different types of vegetation in Asian climate include dense evergreen hardwood forests, tropical deciduous forest, thorny bushes, coarse short grasses, evergreen softwood trees and mosses and lichens.

9. Fill in the blanks.

1. The areas away from the coasts experience continental (extreme), climate while places closer to the coasts experience maritime (equable) climate.
2. World’s highest surface temperature of 71°C has been recorded in Dasht-eLut in Iran.
3. Mawsynram in Meghalaya receives the heaviest rainfall in the world.
4. Verkhoyansk in Russia is the coldest region in Asia with an average temperature of-51 °C. ’
5. Most of the Asia receives no rainfall in winter.
6. Convectional rainfall occurs almost daily around 4 o’ clock in equatorial climate region of Asia.
7. Latex is the milky sap of rubber tree which is collected and used to make rubber for commercial purposes.
8. The equatorial (tropical) rainforests are different from the rainforests of the Amazon and Zaire basins because of their nearness to the sea.
9. India has tropical monsoon climate and tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests.
10. Date palms are found in the Oases in hot deserts.
11. The Gobi Desert stretches across large parts of Mongolia and China.
12. Yak is one of the most commonly domesticated animals in the temperature desert regions of Asia.
13. The two-humped Bactrian camel is a well-known animal of temperate grassland or steppe.
14. The temperate grassland region of Central Asia is called steppe.
15. The forests of the cold temperate regions, have coniferous trees with needle like leaves.
16. The coniferous forests in cold temperate climate are called as Taiga.
17. The treeless plains in the Arctic climate are called Tundra.

Map Skills
On a physical map of Asia, show the different types of climate and natural vegetation
Answer:

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Asia — Location, Extent, Political and Physical Features

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A mountain range in South-west Asia that separates Asia from Europe : Caucasus mountains.
2. I am a plain formed by the rivers Ob, Yenisei, and Lena :Great Siberian Plain or Northern Lowlands.
3. An area of inland drainage into which the Amu Darya and, Syr Darya drain : Turan Plain.
4. I am a small zone from which several mountain ranges appear to radiate out: Pamir Knot.
5. A plateau that lies between the Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges : Plateau of Iran.

B. Match the following

Answer:

C. State whether the following are true or false

1. Together with Europe, Asia is often referred to as Eurasia.
Answer. True.

2. Most of the Asian countries gained independence only after World War I.
Answer. False.
Most of the Asian countries gained independence only after World War II.

3. Three rivers which flow northwards into the Arctic Ocean are the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and the Yamuna.
Answer. False.
Three rivers which flow northwards into the Arctic Ocean are the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena.

4. The Karakoram Range is a short range, which extends south-eastwards from the Pamir Knot between the Kunlun and the Himalayas.
Answer. True.

5. The Deccan Plateau of India lies between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
Answer. True.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
Name the geographical features that border Asia in the north, south, east, and west.
Answer:
To the West of Asia are Ural mountains and the Caspian Sea. To the South-West are the Caucasus Mountains. To the North of Asia lies Arctic Ocean. To East lies the Pacific Ocean and to the south of Asia is Indian Ocean.

Question 2.
What do you understand by the term ‘archipelago ? Give two examples from the Pacific Ocean.
Answer:
Archipelago means a group of islands. Two examples in the Pacific Ocean are Japan and Philippines.

Question 3.
Name the rivers of the Great Siberian Plain.
Answer:
Rivers Ob, Yenisei and Lena have together built the Great Siberian Plain.

Question 4.
What kind of plateau is the Plateau of Tibet ?
Answer:
The Plateau of Tibet is an inter-mountain plateau, i.e., a plateau located between mountain ranges. It lies between the Kunlun and the Himalayas. The Plateau of Tibet, is also called the ‘Roof of the World’ as it is the highest flat land in the world.

Question 5.
In which country of Asia are the Mesopotamian plains situated ?
Answer:
The Mesopotanian plains are situated in Iraq.

E. Answer the following questions in detail

Question 1.
Describe the location of Asia.
Answer:
Asia lies almost wholly in the northern and eastern hemisphere. It is separated from Europe by the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea in the west and the Caucasus Mountain in the South-West. The Arctic Ocean lies to the north of Asia, the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Indian Ocean to the South of Asia.
Latitudinally, Asia extends from 10°S to 80°N, (8690 km). It east-west extent is 9,700 km, from 25°E to about 170°W. There are 48 independent countries in Asia. They vary in size from Russia, China and India which are the largest to Singapore, the Maldives and Bahrain which are the smallest. Some countries consist of group of islands like Japan, Philippines and Indonesia.

Question 2.
Describe the Northern Lowlands of Asia.
Answer:
The Northern Lowlands of Asia extend from the Ural Mountains in the west up to the Bering Strait in the north-east. These lowlands are traingular in shape and widest in the west. Lying between the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Central Mountains in the south,they form the world’s greatest continuous plains. Three rivers which flow northwards into the Arctic Ocean — Ob, Yenisey and Lena, have together built this plain. These marshy and swampy lowlands are also called as the Great Siberian plain. The lower courses and mouths of the rivers freeze in winter. So, water coming from the upper courses in warmer latitudes spreads out over large part of the plains. Another low lying land exists south of the Siberian Plains in Central Asia called as the Turan Plain. This plain is an area of inland drainage and is drained by rivers AmuDarya and SyrDarya.

Question 3.
Explain why the Pami Knot is called so. Write briefly about the mountain ranges that radiate from the Pamir Knot.
Answer:
Pamir Knot is called so because many mountain ranges appear to radiate outwards in different directions from this small zone. To the east of the Pamir Knot extend the Kunlun mountains and to the north extend the Tien Shan mountains. The Himalayas emerge from the Pamir Knot towards south-east direction. The Karakoram Range extends south-eastwards from the Pamir Knot between the Kunlun and the Himalayas. To the west of the Pamir Knot lies the Hindu Kush Range
and to the south-west radiates the Sulaiman Range.

Question 4.
Write briefly about the Arabian Plateau and the Deccan Plateau.
Answer:
The Arabian Plateau in Asia is steeper in the west but gently slopes eastwards towards the Persian Gulf. It is a dry plateau as it is in the region of low rainfall and has no rivers. It grew in importance to the rest of the world after petroleum reserves were discovered here.
The Deccan Plateau of India lies between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats. It is steeper and higher along the Arabian Sea in the west but slopes gently towards the Bay of Bengal in the east. A number of rivers flow across this plateau like Godawari, Indravati, Krishna, Kaveri.

Question 5.
Describe the river valleys of Asia.
Answer:
The snow-fed and perennial rivers from the mountains form the river valleys which are very fertile and densely populated. Some of the river valleys of Asia are :

1. The Mesopotamian plains in Iraq consist of the land between the two rivers – Tigris and Euphrates.
2. The Ganga – Brahmaputra plains spread across north India and Bangladesh. It is built by the rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra.
3. Plains in China are built up by the three big rivers — Huang He, Chang Jiang and Si Kiang.
4. The Manchurian Plain is formed by river Amur.
5. Plains of Indo-China are formed by the rivers Mekong and Menam.
6. Large plain in Myanmar is formed by river Irrawaddy.
7. Plains of Pakistan and Punjab are built by the river Indus and its five tributaries.

F. Picture study
The mountain peak seen in the picture is the highest peak in the world.

Question 1.
What is the height of this peak ?
Answer:
8850 m

Question 2.
In which mountain range does it lie ?
Answer:
Himalayas

G Map study
On an outline map of Asia, mark and name the following

1. Rivers — Amur, Ob, Chang Jiang
2. Gulfs — Persian Gulf, Gulf of Martaban
3. Straits — Bering Strait, Strait of Malacca
4. Seas — Arabian Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Japan
5. Oceans — Arctic, Pacific, Indian
6. Mountain ranges — Himalayas, Urals, Hindukush
7. Write ROOF OF THE WORLD and GREAT SIBERIAN PLAIN in appropriate places on the map.

Answer:

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by Eurasia ?
Answer:
The land mass of Europe and Asia as a whole is called Eurasia. (Europe + Asia—Eurasia)

Question 2.
What are perennial rivers ?
Answer:
Perennial rivers are rivers that flow throughout the year, even in the dry season.

Question 3.
Name the five physical regions of Asia
Answer:
Asia is broadly divided into five physical regions

1. The Northern Lowlands (The Great Siberian Plain)
2. The Central Fold Mountains and Inter-mountane Plateaux.
3. The Southern Plateaux
4. The Great River Valleys
5. The Island Chains

Question 4.
Which mountain range has some of the world’s highest peaks ?
Answer:
The Karakoram Range

Question 5.
Name the plateaux (plural of plateau) of the Southern Plateaux of Asia.
Answer:
The Southern Plateaux include the Arabian Plateau, the Deccan Plateau, the shan plateau and the Yunnan Plateau.

Question 6.
Name the rivers that have built the Great River Valleys of Asia.
Answer:
The Great River Valleys of Asia have been built by the rivers Tigeris, Euphrates, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Chao Phraya or Menam, Chang Jiang or Yangtze, Huang He and Si Kiang. Small Plains have been formed along the rivers Irrawaddy, Salween, MeKong and Amur.

Question 7.
Write a note on the Island Chains of Asia.
Answer:
A series of island chains lies to the east and south-east of mainland Asia forming archipelagoes (group of islands) in an arc shape. The islands from the tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Pacific Ocean are the Kuril Islands, the Japanese Islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu), the Rhyukyu Islands, the Philippines, and the Indonesian Islands. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the Lakshadweep Islands are in South Asia.

Question 8.
Which is the largest and the smallest country in Asia ?
Answer:
Largest country in Asia — Russia
Smallest country in Asia — The Maldives

Question 9.
Name the following (in Asia)

1. Most industrialized country –
2. Highest elevation
3. Highest Plateau
4. Lowest point
5. Deepest sea
6. Deepest lake
7. Longest strait
8. Coldest Place
9. Warmest place
10. Number of countries in Asia

Answer:

1. Japan
2. Mount Everest (8,850 m)
3. The Plateau of Tibet (‘THE ROOF OF THE WORLD’)
4. The Dead Sea (400 m below sea level)
5. The South China Sea
6. Lake Baikal
7. The strait of Malacca
8. Verkhoyansk, Russia (-70°C)
9. Dasht-e Lut (Iran)
10. 48

Question 10.
What are the six regional divisions of Asia ?
Answer:
The six regional divisions of Asia are :

1. East Asia — It consists of China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Mongolia.
2. North Russia — It includes the Asian part of Russia (Siberia and the Russian far East).
3. Central Asia — It consists of several landlocked countries like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
4. South-East Asia — The countries of South-East Asia fall into two different sections. The northern part consists of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. The Southern part consists of the island countries of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor and the Philippines.
5. South Asia — It consists of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the island country of Maldives. ‘
6. West Asia — It comprises of Armenia, UAE (United ArabEmirates), Yemen, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Question 11.
Name some important cities of East Asia.
Answer:
East Asia has some of the world’s busiest cities such as Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Question 12.
Which are the two main rivers of Central Asia and why are they important ?
Answer:
The two main rivers of the Central Asia are the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya. The rivers are very important to the Central Asian countries as the region remains quite dry for most of the year. 60% of Central Asia is deserts.

Question 13.
Write a short note on South Asia.
Answer:
South Asia refers to the Southern Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Nepal, SriLanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the island country of Maldives. This region is home to about one fifth of the world’s population and is the most densely population region in the world. It is bounded in the north by the Himalayan mountains, to the east by the Bay of Bengal, to the West by the Arabian Sea and to the South by the Indian Ocean. South Asia has a wide variety of natural vegetation and wildlife.

Question 14.
Why is West Asia not densely populated ?
Answer:
West Asia is not densely populated because of its inhospitable climate.

Question 15.
Why is the Plateau of Tibet called the ‘Roof of the World’?
Answer:
The Plateau of Tibet is called the ‘Roof of the World’ as it is the highest flat land in the world at an average height of 4,880 m above sea level.

Question 16.
Which is the highest and the second highest peak in the world and where are they situated ?
Answer:
Mt. Everest (8,850 m) in the Himalayas is the highest peak in the world and Mt K2 or Godwin Austin (8,611 m) in the Karakoram Range is the world’s second highest peak.

Question 17.
Name few glaciers found in Himalayas and Karakoram range of mountains.
Answer:
Siachen glacier Baltoro glacier

Question 18.
Name few passes in the Central Fold Mountains and Inter – Montane Plateaux which allow the movements of goods and people across the mountains.
Answer:
Khyber pass, Bolan pass and Solan pass.

Question 19.
Why did the Arabian Plateau become important to the rest of the world ?
Answer:
The Arabian Plateau became important to the rest of the world after petroleum reserves were discovered here in the 20th century.

Question 20.
Why are the fertile river valleys and plains of Asia and such as the Mesopotamian Plains, the Indo-Gangetic Plains and the Great Plains of China called the cradles of civilization ?
Answer:
This is because the earliest civilization developed along these river banks.

Question 21.
What makes Asia a continent of contrasts ?
Answer:
The outstanding feature of the geography of Asia is the great variety and diversity in physical, cultural and economic characteristics. This makes it a continent of contrasts.

22. Fill in the blanks

1. Asia lies wholly in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
2. Together with Europe, Asia is called as Eurasia.
3. Pacific Ocean lies to the east and Indian Ocean to the south of Asia.
4. There is a time difference about 11 hours between the Anatolian Plateau (Asia Minor) in the west and the Pacific Coast in the east of Asia.
5. There are 48 independent countries in Asia.
6. Asia is the largest continent in the world.
7. Asia occupies one-third of the total land area and three-fifths of the total population of the world.
8. USSR broke up into several independent republics in 1991, some of which are in Europe and some in Asia now.
9. North Asia is divided by a long mountain range known as the Ural Mountains.
10. Siberia lies in the East of Ural Mountains.
11. The two main rivers of Central Asia are the Amu Darya and the SyrDarya.
12. South Asia is the most densely populated region in the world.
13. The Northern Lowlands (the Great Siberian Plain) are the world’s greatest continuous plains.
14. The Himalayas emerge from the Pamir Knot in south-east direction.
15. Mt Everest, the world’s highest peak lies on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
16. The Arabian Plateau is a dry plateau as it is in the region of low rainfall and no rivers.
17. Punjab is also called as the land of five rivers.
18. The Chang Jiang (Yangtze) is Asia’s longest river.
19. The Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are in South Asia.
20. The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia.
21. The zone from where the mountain ranges appear to radiate outwards in different directions in the Central Fold mountains in Asia is called Pamir Knot.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Interpreting Topographical Maps

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height above sea level.
2. In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically are called eastings.
3. Contour lines do not intersect one another.
4. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles.
5. Houses or huts in scattered settlement are far apart from one another.

B. Match the following columns

C. Choose the correct answer

1. The contour lines for this feature are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles.

1. conical hill
2. plateau
3. ridge
4. saddle

2. The contours for this feature are oval with contours close to each other indicating steepness.

1. conical hill
2. plateau
3. ridge
4. saddle

3. This feature can be identified by a drop in height of the contours.

1. conical hill
2. ridge
3. col
4. gap

4. The green area in a topo sheet contains

1. settlement
2. barren land
3. cultivated land
4. vegetation

5. On the topographical map these water bodies are shown in black colour.

1. Dry Nadi
2. Tank
3. Settlement
4. River

D. State whether the following are true or false 

1. A contour line is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same temperature.
Answer. False.
A contour lines is an imaginary line that connects all points having the same height.

2. The lines that run vertically are called nothings.
Answer. False.
The lines that run vertically are called eatings.

3. Contour lines are drawn at fixed intervals.
Ans. True.

4. A gap is a low lying depression or a valley which cuts through a range of hills.
Answer. True.

5. The spot height is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number.
Answer. False.
The triangulated stations is indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number.

E. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
What do topographical maps show ?
Answer:
Topographical maps are large scale maps that show both natural features (such as mountains, hills, rivers, plateaus, ridges, etc) and human-made features (such as roads, railway tracks, temples, bridges, buildings, etc).

Question 2.
What is a contour line ?
Answer:
A contour line is an imaginary line on a map connecting points at the same height above sea level.

Question 3.
Distinguish Vertical Interval and Horizontal Equivalent.
Answer:
The difference in height between two adjacent contour lines is known as the Vertical Interval (V.I.). Whereas the distance between any two adjacent contour lines is called the Horizontal Equivalent (H.E.). The Horizontal Equivalent is calculated with the help of the scale of the map. The value of the H.E. is less when the slope is steep and more when the slope is gentle.

Question 4.
What is a ridge ? How do you identify a ridge on a topo sheet ?
Answer:
A ridge is a long and narrow elevation that has steep slopes on either side and stands out from the surrounding lowlands. It also acts as a watershed to rivers that flow down narrow

valleys on both of its sides. A ridge could also have several peaks of various elevations.
On a toposheet, the contours of a ridge are oval with contour close to each other indicating steepness.

Question 5.
What is a saddle ? Draw a diagram to show a saddle.
Answer:
A saddle is a shallow depression at a high elevation between two peaks or ridges. The depression is formed by streams or by glaciers flowing close to each other. A saddle need not have a river or stream flowing through it.

Question 6.
What is a linear settlement ? Where would you normally find a linear settlement ?
Answer:
Linear settlements are those settlements that develop in a line. Houses, shops, dhaba’s, petrol pumps and garages develop along the sides of the roads, railway lines or river banks. Gradually, these linear settlements grow in size. These settlements gradually develop into trading centres. Examples:

1. If such a settlement is near a railway track, and over a period of time, a need for a railway station is felt, then it becomes a railway stop.
2. hen located on main roads, such settlements become important stops for travellers as dhabas, tyre and car repairing shops and petrol pumps open up.
3. On rivers and coasts, they become places where boats can unload goods and passengers.

Question 7.
How would you recognize a metalled road and an un metalled one on a topographical map?
Answer:
Vehicles such as trucks, buses, cars, jeeps, and other modem means of transport move over metalled roads. There are also cart tracks, pack tracks and footpaths, which are unmetalled roads. Cart tracks and pack tracks connect small village settlements in rural areas.

F. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs.

Question 1.
What is a cliff and how can we identify it on a toposheet ? Draw a diagram to show a cliff.
Answer:
A cliff is a vertical or near vertical land feature. The landform rises vertically from the lower ground. On a contour map, the contour lines are very close together or merge into a single line in other words, contour lines overlap. This indicates a cliff.

Question 2.
How is waterfall formed? Draw a diagram to show it.
Answer:
A waterfall is formed when there is a sudden drop in the river valley. It is like a cliff where the drop is almost perpendicular. Waterfalls are formed in the upper regions of river valleys. When contours on a map are very close to one another or sometimes touch each other as they cross a river or stream, it indicates the presence of a waterfall.

Question 3.
Where are V-shaped valleys and U-shaped valleys formed? How can these be identified on a topo sheet?
Answer:
V-shaped valleys : V-shaped valleys are found in the upper course of a river where the slopes on either side of the river are steep. A V-shaped valley is easily identified on a contour map with the contour lines close to each other and a very dominant V.

U-shaped valleys : U-shaped valleys are found in regions where the action of ice (or glaciers) has widened the valleys so that the valleys take the shape of a “U” These are also found in the lower regions of a river where the erosion of valley walls by the river widens the valley to make them look U-shaped. The contour lines of these valleys are bent in a distinct U-shape.

Question 4.
What are the different factors that determine the location and the type of settlements?
Answer:
Many factors determine the location and the type of settlements:

1. Settlements grow in areas that are flat and where the land is cultivable. Settlements do not grow on steep hillsides or marshy lands.
2. Settlements grow in places where water is available in plenty for both agricultural and domestic purposes. Settlements, therefore, also grow on the confluence of rivers or the banks of rivers.
3. Settlements also thrive on a plateau because of the flat surface of the plateau and the availability of land for cultivation.
4. They develop and grow in places where the climate is suitable or pleasant to live in. Extremely hot, cold, wet or dry places are not attractive settlement sites.
5. Settlements are formed where there are prospects for employment. Mines and industries in the area are potential sources of employment and encourage growth of settlements. Such places are usually near places of abundant raw materials for the growth of industries.
6. They develop in places that are easily accessible by various kinds of roads, rivers, and railway lines. Easy access to and from the settlements will allow movement of people and goods from one place to another.

Question 5.
How can transport and communication of an area be inferred directly from a topographical sheet?
Answer:
On a topographical map you will notice some black lines that cross the map. These lines are symbols of roadways and railway tracks and indicate the type of communication in the area. They depict the various modes of transport being used in the area.
Communication and transport lines indicate the importance of a place. When many roads and railway lines converge in a village or a town, it indicates the importance of a place. It could be for several reasons such as the economic activity of the region or the region could be a tourist hot spot of it could be because of the presence of industries and factories leading to plenty of job opportunities.
Airports are also an important form of travel and communication but airports are confined to large cities only. The conventional sign of an aeroplane indicates the presence of an airport or an airstrip.

G Picture study.

Question 1.
Identify the type of settlement shown in the picture.
Answer:
Nucleated settlements

Question 2.
Write two characteristics of this type of settlement.
Answer:

(i) Linear settlements — Linear settlements are those
settlements that develop in a line. Houses, shops, dhaba’s, petrol pumps and garages develop along the sides of the roads, railway lines or river banks. Gradually, these linear settlements grow in size. These settlements gradually develop into trading centers.
Examples:

(a) If such a settlement is near a railway track, and over a period of time, a need for a railway station is felt, then it becomes a railway stop.
(b) When located on main roads, such settlements become important stops for travellers as dhaba’s, tyre and car repairing shops and petrol pumps open up.
(c) On rivers and coasts, they become places where boats can unload goods and passengers.

(ii) Scattered settlements — They are also known as dispersed settlements. Houses or huts in this type of settlement are far apart from one another. On map, such settlement is indicated by long distances between houses. Such areas show sparse population and the absence of proper roads. Houses or huts are usually connected by cart tracks or paths. Cattle rearing is common as each household has cattle that is allowed to graze in the open fields. The land is not very fertile to support big populations.

Let’s Do Something
Identify the relief features shown by the following contour diagrams:

Answer:

(a) A Ridge
(b) A conical hill
(c) A Saddle
(d) A Plateau
(e) A Gap
(f) A Pass

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by eastings and northings in a topographical map ?
Answer:
In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run vertically across a topographical map are called eastings. They are measured eastwards from the origin of the grid.
In a grid system of a topo sheet, the lines that run horizontally across a topographical map are called northings. They are measured eastwards from the origin of the grid in northerly direction.

Question 2.
Mention features of a grid system of a topo sheet.
Answer:
Features of the grid system :

1. The lines that run vertically are called eastings and those that run horizontally are called northings.
2. Eastings and northings cross each other to form a square called as a grid square.
3. The starting point or the reference point is the exteme south-west grid or the one at the bottom left corner.
4. The numerical value of eastings increases eastwards beginning from the south-west corner. Similarly, the numerical value of northings increases northwards.
5. Eastings and northings are always given in two digit numbers. Even 0 is read as 00. (For example, 01, 02, 03, 98, 99.)
6. When referring to a grid, eastings are always stated first.
7. Eastings and northings on a topo sheet drawn on a scale of 1 : 50,000 are always 2 cm apart, which means they represent a distance of 1 km on the ground. So, the area of 2cm × 2cm on the map represents 1 km × 1 km on the ground.
8. There are two types of grid references :

(a) The four – figure reference
(b) the six-figure reference.

Question 3.
Explain the two types of grid references.
Answer:
There are two types of grid references —

1. The four-figure reference : The four-figure reference is used to locate places that fall within the numbered grid square, for example, the grid reference for the shaded square in the diagram below is 1705.
   
2. The six-figure grid reference :
   
   A church shown with the help of a six-figure grid reference The six-figure grid reference is used to locate an object such as wells, post offices, milestones or temples within the square with greater accuracy. In the six-figure grid reference, the first three figures are the eastings while the last three are the northings. To get the six-figure grid reference, we need to divide the grid square on the topo sheet into ten equal parts vertically and horizontally. These figures will give us the third figure for the eastings and the sixth figure for the northings, for example, the grid reference for the church in the diagram is 213052.

Question 4.
Which is the most common method of showing relief or elevation on topo sheets ?
Answer:
Contour lines.

Question 5.
List some basic characteristics of contour lines.
Answer:
Some basic characteristics of contour lines are :

1. Contour lines are drawn at fixed intervals, for example 20 m. This is called Vertical Interval (V.I).
2. Contour lines do not intersect each other. They could meet and touch but not cross one another.
3. On a topographical map, every fifth line is accentuated or drawn thick. This is known as contour index.
4. The spacing between the contour lines determines the nature of the slope. Close contour lines indicate steep slope and far apart indicate gentle slope of land. Contour lines drawn at equal intervals indicate that the slope is neither steep nor gentle but is a uniform slope.

Question 6.
How are topo sheets prepared for India ?
Answer:
Topo sheets are prepared three mainly in groups in India :

1. The million sheet, where the scale of the sheet is 1:1,000,000 or 1 cm : 10 km ; there are total of 36 of these sheets covering the entire country.
2. The quarter inch sheet has a scale of 1: 250,000 or 1 cm : 2.5 km, each of these sheets is numbered separately from A to P.
3. The one inch sheet has a scale of 1 : 50,000 or 2 cm : 1 km.

Question 7.
How would you identify the following on a topo sheet:

1. Gentle slope and steep slope
2. Plateau
3. Hill
4. Col
5. Pass
6. Gap

Answer:

1. Gentle slope and steep slope — In a steep slope, the contours are drawn close to one another while in a gentle slope they are wide apart.
   
   
2. Plateau — A plateau or a table land is an uplifted piece
   
   of flat land with slopes on all sides. On a contour map, plateaus are marked by contour lines very close to each other on all sides while there are none or very few lines at the centre.
3. Hill — A hill is of a lower elevation than a mountain. It has uniform steepness on all sides. The contour lines of a hill are evenly spaced in the form of concentric circles.
   
4. Col — A col is formed when land has been cut considerably between two streams in a watershed. A col can be identified by a drop in height of the contours.
   
5. Pass — Passes are low valleys or opening lying between two peaks in a range of hills. A pass is indicated by a drop in height of contours.
   
6. Gap — A gap is a low lying depression or a valley which cuts through a range of hills It is often occupied by a river.
   

Question 8.
What do you mean by settlements ? Explain temporary and permanent settlements.
Answer:
Settlements are groups of houses, usually in villages or towns, where people live. The size of settlements depends on the availability of roads, railways, hospitals, police station, administrative buildings, etc. Settlements grow over a period of time. A settlement can be permanent or temporary.
Temporary settlements : Settlements that are constructed and occupied for a short time are called temporary settlements. They are built by people engaged in hunting and gathering, shifting cultivation and transhumance. Tents and huts are the most common forms of shelter in temporary settlements. In urban area, it is built next to a construction site such as a bridge or a flyover. A temporary settlement can become permanent with time.
Permanent Settlements : In this, people build permanent houses. With time, several such structure develop and form a settlement. The availability of water and land for cultivation are important reasons for such settlements growing. Other factors are communication lines such as roads and railways, police stations, post office, hospital, market, health center, etc.

Question 9.
What are the three main types of settlement patterns on a topo sheet ?
Or
Explain types of settlements.
Answer:
The three main types of settlement patterns on a topo sheet are:

(i) Nucleated settlements — In such settlements, buildings and huts are in a compact cluster. They are usually found in plains or valleys. This kind of settlement indicates that the community is living on an area where the land is fertile and good for agriculture. Such settlements generally have a well- knit and large community. Apart from houses, essential facilities like hospitals, police stations, post offices, schools and administrative buildings are found. They are also known as clustered settlements.

(ii) Linear settlements—Linear settlements are those settlements that develop in a line. Houses, shops, dhaba’s, petrol pumps and garages develop along the sides of the roads, railway lines or river banks. Gradually, these linear settlements grow in size. These settlements gradually develop into trading centres.
Examples :

(a) If such a settlement is near a railway track, and over a period of time, a need for a railway station is felt, then it becomes a railway stop.
(b) When located on main roads, such settlements become important stops for travellers as dhaba’s, tyre and car repairing shops and petrol pumps open up.
(c) On rivers and coasts, they become places where boats can unload goods and passengers.

(iii) Scattered settlements — They are also known as dispersed settlements. Houses or huts in this type of settlement are far apart from one another. On map, such settlement is indicated by long distances between houses. Such areas show sparse population and the absence of proper roads. Houses or huts are usually connected by cart tracks or paths. Cattle rearing is common as each household has cattle that is allowed to graze in the open fields. The land is not very fertile to support big populations.

Question 10.
Compare Nucleated settlement and scattered settlement.
Answer:
Nucleated settlement :

1. The buildings and huts are in compact cluster.
2. These are mostly found in plains or river valleys.
3. These are also called as clustered settlements.
4. The land is fertile and good for agriculture.
5. The generally have a well- knit and large community.
6. They have dense population.
7. Essential facilities like hospitals, schools, police stations, post offices, etc are found
8. Proper communication lines such as roads and railways lines are present.

Scattered settlement :

1. The houses and huts are far apart from one another.
2. These are mostly found in hilly areas, thick forests and regions of extreme climate.
3. These are also called as dispersed settlements.
4. The land is not very fertile.
5. They don’t have a very close-knit large community.
6. They have sparse population.
7. Essential facilities like school hospital, police station, etc. are not found.
8. Proper roads are absent houses are connected by cart tracks or paths.

Question 11.
List the aspects that you should keep in mind while studying a topographical map.
Or
Name some elements of a topo sheet or topographical maps.
Answer:
Some of the elements of a topo sheet are :

1. Sheet number — This number refers to a specific geographical area. It is written on the top of the sheet.
2. Scale — The scale is not the same for all maps. It can be 1 : 10,00,000 1 cm : 10 km], 1 : 250,000 [i.e. ; 1 cm = 2.5 km] or 1 : 50,000 [i.e. 2 cm = 1 km] It is written at the bottom of the sheet.
3. Grid — The sheets have grid lines in red called eastings and northings which help in locating places easily.
4. Direction on map sheet — The top half of a topographical map is always the north and the bottom half is the south. The right hand is the east and left hand is the west. The eastings and northings are read from the southwest corner.
5. The eastings and northings — Their numbers should be remembered before reading a map.
6. Four-figure grid reference and six-figure grid reference squares — The four-figure grid reference will have four digits and six-figure grid reference will have six digits.
7. Legend and keys — Legends contain conventional signs and symbols in the form of keys. They provide the vital information to interpret the map correctly.
8. Contour interval — (Vertical interval) It is the vertical distance between two consecutive contour lines. It remains same for a given scale of topo sheets.
9. Spot heights — These indicate the actual elevation of a spot above mean sea level.
10. Triangulated stations — These also indicate the height on maps. They are indicated on the map with a small triangle followed by the number.
11. Contour index — Every fifth contour line is bolder than the other lines for easy identification of contour lines.
12. Places marked with letters DEP (depression) indicate land at a lower level than the surrounding area.
13. Dry and wet streams — On the map, black streams are dry and blue streams have water.
14. Contour features — Like saddle, hill, pass, gentle and steep slope, ridge, etc can be seen on topo maps.
15. Colours — Green coloured area contains vegetation and forests, yellow coloured area is cultivated land and white portion is barren land.

Question 12.
What do you mean by Vertical Interval (V.I.) in a topo sheet ?
Answer:
The vertical distance between two consecutive contour lines on a topographical map is called as Vertical Interval (VI). They are drawn at fixed intervals and do not change on the map. This interval depends on the scale of the map and the range of elevation in the area of the map.
Example : VI in all topo sheets of 1 : 50,000 is 20 m.

Question 13.
Mention what do the following indicate on a topographical map —

1. Black stream
2. Blue stream
3. Green area
4. Yellow area
5. White area

Answer:

1. Black stream — It indicates that the stream is dry and has no water.
2. Blue stream — It indicates that the stream has water.
3. Green area — I indicates vegetation, mainly forests.
4. Yellow area — It indicates the area of cultivated land.
5. White area — It indicates barren land. No crops are grown in this land.

14. Fill in the blanks

1. Eastings and northings cross each other to form a square known as a grid square.
2. When referring to a grid, eastings are always stated first.
3. Using contours is the most common method of showing relief or elevation on topo sheets.
4. On a topographical map, every 5th line is drawn thick and known as the contour index.
5. If contour lines are drawn close together, it indicates steep slope of the land and if they are drawn far apart, it indicates gentle slope.
6. Settlements are groups of houses where people live, such as villages or towns.
7. Tents and huts are the most common forms of shelter in temporary settlements.
8. Nucleated or clustered settlement indicates that the large community is close knit and living on a fertile land.
9. Linear settlement develop in a line on either side of a road or a railway track.
10. scattered or dispersed settlement is indicated by long distances between houses on map.
11. Triangulated stations are indicated on the topo sheet with a small triangle followed by the number.
12. Settlements are always shown by red squares.
13. The grid on the south-west corner of a topographical map is always the reference point or the starting point.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Human Resources in India

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A resource is something that helps us to meet our needs and create wealth.
2. The working population of a country includes both skilled and unskilled human resources.
3. Scientists and doctors are example of skilled human resources.
4. Unskilled human resources include people with little education.
5. Good education changes the attitude and behaviour of people.

B. Write true or false

1. A skilled person can easily be replaced.
Answer. False.
A skilled person cannot easily be replaced.

2. IT professionals are unskilled resources.
Answer. False.
IT professionals are skilled resources.

3. Unskilled workers have a high income.
Answer. False.
Unskilled workers have a low income.

4. Education improves the understanding of people.
Answer. True.

5. India has 16.9 per cent of the world’s land area.
Answer. False.
India has 16.9 per cent of the world’s population.

C. Match the columns

Answer:

D. Answer these questions briefly

Question 1.
What do you understand by the term human resources ?
Answer:
People are considered a resource as they have the skill and ability to exploit other natural resources and help a country in its growth. Thus, people are considered and called as human resource.

Question 2.
What are the differences between skilled and unskilled human resources ?
Answer:
Skilled human resources :

1. These people have specialised training to perform their work.
2. These people have different levels of formal education.
3. These people do jobs that require knowledge and skill and they cannot be easily replaced.
4. They generally earn high income.
5. Examples – doctors, engineers, scientist, lawyer, teacher, etc.

Unskilled human resources :

1. These people have very limited skills.
2. The people have very little formal education.
3. Their jobs do not require any specialized skills and they can be easily replaced.
4. They generally earn low wage.
5. Examples : workers at construction sites, domestic help, sanitation workers, etc.

Question 3.
Which areas in India are thickly populated ?
Answer:
The vast northern plains like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and coastal plains are thickly populated areas in India.

Question 4.
Define sex ratio.
Answer:
Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per thousand males.

Question 5.
Why is the sex ratio low in Punjab and Haryana ?
Answer:
The sex ratio is low in Punjab (893) and Haryana (877) because of :

• Greater mortality rates of female babies
• Girl child being killed by abortion.

E. Answer these questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
Why is human resource important for a country ?
Answer:
Human resource is important for a country as they can help a country meet its needs and help in its economic growth. Human beings are the most important resource of a country because they can use their intelligence and ability to exploit other resources such as land, minerals and water in the best possible way.

Question 2.
Explain briefly the impact of skilled human resource on the socio-economic development of the country.
Answer:
Human resources play an important role in the overall development of a country.
Human resources are required for the proper utilization of a country’s natural resources like mineral, water, forest, etc. because the optimal utilization of these resources is necessary for the economic development of the country.
Skilled and the knowledgeable human resources make a rational use of all resources at their disposal and increase the volume of output and income for a country. They are well versed in using modem technology and thus help to bring development in a country. They help to increase production by producing a variety of goods and services of high quality.
The development of human resource works as a tool for economic change. It can make people knowledgeable, skilled and physically healthy. This can lead to a change in the attitudes of the people, develop their thought process and improve the quality of their life. Such changes encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship and motivate people to work hard, take risks, do research and explore their innovative capacity.

Question 3.
Discuss the role of health and education in developing human resources.
Answer:
Health and education play a very important role in the development of human resource. Health people can work well and do things quickly. They are able to utilize other resources in a better way. Unhealthy people are unable to perform well and spend money on their treatment which could otherwise be used to acquire other valuable resources or enhance their skills.
Education also plays an important role in the development of human resource. When a person receives good education, it improves his or her level of understanding increases their capacity and mental efficiency to produce more and changes the attitude and behaviour of people as they gain more confidence in themselves. A country with high proportion of well educated people can achieve rapid economic growth.

Question 4.
What do you know about the rural-urban population composition in India ?
Answer:
Population of India may be classified into rural and urban population depending on where the people live.
Rural population — They live in villages. They generally earn their livelihood from agriculture, livestock rearing and other primary activities. In India, more people live in rural areas (about 69 per cent). In recent years, a large number of people have migrated from rural to urban areas in search of job, good education and better living conditions.
Urban population — They live in cities and towns. They earn their livelihood from jobs in offices, factories, trade, transport and services. In India, about 31 per cent people live in urban areas. Migration from rural to urban areas have had an impact on the population of urban areas.

Question 5.
Give an account of the distribution of population in India.
Answer:
India is the second most populous country in the world after China. We have just 2.4 per cent of the land area of the world but have about 16.9 per cent of the world’s population. The last census conducted in 2011 recorded the Indian population at 1, 210, 193, 422. Out of these about 69% live in rural areas and 31% in urban areas. Northern plains have highest concentration of population which includes states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The coastal plains are also thickly populated. The population is thin in the north-eastern states and in the desert region of the west. The Deccan plateau has a moderate population concentration. In India, the sex ratio is 940, which means on an average, we have 940 females to every 1000 males.

Question 6.
Write a note on sex ratio in India.
Answer:
Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per thousand males. In India, on an average, there are more males than females- 940 females for every 1000 males. In some states, the sex ratio is low like only 877 females to every 1000 males in Haryana and 893 females to every 1000 males in Punjab. There are a number of reasons. Greater mortality rates of female babies and the girl child being killed at birth are two important reasons for poor sex ratio in these states.
Kerala and Puducherry have the highest sex ratio with 1084 females to 1000 males in Kerala and 1038 females to every 1000 males in Puducherry. High literacy rate is the reason for this. The fewer number of females per 1000 males in India is a major concern. Which can raise many social issue.

F. Picture study.

Question 1.
In these pictures (i) and (ii) identify the two types of human resources in terms of skills.
Answer:

• A worker at a construction site unskilled person.
• An IT Professional skilled person.

Question 2.
Mention a characteristics of each type.
Answer:

1. Unskilled human resource include people with little formal education and very limited skills. Workers at construction sites, sanitation workers, domestic helps, etc. are examples of unskilled human resource. Their jobs do not require any specialized skill and these people can easily be replaced. They generally earn a low wage.
2. A skilled person is someone who has specialized training to perform their work. These people have different levels of formal education. Scientists, lawyers, etc. are examples of skilled human resource. These people perform tasks that require knowledge and skill, and they cannot be easily replaced. They generally earn a high income.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by mortality rate ?
Answer:
The number of deaths per 1000 live births is called mortality rate. It is also called as death rate.

Question 2.
Name the two categories of working population (human resource).
Answer:
The working population of a country is divided into :

• Skilled human resource
• Unskilled human resource

Question 3.
What is the impact of skilled human resource on the socio-economic development of India ?
Answer:
Education is essential for the socio-economic development of a country and plays a key role in the development of skilled human resources. The Indian government has invested heavily in human resource development because it promotes economic growth in country. Education and skill training is necessary for achieving the growth targets. In India, skill training needs attention except for limited professions like engineers, doctors and computer professionals. The government has started the ‘Skill India Mission’ for the youth in order to meet the demands skilled workers and for the economic growth of the nation. Through this mission the unemployed, school dropouts, women, ordinary graduates, etc. are given training based on their knowledge and ability which will prepare them for jobs. Training is also to be given to carpenters, masons, black smiths, cobblers, welders, tailors, weavers, etc.

Question 4.
What is HDI ?
Answer:
The Human Development Index (HDI), devised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), measures the level of development in a country. This index is calculated on the basis of per capita income, education, literacy and life expectancy of the population. India ranked 130 among 188 countries in the Human Development Report 2015.

Question 5.
What is census ?
Answer:
The counting of the country’s population conducted every 10 years in India is called Census.

Question 6.
Mention various factors that affect the distribution of population in our country.
Answer:
The factors that affect the distribution of population in our country are physical features, climate, availability of natural resources and the level of industrialization.

Question 7.
Why are northern plains thickly populated ?
Answer:
Northern plains have fertile land which is best suited for agriculture. Transport and communication facilities are well developed and employment opportunities are also good.

8. Fill in the blanks

1. Skilled human resource cannot be easily replaced while unskilled human resource can be easily replaced.
2. A country with a high proportion of well-educated people can achieve rapid economic growth.
3. India’s population is more than the population of North America, South America and Australia put together.
4. India has 2.4 % of the land area of the world but about 16.9% of the world’s population.
5. In India sex ratio is 940 females for every 1000 males.
6. Human beings are the most important resource of a country as they can exploit other resources.
7. Health and education play an important role in developing human resources.
8. The Northern plains are thickly populated in India while north eastern states and desert in the west are thinly populated.
9. Sex ratio is the number of females per thousand males.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Disaster Management

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. Proper planning can help in limiting and minimizing damages and losses caused by natural or man-made disasters.
2. Floods can be prevented in vulnerable areas by properly maintaining dykes along rivers.
3. Rainwater harvesting goes a long way in replenishing the depleting supply of ground water.
4. We should always turn off the knob of our LPG cylinders when it is not in use.
5. Every house should have an emergency first-aid kit.

B. Match the following

C. Write true or false

1. The geographical location and landscape of India exposes it to earthquakes.
Answer. True.

2. When a natural disaster occurs in a developing country like India, it is the rich of the country that suffer the most.
Answer.False.
When a natural disaster occurs in a developing country like India, it is the poor of the country that suffer the most.

3. If you are outdoors during a tremor, the best strategy is to stand under a tree.
Answer. False.
If you are outdoors during a tremor, the best strategy is to stand away from a tree.

4. It is essential to plan in advance to prevent floods and contain the losses resulting from them.
Answer.True.

5. It is not possible to prepare in advance to mitigate the impact of a drought.
Answer. False.
It is possible to prepare in advance to mitigate the impact of a drought.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
What is disaster management ?
Answer:
Disaster management is the overall preparedness to handle the possibility of a disaster and efficient management of affected regions as well as people if such an incident were to occur. It involves plans and steps taken before, during and after a disaster to reduce the extent of suffering and damage.

Question 2.
Why is disaster management important ?
Answer:
A disaster – (natural or man-made) can strike anytime without warning. The disaster management is important because the geographical location and landscape of India exposes it to earthquakes and many kinds of weather- related disasters. In a developing country like India, usually the poor suffer the most. Therefore, it is extremely important for the government, the people and social organizations to be prepared with proper plans and arrangements to face any kind of disaster. Proper and prior planning can help in limiting and minimizing damages and losses resulting from any disaster – natural or man-made.

Question 3.
What safety measures can be followed against floods ?
Answer:
Floods can be prevented in vulnerable areas by properly maintaining dykes and embankments along rivers. The government and relief organisation must also have provisions of flood shelters in vulnerable places (along flood prone regions) so that people and livestock can be quickly evacuated and provided relief too. The government must also plan stationing rescue equipment near flood-prone areas. It should be possible to immediately deploy rescue boats and have communication lines open and functioning in order to rescue people caught functioning in order to rescue people caught in rising levels of water. There should be enough dry food, clean water and medicines made available to these people, affected by floods, so that spread of diseases can be stopped.

Question 4.
Mention any three safety measures against a fire.
Answer:
Few safety measures against fire are :

1. Everyone should be acquainted with the common fire safety norms.
2. We should take some time out to find out about the different
   kinds of fire extinguishers and the correct one to use in case of a fire. Fires are of different origins and we should make an effort to know more about this and the right extinguisher to use.
3. While entering a public place such a cinema hall or auditorium, we should make note of the fire exits and all other possible exits.
4. If a fire were to break out, we should avoid using the lift as a means of escape.
5. We should undergo training in first-aid in case of a fire and ways to put out flames.
6. If we light a matchstick to light a candle or the stove, we should also make sure that the matchstick is properly disposed of.
7. We should always turn off the knob of our LPG cylinders when it is not in use. We should also always keep a kitchen window open so that any inflammable gas can dissipate instead of accumulating in the kitchen.

Question 5.
Write any two safety measures taken against biological disaster.
Answer:
In case of a biological disaster, we can take the following safety measures :

1. People should inform the police and get away from any suspicious material that they see around them.
2. The government should educate people through the mass media in case of a threat of a biological attack.
3. People should not inhale such organisms and protect themselves by covering their faces.

Question 6.
What safety measures should be taken in case of a travel- related disaster?
Answer:
In case of a travel-related disaster, we can take the following precautions:

1. Victims should be safely evacuated from the site of the accident and first aid should be administered at the earliest.
2. We should always carry our identity cards with the blood group mentioned on it. Emergency contact number should be written on the identity card to get in touch with family or friends.

Question 7.
What role can social organizations play in disaster management ?
Answer:
There are various groups such as the Red Cross, UN agencies and NGOs (non-governmental organization) which provide aid at the time of disasters. These organizations focus on meeting people’s emergency needs. They provide shelter, food and medicines to the victims. They work to decrease the sense of isolation and abandonment that disaster victims often feel.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
What safety measures should be taken during an earthquake ?
Answer:
Safety measures during earthquakes :
If you are indoors during an earthquake, three steps – drop, cover and hold-could save you from receiving severe injuries. If your building is shaking immediately drop to the ground and take cover under a bed or table. If you are outdoors during a tremor, the best strategy would be to move towards an open area – away from trees, buildings, electricity poles, transmission towers, etc. stay away from bridges and flyovers during an earthquake and even for a while after it has subsided.

Question 2.
Write a note on the safety measures to lessen the impact of droughts.
Answer:
Safety measures to lessen the impact of droughts are :

1. Using water sources such as rivers, lakes and ponds carefully and maintaining them is important to tide people over during times of no rain.
2. Rainwater harvesting goes a long way in replenishing the depleting supply of groundwater. The government and social welfare organizations should teach and enable people to harvest rainwater to restore their water reserves.
3. Building of check dams also helps to collect run-off water in hilly areas.
4. We should stop cutting down trees along river banks and other water bodies. Instead, we should plant more trees. Trees help in drawing moisture and rainfall to a region.
5. We should stop wasteful use of water in our daily life.

Question 3.
Write any five safety measures against fires.
Answer:
Few safety measures against fire are :

1. Everyone should be acquainted with the common fire safety norms.
2. We should take some time out to find out about the different kinds of fire extinguishers and the correct one to use in case of a fire. Fires are of different origins and we should make an effort to know more about this and the right extinguisher to use.
3. While entering a public place such a cinema hall or auditorium, we should make note of the fire exits and all other possible exits.
4. If a fire were to break out, we should avoid using the lift as a means of escape.
5. We should undergo training in first-aid in case of a fire and ways to put out flames.
6. If we light a matchstick to light a candle or the stove, we should also make sure that the matchstick is properly disposed of.
7. We should always turn off the knob of our LPG cylinders when it is not in use. We should also always keep a kitchen window open so that any inflammable gas can dissipate instead of accumulating in the kitchen.

Question 4.
Write some ways in which the government can tackle man¬made disasters.
Answer:
The government can tackle the man-made disasters in many ways :

1. Government of developing countries should allot a substantial sum of money from their budget to set up special disaster management departments.
2. Efficient forecasting and warning systems should be installed.
3. Modern tools of information technology must be used for managing such situations.
4. The government should set up organizations to coordinate relief work and give top priority to rehabilitation and reconstruction plans.
5. The communication network should be strengthened to ensure that entire regions do not get cut off in the eventuality of disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.
6. Inspection team should be send regularly to check safety regulations at public places like hotels, malls, theatres, etc.

Question 5.
What role can people play in disaster management ?
Answer:
When a disaster occurs, the external aid comes late, so the people should be skilled in first-aid techniques and in ways to help other critically injured people. Every house should have a first -aid kit. There should be awareness about the disasters and preventions for them. For example, the hotel management could help save a lot of lives in case of a fire if it follows the government regulations on emergency exits, escape routes and fire extinguishers. The residents of a war zone may construct undergrounds bunkers that can protect them from air strikes by enemy nations. People living in areas prone to tsunami may plant more trees or create tsunami walls, along the coastline to prevent extensive damage. Also people should be alert to suspicious elements, such as terrorists, who are capable of launching attacks and causing man-made disasters.

Question 6.
Briefly explain the steps to be taken to mitigate the impact of cyclone.
Answer:
In order to mitigate the impact of cyclone following, precautions can be taken :

1. People living in cyclone-prone regions must be alert and keep a track of warnings, announcements and instructions from I the meteorological department and the Disaster Warning System (DWS), television news and radio broadcasts. They should carefully follow instructions given on radio and television and act accordingly to avoid danger. A timely warning can save many lives.
2. Cyclone-prone areas should have pre-constructed shelters that are known to everyone.
3. The houses in these areas should be designed to withstand strong winds.
4. We must conserve coastal vegetation such as mangrove forests as these act as windbreaks and reduce the impact of waves.
5. Emergency kit, food, water and medicines should be kept ready in a waterproof bag.
6. People should take precautions against snakebites, fallen electric poles, wires, etc.

Question 7.
What precautions should be taken against nuclear disaster?
Answer:
In case of a nuclear disaster, we can take the following precautions :

1. It is advisable to stay indoors with all doors and windows shut as radioactivity cannot penetrate through solids walls.
2. Any dust or liquid that gets deposited outside should not be touched as it may be contaminated.
3. Official broadcasts for instructions should be followed.
4. Nuclear plants should not be established in populated areas and such plants should never be constructed in an earthquake – prone region.

Question 8.
What safety measures can be taken in case of

1. a chemical disaster
2. terror attack?

Answer:

• A chemical disaster : In case of a chemical disaster, we can take the following precautions :
  (a) Chemical industries should not be allowed to function in populated areas.
  (b) The government agencies should conduct regular safety and pollution checks of these chemical industries. The government should be equipped and must have a proper plan to handle emergencies. It should be prepared with antidotes and other relief measures in case of poisoning.
• Terror attack: In case of a terror attack, we can take the following precautions:
  (a) People should always be alert and report to the concerned authorities about any suspicious persons in their neighbourhood.
  (b) Any unattended bags or articles should not be touched and should immediately be reported to the police.
  (c) All important telephone numbers such as those of police, ambulance, neighbors, etc. should be kept handy.

F. Picture study
The photograph shows children practicing the ‘drop, cover and hold’ strategy during an earthquake.

What are the precautions that should be taken during an earthquake and the tremors that follows?
Answer:
If you are indoors during an earthquake, three steps – drop, cover and hold – could save you from receiving severe injuries. If your building is shaking, immediately drop to the ground and take cover under a bed or table. If you are outdoors during a tremor, the best strategy would be to move towards an open area – away from trees, buildings, transmission towers, electricity poles, etc. Stay away from bridges and flyovers during an earthquake, and even for a while after it has subsided.
It is very important to follow proper norms while constructing buildings, bridges, flyovers and dams. Old buildings should be strengthened through the process of retrofitting. We must keep a first-aid box at home and in school. It can be very useful in case of an emergency.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
Which simple strategy or three steps can protect people from getting severely injured during an earthquake while indoor ?
Answer:
Drop-cover and hold.

Question 2.
When and why was the Disaster Management Act passed in India ?
Answer:
On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which led to the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) headed by the Prime Minister and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by the respective Chief Minister of different states. The main vision of this body is to build a safer and disaster-resilient India.

Question 3.
Give full form of NDMA and SDMA and NGO
Answer:

• NDMA – National Disaster Management Authority
• SDMA – State Disaster Management Authority
• NGO – Non-Governmental Organization.

Question 4.
What do you mean by Dyke ?
Answer:
Dyke is a long wall or embankment built to prevent flooding from the sea.

Question 5.
What do you mean by a school ? Disaster Management System ?
Answer:
A School Disaster Management system is the process of assessment and planning, physical protection and response capacity development designed to

1. Protect students and the staff from physical harm;
2. Minimize disruption and ensure the continuity of education for all children;
3. Develop and maintain a culture of safety.

6. Fill in the blanks

1. Proper planning can help in limiting and minimizing damages and losses resulting from any disaster-natural or man-made.
2. If you are outdoor during an earthquake, move towards an open area.
3. Unlike most of the other natural disasters, a drought is not a sudden occurrence.
4. Check dams help to collect run-off water in hilly areas.
5. Trees help in drawing moisture and rainfall to a region.
6. We should make an effort to know more about the different kinds of fire extinguishers to use in case of fire.
7. While entering a public place like cinema hall or auditorium, we should make note of the fire exits.
8. Regular inspection should be done by the government to check if public places adhere to safety regulations.
9. Rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting and storing rainwater for future use.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – India: Climate, Natural Vegetation, Forests and Wildlife

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Class 8

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. The state that first receives the monsoon rains : Kerala.
2. A place that receives the heaviest rainfall in India and the world: Mawsynram
3. Depression that causes winter rainfall in north-west India : Western disturbance.
4. In mixed deciduous forests : Sal and Oak trees are found.

B. Write true or false. Correct the false statements

1. Babool and kikar trees are mainly found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats.
Answer. False.
Babool and kikar trees are mainly found in Rajasthan, Punjab, and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats.

2. Increase in height is responsible for the changing vegetation in the Himalayas.
Answer. True.

3. Thorn forests occupy the largest area in India.
Answer. False.
Tropical Monsoon deciduous forests occupy the largest area in India.

4. Hogla is mainly found in the tidal forests.
Answer. True.

C. Give geographical reasons for each of the following :

Question 1.
South India is warmer than north India.
Answer:
South India is warmer than North India as it is close to the equator. It has equable climate throughout the year neither very hot nor very cold as it is close to the coast. The north India is far from the equator and is hot in summer and cold in winter (extreme climate) because it is away from the coast.

Question 2.
The south-west monsoon is divided into two branches.
Answer:
The south-west monsoon is divided into two branches because of the peninsular shape of India. The Arabian Sea causes rainfall in the western part and the Bay of Bengal brings rainfall in north-eastern India.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
What type of climate does the Indian subcontinent have ?
Answer:
The Indian subcontinent has a tropical monsoon climate. The temperatures are high with monsoon laden summers. India has distinct wet and dry seasons.

Question 2.
State two ways in which the Himalayas act as a climate barrier.
Answer:
Two ways in which the Himalayas act as a climate barrier are:

1. Himalayas prevent the cold winds of Central Asia from entering India. This prevents India from experiencing very cold winters.
2. The Himalayas also prevent the rain-bearing monsoon winds from leaving the country, thus allowing the country to receive sufficient rainfall.

Question 3.
Why does India have a tropical monsoon climate ?
Answer:
India has a tropical monsoon climate due to the presence of the Himalayas which do not allow the cold winds of Asia to reach the temperate northern parts of India and trap the monsoon which bring rain to the whole of country.

Question 4.
Name two states of north India that receive rainfall in winter. What is the cause of winter rainfall in these states?
Answer:
States of North India that receive rainfall in winter are Punjab, Kashmir, Himacha Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh. The western disturbances cause the winter rainfall in north-western parts of India. Western disturbances are cyclones or depressions originating from the Mediterranean
region.

Question 5.
Where would you find the following in India:
Asiatic lion, Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, and red panda?
Answer:

• Asiatic lion is found only in the Gir forests of Gujarat.
• Royal Bengal tiger in mainly found in the forests and foothills of the Himalayas and Sunderbans of the Ganga Delta.
• One-horned rhinoceros is found in Assam and West Bengal.
• Red panda is found in the snow-covered mountains of the Himalayas.

Question 6.
Mention any three national parks in India.
Answer:
India’s national parks play an important role in conserving the country’s forests and wildlife. Some of the well-known national parks are mentioned below :

1. Kaziranga National Park : It is located in Assam and gives protection to the one homed-rhinocerous.
2. Ranthambore National Park : Located in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan, this park is dotted with banyan, dhok and mango trees and also has evergreen belts. It plays in important role in tiger protection in the country.
3. Sundarbans National Park : It is located in West Bengal and is a major tiger reserve in the country.
4. Bandhavgarh National Park : Located in Madhya Pradesh, this park is another safe haven for tigers.
5. Kanha National Park : It is supposed to be the most well- maintained park in the country. It provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous work, The Jungle Book.

Question 7.
Mention any five biosphere reserves in India.
Answer:
Some important biosphere reserves in India are :

1. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve located in Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills in South India.
2. Gulf of Mannar Bisophere Reserve located between India and Sri Lanka, forming part of the Laccadive Sea.
3. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal.
4. Nanda Devi Biosphere in north-eastern Uttarakhand.
5. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills in Meghalaya.
6. Pachmari Biosphere Reserve in the Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh.
7. Similipal Biosphere Reserve in north-eastern Odisha.
8. Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve located in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
9. Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve located in Nicobar Islands.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs.

Question 1.
Describe the seasons experienced in India and also state the months and their duration.
Answer:
The tropical monsoon climate of India has three main seasons 

1. The Hot Dry Season — March to May
2. The Hot Wet Season — June to October
3. The Cool Dry Season — November to February

1. The Hot Dry Season: The temperature starts to rise by March, reaching the highest in May in the desert region going above 48°C. Northern Plains are at about 35° to 40°C. The places at higher altitudes and coastal regions have moderate temperatures. The high temperature leads to local storms accompanied by convectional showers at times like loo in Rajasthan, Mango showers in Kerala, Kalbaisakhi in Assam and West Bengal.

2. The Hot Wet Season Rainy Season : By June, the high temperature leads to the formation of a low pressure area and blowing of high pressure winds from the sea to the land occurs which brings rainfall to the land. These winds are called summer monsoons or the south-west monsoons that bring heavy rain along with thunder and lightning. Temperature decreases by 3°-6°C. Kerala is the first state to receive the rain. The south-west monsoons are divided into two branches—
(a) The Arabian Sea Branch — It is stronger and causes heavy rain in the western ghats, moving to Deccan Plateau and the interiors of peninsular which gets hardly 50-60 cm of rainfall.
(b) The Bay of Bengal Branch — It brings heavy rain in the north-eastern India, then all over the Northern Plains (by taking turn along the Himalayas). By the time they reach north-west India, the wind becomes dry and hence very low rainfall is experienced in this region.
By the end of September, India starts to cool again as the sun’s direct rays move towards the equator and the Tropic of Capricon. The air above land is cool (at high pressure) and air above water bodies is warmer (low pressure), so the winds reverse the direction and blow from the land to the sea. These winds are called retreating monsoons. Tamil Nadu receives less rainfall in summer and more rainfall in winters from the north-east monsoon.

3. Cold Dry Season : The winter season begins from November and lasts till February. Temperatures are lower in north India and the interiors are dry. The average temperatures go below 10°C in north-west India and around 21°C in the plains. Some areas at high altitude as Shimla and Srinagar experience snowfall. South India remains warmer due to closeness to equator. Severe cold waves are common in Northern India. Rainfall is scanty all over India as winds blow from land towards the sea and hence are dry. The north-west India and the Coromandel Coast receive winter rainfall due to north east monsoons. Hence, Tamil Naidu receives winter rainfall. Western disturbances also bring cyclonic rainfall in the north west India states like Punjab, Kashmir Himachal Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh Winter rainfall is low but very important for rabi or winter crops such as wheat and barley.

Question 2.
Which winds bring rainfall to the Western Ghats ? Why is the Deccan Plateau relatively dry during the rainy season? Why do Punjab and Rajasthan get very little rainfall during the monsoons ?
Answer:
The moisture laden south-west monsoon winds from die Arabian Sea branch causes heavy rainfall to the windward side of the Western Ghats.
The Deccan Plateau which lies on the leward side receives very little rainfall and hence remains relatively dry during ;he rainy reason.
The Bay of Bengal Branch of the south-west monsoons brings heavy rainfall to the north-eastern region of India. The Himalayas prevent them from leaving India and divert these O west, through the Ganga Plains. The amount of rainfall received steadily decreases in the north- west direction and wind becomes dry. As a result, Punjab and Rajasthan get very little rainfall during monsoons. Punjab is the last state to receive the monsoon rains.

Question 3.
Explain the importance of monsoon.
Answer:
A good monsoon is important for the entire country for these reasons :

1. A good monsoon brings economic prosperity for the whole country and boosts the Indian economy as agriculture contributes around 16 per cent of its total Gross domestic product (GDP).
2. High temperature and heavy rainfall in the summer months are important for different types of kharif crops. The winter rain supplemented by irrigation is important for rabi crops.
3. A normal rainfall is important for adequate agricultural production in order to maintain food prices. Food prices depend upon the agricultural output. In the absence of a good monsoon, the entire nation may be destabilized because of food inflation.
4. Several dams, reservoirs, rivers and canals in India are rain- fed and depend upon the monsoon rains.
5. Other economic activities like forestry and fishing are also influenced directly by the amount of rainfall.
6. Monsoon rain gives us respite from the high and intolerable summer heat and brings back life to the living earth.
7. Monsoon also has a role to play in the social-cultural unity of India. People of India, particularly the farmers, eagerly wait tor the monsoon rains. We know that the monsoon winds provide water for the various agricultural activities. The agricultural calendar, and the social-cultural life of the people including their festivities, revolve around the monsoon phenomena and in a way binds the people of India together. Different harvest festivals in our country such as Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Onam in Kerala and Lohri in Punjab are celebrated to mark a good harvest. If the rainfall is good, the entire country celebrates and if the monsoon fails, it brings famines and a year of sorrow for everyone.

Question 4.
List the different types of vegetation found in India. Describe any two.
Answer:
The different types of vegetation found in India are :

Based on variation of rainfall

• Tropical evergreen forests
• Tropical deciduous forests
• Thorn and desert forests

Based on variation of relief

• Tidal or mangrove forests
• Mountain or Alpine forests

Tropical evergreen rain forests : These forests are found in areas that receive an annual rainfall of over 300 cm and are very humid. The temperature varies between 25° and 27° C or above. The windward side of the Western Ghats in western Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, hills of north-eastern India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have these forests. The forests have broad-leaved hardwood trees. These are dense evergreen forests with trees upto 60 m tall. The trees form distinct layers. Thick undergrowth makes commercial exploitation difficult Shisham, ebony, rosewood, telsar, tun or red cedar, teak gurjans, mahogany and bamboo are the common species of trees growing here.
Monsoon deciduous forests : These forests are found in areas that receive an annual rainfall between 100 and 200 cm, have distinct dry and wet seasons, and a low range of temperature. These forests arc found in large part of India- from the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats up to the Shivalik Range in the north, north-eastern region and the Deccan Plateau. The trees shed their leaves during the dry season to conserve water. The trees do not grow very close to each other, are not very tall and have long roots. The trees growing here are of great economic importance like teak, sal, mahua, Khair, sandalwood, jack fruit, semal, myrobalan and banyan.

Question 5.
How are the tropical evergreen forests different from the tropical deciduous froests ?
Answer:

Question 6.
Where are the tidal forests found in India ? What are the characteristics of these forests ? Name a few trees found in. these forests.
Answer:
The tidal or mangrove forests are found in the deltas of all major rivers – Ganga – Brahmaputra Delta (the Sunderbans), the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri. These areas receive more than 200 cm of annual rainfall. The forests developed in the lowlands that get flooded and submerged under salty sea water during high tide. The forests are dense and the trees have hardwood. The trees have stilt-like supporting roots that can take in oxygen. They have glossy aftd evergreen leaves. The vegetation found here is – Sundari trees, gorjan, lintal, casuarina, golpata, hogla (elephant grass), hetal and recdsr Thfcse forests are also called mangroves. They are a very impotant part of the coastal ecosystem.

Question 7.
Give an account of the biosphere reserves in India.
Answer:
India biosphere reserves are large areas of natural habitat and often include one or two national parks and/or reserves that are open to some economic uses. In these reserves, protection is given not only to the flora and fauna of the region but also to the local communities and their way of life. Biosphere reserves are divided into three zones which have specific roles to play in the conservation of wildlife.
Core zone is the legally protected zone wherein land and water is not to be disturbed by human activity. The main function of this zone is to conserve biodiversity and allow scientific research that does not adversely affect the wildlife in the zone. Buffer zone is the area surrounding the core zone wherein activities like environmental research and recreation are allowed in a manner that does not affect the wildlife. Transition zone is the area wherein human activities such as farming, grazing and any other activities of the indigenous people are permitted.

F. Map work 
On an outline map of India, do as directed :

1. Mark with red arrows the paths of the Arabian Sea branch and the Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west monsoon.
2. Shade in yellow the rain shadow regions of the Western Ghats.
3. Colour with light green the areas of India that receive moderate rainfall between 100-200 cm annually.
4. Mark the Kaziranga and Kanha national parks, and the Nokrek biosphere reserve.

Answer:
1.

2.

3. and 4.

G. Picture Study

Question 1.
Identify the type of forest shown in the photograph.
Answer:
Tidal or Mangrove forest.

Question 2.
Write two characteristics of this type of forest.
Answer:

1. The forests are dense and the trees have hardwood.
2. Trees have stilt type supporting roots to take in oxygen.
3. Leaves are glossy and evergreen.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
Which latitude divides India into two nearly equal parts ?
Answer:
The Tropic of Cancer at 23 1/2° N latitude divides India into two nearly equal parts the northern temperate zone and the southern tropical zone.

Question 2.
What are monsoons ?
Answer:
Monsoons are the seasonal winds that blow across the Indian subcontinent and bring rain to the whole of India.

Question 3.
What are the factors affecting the climate of India ?
Answer:
Factors affecting the climate of India are :

1. Latitude — The areas close to the equator, i.e. southern India, has warm and equable climate. The northern India which is away from the equator has extreme climate-hot in summer and cold in water.
2. Height above sea level — Temperature decreases with increase in height above sea level. Very low temperatures are recorded in high Himalayan regions and Udhagamandalam (Ooty) and Kodaikanal in the Western Ghats.
3. Northern Mountains — They prevent the cold winds of Central Asia from entering India and hence India is protected from severe winters. They also prevent the rain-bearing monsoon winds from leaving the country and thus allowing the country to receive sufficient rainfall.
4. Distance from the Sea — Places in the interior like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan have very hot summers and cold dry- winters as they are far from the influence of the sea. Places near the coast, such as Mumbai and Chennai, have moderate summers and winters.

Question 4.
Why do places at higher altitudes and the coastal regions have moderate temperatures in summers ?
Answer:
Places at high altitude have moderate temperatures due to their height above sea level (temperature decreases with increase in height above sea level).
Places at coastal regions have moderate temperatures due to their closeness to the sea.

Question 5.
Name :

1. The hottest place in India
2. The coldest place in India.
3. The wettest place in India.

Answer:

1. Hottest place in India : Briyawali in Bikaner, Rajasthan (56°C)
2. Coldest place in India : Dras in Jammu and Kashmir (-56°C)
3. Wettest place in India : Mawsynram in Meghalaya (average annual rainfall 1,187 cm)

Question 6.
What do you mean by western disturbances ?
Answer:
Western disturbances are cyclones originating in the Mediterranean region and arriving into India from the north- west. They bring winter rainfall in the north-west India.

Question 7.
How are evergreen and deciduous trees different ?
Answer:
Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water, eg. Teak, sal. sandalwood, banyan, etc. whereas evergreen trees remain green throughout the year and do not shed their leaves in any season, eg. shisham, ebony, rosewood, mahogany, bamboo, etc.

Question 8.
What do you mean by mangrove ?
Answer:
Mangrove is a forest that is found in the tropical and sub-tropical coastal areas which are subject to being submerged in salty sea water by high tides.

Question 9.
What is loo ?
Answer:
Loo is hot dusty wind blowing over northern India in summers.

Question 10.
Name the showers that help in the ripening of mangoes in Kerala ?
Answer:
Mango showers.

Question 11.
Why are storms in Assam and West Bengal called Kalbaisakhi ?
Answer:
Kalbaisakhi means ‘calamity of the month of Baisakh (April) as they sometimes damage trees and property.

Question 12.
Which is the first and the last state to receive monsoon in India ?
Answer:
Kerala is the first state and Punjab is the last state to receive monsoon in India.

Question 13.
Name few festivals of India which celebrate the arrival of monsoons, changes in seasons and the harvest season.
Answer:
Adi Perukku and Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Baisakhi in north India.

Question 14.
What do you understand by retreating monsoons ?
Answer:
By the end of September, the Indian subcontinent starts to. cool and monsoon winds become dry. Since the air above the land is cold and heavy, a high pressure region is created over land. The air above the surrounding water bodies are relatively warmer and have low pressure region. Now, the dry monsoon winds reverse their direction and start blowing from the land to the sea. These winds are called retreating monsoons.

Question 15.
Why does Tamil Nadu receive rainfall in winter ?
Answer:
Tamil Nadu receives less rainfall in summer from the south-west monsoon as it lies in the leeward side of the Western Ghats. During winters, the north-east winds are dry but as they blow over the Bay of Bengal they pick moisture and bring rainfall in Tamil Nadu as north-east monsoons.

Question 16.
Name two area in India which receive winter rainfall.
Answer:
The Coromandel Coast and north-west India.

Question 17.
On what factors does rainfall at a place depend on ?
Answer:
The amount of rainfall depends on the location of a place, i.e. whether it is located near the coast or in the interior and whether it is on the windward side (wet side) or the leeward side (dry side). The direction of the mountain ranges is also of great significance.

Question 18.
Write short notes on :

1. Thorn and Desert forest
2. Mountain or Alpine forest
3. Afforestation or Vana Mahotsava

Answer:

1. Thorn and Desert forest — These forests are found in the north-western part of India and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats as Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The average rainfall is less than 50 cm. The vegetation cover is not dense. Stunted, thorny trees and bushes grow here. The plants have long roots to tap the underground water and modified stems to store water. Trees found here are date, palms, acacia, palas, cacti, kikar and babool.
2. Mountain or Alpine forest — These forests are mainly found in Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. Different types of vegetation occur at different altitudes. The lower foothills have deciduous forests and the middle slopes have mixed deciduous conifers. Grass grows on very high slopes. Coniferous forests have softwood evergreen trees like sal, oak, ash, beech, chir pine, silverfir, chestnut, cedar and deodar.
3. Afforestation or Vana Mahotsava — Growing of trees/forest (afforestation) has been taken up as Vana Mahotsava in India which is a tree planting ceremony started to maintain the ecological balance and prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. The following activities are undertaken on Vana Mahotsava :

(a) Tree planting to increase area under forests
(b) Care of trees already planted
(c) Protection of trees from insects and pests.
(d) Planting trees on hill slopes and wasteland.
(e) Preventing illegal felling of trees.
(f) Free distribution of saplings.

Question 19.
Name few important species of wildlife found in India.
Answer:
The variety of animals found in India are tiger, Royal Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, panthers, cheetahs, snow leopards, elephants, Nilgai (blue bull), swamp deer, barasingha, hangul, bears, red panda, Himalayan Black bear, one-horned rhinoceros, crocodile, gharial (gangetic crocodile).
The variety of birds found in India are swallow, mynah, owl, kite, parrot, pigeon, dove, crow, sparrow, bulbul, goose, duck, kingfisher, crane and heron.

Question 20.
List some direct and indirect advantages from forests.
Answer:
Direct Advantages :

1. Forests provide timber for construction purposes, furniture, toys, railway sleepers, sports goods, and wood carving ; and softwood, bamboo, and grass for pulp, paper, and plywood.
2. Forests also provide products such as fruits, flowers, medicinal herbs and plants, beeswax, honey, turpentine oil, lac, and resin.
3. Forests provide fodder for cattle.
4. Forests are a shelter or natural habitat for wildlife.
5. Forests are major tourist attractions.

Indirect Advantages :

1. Forests moderate the temperature of a place.
2. Forests protect land from soil erosion by reducing the flow of flood waters.
3. Forests help in increasing soil fertility by providing humus.
4. Forests help in increasing water vapour in the atmosphere, thereby helping in cloud formation that causes rainfall.

Question 21.
Define with examples :

1. Sanctuary
2. National Park
3. Biosphere reserve.

Answer:

1. Sanctuary — A sanctuary is a protected area where wild animal can live in their natural surroundings. Hunting, entry with weapons, lighting a fire and using substances injurious to wildlife are prohibited while fishing and grazing of livestock may be allowed on a controlled basis. Entry or residence in it may be granted for the purpose of photography, Scientific research or tourism. For example – Sanjay Gandhi Bird Sanctuary, Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Periyar Bird Sanctuary, etc.
2. National Park — A national park is a protected area where animals live in their natural surroundings. Commercial exploitation of animals and natural resources is illegal. Cattle grazing is prohibited. Tourists can enter their with permission. For example – Jim Corbett National Park, Gir forest, Rajaji National Park, Sariska National Park, Kaziranga National Park, etc.
3. Biosphere reserve — They are protected areas that have been set up to preserve genetic diversity, promote research on ecological conservation and facilitate training to create an awareness of the biosphere. For example — Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve, Manas Biosphere Reserve, etc.

22. Fill in the blanks

1. The areas away from the coast experience extremes of temperature while those near the coast have equable climate throughout the year.
2. The southern part of India is warm all year round.
3. Agriculture, forestry and fishing are directly influenced by the amount of rainfall.
4. Temperature decreases with increase in height above sea level.
5. The Himalayas protect our country from the cold winds of Central Asia.
6. The highest temperatures are recorded in the desert regions of north-west India.
7. The winter rainfall is very important for the cultivation of rabi crops such as wheat.
8. The Arabian Sea branch of south-west monsoon winds cause heavy rainfall to Western Ghats.
9. The Bay of Bengal branch of south-west monsoon bring heavy rainfall to the north-east India Ganga plains and north-west India.
10. There are about 5,000 species of plants and animals in India.
11. Mangrove forests are a very important part of the coastal ecosystem.
12. Tiger is the national animal and peacock is the national bird of India.
13. The total forest area in India was at 21.34 per cent in 2015.
14. There are 514 wildlife sanctuaries and 100 national parks in India.
15. India receives most of its rainfall from the south-west monsoons from June to October.
16. The north-east monsoons cause rainfall on the Coromandel Coast during winter months.
17. The western disturbances cause rainfall in the north-west India in winters.

Map Skills

Question 1.
Mark some important biosphere reserves, bird sanctuaries and national parks of India ?
Answer:

Question 2.
On an outline map of India, show the path of the north – east monsoons with arrows.
Answer:

Question 3.
On an outline map of India, show the annual distribution of rainfall.
Answer:

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Natural and Man-made Disasters With Case Studies

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. Some disasters like droughts may begin slowly and later increase in extent and intensity.
2. Earthquake is an example of a major natural disaster.
3. Cyclones are low-pressure areas that occur over warm ocean waters of temperate and tropical regions.
4. The collision of the earth’s plates caused the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015.
5. The Bhopal gas tragedy was caused by the accidental leakage of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate from the Union Carbide factory.

B. Match the following columns

Answer:

C. Choose the correct answer 

1. Droughts are caused by insufficient _______ over a long period of time.

1. flood
2. storm
3. rainfall
4. sunlight

2. In 1986, an accidental explosion at a nuclear plant at ________ in the former USSR caused radiation to spread across Ukraine and other regions, killing over 12,000 people.

1. Kiev
2. Chernobyl
3. Astana
4. St Petersburg

3. Chemical disasters are caused by _______.

1. gases
2. germs
3. pollen
4. virus

4. Biological disasters occur when______, which are grown in laboratories, get released in the air.

1. chemical
2. germs
3. pollen
4. blossoms

5. Chemicals from ______ kill marine life and coral reefs and also affect birds and mammals.

1. cyclones
2. drought
3. earthquakes
4. oil spills

D. State whether the following are true or false

1. Earthquakes also trigger landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis.
Answer. True

2. Floods wash away the top layer of the soil, which is the most infertile.
Answer. False.
Floods wash away the top layer of the soil, which is the most fertile.

3. West Bengal is most vulnerable to floods.
Answer.False.
Bihar is most vulnerable to floods.

4. Oil spills harm marine life.
Answer. True.

5. The attacks carried out on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States during World War II were an example of unintentional nuclear disaster.
Answer. False.
The attacks carried out on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States during World War II were an example of intentional nuclear disaster.

E. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
How are earthquakes caused ?
Answer:
The surface of the earth is made up of interlocking plates of
rock that float on a semi-liquid layer called the mantle. When two floating plates collide, the vibrations pass through the , earth’s surface or the crust. This makes the crust and everything on it shake uncontrollably and causes earthquake.

Question 2.
What causes floods ? What kind of environmental damage does a flood cause ?
Answer:
A flood occurs when a sudden influx of water submerges land, posing a danger to life and property. They are mostly caused due to overflowing of rivers in the monsoon. It occurs almost every year. Floods wash away the top layer of the soil which is the most fertile and hence causes soil erosion.

Question 3.
What is a drought ? What are the effects of a drought ?
Answer:
Droughts are caused when a region receives insufficient rainfall for a long period of time. Shortage of water in drought- prone areas leads to a fall in the water table, crop failure, shortage of food, fodder and employment. As people begin to starve, they migrate to other places and become homeless. It occurs almost every year bringing with them epidemics and causing human suffering.

Question 4.
What should people do in the event of a nuclear disaster ?
Answer:
In the event of a nuclear disaster, one should close all the doors and windows of their houses and remain indoors as radiation does not penetrate solid structures. People should not go out until the government makes arrangements for their rescue.

Question 5.
How do chemical disasters occur ?
Answer:
Chemical disasters occur by the accidental release of toxic chemicals or gases into the environment from factories or other establishments. The hazardous substances released into the environment travel very fast and cause large-scale devastation.

Question 6.
How do biological disasters occur?
Answer:
Biological disasters are caused by germs developed in laboratories and released in the air to kill a large number of people. When these microbes are inhaled by a person, or get absorbed in his/her system through a cut or wound, they can infect him/her . Even a few drops of the smallpox or plague virus could start an epidemic, killing thousands of people.

Question 7.
Give some examples of travel-related disaster.
Answer:
Some examples of travel-related disasters are air crashes, train collisions and derailments, capsizing of boats and ships, etc. All these travel related disasters adversely impact a large number of people.

F. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
Write a short note on the earthquake zones of India.
Answer:
The entire Himalayan belt is on the boundary between the Eurasian and the Indian plates and is, therefore, prone to earthquakes. It falls under the very high risk zone (Seismic Zone V). Because of frequent seismic activity, it cause severe damage to life and settlements in the area. Kachchh in Gujarat and the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin are in the high risk zone (Seismic Zone IV).

Question 2.
How is a cyclone caused ? Which coastal region of India is cyclone-prone ?
Answer:
Cyclones are low-pressure areas that occur over warm ocean waters of temperate and tropical regions. Seen as swirling atmospheric disturbances they are accompanied by heavy rain, huge waves and powerful winds blowing at a velocity of 300 km per hour. Storm surges during the high tide, called storm tides, cause enormous damage to coastal regions. Cyclone-prone areas of India are West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Question 3.
What are the conditions people face during a drought ?
Answer:
Droughts are caused when a region receives insufficient rainfall for a long period of time. Shortage of water in drought- prone areas leads to a fall in the water table, crop failure, shortage of food, fodder and employment. As people begin to starve, they migrate to other places and become homeless. It occurs almost every year bringing with them epidemics and causing human suffering.

Question 4.
Briefly explain the various causes of fire.
Answer:
Fires usually occur due to poor wiring and faulty electrical equipment, leakage of cooking gas or a carelessly thrown matchstick. The most common cause of a fire in a building is poor electrical wiring and faulty equipment. Electrical wiring must be regularly checked. If the wiring is worn-out, it must be replaced immediately by standard quality wires and electrical fittings to avoid any short-circuit. Fire can also be caused due to gas leakage. Gas pipes, regulators and stoves should be regularly checked to ensure there is no leakage. Regular maintenance checks in gas pipelines should also be mandatory. Fire is also commonly caused by carelessly thrown matches and cigarettes. It is also one of the common causes of forest fires. There is also fire-related disasters in areas where wood is used in construction activities. The loss of life is more if a fire breaks out in crowded areas.

Question 5.
Why is nuclear disaster so harmful?
Answer:
Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and leads to mass destruction of life and property. The adverse effects of nuclear radiation through the use of these weapons leaves thousands of people crippled for life. Several thousands suffer throughout life due to exposure to radiation. A nuclear
explosion is so bright that it can make people blind if they see it with naked eyes. The explosion is followed by a heat wave and a huge cloud formation at the blast site. In such a disaster, radioactivity is the silent killer whose effects continue for a very long time after the incident. The energy released in the form of particles from the radioactive elements such as uranium, plutonium, etc. is called radioactivity. It spreads in the area and causes nausea, dizziness, vomiting and disorientation. It is very harmful to human health and causes serious illnesses like cancer. The worst type of man-made disaster, it can cause the collapse of social, political and economic establishments across the globe. Crises of this kind could occur intentionally as well as unintentionally.

Question 6.
Which man-made nuclear disaster shook the world during World War II ? Give details.
Answer:
Man-made intentional nuclear disaster which shook the world during World War II was the attacks carried out on Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan by the United States in August 1945. The two atomic bombs dropped on Japan killed around one lakh people and injured an equal number. The two bombs were nicknamed ‘Little Boy’ and ‘Fat Man’. It caused the collapse of social, political and economic establishments across the globe.

Question 7.
Write a short note terror attacks attacks with examples.
Answer:
This kind of disaster occurs in the event of a terror strike, either through the use of explosives, guns, or chemical and biological weapons. Most of these disasters are brought about by misdirected elements who think that social, political, or religious goals can be achieved by killing people. Terrorists also hijack planes and destroy public infrastructure, such as railway tracks and bridges, to cause massive devastation. The attack on the World Trade Center in the US on 11 September 2001, when terrorists hijacked planes to spread terror, resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths. The most destructive terror attacks in India include the attack on Parliament on 13 December 2001, and the Mumbai attacks on 26 November 2008.

Question 8.
Write a short note on the Nepal earthquake of 2015.
Answer:
The Nepal earthquake was a devastating earthquake that struck near Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal on April 25, 2015. Nearly 9000 people were killed and several thousands more injured. The earthquake destroyed over 600,000 small and large buildings and structures in Kathmandu. The magnitude on Richter scale was 7.8 with two large aftershocks of magnitudes 6.6 and 6.7 within an hour of the main quake. The collision of earth’s plates caused the earthquake in Nepal. Nepal lies on the fault called thrust fault. Where the Indian plate jumped over the Eurasian plate. The earthquake caused devastating damages to life and infrastructure and tremors were felt across India Bangladesh, Pakistan and Southwest China.

Question 9.
What makes Bihar the most flood-prone state among all north Indian states ?
Answer:
Bihar is the most flood-prone state among all north Indian states because many of the rivers flowing through Bihar, such as the Kosi, Bagmati and Gandaki, flow through the high mountainous region of Nepal, before crossing very small distances and rapidly reaching the plains of Bihar, making them far more forceful. When it rains heavily in Nepal, the extra water enters these river channels and rushes into the plains of Bihar. As the rivers break their banks and overflow into the adjoining areas, large area of land and thousands of people and livestock are affected. More than 76% of the population in Northern Bihar live under the threat of floods every year.

G Picture study.

Question 1.
Identify the type of disaster as shown in the picture.
Answer:
It is droughts lead to acute shortage of water and crop failure, resulting in people having to migrate to other places.

Question 2.
Is it man-made or natural?
Answer:
Its man made as well as natural as droughts are caused by shortage of rainfall and also due to deforestation, misuse of ground water, unscientific agricultural practices, etc.

Question 3.
What are the causes of this kind of disaster?
Answer:
Droughts are caused by shortage of rainfall and also due to deforestation, misuse of ground water, unscientific agricultural practices, etc.

H. Map work

On an outline map of India mark the following :

1. Earthquake zones with moderate damage risk and high damage risk.
2. Any two flood-prone areas
3. Any two cyclone zones
4. Any two drought-prone areas

Answer:

1. (a) Earthquake zones with moderate damage risk are : Jabalpur, Ratnagiri.
   (b) Earthquake zones with high damage risk are : Chamoli, Sikkim.
   (c) Earthquake zones with very high damage risk are: Kangra, Bhuj.
2. Two floods prone areas are : Rivers of Punjab, River Krishna.
3. Two cyclones zone are : Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
4. Two drought prone areas are : Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by disasters ? How are they classified?
Answer:
Disasters are incidents that cause significant physical damage or destruction to life and property or result in a drastic change in the environment.
Disasters can be broadly categorised into :

1. Natural disasters — It includes floods, cyclones, earthquakes
   and droughts that happen with natural forces and no human intervention.
2. Man-made disasters — It includes train accidents, plane crashes, nuclear or industrial accidents, biological disasters, terrorist attacks, use of weapons and mass destruction which are caused by human acts.

Question 2.
Which countries are more adversely affected by disasters? Why?
Answer:
Disasters affect people living in underdeveloped countries more adversely than those in developed countries because underdeveloped countries do not have proper disaster management systems in place.

Question 3.
What do you understand by natural disasters ?
Answer:
Natural disasters are events caused by natural forces that have major effects on the human population, infrastructure and biodiversity in an area. Earthquakes, floods, cyclones and droughts are some of the major natural disasters.

Question 4.
What is the difference between a hazard and a disaster ?
Answer:
Hazard means dangerous or risky natural phenomena that may lead to a disaster. Disaster is the incident that causes great damage and destruction of life, property and environment. For example, a cyclone near a coastline or the rising level of a river may be termed as a hazard because it could become a disaster for people living near it. A disaster usually causes death, injury, damage to infrastructure and property, loss of livelihood and environmental damage.

Question 5.
What is an earthquake ? What are its effects ?
Answer:
An earthquake is a sudden, violent movement of a portion of the earth’s crust caused by a disturbance under the earth’s surface. At times, earthquakes take a heavy toll on life and property. Extensive damage is caused to houses, large buildings, bridges, dams, rail lines and power lines, communication networks etc. An earthquake can also act as a hazard by triggering landslides, avalanches and tsunamis.

Question 6.
Name the states worst affected by water scarcity in India.
Answer:
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Odisha.

Question 7.
What do you mean by man-made disasters ?
Answer:
Crises caused by a human act, intentionally or unintentionally are man-made disasters. The leakage of a hazardous gas from a chemical factory or fire in a restaurant can be classified under the unintentional man-made disaster whereas the effects of a planned nuclear explosion or a terrorist attack can be classified under the intentional man-made disaster.

Question 8.
What causes fire ? Give one example.
Answer:
Fire usually occur due to poor wiring and faulty electrical equipment, leakage of cooking gas or a carelessly thrown matchstick. One such incident was the Uphaar cinema hall tragedy in New Delhi on 13 July 1997.

Question 9.
Give an example of the intentional nuclear disaster and unintentional nuclear disaster.
Answer:
An example of intentional nuclear disaster is the attacks carried out on Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities in Japan by the United States during World War II. An example of unintentional nuclear disaster is an accidental explosion at a nuclear plant in Chernobyl in the former USSR in 1986 which caused radiation to spread across Ukraine and other regions. As many as 12,000 Ukrainians died in the chernobyl disaster.

Question 10.
Give an example of a chemical disaster.
Answer:
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy in Madhya Pradesh in 1984 is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster. It was caused by the accidental leakage of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate from the Union Carbide factory. It left 2,500 people dead and its effects continue to harm the future generations.

Question 11.
What are biological disasters ?
Answer:
Biological disasters are caused by germs developed in laboratories and released in the air to kill a large number of people. When these microbes are inhaled by a person, or get absorbed in his system through a cut or wound, they can infect him. Example — Even a few drops of the smallpox or plague virus could start an epidemic, killing thousands of people.

Question 12.
How and why are terror attacks carried out ? Give examples.
Answer:
Terror attacks occur in the form of a terror strike through the use of explosives, guns or chemical and biological weapons. Terrorists also hijack planes and destroy public infrastructure such as railway track and bridges to cause massive devastation. Most of the attacks are brought about by misdirected elements who think that social, political or religious goals can be achieved by killing people.
For example :

1. The attack on the World Trade Center in the US on 11 September 2001, when terrorists hijacked planes to spread terror, resulting in nearly 3000 deaths.
2. The terror attack on Parliament in India on 13 December 2001.
3. The Mumbai attacks on 26 November 2008.

Question 13.
Name the world’s worst industrial disaster.
Answer:
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Question 14.
What causes travel-related disasters ?
Answer:
Accidents during train, road and flight journeys are common. It becomes a disaster when a large number of people die. Most of such incidents occur due to equipment failure, loss of radar transmission in planes, or failure of brakes in buses, human error. Example : driver falling asleep while driving or missing a railway signal, fuel leakage or natural phenomenon like earthquake, storms or landslide.

Question 15.
How do oil spills occur ? What are its effect ?
Answer:
Oil spills occur when large quantities of oil are discharged into oceans or seas during drilling operations, cleaning of tankers and leaks from pipelines and storage tanks, an accident or explosion on a tanker or an offshore drilling rig. Most cases of oil spills are almost always a severe case of man-made disaster as they cause long term damage to the ocean and its marine life.
Effects — Some of the chemicals from the oil kill many forms of marine life and coral reefs. Other chemicals leave a residue black layer on the feathers of birds and the fur of mammals, causing them to die or drown. If an oil reaches the coast, it destroys fishing and tourism.

Question 16.
Which disaster is considered to be one of the worst spills to have happened in recent times ? Elaborate.
Answer:
The offshore Macondo oil rig called Deepwater Horizon had an explosion and tragically killed 11 workers besides injuring 16 more. Also known as the BP oil spill (since it was owned by British Petroleum), it is considered the largest spill in the history of the petroleum industry. An estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil was discharged into the water. The spill resulted in severe environmental, health and economic consequences. There was extensive damage to marine wildlife, fishing and tourism industries were adversely affected. The long term effects could be felt till 2013 and dolphins and other marine life continued to die in record numbers.

Question 17.
Name two state of India where floods cause massive damages every year.
Answer:
Assam and Bihar.

Question 18.
Name two wildlife sanctuaries of Assam.
Answer:
The Kaziranga National Park and the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

Question 19.
Define —

1. Avalanche
2. Tsunami
3. Epidemic
4. Storm surge
5. Water table

Answer:

1. Avalanche — It is a fall or slide of a large mass as of snow or rock, down a mountain side.
2. Tsunami — It is a long, high sea wave caused by an undersea earthquake or other disturbance.
3. Epidemic — It is an outbreak of a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and widely.
4. Storm surge — It is an abnormal rise in the level of the sea along a coast caused by the onshore winds of a severe cyclone.
5. Water table — It is the level below which the ground is saturated with water.

20. Fill in the blanks

1. Disasters are incidents that cause significant damage or destruction to life and property.
2. While most disasters happen suddenly like earthquake, nuclear explosion, others like droughts may have a slow beginning and later increase in extent and intensity.
3. Disasters affect people living in underdeveloped countries more adversely.
4. Earthquakes usually occur without warning.
5. An earthquake is a sudden violent movement of a portion of the earth’s crust.
6. Floods are mostly caused due to the overflowing of rivers in the monsoon.
7. About 30 per cent of the land area in India is drought-prone.
8. Droughts lead to acute shortage of water and crop failure.
9. Unintentional nuclear disasters mostly occur due to accidents in nuclear power reactors.
10. The Bhopal Gas tragedy is an incident of chemical disaster.
11. The terror attack on Parliament of India took place on 13 December 2001.
12. Nepal lies on the fault called Thrust Fault.
13. Deep water horizon explosion is the largest oil spill in the history of petroleum industry.
14. Heavy rainfall in Assam causes the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries to overflow.
15. Bihar is the most flood-prone region amongst the great northern plains of India with almost 73 per cent of the state affected by floods.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Urbanization

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. Cities offer the migrant better education prospects for him or his children.
2. Workers in cities get higher wages.
3. Rural areas act as the push factor while urban areas are the pull factor.
4. Satellite towns or cities are socially and economically independent, either completely or partially.
5. In India, 60 cities have been selected as Smart Cities.

B. Match the following columns

Answer:

C. State whether the following are true or false

1. Rapid industrial growth in and around the city leads to lack of job opportunities.
Answer. False.
Rapid industrial growth in and around the city leads to plenty of job opportunities.

2. People in the urban areas have less access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas.
Answer. False.
People in the urban areas have greater access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas.

3. Slums are usually located on land not owned by the slum dwellers.
Answer. True.

4. Satellite towns/cities are connected to the metropolis by trains and motorways.
Answer. True.

5. Mumbai is one of the 20 cities selected as Smart Cities.
Answer. False.
Mumbai is not one of the 60 cities selected as Smart Cities.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
Define urbanization ?
Answer:
Urbanization is the process in which more and more people start to live and work in towns and cities rather than villages.

Question 2.
List any three factors responsible for the urbanization of a place.
Answer:
Factors responsible for the urbanization of a place are :

1. Rapid industrial growth in and around cities provide plenty of job opportunities.
2. Modern lifestyle and freedom from social practice like caste system in villages.
3. Better medical facilities and health care services.
4. Better education prospects for migrants and their children.
5. Cities offer higher wages to workers.

Question 3.
Mention three ways in which the environment is affected as a result of increased urbanization.
Answer:
With the increase in urbanization, the environment is affected in many ways as :

1. There is a steep rise in air pollution due to more factories and motor vehicles plying on the roads.
2. The expansion of cities leads to the destruction of flora and fauna. Demand for more housing leads to deforestation and destruction of wetlands which drive away many birds and animals from their natural habitats.
3. In many areas close to the sea, urbanization damages the ocean ecosystem.
4. Destruction of green areas and increase in buildings leads to an increase in city temperatures.
5. Rise in air pollution leads to respiratory diseases and allergies.

Question 4.
What are satellite cities ?
Answer:

• Satellite cities : are smaller cities that come around larger cities but are independent of them. Its main objective is to relieve pressure from the main city. For example :
• Main city : New Delhi — Satellite cities are Noida and Gurugram.
  Main city Mubai — Satellite cities are Thane and Navi Mumbai.

Question 5.
Briefly mention the aspects of urban life which serve as the basis for the smart cities.
Answer:
The different aspects of urban life which are normally the basis of smart cities are economy, environment, governance, human capital, international outreach, mobility and transportation, public management, social cohesion, technology, and urban planning.

Question 6.
What do you understand by Smart Cities ?
Answer:
Smart Cities : are urban regions that are highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability. The main purpose of a smart city is to improve the quality of life of the people by using information technology (IT) and to push economic growth. For example : In India, 60 cities have been selected as — ‘Smart Cities’ under Smart Cities mission. It include Jaipur, Pune, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Raipur, Indore, Bhopal, Kochi, etc.

Question 7.
Mention any five smart cities of India.
Answer:
Smart Cities : Hyderabad, Vadodara, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Raipur, Bilaspur, Durgapur, Indore, Gwalior, Rourkela, Jabalpur and Bhopal.

Question 8.
Mention the top ten smart cities in the world.
Answer:
The top 10 smart cities in the world (as in 2017)

E. Answer the following questions in detail

Question 1.
What are the positive impacts of urbanization ?
Answer:
Positive impacts of urbanization :

1. There is development and expansion of essential services like clean water, electricity and transport in cities.
2. People in urban areas have greater access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas.
3. More schools, colleges, training centers and universities provide better prospects to the children of migrants.
4. Urbanization creates harmony among people coming from different strata of society, allowing people of different castes, groups, languages and religions to live and work together, breaking down the social and cultural barriers.
5. Urbanization allows people to acquire modern communication skills, knowledge of computers, smartphones, languages, etc which enable them to get jobs.
6. Urbanization also provides people the opportunity to acquire training and work experience in hi-tech industries, enhancing their skills and facilitating them to migrate to other countries.

Question 2.
How does urbanization negatively impact the lives of people?
Answer:
Negative effects of urbanization :

1. Migrants from village to cities end up being labourers and lead to the creation of slums.
2. Slum owners can easily throw out the slum dwellers from their houses.
3. Growth in slums puts extra pressure on essential utilities like clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity supply, etc.
4. Overcrowding in slums lead to the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and dengue.
5. unemployment increases as the number of people looking for jobs is more than jobs available.
6. Unemployment and poverty force people to do crimes.
7. With urbanization, environment is affected is many ways.

• There is a steep rise in air pollution due to more factories and motor vehicles plying on the roads.
• The expansion of cities leads to the destruction of flora and fauna. Demand for more housing leads to deforestation and destruction of wetlands which drive away many birds and animals from their natural habitats.
• In many areas close to the sea, urbanization damages the ocean ecosystem.
• Destruction of green areas and increase in buildings leads to an increase in city temperatures.
• Rise in air pollution leads to respiratory diseases and allergies.

Question 3.
Briefly explain ways of reducing the negative impact of urbanization.
Answer:
Ways to reduce the negative impact of urbanization : There are various steps that the government can take to check and reduce the negative effects of urbanization.

1. Sustainable and environment-friendly cities : The government should plan and provide environment-friendly cities with smart growth techniques and should pass laws to this effect. It is quite unhealthy for people to reside in unsafe and polluted areas. Therefore, the government should aim to build sustainable cities with improved environmental conditions and habitats which are safe and clean for people living in urban areas.
2. Provision of essential services : The government at the local level must ensure,that all populations living within the urban areas have access to adequate essential services such as education, health, sanitation and clean water, technology, electricity and food. Jobs and earning opportunities must be provided so that people can earn a living and lead a good quality life. Subsidies should also be provided by the government so that the costs of basic healthcare, education, public transportation, communication systems, energy and technology can be reduced.
3. More job creation : More employment opportunities should be created to lessen the negative impact of rapid urbanization. Private investments should be encouraged in order to effectively utilize natural resources and create more job opportunities. For example by exploiting natural resources optimally and promoting tourism, more job opportunities can be created for the urban population. In order to encourage job creation, subsidies and grants should be provided to foreign and private investment in environment-friendly development projects.
4. Population control : The government at the local level in urban areas must provide medical health clinics and family planning centers to help reduce the high rates of population growth. Effective medical counselling and campaigns directed towards health care and hygiene and family planning options must be provided across the entire urban area with the sole purpose of controlling diseases and population growth.

Question 4.
Elaborate the features of a satellite city.
Answer:
Satellite cities are smaller cities close to a larger or main city but are independent of them. Some of the features of a satellite city are :

1. It is smaller than the main city and is located nearby.
2. Satellite towns or cities are socially and economically independent, either completely or partially.
3. Being physically separated front the metropolis by a wide corridor of rural land or a green belt or even a river, satellite cities develop their own urbanized area in the course of time.
4. Satellite towns or cities are connected to the metropolis by trains and motorways.
5. Many satellite towns or cities do not encourage the setting up of high pollution generating industries and factories.
6. Satellite towns and cities encourage development of small- scale industries such as dairy farms, cottage industries, handicraft industries, jam factories, etc.
7. Satellite cities are mostly ‘bedroom communities’ or residential areas. People go to work in the main city and return to their homes in the satellite cities.
8. Satellite cities set up the their own municipalities.
9. Satellite cities have their own museums, art galleries, theatres and multiplexes.

Question 5.
What are the essential features of a Smart City ?
Answer:
Smart cities are urban regions that are highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure. The IT (information technology) is the core basis of providing essential services to all residents. Other essential infrastructure, apart from IT in a smart city, includes —

1. proper sanitation and waste management systems
2. round the clock electricity supply
3. round the clock and adequate water supply
4. efficient urban mobility and public transport with a network of good, well-connected roads
5. well-designed and affordable housing which even people in the low-income brackets can buy
6. good governance, particularly e-governance where everything and everyone is connected digitally
7. sustainable environment with more than adequate green cover
8. safety and security of women, children and the elderly
9. quick and efficient functioning of law enforcement officials
10. adequate health centers and nursing homes
11. good schools equipped with the latest teaching aids and smart classes.

Question 6.
Why is there a need to build a Smart City ?
Answer:
The main purpose of a smart city is to improve the quality of life of the people by harnessing information technology and to push economic growth. Also, smart cities encourage area- based development by transforming existing areas, including slums, into better planned places so that people can live happily and comfortably. New areas are identified so that more people can be accommodated in the future.

F. Picture study

This is the picture of a smart city.

Question 1.
What is a smart city?
Answer:
A smart city is an urban region which is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability.

Question 2.
Mention any three essential infrastructure requirement of a smart city.
Answer:
In a smart city, information technology (IT) is the core infrastructure and the basis of providing essential services to- all residents. Other essential infrastructure, apart from IT in a smart city, would include :

1. Proper sanitation and waste management systems.
2. Round the clock electricity supply.
3. Round the clock and adequate water supply.
4. Efficient urban mobility and public transport with a network of good, well-connected roads.
5. Well-designed and affordable housing which even people in the low-income brackets can buy.
6. Good governance, particularly e-governance where everything and everyone is connected digitally.
7. Sustainable environment with more than adequate green cover.

G Map work
On an outline map of the world mark any ten smart cities of the world.
Answer:

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What are slums ? How do they effect the cities ?
Answer:
Slums are urban areas that are heavily populated with poor housing and living conditions. They have the following effect on cities :

1. Since slums are usually located on land not owned by the slum dwellers, they can be easily evicted (thrown out) from their houses by the owners.
2. Growth of slums in urban areas puts pressure on essential utilities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, power, etc.
3. Overcrowding in slums lead to the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and dengue.
4. Crimes begin to increase in slum areas due to unemployment and poverty. It makes difficult to enforce law and order in the city.

Question 2.
According to 2011 Census, what is the urban population of India ?
Answer:
According to Census 2011, 377.1 million people live in urban areas in India which is nearly 31 per cent of the country’s total population.

Question 3.
Give some examples of satellite cities in India.
Answer:
Main City :

• New Delhi
• Mumbai
• Kolkata
• Hyderabad
• Pune

Satellite City :

• Gurugram, Noida
• Navi Mumbai, Thane
• Rajarhat, Salt Lake City
• Hi tech City
• Pimpri- Chinchwad.

Question 4.
Give the names of few cities which have been selected under Smart Cities Mission in India ?
Answer:
In India 60 cities have been selected as ‘Smart Cities’ as part of the Smart Cities Mission. It includes Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Surat, Pune, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Vadodara, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Raipur, Bilaspur, Durgapur, Indore, Gwalior, Rourkela, Jabalpur and Bhopal.

5. Fill in the blanks

1. In India 31% people live in urban areas.
2. Thousands of youth having good knowledge of the English language are hired at call centers across the country.
3. Urbanization provides people the opportunity to acquire training and work experience in hi-tech industries.
4. Slums are urban areas that are heavily populated with poor housing and living conditions.
5. Urbanization leads to creation of slums.
6. Overcrowding in slums leads to the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and dengue.
7. A rise in air pollution leads to rise in allergies and respiratory diseases.
8. Satellite cities are mostly ‘bedroom communities’ or residential areas.
9. Increase in the number of motor vehicles over the years has led to a huge increase in air pollution in New Delhi.
10. In smart cities, information technology (IT) is the core infrastructure and the basis of providing essential services to all residents.
11. In India 60 cities have already been selected as ‘Smart Cities’.
12. Smart cities are urban regions that are highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure.
13. Urbanization is the process in which more and more people j start to live and work in towns and cities rather than villages.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – India: Location, Extent, Political and Physical Features

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. There are seven union territories in India.
2. The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two halves.
3. The Himalayas literally means abode of snow.
4. The Lakshadweep Islands have been formed by the growth of corals.

B. Identify who I am

1. A river that divides the Peninsular Plateau of India into the Malwa and the Deccan plateaux : Narmada.
2. A vast sandy low-lying plain in north-west Rajasthan : The Thar Desert.
3. Barren Island is the only volcanically active island of India.
4. The longest river of south India : Godavari.

C. Distinguish between each of the following pairs

Question 1.
The Eastern and the Western Ghats
Answer:
Western Ghats :

1. They extend from the mouth of river Tapi to Kan niyakumari.
2. The average height is 1,200 m but in some parts it rises to 2,440 m.
3. They are continuous.
4. They are the source of rivers that flow across the Deccan.
5. They are steep and rugged, and rise abruptly from the arrow Western Coastal Plains.
6. They lie close to the Arabian Sea.

Eastern Ghats :

1. They extend from the Mahanadi Valley up to the Nilgiri Hills.
2. The average height is 450 m, rarely exceeding 1,200 m.
3. They are not continuous. Many rivers flow through them.
4. They have gentle slopes that rise from the Eastern Coastal Plains.
5. They lie at some distance from the Bay of Bengal.

Question 2.
The Eastern and the Western Coastal Plains
Answer:
Western Coastal Plains :

1. They stretch from Kachchh in the north to Kanniya-kumari in the south.
2. They lie between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.
3. They are narrower than the Eastern Coastal Plains.
4. They do not have deltas, only estuaries and lagoons.
5. They have different names in different parts—they are known as the Konkan Coast in Maharashtra, The Kanara Coast in Karnataka and the Malabar Coast The Kerala.
6. They lie in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa. Karnataka, and Kerala.
7. Their important ports are Kandla, Mumbai, Marmagao, Mangalore, and Kochi.

Eastern Coastal Plains :

1. They stretch from the mouth of the river Ganga in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south.
2. They lie between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.
3. They are wider than the Western Coastal Plains.
4. They are composed of the deltas of all the majorrlvers of the Deccan.
5. They have different names in different parts—they are known as the Northern Circars in the region north of the river Godavari and the Coromandel Coast in the region south of the river Godavari.
6. They lie in the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
7. Their important ports are Vishakhapatnam, Paradwip, Chennai, and Tuticorin.

Question 3.
The Himalayan and peninsular rivers
Answer:
The Himalayan Rivers :

1. They are also called as North Indian Rivers.
2. The three important rivers are the Ganga, the Indus and the Brahmaputra.
3. They are longer and slow moving.
4. They are snow fed and hence perennial.
5. These rivers are navigable.
6. These rivers are more suitable for irrigation.

The Peninsular Rivers :

1. They are also called as South Indian Rivers.
2. The six important rivers are the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna, the Kaveri, the Narmada and the Tapi.
3. They are shorter and fast flowing.
4. They are rain-fed and not always perennial.
5. These rivers are not navigable.
6. These rivers are less suitable for irrigation.

Question 4.
The east and the west-flowing rivers of south India.
Answer:
The east-flowing rivers of South India :

1. The main rivers are Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
2. These rivers drain into the Bay of Bengal.
3. These rivers make deltas at their mouth.
4. These rivers have large- amount of water.
5. These rivers originate from the western Ghats and flow eastwards.

The West-flowing rivers of South India :

1. The main rivers are Narmada and Tapi.
2. These rivers drain in the Arabian Sea.
3. These rivers do not make deltas.
4. These rivers have less amount of water.
5. These rivers originate in Central India and flow westwards.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
Do you think it is right to use the term ‘subcontinent’ for India and its neighbouring countries ?
Answer:
Yes, it is right to use the term ‘subcontinent’ for India and its neighbouring countries because although they are a part of Asia, they have developed their own distinct physical and cultural identity. This is due to the presence of protective barrier of the Himalayas which isolates these countries from the rest. of Asia.

Question 2.
How many states and union territories does India have ?
Answer:
India has 29 states and 7 union territories.

Question 3.
What do you know about the Purvanchal ranges ?
Answer:
The hills of the north-east India are collectively called the Purvanchal ranges. They lie along the eastern borders of India. Their average elevation is less than 3,000 m. They consist of several hill ranges such as Patkai Bum, Naga, Mizo, Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

Question 4.
Name the three divisions of the Great Northern Plains and the rivers responsible for their formation.
Answer:
The three divisions of the Great Northern Plains are :

1. The Ganga Plains in the centre : They are formed by the alluvial deposits of the river Ganga and its tributaries such as Yamuna, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Chambal, Betwa and the Son. It is in U.P., Bihar and West Bengal.
2. The Punjab Plains in the West : They are formed by the alluvial deposits of the tributaries of the rivers Indus — The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum. It is in Punjab and Haryana.
3. The Brahmaputra Valley in the East: It is formed by the Brahmaputra River. It lies in Assam.

E. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraph:

Question 1.
Explain how India has benefited from its location.
Answer:
The location of India has helped in the development of trade and commerce. The existence of seas on three sides has encouraged international trade. From ancient times, India has had political, economic and cultural links with other countries. Today, India provides a link between the East and the West world. Its central position between the two world has helped the development of its own industries and trade.

Question 2.
Explain how the Himalayas have greatly influenced the life of the people of India.
Answer:
The Himalayas exert a significant influence on the life of the people of India in several ways.

• They form a natural boundary between India and China.
• They serve as a climatic barrier by preventing the entry of the cold winds from Central Asia and preventing the rain¬bearing monsoon winds from leaving India.
• They are a source of perennial rivers such as the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
• Their rugged terrain is ideal for hydroelectric power generation.
• The mountain slopes are forested. These forests provide different types of timber and forest products.
• The Himalayas have beautiful hill Stations Shimla, Darjeeling, Mussorie, etc.

Question 3.
Explain why the Great Northern Plains are densely populated.
Answer:
The Great Northern Plains are densely populated because of the following reasons

1. The fertile soil of the plains has helped in the development of agriculture.
2. Its soft soil has made irrigation possible.
3. Their flatness has promoted growth and development of a dense network of road and rail transport.
4. Their rivers and tributaries provide cheap water transport.

Question 4.
Describe the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Lakshadweep Islands.
Answer:
There are two Island groups of India :

1. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands — They lie in the Bay of Bengal. They are about 550 in number and are of volcanic origin. Barren Island is the only volcanically active island. They are separated by a wide channel called the Ten Degree channel.
2. The Lakshadweep Islands — They lie in the Arabian Sea. They have been formed by the growth of corals and are fewer in number than the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Many of them are uninhabited. These islands form the smallest union territory of India.

F. Picture study.

This is a photograph of the river Ganga.

Question 1.
Which are the states through which this river flows?
Answer:
The river Ganga, which is about 2,510 km long, flows through four states of India – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

Question 2.
Name any two left-bank tributaries of the river.
Answer:
Its left bank tributaries rise from the glaciers in the Himalayas. The Ramganga, the Gomti, The Ghaghara, the Gandak and the Kosi are the main left bank tributaries.

G Map work
Mark and label each of the following in an outline map of India

1. The Tropic of Cancer
2. The neighbouring countries of India
3. The Palk Strait
4. The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal

Answer:

Extra Questions

Question 1.
Describe the location of India.
Answer:
India lies entirely in the northern and eastern hemispheres. It extends from 8°4’N to 37°6’N latitudes and 68°7’E to 97°25 ‘E longitudes. The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two parts by passing through it. The approximate area is 3.3 million sq km. The Himalayas separate it from the rest of Asia. It has many neighbouring countries with whom it makes a subcontinent. South of the Tropic of Cancer lies peninsular India-triangular mass of land projecting into the Indian Ocean. It is surrounded by water on three sides. The Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and the India Ocean in the south. The central position of India between the East and the West world has helped in the development of trade and commerce.
India at a Glance
Latitudinal extent: 8°4′ N – 37°6’ N
Longitudinal extent: 68°7’E – 97°25’E
Area : 32, 87, 263 sq. km
North-south extent: 3,214 km
East-west distance : 2,933 km
Length of land frontier : 15,200 km
Length of coastline : 7,500 km
Number of states : 29
Number of union territories : 7
Capital: New Delhi
Total population (According to 2011 Census) : 1.21 billion
Average population density : 382 persons per sq km

Question 2.
Name the countries that form India subcontinent.
Answer:
India, Pakistan, Nepal Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka form the Indian subcontinent.

Question 3.
What is the percentage of urban and rural population in India ?
Answer:
Percentage of urban population in India – 31%
Percentage of rural population in India – 69%

Question 4.
What is taken as the standard meridian for India and why?
Answer:
The 82 ×/2 °E longitude passing through Allahabad is taken as the standard meridian for India because it lies in the middle of the long east-west extent of India. For every 1° of longitude, there is a difference of 4 minutes. So there is a difference of two hours in the local time of Gujarat in the west and Arunachal Pradesh in the east. To avoid confusion and have a uniform time in the entire country, standard meridian has been formed.

Question 5.
Name the neighbouring countries of India.
Answer:
Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, island country of Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Question 6.
What separates India from Sri Lanka ?
Answer:
Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.

Question 7.
Name the three water bodies which surround the India Peninsular.
Answer:

1. The Arabian Sea in the west
2. The Bay of Bengal in the east
3. The Indian Ocean in the south.

Question 8.
On what basis were the states of India reorganised after independence ? Name the states and union territories of India along with their capitals. (Political divisions).
Answer:
The states were re-organised on the basis of language after independence. There are 29 states and 7 union territories of India at present.

State

Capital

1.       Andhra Pradesh 2.       Arunachal Pradesh 3.       Assam 4.       Bihar 5.       Chhattisgarh 6.       Goa 7.       Gujarat 8.       Haryana 9.       Himachal Pradesh 10.   Jammu and Kashmir 11.   Jharkhand 12.   Karnataka 13.   Kerala 14.   Madhya Pradesh 15.   Maharashtra 16.   Manipur 17.   Meghalaya 18.   Mizoram 19.   Nagaland 20.   Odisha 21.   Punjab 22.   Rajasthan 23.   Sikkim 24.   Tamil Nadu 25.   Tripura 26.   Uttar Pradesh 27.   Uttarakhand 28.   West Bengal 29.   Telangana

1.       Hyderabad 2.       Itanagar 3.       Dispur 4.       Patna 5.       Raipur 6.       Panaji 7.       Gandhinagar 8.       Chandigarh 9.       Shimla 10.   Srinagar 11.   Ranchi 12.   Bengaluru 13.   Thiruvananthapuram 14.   Bhopal 15.   Mumbai 16.   Imphal 17.   Shillong 18.   Aizawl 19.   Kohima 20.   Bhubaneshwar 21.   Chandigarh 22.   Jaipur 23.   Gangtok 24.   Chennai 25.   Agartala 26.   Lucknow 27.   Dehra Dun 28.   Kolkata 29.   Hyderabad

Union Territories – Capital           
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands – Port Blair
2. Chandigarh – Chandigarh
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli – Silvassa
4. Daman and Diu – Daman
5. Lakshadweep – Kavaratti
6. Delhi – Delhi
7. Puducherry – Puducherry
8. India – New Delhi

Question 9.
Name the point in the Himalayas where the boundaries of five countries meet. Name the countries.
Answer:
Indira Col in the Himalayas is the point where the boundaries of five countries meet. The countries are :
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan.

Question 10.
Name the six main physical divisions of India.
Answer:

1. The Northern Mountains
2. The Great Northern Plains
3. The Peninsular Plateau
4. The Coastal Plains
5. The Thar Desert
6. The Islands

Question 11.
What do the Northern Mountains consist of ?
Answer:
The Northern Mountains consist of the Himalayas and the hills of north-east India and together they form the northern and north-eastern boundaries of the country.

Question 12.
The Himalayas are rising even now. Comment.
Answer:
The Himalayas are relatively young mountains formed from the sediment deposited in the ancient Tethys Sea. The Tethys Sea lay between ancient land masses of Laurasia in the north and Gondawanaland in the south about 185 million years ago. The two land masses moved closer due to movements inside the earth and then collide with each other. This caused the seabed of the Tethys Sea to fold upwards, forming the mountains. The Himalayas are rising even now.

Question 13.
Name the three main ranges of the Himalayas. Compare them.
Answer:
The Himalayas consist of three parallel ranges of mountains

1. The Greater Himalayas (Himadri)
2. The Lesser Himalayas (Himachal)
3. The Outer Himalayas (Shiwalik)

Question 14.
Name few passes or gaps in the Himalayas that serve as important passages through the northern mountain wall.
Answer:
Shipki La, Thaga La, Nathu La and Jelep La.

Question 15.
What is the location and extend of the Great Northern Plains ? Which rivers have formed it ?
Answer:
The Great Northern Plains lie between the Northern Mountains in the north and the Peninsular Plateau of India in the south. They extend from Punjab in the west to the Brahmaputra. Valley in the east for about 2,400 km. These plains are formed by three major rivers — the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra, and their tributaries.

Question 16.
Where do the Ganga and the Brahmaputra join and where do they drain ?
Answer:
The Ganga and the Brahmaputra join in Bangladesh where they flow as one river — the Padma — which drains into the Bay of Bengal. Together these rivers have built the largest delta in the world the Sundarbans.

Question 17.
Write a short note on the Peninsular Plateau.
Answer:
The Peninsular Plateau is an ancient land mass made up of hard crystalline rocks of igneous and metamorphic origin. The plateau is triangular in shape, broad in the north and tapering towards Kanniyakumari in the south. The plateau extends from the Aravalli Range in the west up to the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east. The Peninsular Plateau is divided by the river Narmada into two parts —

(a) The Malwa Plateau :

1. Bounded by the Vindhya Range in the south, the Aravalli Range in the west and the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east.
2. Drained by the rivers Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Ken, Son, and Damodar.

(b) The Deccan Plateau :

1. Bounded by the Satpura Range in the north, the hills of the Western Ghats in the west and the hills of the Eastern Ghats in the east.
2. Drained by the rivers Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.

Question 18.
How have the rocks of the Deccan Plateau formed ?
Answer:
The rocks that make up the Deccan Plateau have solidified from the outpourings of lava from large fissures in the earth. These spread out in sheets to form one of the most extensive and thickest accumulations of lava flows in the world.

Question 19.
Write a short note on Thar desert.
Answer:
The Thar Desert is a vast low-lying plain with sandy ridges and shifting sand dunes. It lies mainly between the Aravallis in the east and the Sind Desert of Pakistan in the west. This desert lies primarily in north-western Rajasthan. The region receives very less rainfall, less than 25 cm annually and hence lacks water resources. River Luni is the only river that carries little water. The India Gandhi Canal has changed the desert into fertile land to some extent. Crops such as wheat, barley, grapes and melons grow here now.

Question 20.
Name the two categories of rivers of India.
Answer:
On the basis of the area of origin, the rivers of India are divided into the categories :

1. the north Indian rivers or the Himalayan rivers — which originate from glaciers in mountains.
2. the south Indian rivers or peninsular rivers — which are fed by rains.

Question 21.
Name the five tributaries of river Indus.
Answer:
The Satluj, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum are the five main tributaries of the Indus (Panchnadi).

Question 22.
Name the states from where the river Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra flow in India.
Answer:
The river Indus flows through the state of Jammu and Kashmir (from Tibet) and enters Pakistan.
The river Ganga flows through 4 states — Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
The river Brahmaputra flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Question 23.
Which river is called the ‘Ganga of the South’ ?
Answer:
The Godavari river.

Question 24.
Define the following:

1. Alluvial plain
2. A Pass
3. Tributary

Answer:

1. Alluvial plain — It is a plain formed by the sedimentary deposits of a river.
2. Pass — It is a gap through a mountain range that provides a route for travelling through it.
3. Tributary — It is a small river that flows into a larger river, thereby contributing water to it.

Question 25.
How are rivers important to humans ?
Answer:
Rivers are very important to humans as :

1. They are a source of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes and of food and livelihoods.
2. They are also a source of transportation.
3. The are often used for recreational and religious activities.

26. Fill in the blanks

1. India is a part of the continent of Asia.
2. India is seventh largest country and has second largest population in the world.
3. India lies entirely in the northern and eastern hemispheres.
4. The 82 1/2° E longitude is the Standard Meridian for India.
5. The Himalayas separate India from the rest of the Asia.
6. Indira Col is the point in the Himalayas where the boundaries of five countries meet.
7. Delhi is referred to as the National Capital Territory of India.
8. The Himalayas are the source of perennial rivers such as the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra rivers.
9. The Great Northern Plains extend from Punjab in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east.
10. The alluvial soil of the river valleys/plains is very fertile.
11. The largest delta in the world built by the Ganga and the Brahmaputra is Sundarbans.
12. The Peninsular Plateau of India is triangular in shape.
13. On either side of the Peninsular Plateau of India are the Coastal Plains of India.
14. Coconut Palms grow profusely in the Coastal Plains of India.
15. The Thar Desert receives less than 25 cm rain annually.
16. Luni is the only significant river in the Thar desert but carries very little water.
17. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are separated by a wide channel called the Ten Degree channel.
18. The Lakshadweep Islands lie at a distance of 200-400 km from the Malabar Coast.
19. The Lakshadweep Islands is the smallest union territory of India.
20. The river Indus and river Brahmaputra originate in Tibet before entering India.
21. The river Ganga has it source in the Gangotri glacier.
22. River Brahmaputra enters India in Arunachal Pradesh from Tibet.
23. The west flowing rivers of the Peninsular rivers drain into the Arabian Sea.
24. The margins of the Deccan Plateau consist of hills called the Eastern Ghats in the east and the Western Ghats in the west.

Map Skills

1. On a Political Map of India, show all the States and Union territories of India along with their Capitals.

2. On an outline map of India, show the important physical features.

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Migration

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

Exercises

A. Fill in the blanks

1. The movement of people from one place or country to another is known as migration.
2. Temporary migration could be annual, seasonal or daily.
3. Brain drain is also known as human capital flight.
4. Both the push factors and the pull factors are responsible for brain drain.
5. The migrant’s country prospers as money (foreign exchange) enters the country.

B. Choose the correct answer

1. When a person leaves one country to move to another he is known as

1. an emigrant
2. an immigrant
3. a labourer
4. a worker

2. The type of migration in which people move from the rural areas to the city mainly in search of better job opportunities is known as

1. rural to urban
2. rural to rural
3. urban to rural
4. urban to urban

3. The reason people are forced to leave a place is called the

1. pull factor
2. economic factor
3. push factor
4. commercial

4. Migrants willing to happily take up unskilled jobs are known as

1. cheap labour
2. technical labour
3. businessmen
4. agricultural labourer

5. One of the advantages to the migrant’s home country is

1. loss of skilled labour
2. increased foreign exchange
3. fall in demand of certain goods and services
4. political uncertainly

C. State whether the following are true or false:

1. Migration can be internal or external.
Answer. True

2. The urban-rural migration is uncommon in conservative countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Answer. False.
The urban-rural migration is common in conservative countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

3. Jobs in a new country is not a pull factor.
Answer. False.
Jobs in a new country is a pull factor.

4. Immigrants don’t bring rich cultural diversity and traditions to their new country.
Answer. False.
Immigrants bring rich cultural diversity and traditions to their new country.

5. Social and civic pressures develop as migrants entering the new country put pressure on the existing resources.
Answer. True.

D. Answer the following questions in brief

Question 1.
Define migration.
Answer:
The movement of people from one place or country to another is called migration.

Question 2.
What do you understand by rural-urban migration ?
Answer:
In rural-urban migration, people move from rural area to
cities mainly in search of better job opportunities, better education and urban lifestyle. A few other reasons for this migration are:

1. Villages cannot support a rapid increase in population.
2. Reduced food supply
3. Shortage of land.
4. Machines replacing human labour in farming in villages. This type of migration is common in developing countries like Brazil, South Africa and India.

Question 3.
What is primitive migration?
Answer:
Primitive migration is one in which people respond to an unfavourable environment by leaving it for more favourable one.

Question 4.
Differentiate between free and forced migration.
Answer:
In free migration, people have the choice to either stay or move.
When people living in a place are forced to leave the place due to reasons like poor living conditions, persecution, lack of political freedom, wars, lack of means to earn a livelihood, famine, etc., it is called forced migration.

Question 5.
What is illegal migration?
Answer:
Illegal migration is one where people violate immigration laws and move to other countries.

Question 6.
Name any two pull factors for migration.
Answer:
Pull factors for migration (reasons why people are attracted to a new place) include –

1. Job opportunities in the new country (many migrate to Canada and Australia from India for this reason)
2. Education (many students leave India to study abroad)
3. Availability of better medical facilities.

Question 7.
What does brain drain mean ?
Answer:
Brain drain is a term that refers to a situation when highly qualified and trained people leave their country to work and settle permanently in another country that offers them better job opportunities and lifestyle. It is also known as human capital flight.

Question 8.
Give two positive effects of brain drain.
Answer:
Positive effects of brain drain include :

1. Better employment opportunities for educated and skilled workers that may not be available in their own country.
2. The migrant’s country will prosper as more money (foreign exchange) will enter the country.
3. Migrants returning home will invest in their own business and thereby boost development and employment in the country.
4. There will be greater technology transfer, greater investments and capital brought back by the diaspora returning home.

E. Answer the following questions in detail

Question 1.
Explain the different types of migrations.
Answer:
There are different types of migration :

1. Internal migration — People move from one place to another within the country.
2. External migration — People move to a new country or continent.
3. Temporary migration — It includes migration which is annual, seasonal or daily. For example, people may move to lower regions from mountains during harsh winter months.
4. Emigration — When a person leaves his or her own country and moves to another. The person who emigrates is known as an emigrant from his or her own country. For example, when a person leaves India and goes to Canada to settle there, that person is said to have emigrated from India to Canada.
5. Immigration — When a person arrives in a new country after leaving his or her own country. For example, when a person arrives in Canada from India that person is said to have immigrated to Canada and is known as an immigrant in Canada.

Question 2.
Name and write brief notes on the four types of migration based on direction of movement.
Answer:
Four types of migration based on the direction of movement are:

1. Rural to Urban migration — People move from villages to cities mainly in search of better job, educational opportunities, urban lifestyle and health services. Such migration is common in developing countries like India, South Africa and Brazil.
2. Rural to Rural migration — People move from one village to another village due to acquisition of property, marriage, better resources, fertile land for farming, etc.
3. Urban to Urban migration — People move from one city to another city, generally a larger one, in search of better job, educational facilities, health services, etc. For example, students and professionals from cities like Patna, Lucknow go to Delhi, Mumbai in search of better opportunities. This migration also happens when the population of a city becomes too big and affects the quality of life. For example, people from Delhi are moving to Gurugram and Noida. Shifting of a large government office or company from one
   city to another also causes large-scale migration of people from one city to another.
4. Urban to Rural migration — People move back from cities to their homes in villages due to ancestral property, marriage, inability to find proper shelter or suitable job, high cost of living, traffic and pollution. For example, conservative countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan show urban-rural migration.

Question 3.
Distinguish between the pull and push factors.
Answer:
Push factors of migration :

1. These factors force the people to leave a place.
2. Lack of job, war, natural disaster or political instability are some of the push factors.
3. Examples – Thousands of people from Syria are migrating to safer countries due to war, The 2015 earthquake in Nepal caused many people to migrate to India.

Pull factors of migration :

1. These factors attract people to new places.
2. Job opportunities, better education and health services are some of the pull factors.
3. Examples – Many students leave India to study abroad, many people migrate to Canada and Australia for better jobs.

Question 4.
Briefly explain any four pull factors of migration.
Answer:
The reason why people are attracted to a new place is known as the pull factor. It includes :

1. Job Opportunities : Many people move to other cities within the country or to other countries because of better job and career prospects. These people are also attracted by higher salaries and better quality of life. We have seen recently lots of Indian IT professionals migrating to US for better career
   progression and higher incomes.
2. Education : Many people leave their own country because of educational reasons. They find superior career prospects and increased income because of studying abroad. Many students from India and other Asian countries migrate to the USA, the UK and Australia for further studies in the areas of medicine, engineering and management studies.
3. Medical Care : People migrate to other places because of better medical care and superior medical facilities. Cities with bigger hospitals, well-known doctors and medical experts, and technically advanced medical systems attract people to move here.
4. Attraction of Wealth : Sometimes the main motive of migration is to earn quick wealth. Discoveries of minerals, especially gold and oil have drawn people from all over the world. Central Australia, Central and South America and South Africa gained population partly because of its gold mines.

Question 5.
Briefly explain any four push factors of migration.
Answer:
The reason people are forced to leave a place is called the push factor. Some of the push factors are :

1. Lack of Job Opportunities : People living in villages often move to cities and towns in search of better job opportunities. In India, lots of people from Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal move to Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in search of better job opportunities.
2. Lack of Available Land : Sometimes farmers cannot make a living in their own country because there is a shortage of land, or the quality of land is too poor. In such cases, such people move to places where land is available.
3. Religious Tolerance : Sometimes when people of a particular
   religion are persecuted or when sects are not tolerated, then in order to escape repression people move to place where they are allowed to practice their religion without any danger of being repressed.
4. Political Freedom : People sometimes move because they are not happy with the form of government in their own country. Wars also force people to migrate. People may leave a country to avoid subjection to a new regime, to avoid a war or because they have lost their homes and farms in the war.

Question 6.
What are the socio-economic advantages of migration which the destination country experiences ?
Answer:
Some of the socio — economic advantages which the destination country experiences are :

1. Cheap labour — Many migrants work for a lower wage than local people in unskilled jobs. For example many Indians work in countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia for lower wages.
2. Technical and skilled labour — Highly skilled migrants are talented in fields such as computer technology, medicine, teaching, space data, etc. For example, the Silicon Valley in USA has more Indian and Chinese scientists and technicians than Americans.
3. Cultural Diversity — Immigrants bring their own rich and diverse culture and traditions when they arrive in a new country. Sharing of culture, traditions and knowledge helps remove racism and discrimination. For example, German migrants to Canada have introduced their cuisine (food) and religion (Protestantism) to Canada.

Question 7.
What are the causes of brain drain ?
Answer:
Causes of Brain Drain :

1. Push factors — They include economic factors such as the inability to find suitably paying jobs in a person’s own country, poverty or no prospect of improving one’s standard of living, political instability that causes uncertainity, political favouritism, and religious and social discrimination.
2. Pull factors — They include higher income and more comfortable lifestyles in the new country, better economic prospects, better educational opportunities including training and research, greater chances of promotion without partiality or discrimination, a liberal and stable government, better working conditions and medical facilities.

F. Picture study.

Question 1.
This is the picture of refugees leaving their country and moving to another country.
Answer:
Syrian refugees leaving their country and moving to another country.

Question 2.
What does the picture tell us?
Answer:
Syrian refugees escaping their war-torn country in the hope of safer environment in another country.

Question 3.
What is the main cause of this migration?
Answer:
War: In the face of an ongoing violent war in Syria, thousands of Syrians have made difficult journeys to migrate to safer countries.

Question 4.
Is this migration because of a pull factor or a push factor?
Answer:
This migration is because of a push factor.

G. On an outline map of the world mark any five regions affected by international migration.
Answer:

Question 1.
When did the early human migration start ?
Answer:
Early human migration is believed to have started when Homo Erectus first migrated out of Africa to Eurasia about 1.8 million years ago.

Question 2.
Why do people migrate ? Explain with examples.
Answer:
People migrate due to the push factors or pull factors :

1. Push factors
These are the reasons which force people to leave a place. Some of them are :

• A lack of job in their own country.
• War like situations
  Example – Thousands of Syrians are escaping the violent war in Syria and migrating to safer countries.
• Food and essentials become scarce and expensive due to famine or political instability.
  For example – The economic crisis in Greece in 2015 led to severe shortages of food and medicine, forcing people to migrate. The severe food grain shortage in Nigeria in 2016 forced many Nigerians to migrate to neighbouring countries.
• Natural disasters:
  For example : The 2015 earthquake in Nepal caused many people to migrate to India.

2. Pull factors
These are the reasons which attract people to a new place. These include :

• Job opportunities in the new country. For example, many Indians migrate to Canada and Australia for jobs.
• Education – Many students leave India to study abroad.
• Availability of better medical facilities.

Question 3.
What are the socio-economic advantages of migration which the home country experiences ?
Answer:
Some of the advantages of migration for the home country are :

1. When many people leave the country to work abroad, the scope for employment for those left behind increases.
2. When migrants return home, they bring back knowledge, skills and new ideas. With these they start their own businesses, thereby providing job opportunities to the local people. For example, In Kerala, migrants returning home from countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia have opened up their own schools, restaurants and shopping malls, etc.
3. Migrants working abroad send money home to support their families. This money is called remittance, which indirectly helps the government of the home country too.

Question 4.
What are the disadvantages of migration to the migrants as well as the destination countries ?
Answer:
Migration has some serious disadvantages for the migrants as well as their destination countries.

1. Job loss — Many migrants entering a new country rob the job opportunities of the locals because they (the migrants) are willing to work for a lower pay. Many people in the US harbour a sense of resentment towards migrants from South¬east Asia, South Asia, Central and Latin America because they believe the migrants have taken over their jobs.
2. Social and civic pressures develop as migrants entering the new country put pressure on the existing infrastructure and health and educational facilities meant for the local people.. The prices of such amenities shoot up, causing hardship to all.
3. Immigration can fuel racism and discrimination. Immigrants are often considered different different because they speak a different language, dress differently, worship in another way or have different sets of customs. This sense of difference leads to discrimination and the local people oppose to accepting the migrants as a part of the general community.
4. Local traditions and cultures are greatly affected because of the introduction of new or alien cultures, traditions and forms of worship. Many people from West Asia and South Asia feel discriminated against in the West because of their dressing habits and religious practices.

Question 5.
What are the disadvantages of migration to the home country of the migrants ?
Answer:

1. Loss of skilled labour—Young people who have the skill, knowledge and professional expertise leave their country to offer their services to another country.
2. When young people leave a country, the demand for goods and services fall and affects the economic growth and development of the country.
3. Socio-economic impact on family life — When young people leave their small children and elderly parents behind, it affects them psychologically and they feel neglected in the absence of love and care.

Question 6.
What are the negative impacts of brain drain ?
Answer:
Some of the negative effects of brain drain are :

1. A net decrease in the country of people with professional and technological qualifications.
2. The reduction of qualified and technical people in the country will impact the development and growth of the nation.
3. Remittances may taper off after some time as prices may increase.
4. Reduced quality of essential services of health and education in the migrant’s home country.
5. Government and private scholarships to study abroad will cause drainage of talent and skills in the country.
6. With migrants returning home with plenty of money, vast disparity can develop between the incomes of the locals and the migrants.

Question 7.
What do you mean by diaspora ?
Answer:
Diaspora means the groups of people who have moved from their own countries and settled abroad, spreading their culture.

Question 8.
What is remittance ?
Answer:
Remittance is the money which a migrant working abroad sends home to support his family.

9. Fill in the blanks

1. People moving from one place to another within a country is called internal migration.
2. Many people from Mexico migrate illegally to the neighbouring US in search of  jobs.
3. People from Delhi moving to Gurugram is an example of urban to urban migration.
4. Emigrants are people who leave their country and move to another country.
5. Immigrants are people who arrive in another country after leaving their own country.
6. Push factors are reasons that force people to leave a place.
7. Pull factors are reasons that attract people to a new place.

 

ICSE Solutions for Class 8 Geography Voyage – Model Test Paper 2

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

ICSE Solutions Class 8 GeographyHistory & CivicsBiologyChemistryPhysicsMaths

A. Fill in the blanks

1. The tropical rain forests of Asia are dense and impenetrable.
2. A few regions of South-west Asia receive winter rainfall from the temperate cyclones that originate over the Mediterranean Sea.
   (tropical cyclones, temperate cyclones, north-east winds, south-east winds)
3. Depression that causes winter rainfall in north-west India: Western disturbance
4. Scientists and doctors are example of skilled human resources.
5. The working population of a country includes both skilled and unskilled human resources.

B. Identify who I am

1. I am a mountain range in South-west Asia that separates Asia from Europe : Caucasus mountains
2. I am a small zone from which several mountain ranges appear to radiate out: Pamir Knot.
3. I am a physical feature that divides India into two halves: Tropic of Cancer
4. I am a vast sandy low-lying plain in north-west Rajasthan: The Thar Desert.
5. I am the state that first receives the monsoon rains : Kerala.

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. Which of the following is nto a north-flowing river?

1. Ob
2. Yenisei
3. Lena
4. Huang

2. Ankara is the capital of which country?

1. Turkey
2. Syria
3. Cyprus
4. Tajikistan

3. This is the deepest sea in Asia.

1. South China Sea
2. Sea of Japan
3. Arabian Sea
4. Caspian Sea

4. This is the largest country in Asia.

1. Russia
2. Turkey
3. India
4. China

5. Which of these is not a country in West Asia?

1. Turkey
2. Qatar
3. Georgia
4. Tajikistan

D. State whether the following are true or false

1. Most of the Asian countries gained independence only after World War I.
Answer. False.
Most of the Asian countries gained independence only after World War II.

2. Babool and kikar trees are mainly found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats.
Answer. False.
Babool and kikar trees are mainly found in Rajasthan, Punjab, and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats.

3. Increase in height is responsible for the changing vegetation in the Himalayas.
Answer. True.

4. Thorn forests occupy the largest area in India.
Answer. False.
Tropical Monsoon deciduous forests occupy the largest area in India.

5. IT professionals are unskilled resources.
Answer. False.
IT professionals are skilled resources.

E. Answer the following questions in brief:

Question 1.
Name the rivers of the Great Siberian Plain.
Answer:
Rivers Ob, Yenisey and Lena have together built the Great Siberian Plain.

Question 2.
Name some wildlife species found in the taiga region, the tundra region, and the tropical deciduous forests of Asia.
Answer:
Wildlife species found in the taiga region are fox, sable, bear, mink, lynx and squirrel. Wildlife species found in the tundra region of Asia are polar bears, reindeer, foxes, seals and walruses.
Weldlife species found in the tropical deciduous forests of Asia are rhinoceros, elephants, bears, deer, apes, lions, tigers, leopards, etc.

Question 3.
What do you know about the Purvanchal ranges ?
Answer:
The hills of the north-east India are collectively called the Purvanchal ranges. They lie along the eastern borders of India. Their average elevation is less than 3,000 m. They consist of several hill ranges such as Patkai Bum, Naga, Mizo, Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

Question 4.
Mention any five biosphere reserves in India.
Answer:
Some important biosphere reserves in India are :

1. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve located in Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills in South India.
2. Gulf of Mannar Bisophere Reserve located between India and Sri Lanka, forming part of the Laccadive Sea.
3. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal.
4. Nanda Devi Biosphere in north-eastern Uttarakhand.
5. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills in Meghalaya.
6. Pachmari Biosphere Reserve in the Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh.
7. Similipal Biosphere Reserve in north-eastern Odisha.
8. Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve located in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
9. Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve located in Nicobar Islands.

Question 5.
Define sex ratio.
Answer:
Sex ratio is defined as the number of females per thousand males.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

Question 1.
Describe the Northern Lowlands of Asia.
Answer:
The Northern Lowlands of Asia extend from the Ural Mountains in the west up to the Bering Strait in the north-east. These lowlands are triangular in shape and widest in the west. Lying between the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Central Mountains in the south,they form the world’s greatest continuous plains. Three rivers which flow northwards into the Arctic Ocean — Ob, Yenisei and Lena, have together built this plain. These marshy and swampy lowlands are also called as the Great Siberian plain. The lower courses and mouths of the rivers freeze in winter. So, water coming from the upper courses in warmer latitudes spreads out over large part of the plains. Another low lying land exists south of the Siberian Plains in Central Asia called as the Turan Plain. This plain is an area of inland drainage and is drained by rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya.

Question 2.
Write about the Mediterranean climate experienced in Asia.
Answer:
The Mediterranean Climate in Asia is characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Since these areas experience drought-like conditions in summer, the natural vegetation has adapted to the climate by developing long roots and spongy barks. The evergreen vegetation of oak, acacia, laurel, chestnut, walnut and olive trees is common. Orchards of citrus fruits such as lemons, and oranges, vineyards and farm grains have replaced the natural vegetation. In the absence of natural habitat, not much wildlife is found. Mostly domesticated animals such as donkeys, cattle and sheep are found.

Question 3.
Explain how the Himalayas have greatly influenced the life of the people of India.
Answer:
The Himalayas exert a significant influence on the life of the people of India in several ways.

• They form a natural boundary between India and China.
• They serve as a climatic barrier by preventing the entry of the cold winds from Central Asia and preventing the rain-bearing monsoon winds from leaving India.
• They are a source of perennial rivers such as the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra and their tributaries.
• Their rugged terrain is ideal for hydroelectric power generation.
• The mountain slopes are forested. These forests provide different types of timber and forest products.
• The Himalayas have beautiful hill Stations Shimla, Daijeeling, Mussorie, etc.

Question 4.
Why is south India warmer than north India?
Answer:
Because it is nearer to the equator.

Question 5.
Explain the importance of monsoon.
Answer:
A good monsoon is important for the entire country for these reasons :

1. A good monsoon brings economic prosperity for the whole country and boosts the Indian economy as agriculture contributes around 16 per cent of its total Gross domestic product (GDP).
2. High temperature and heavy rainfall in the summer months are important for different types fo kharif crops. The winter rain supplemented by irrigation is important for rabi crops.
3. A normal rainfall is important for adequate agricultural production in order to maintain food prices. Food prices depend upon the agricultural output. In the absence of a good monsoon, the entire nation may be destabilized because of food inflation.
4. Several dams, reservoirs, rivers and canals in India are rain- fed and depend upon the monsoon rains.
5. Other economic activities like forestry and fishing are also influenced directly by the amount of rainfall.
6. Monsoon rain gives us respite from the high and intolerable summer heat and brings back life to the living earth.
7. Monsoon also has a role to play in the social-cultural unity of India. People of India, particularly the farmers, eagerly wait for the monsoon rains. We know that the monsoon winds provide water for the various agricultural activities. The agricultural calendar, and the social-cultural life of the people including their festivities, revolve around the monsoon phenomena and in a way binds the people of India together. Different harvest festivals in our country such as Bihu in Assam, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Onam in Kerala and Lohri in Punjab are celebrated to mark a good harvest. If the rainfall is good, the entire country celebrates and if the monsoon fails, it brings famines and a year of sorrow for everyone.

G Picture study

Question 1.
Identify the type of forest shown in the photograph.
Answer:
Tropical Evergreen Rainforests.

Question 2.
Write two characteristics of this type of forest.
Answer:

• These forest have broad-leaved hardwood trees.
• These are dense evergreen forests which have trees growing up to 60 m.
• The trees form distinct layers.