ICSE Solutions

ICSE Solutions for Class 7 Geography Voyage – Africa: Location, Area, Political & Physical Features

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APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 7 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 7 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 7 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 7 Geography History & CivicsMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

THINK AND ANSWER

Why did Africa remain unexplored for a long time ?
Answer:
The equator passes through the middle of the continent and most of Africa lies within the tropics. It is, therefore, the hottest continent.
People faced many difficulties while exploring Africa. In the north, the Sahara, the world’s largest desert, was impenetrable due to severe heat and dry conditions. Most of Africa consists of undulating plateaus, so it was difficult to reach the interior from the coastal areas. The rivers of Africa have many rapids and waterfalls, and are not fit for navigation. The extensive equatorial forests and swampy lands teeming with dangerous tsetse flies and poisonous insects discouraged explorers from entering the heart of the continent.

Discuss

Deforestation rate in Africa is twice the average for the rest of the world with more than four million hectares of primary forest disappearing every year. What could be the reasons for this.
Answer:
The reasons would be :

1. Conversion of forests for subsistenance and commercial agriculture.
2. Deforestation done because of commercial logging
3. Other activities such as cattle rattling, cash crop plantations, and the construction of dams, roads and mines.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS

The Sahara Desert forms a large part of Africa. This desert extends from the Atlantic in the west to the Red Sea in the east.
Suppose you were going to the Sahara Desert. List the things you would take with you.
What kind of problems are you likely to face ?
How would you cope with them ?
Answer:
The things one should carry and the problems we can face are discussed below :
1. Preparing for Desert Emergencies —
(a) Wear clothing that minimizes sweat loss : Most of your body’s water loss happens through perspiration. Cover as much skin as possible with loose, light-weight clothing. This will trap the sweat against your skin, slowing evaporation and therefore water loss.
(b) Bring lots of extra water : Whenever you enter a desert, bring more water than you expect. While walking in sunshine and 40°C (104°F) heat, the average person loses 900 mL (30 oz) of sweat every hour. In an emergency situation, you’ll be thankful for any water you carried.

1. Divide the water you’ re carrying among several containers. This minimizes the amount of water you can lose to one leak.
2. Store the excess in a cool spot in your vehicle, away from direct sunlight.

(c) Bring food that packs the most nutrition in the least size and weight: Energy bars, pemmican, jerky, and trail mix are popular choices. Do your research, experiment beforehand, and be prepared. When wheeled vehicles break down, it’s just your two legs and the path to the next town, and you don’t want to be carrying anything nonessential.
(d) Pack survival equipment: Here are the bare essentials for a survival kit:

1. Sturdy emergency blankets
2. Cords or rope
3. Water purification tablets
4. First aid kit
5. Fire starters
6. Powerful flashlight or headlamp. LEDs last longest.
7. Knife
8. Compass
9. Signal mirror
10. Goggles and a dust mask or bandana (for dust storms)

2. Survival Tactics :
(a) Become nocturnal: In a desert survival situation, you do not want to be moving around during the day. The cooler night air enables you to travel farther and faster with minimum danger of heat exhaustion. In hot climates, this single decision will save your body about three liters (three quarts) of water per day.
(b) Stay in a shelter during the day: If you don’t have a shaded car to stay in, string cords between a pair of objects in a place that gets shade most of the day. Drape a sturdy emergency blanket over the cords. Place a few pieces of brush on top of the blanket, then cover it with another emergency blanket (this one can be a thin Mylar sheet). The gap of air between the two blankets insulates the shelter, keeping it cooler.
(c) Signal for help : Building a fire is a great way to make a signal, creating smoke during the day and light at night. While in transit, keep a signal mirror in reach to reflect light at passing aircraft or distant cars.
(d) Decide whether to stay in place : If you have a supply of water and someone knows where you are, staying in one place may be your best chance of rescue. Traveling to find help will exhaust you much faster than staying in place, and water loss will cut your survival time way down if you can’t find another supply. That said, if your water supplies are low, you will need to look for more. You cannot expect to survive more than a couple of days if you run out of water.
(e) Find water sources : If there’s been a rainstorm recently, you may find pockets of water in rock outcrops or flat stone surfaces. More often, you’ll need to search for areas with possible groundwater:

1. Follow animal tracks leading downhill, birds circling around something, or even flying insects.
2. Walk to the greenest vegetation you can see, especially large plants with wide leaves.

3. Recognizing Dangers
(a) Watch out for signs of dehydration : Many people make their journey much harder by underestimating their water needs. Trying to ration your supply is a mistake that can cost your life. If you notice any of the following symptoms, drink more water:

1. Urine with a dark color or a noticeable smell.
2. Dry skin
3. Dizziness
4. Fainting

(b) Rest if you experience heat exhaustion : If you feel lightheaded or nauseous, or if your skin feels cool and clammy, seek shade immediately. Rest and treat yourself as follows:

1. Remove or loosen your clothing
2. Sip a sports drink or slightly salty water (about 5 mL salt per liter water /1 tsp per quart).
3. Apply wet cloth on your skin to aid cooling evaporation.

(c) Stay away from dangerous animals : Most mammals and reptiles will stay away from you, especially if they are alone. Follow the same practice and be aware of your surroundings to avoid accidentally cornering something.

EXERCISES

A. Choose the correct answer :

1. The strait that separates Europe from Africa is the

1. Palk Srait
2. Bering Strait
3. Strait of Gibraltar
4. trait of Magellan

2. A large portion of Africa lies in the

1. desert
2. tropics
3. temperate region
4. marshy land

3. The area in a desert where water can be found is called a/an

1. pond
2. well
3. depression
4. oasis

4. The Sudd is a

1. lake
2. swamp
3. gulf
4. cape

5. The largest lake in Africa is

1. Lake Chad
2. Lake Tana
3. Lake Victoria
4. Lake Tanganyika

B. Identify who I am

1. i am a country through which the Tropic of Capricorn passes: Namibia.
2. I am the southernmost tip of Africa: Cape of Good Hope.
3. I am a snow-capped mountain near the equator: Mt. Kilimanjaro.
4. I am the longest river of Africa: Nile.
5. I am a river that flows into Lake Chad: The Chari.
6. I am a lake that does not lie in the Great Rift Valley of Africa: Lake Victoria.
7. I am a river that flows through the Namib Desert: Okavango

C. Match the following:

Answer:

D. Give geographical reasons

Question 1.
People faced many difficulties while exploring Africa.
Answer:
It was difficult to explore Africa because of deserts like Sahara which have severe heat and dry conditions, the undulating plateaux, non-navigable rivers, extensive equatorial forests, swampy lands and poisonous insects.

Question 2.
The rivers of Africa are not very suitable for navigation in their lower course.
Answer:
The rivers have many rapids and waterfalls making them unfit for navigation.

Question 3.
The river Nile flows through a desert and yet has water throughout the year.
Answer:
River Nile has water throughout the year because its source is Lake Victoria which lies in the rainy equatorial region.

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

Question 1.
Give the latitudinal extent of Africa and explain why it is mostly a tropical continent.
Answer:
Latitudinal extent of Africa is 37°N to 35°S. Africa is known as mostly tropical continent because a large portion of Africa lies in the Tropics, the Tropic of cancer (23 1/2° N) in the North and the Tropic of Capricorn (23 1/2° S) in the South.

Question 2.
Name three great explorers connected with the African continent.
Answer:
David Livingstone, who discovered Victoria Falls in 1855. Mungo Park followed the course of the river Niger. Henry Morton Stanley traced the course of the river Congo from Lake Tanganyika to its mouth.

Question 3.
Name the major mountain ranges of Africa.
Answer:
The Atlas Mountains lie in north-western Africa. They are young fold mountains consisting of three parallel ranges—the Tell Atlas in the north, the High Atlas in the middle, and the Sahara Atlas in the south. The highest peak in the Atlas Mountains is Mt Toublkal, which remains snow-capped most of the year.

Question 4.
Name the lakes found in the Great Rift Valley.
Answer:
The lakes found in the Great Rift Valley are Lake Malawi, Lake Mobutu, Lake Edward and Lake Turkana.

Question 5.
How much time does it take the cocoa tree to yield cocoa pods ?
Answer:
An evergreen tropical plant, the cocoa tree grows to a height of 4 to 9 m. It begins to yield cocoa pods after about 5-7 years. Cocoa pods grow on the trunk and main branches. Each pod is about 18-25 cm long and contains pulp with beans.

F. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs

Question 1.
Elaborate on the achievements of the great explorers in opening up the continent of Africa.
Answer:
Explorers like David Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls. Mungo Park discovered the course of river Niger. Henry Morton Stanley traced the source of river Congo from Lake Tanganyika to its mouth.

Question 2.
Name the major physical divisions of Africa. Describe any one.
Answer:
Africa can be divided into the following physical divisions: the Atlas Mountains, the low central plateau, the high plateau of the south, the Great Rift Valley, the Nile and Congo-Zaire Basins, and the coastal plains.

1. The Atlas Mountains lie in north-western Africa. They are young fold mountains.
2. There are three parallel ranges – the Tell Atlas in the north, the High Atlas in the middle, and the Sahara Atlas in the south. The highest peak in the Atlas Mountains is Mt Toubkal, which remains snow-capped most of the year.
3. The low central plateau extends from the Atlantic Coast in the west to the Nile Valley in the east. The Sahara Desert forms a part of this plateau. This desert extends from the Atlantic in the west to the Red Sea in the east, and covers an area of 8.6 million sq.km.
4. The Great Rift Valley of Africa is a special physical feature of the southern plateau. It is a long narrow valley formed as a
   result of vertical cracks that developed because of the movements within the earth. It extends for a total distance of 5,000 km from Lake Malawi to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to the Dead Sea in Jordan.

Question 3.
Describe the three important deserts found in Africa.
Answer:
The three important deserts are Sahara, The Namib, The Kalahari.
Sahara is part of the low Central Plateau. It is the largest desert in the world covering the area of 8.6 million square km.
The Namib, desert runs along the Western Coast in South-West Africa.
Kalahari desert lies in the Southern part of Africa forming part of High Plateau of South Africa.

Question 4.
What is a rift valley? How is it formed?
Answer:
The Great Rift Valley is a long narrow valley formed as a result of vertical cracks that developed because of movements within the earth. It extends for a total distance of5,000 km from Lake Malawi to Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to Dead Sea in Jordan. Many freshwater lakes, such as Malawi, Tanganyika, and Turkana are found here.

Question 5.
Give an account of the major lakes of Africa.
Answer:
Lake Victoria is the largest lake of Africa. The river Chari flows into Lake Chad. Lake Tanganyika is one of the longest freshwater lake in the world. Other large lakes in Great Rift Valley are Malawi, Mobutu, Edward and Turkana.

G. Map work:
On a blank outline map of Africa, mark the following:

1. The Cape of Good Hope
2. The Drakensberg Mountains
3. The Victoria Falls
4. The Atlas Mountains
5. The Nile River
6. The Libyan Desert
7. The Suez Canal

Answer:

H. Picture Study

This is a photograph of Victoria Falls.
Question 1.
Name the explorer who discovered it.
Answer:
David Livingstone discovered Victoria Falls in 1855.

Question 2.
On which river is this fall located ?
Answer:
Victoria Fall is located on Zambezi River.

LET’S DO SOMETHING

On a blank outline map of Africa

(a) Mark with brown lines the Atlas and the Drakensberg Mountains.
(b) Shade with yellow and label the Sahara Desert and the Kalahari Desert.
(c) Shade with light brown the plateau region of Africa, the Ethiopian and Adamawa Highlands.
(d) Colour with blue and label neatly all the surrounding water bodies, oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, and straits.

Answer:
Do it Yourself.

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 7 Geography Voyage – Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 7 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 7 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 7 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

ICSE Solutions Class 7 Geography History & CivicsMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

DISCUSS

Collect rainfall data from the website of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata and discuss how rainfall patterns have changed in the last 5 years.
Answer:

Mumbai receives maximum rainfall in 2016 and minimum rainfall in 2012.
Chennai receives maximum rainfall in 2013 and minimum rainfall in 2012.
Delhi receives maximum rainfall in 2013 and minimum rainfall in 2014.
Kolkata receives maximum rainfall in 2013 and minimum rainfall in 2014.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS :

We need to understand that global warming, climate change, acid rain and ozone depletion are all happening because of our dependence on fossil fuels and CFC-based technologies. Therefore, the need of the hour is to reduce
our dependence on them.
What can you do in this regard ?
Answer:
The ways to reduce our dependency on them are :

1. By using materials such as bamboo, recycled metal and organic paints in construction of buildings.
2. By using solar energy to heat and light homes and offices.
3. By using clean fuel like CNG and unleaded petrol to run vehicles.
4. By making changes in everyday practices such as
   (a) choosing to travel in public vehicles, biking, walking or using a car pool.
   (b) buying energy efficient household appliances.
   (c) replacing light bulbs with CFL bulbs.

EXERCISES

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Carbon dioxide and methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour and CFCs are examples of greenhouse gases.
2. Global Warming is a major cause of climate change.
3. The increase in earth’s temperature is called global warming.
4. The layer of atmosphere where ozone is found is called stratosphere.
5. The ozone layer protects us from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

B. Write True or False.

1. Aeroplanes flying in the sky cause global warming.
Answer. True.

2. Forest fires do not cause global warming.
Answer. False.
Correct : Forest fires do cause global warming.

3. Ozone is found in the troposphere.
Answer. False.
Correct : Ozone is found in the stratosphere.

4. The ozone layer is harmful for humans and animals.
Answer. False.
Correct : The ozone layer is not harmful for humans and animals.

5. CFCs and BFCs protect the ozone layer.
Answer. False.
Correct : CFCs and BFCs deplete the ozone layer.

C. Choose the correct option.

Question 1.
Oxygen/Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
Answer:
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

Question 2.
Use of fossil fuels/hydroelectricity causes global warming.
Answer:
Use of fossil fuels causes global warming.

Question 3.
Cattle release methane / CFCs.
Answer:
Cattle release methane.

Question 4.
Global warming will reduce/increase climate change.
Answer:
Global warming will increase climate change.

Question 5.
The ozone layer is found between 20 and 40/40 and 60 km above the earth’s surface.
Answer:
The ozone layer is found between 20 and 40 and above the earth’s surface.

D. Match the following

Answer:

E. Answer the following questions in brief 

Question 1.
Why do we call carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas?
Answer:
Carbon dioxide is called greenhouse gas because it absorbs
Infrared radiations. A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range.

Question 2.
Name two more greenhouse gases.
Answer:
Methane and water vapour are other greenhouse gases.

Question 3.
How will countries like Bangladesh and Thailand be affected by global warming?
Answer:
Climate change will cause melting of polar ice caps with huge chunks of icebergs several kilometres across breaking off from the mainland. This is already taking place around the Arctic and in Antarctica. The result will be an increase in the volume of ocean waters. Countries like Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia and the Southeastern parts of USA like the States of Florida and Louisiana would be swamped by flood water along its shores.

Question 4.
What is responsible for causing a hole in the ozone layer?
Answer:
The release of large amount of CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons and BFCs or bromofluorocarbons by industries are responsible for the formation of holes in the ozone layer.

Question 5.
Name some diseases that are caused due to exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Answer:
Exposure to UV rays can cause sunburn, cataract, hair loss, skin cancer and birth deformities.

F. Answer the following questions in one or two paragraphs 

Question 1.
How is the greenhouse effect created?
Answer:
The ‘greenhouse effect’ takes place when the ‘sun’s rays heat the earth. This heat is absorbed by the surface of the earth and some of it is radiated back into the atmosphere. However, a part of this heat is trapped in the atmosphere by gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane while the rest escapes into space. These gases let in light from the sun but prevent the heat from escaping like the glass walls of a greenhouse. They also act like a mirror and reflect back to the earth some of the trapped heat energy. The more greenhouse gases (GHGs) are present in the atmosphere, the more heat is trapped, subsequently making the earth warmer.

Question 2.
State three causes that have led to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Answer:
The causes that have led to the increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) are:

1. Increase in industries
2. Increase in deforestation
3. Increase in atmospheric pollution due to emissions from chimneys of factories
4. Increase in natural disasters like floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes that release large amounts of smoke, dust and gases into the atmosphere
5. Increase in the methane content of the atmosphere because of large-scale cattle rearing, since cattle release methane
6. Expansion of cies and towns

Question 3.
What do you understand by the term ‘global warming’?
Answer:
The greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap a part of the heat radiated back by the earth, increasing its temperature. The increase in the earth’s temperature is called global warming.

Question 4.
State some anthropogenic (man-made) causes of global warming.
Answer:
Man-made causes of global warming ‘include burning of fossil fuels, cutting of forests, using refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosols, factories belching smoke, increase in methane content of the atmosphere because of large-scale cattle rearing, expansion of cities and towns.

Question 5.
Global warming does not augur well for our planet earth. State at least three reasons to support this statement.
Answer:
Global warming is not good for our planet as

(a) It will worsen climate changes leading to food shortages.
(b) Many forms of wildlife are now’ at risk and since climate change and deforestation are causing disappearance of their habitat.
(c) Climate change will cause melting of polar caps resulting in the increase in the volume of ocean waters.

G. Picture study.

Question 1.
Which region of the world is seen in the picture?
Answer:
Antarctica and Arctic Poles.

Question 2.
How is it going to be affected by global warming?
Answer:
Global warming causes melting of polar ice-caps with huge chunks of icebergs several kilometres across breaking off from the mainland resulting in increase in volume of ocean waters. The increase in the volume of ocean waters will result in rising of sea levels. Countries like Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia and the Southeastern parts of USA like the States of Florida and Louisiana would be swamped by flood water along their shores.

LETS DO SOMETHING

Question 1.
Imagine that you are an active member of the Greenpeace. Write a two-page appeal addressed to the Prime Minister of India stating why you think that increasing number of vehicles on roads will be disastrous to the nation in the long run.
Answer:
August 25, 2017,
Mr. Narendra Modi,
Prime Minister of India
Dear Prime Minister Modi,

It is with great optimism and hope that we are following news about the meeting you will have with U.S. President Trump, at this critical time in our planet’s future. 2017 is the year for making decisive commitments towards tackling climate change together. As the elected leader of the world’s largest democracy, and a country with much to lose from run away climate change, the hopes of 1.3 billion Indian citizens rest on you. Along with them, and the millions of people worldwide who will inevitably be affected by decisions made this year, we hope you will successfully push the United States, and the developed world, towards an ambitious and equitable global agreement to rein in climate change.

We congratulate you on setting new and ambitious renewable energy targets, and urge a focus on decentralized renewable energy as the fastest, most cost-effective way to tackle India’s energy poverty challenge. At the same time, we believe that continued growth in coal power is not in the interests of common Indians as it imposes a significantly higher cost on people’s health, livelihood of communities and the environment, and will prove far more expensive than renewable energy. We hope you will secure much-needed support from global partners, civil society and investors – including the United States administration – to realize these renewable energy goals.

Being the member of the Greenpeace, I would like to bring in your kind notice that I found that the number of vehicles has increased considerably in India in the past five years, which is one of the sources of pollution. In the recently released World Health Organization (WHO) report on pollution, the situation of the city is not so encouraging in terms of pollution in the air.
Due to increase in number of vehicles over the years, the city roads witness frequent traffic congestions, but above all, the vehicles emitting pollutants are affecting environment badly. The recently-released WHO report shows that India has 2.5 microns of diameter (PM2.5) concentration of 68 micrograms particulate matter per meter cube. However, the WHO guideline values for particulate matter is 10 microgram per meter cube for PM2.5.

“The air pollution consists of many pollutants, among other particulate matter. These particles are able to penetrate deeply into the respiratory tract and therefore constitute a risk for health by increasing mortality from respiratory infections and diseases, lung cancer, and selected cardiovascular diseases,” says the WHO report.

New patients with respiratory problems are constantly being reported in hospitals. Recently, the many big cities are witnessing a flow of traffic on city roads consisting high end cars too. Moreover, as far as public transport is concerned, the government-owned low floor buses could be seen plying on the road emitting black smoke causing problems for pedestrians, bikers and other roadside vendors. Mr. Avinash Chowdhry senior member of Greenpeace took out a rally of school children at Statue

Circle (Mumbai) on the eve of World Environment Day said, “Men’s health is determined by his environment. He is greatest enemy of his own health. Environmental pollution is one of the reasons of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes.”
Collaboration between the government and civil society is essential to secure a bright future for India and the planet. Greenpeace looks forward to working with the Indian government on our common objective of ensuring clean, affordable renewable energy for all.

Sincerely,
VeenuGopal,
Interim Executive Director, Greenpeace

Question 2.
Make a collage using pictures or a chart to show the various causes and consequences of global warming.
Answer:
You can take idea from the picture given below and can make a collage of your own.

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

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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 7 Geography Voyage – Europe: Climate, Natural Vegetation, Wildlife; Forest, Minerals & Power Resources

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APlusTopper.com provides step by step solutions for ICSE Solutions for Class 7 Geography Voyage. You can download the Voyage Geography ICSE Solutions for Class 7 with Free PDF download option. Geography Voyage for Class 7 ICSE Solutions all questions are solved and explained by expert teachers as per ICSE board guidelines.

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THINK AND ANSWER

Why is London at 51°N not so cold in winter as New York at 41°N ?
Answer:
Ans. In the winter, London is wanned by prevailing winds from the south west, warmed by warm water from the Caribbean by the gulf stream, whilst new york has a more continental winter.

Discuss

Discuss the importance of ocean currents and winds for the climate of Europe.
Answer:
Ocean currents : The warm North Atlantic Drift helps to keep parts of western Europe warm. The ports here are open for trade even in winter.
Winds : The South-Westerlies that blow across the North Atlantic Ocean towards Europe are warmed as they pass over the North Atlantic Drift. These warm winds from sea to land pick up moisture and cause rainfall, which decreases eastwards. They also help to raise the winter temperatures of coastal and central European countries.

VALUES AND LIFE SKILLS

Several factors affect the climate of a place. Similarly, several factors affect the personality and nature of human beings.
Can you name a few factors that affect the nature and personality of people ?
Do you think people can remain unaffected by their surroundings ?
Answer:
(a) The factors that affect the nature and personality of people are:

1. Environment
2. Heredity
3. Culture
4. Particular experiences

(b) No, people remain affected by their surroundings.
People change their personality and nature according to their surroundings.

EXERCISES

A. Write true or false. Correct the false statements.

1. Eastern Europe receives rainfall throughout the year.
Answer. False.
Western Europe receives rainfall throughout the year.

2. Softwood trees such as pine, fir, and spruce are found in the taiga belt.
Answer. True.

3. Mixed forests consist of grass, moss, softwood trees, hardwood trees, and thorny vegetation.
Answer. False.

4. Only mosses, lichens, and small colourful flowers grow in the steppes of Eurasia.
Answer. False.
Only mosses, lichens, and small colourful flowers grow Tundra Vegetation.

5. Wild cats and large fur-bearing animals are not found anywhere in Europe.
Answer. False.
Wild cats and large fur-bearing animals are found in Tundra region.

B. A list of names of wildlife and vegetation species has been provided. Write them in the appropriate columns
given below.
pine, oak, lynx, lichen, myrtle, olive, squirrel, seal, moss, spruce, beech, laurel, penguin, short grass

Answer:

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. An ocean current that keeps the coasts of northern Europe frost-free in winter:

1. Labrador Current
2. Canary Current
3. North Atlantic Drift
4. North Pacific Drift

2. A major part of Europe has moderate climate because it is located in :

1. the torrid zone
2. the temperate zone
3. the frigid zone
4. none of these

3. Onshore winds that bring rainfall in winter to the countries around the Mediterranean Sea :

1. the North-Westerlies
2. the South-Westerlies
3. the North Polar Easterlies
4. the North-East Trade Winds

4. A region of extensive evergreen trees, with needle-like leaves and home to small fur-bearing animals :

1. tundra
2. Steppes
3. Taiga
4. Desert

5. A region well-known for olives, oleander, and orange trees:

1. western Europe
2. northern Europe
3. eastern Europe
4. southern Europe

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

Question 1.
How does the climate of Europe change from :

(a) east to west
(b) north to south

Answer:

(a) east to west — Winters and summers are more severe in the east than in the west. The annual rainfall is highest in the west and decreases steadily eastwards.
(b) north to south — North European countries experience longer, colder winters and shorter, cooler summers than south European countries.

Question 2.
List the factors that affect the climate of Europe.
Answer:
Factors Affecting the Climate of Europe :
Latitude — Most of Europe lies within the temperate latitudes, which are neither too hot nor too cold. Only a small part of the continent lies north of the Arctic Circle in the frigid zone.
Nearness to Water Bodies — Except for eastern Europe, all other parts of Europe are close to the sea. There are oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, straits, and even lakes which have a moderating effect on the climate.
Relief Features — The east-west arrangement of most highlands, especially the Alps, allows the rain-bearing winds to enter places in the interior and cause rainfall there.
Ocean Currents — The warm North Atlantic Drift helps to keep parts of western Europe warm. The ports here are open for trade even in winter.
Winds — The South-Westerlies that blow across the North Atlantic Ocean towards Europe are warmed as they pass over the North Atlantic Drift. These warm winds from sea to land pick up moisture and cause rainfall, which decreases eastwards. They also help to raise the winter temperatures of coastal and central European countries.

Question 3.
How is the vegetation of the Mediaterranean region able to withstand the summer drought conditions ?
Answer:
Mediterranean Vegetaion: The vegetation which consists mainly of trees with thick spongy barks and leaves, and long roots as well as shrubs and bushes with small, waxy leaves and thorns. The long roots, small waxy leaves, and thick spongy bark help the trees survive in dry summers.

Question 4.
What changes have human beings brought about in the temperate grasslands of Europe ?
Answer:
As large parts of the forest of this region was cutted down and now used for the cultivation of wheat and other cereals. As land development drives animal away from populated areas and changes the condition of environment.

Question 5.
Name a few minerals found in large quantities in Europe.
Answer:
Europe has fairly large deposits of iron ore, coal, petroleum, natural gas, bauxite, zinc, copper, lead, nickel, and manganese.

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

Question 1.
Explain how relief features, winds, and ocean currents affect the climate of Europe.
Answer:
The following factors affect the climate of europe:
Latitude — Most of Europe lies within the temperate latitudes, which are neither too hot nor too cold. Only a small part of the continent lies north of the Arctic Circle in the frigid zone.
Nearness to Water Bodies — Except for eastern Europe, all other parts of Europe are close to the sea. There are oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, straits, and even lakes which have a moderating effect on the climate.
Relief Features — The east-west arrangement of most highlands, especially the Alps, allows the rain-bearing winds to enter places in the interior and cause rainfall there.
Ocean Currents —The warm North Atlantic Drift helps to keep parts of western Europe warm. The ports here are open for trade even in winter.
Winds — The South-Westerlies that blow across the North Atlantic Ocean towards Europe are warmed as they pass over the North Atlantic Drift. These warm winds from sea to land pick up moisture and cause rainfall, which decreases eastwards. They also help to raise the winter temperatures of coastal and central European countries.

Question 2.
What is the difference between maritime and continental climates ?
Answer:
Continental climate :
As the name suggests, this climate is experienced in the eastern parts of Finland, Poland, Russia, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Great variations in summer and winter temperatures and low amount of summer rainfall are features of this type of climate. Thus, it is also called the continental climate.
Mediterranean Climate :
As the name indicate, this climate is mainly experienced in the regions bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Since these regions are near the sea, they have warm summers and cool winters, with rainfall through – out the year.

Question 3.
With the help of two examples from Europe, show how the vegetation of Europe is closely related to climate.
Answer:
Though a small continent, Europe has a great variation of climate. The main types of climates are Arctic and Sub-Arctic, west European or maritime, central European, east European, desert, and Mediterranean climates.
The main vegetation types of Europe include tundra vegetation, taiga or coniferous vegetation, mixed vegetation, temperate grasslands or the steppes, and Mediterranean vegetation.

Question 4.
What do the terms ‘tundra’, ‘taiga’, and ‘steppes’ refer to ? Explain each of the terms and state where each is found.
Answer:
Tundra : A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia and North America in which the sub soil is permanently frozen.
Taiga : Taiga is the largest terrestrail biome on earth: It extends in a broad band across Europe, North America and Asia to the Southern border of the arctic tundra.
Steppes : A large area of flat unforested grassland in South¬East Europe or Siberia.

Question 5.
How has the wildlife of the tundra adapted to the climate?
Answer:
The wildlife of tundra specially reindeer has wonderfully adopted to the extreme cold. Its thick hair protects it from the cold. Its long, flat hoofs are suited for walking over snow and for digging in the snow to look for buried vegetation.

Question 6.
Why has the area under forest in Europe dropped from 80 per cent to 30 per cent in recent years ?
Answer:
The area under forest in Europe dropped from 80 per cent to 30 per cent in recent years because of cutting down of trees to make and available for cultivation and industries as the continent has high population density. Today there are only three main forested areas—the Scandinavian mountain region, the Alpine mountain region, and the taiga region of Russia. A few mixed forests and Mediterranean forests are also found in southern Europe.

F. Map work.
On the blank outline map of europe do as directed.

1. Use different colours to show the various climatic regions of Europe.
2. Mark the areas that have (i) Steppes and (ii) Mediterranean forests.

Answer:

1. See map on page 104 (Europe: Climate) of your textbook.
2. See page 106 (Europe : Vegetation) of your textbook.

G Picture study.

Question 1.
In which vegetation belt is this bird mostly found?
Answer:
Temperate Grasslands

Question 2.
Name two other animals from this vegetation belt.
Answer:
Roe dear and the saiga antelope.

Let’s Do Something

Collect pictures and information on the natural vegetation and wildlife of Europe from encyclopaedias and the Internet, and make a scrapbook.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

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.