WBBSE Solutions For Class 6 Geography Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Why is India called a land of diversity?
Answer:

India Is called a land of diversity:

India is called a land of great diversity for the following reasons:

Physiographic diversity: In terms of physical geography, India has the world’s highest mountain range running across its north and northeast flank, while in the southeast, south, and southwest, it is bounded by oceans.

In between, there are extended plains as well as vast plateau regions. Thus, different physical features can be clearly observed.

2. Climatic diversity: The state of Rajasthan in the west is dry and arid while the eastern and north-eastern states receive heavy rainfall. This also shows the great climatic diversity of the country.

3. Vegetational diversity: The great climatic diversity of the country results in a matching diversity in the natural vegetation of the country as well.

We can find evergreen equatorial forests on the western slopes of the Western Ghats and at the same time, we find practically no vegetation in the deserts of Rajasthan.

In the higher reaches of the hilly regions of the country, we find forests of conifers and in the plains, we find deciduous forests.

4. Soil diversity: A variety of soils is also found in India. Based on this, we find a range of agricultural practices, crops, and products.

5. Cultural diversity: India is home to people of many languages. They follow different religious values and they have different cultures which give rise to great cultural diversity as well.

Question 2. Discuss India’s geographic position. Or, Where exactly is our country located in the world?
Answer:

The geographic position of India is:

1. Latitudinal position: Indian mainland extends from 8°4′ N latitude to 37°6′ N latitude.

2. Longitudinal position: Indian mainland extends from 68°7′ E to 97°25′ E longitude.

3. Position with respect to hemispheres: In terms of latitude, India lies to the north of the Equator and so is in the northern hemisphere.

In terms of longitude, as India is to the east of the Prime Meridian, so it is in the eastern hemisphere.

4. Position with respect to the continent and surrounding waterbodies: India lies in the middle of the southern portion of the continent of Asia.

It lies to the north of the Indian Ocean, to the east of the Arabian Sea, and to the west of the Bay of Bengal.

Common Questions About India’s Diversity

Question 3. what is the significance of India being a peninsula?
Answer:

The significance of India being a peninsula is—

1. India is surrounded on three sides by water which makes trading via sea- routes easier.

2. Attacks by enemy nations are easier over land, so India is surrounded by water from three sides and has the locational advantage.

India’s extended coastline means extensive opportunities for fishing both for consumption and trade.

3. Monsoon winds gather adequate moisture as they pass over the surrounding waterbodies. This helps India to receive adequate rainfall which is very important for agriculture.

Question 4. List the top ten states in terms of area and their capitals.
Answer:

Question 5. Write a short note on the formation of states on the basis of language.
Answer:

The formation of states on the basis of language:

The States Re-organisation Act of 1956 was an Act that enabled the re-organization of the boundaries of the states along linguistic lines or language in independent India.

Earlier, the country was divided into provinces, princely states, and so on. With Independence and the accession of the princely states, the need arose for the re-organization of states.

The language was an obvious factor since the same language generally also implies a similarity of cultural heritage, customs, and most importantly, a sense of identity.

Although additional changes have been made to state boundaries after that, to date, this remains the most extensive exercise in shaping and forming states.

Question 6. Define union territories. The union territories of India with their capitals.
Answer:

The states of India which are directly under the administrative control of the Central Government are called union territories.

At present, there are eight union territories in India They are:

Practice Questions on Indian Festivals and Traditions

Question 7. Write a short note on the capital of ” India—New Delhi.
Answer:

Capital of ” India—New Delhi:

New Delhi is the present capital of India. Till 1911, in pre-independent India, Kolkata was the capital of the British Empire before it was shifted to Delhi for administrative convenience.

In 1991, the 69 Constitutional Amendment designated New Delhi as a National Capital Territory, changing its status from that of a Union Territory. New Delhi has its own Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor instead of a Governor.

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Which water bodies Surround India on three Sides?
Answer:

The water bodies that surround India from three sides are the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the East.

Question 2. Study India’s map and learn the name of India’s neighboring countries. Or, Which are our neighboring countries? Or, Which countries lie around India?
Answer:

To the northwest, India shares its borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan; in the north, with China, Nepal, and Bhutan; and to the east with Myanmar and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka lies to the south of India.

Question 3. Which are the languages that enjoy the status of ‘official languages of India’?
Answer: The ‘official languages of India’ are:

1. Assamese,
2. Bengali,
3. Gujarati,
4. Hindi,
5. Kannada,
6. Kashmiri,
7. Konkani,
8. Malayalam,
9. Manipuri,
10. Marathi,
11. Nepali,
12. Oriya,
13. Punjabi,
14. Sanskrit,
15. Sindhi,
16. Tamil,
17. Telugu,
18. Urdu,
19. Boro,
20. Santhali,
21. Maithili,
22. Dogri.

Important Definitions Related to Indian Culture

Question 4. Through which of the states does the Tropic of Cancer pass?
Answer: The Tropic of Cancer passes through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.

Question 5. Which states of India apart from West Bengal have a border with Bangladesh?
Answer: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram share borders with Bangladesh apart from West Bengal.

Question 6. Which states of India share borders with Nepal and Bhutan?
Answer: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim are the states of India that share borders with Nepal.

On the other hand, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh share borders with Bhutan.

Question 7. Which states of India share borders with Myanmar?
Answer: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram are the Indian states that share borders with Myanmar.

Examples of Cultural Practices in India

Question 8. Which states and union territories of India share borders with Pakistan?
Answer: Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Punjab are the states and Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir (since 31 October 2019) are the union territories of India that share borders with Pakistan.

Question 9. Which states and union territories of India share borders with China?
Answer: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh are the Indian states and Ladakh (since 31 October 2019) is the union territory that shares borders with China.

Question 10. Mention a few places in India that are because of their World Heritage Sites’ natural significance.
Answer: Some places in India are World Heritage sites because of their natural significance—

1. Sunderban in West Bengal,
2. Kaziranga in Assam,
3. Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand.

Question 11. Mention a few places in India that are of great cultural and historical significance.
Answer: A few places that are of great cultural and historical significance in India are—

1. Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi,
2. Taj Mahal in Agra,
3. Konark Sun Temple in Odisha,
4. Khajuraho Temple in Madhya Pradesh,
5. Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Maharashtra.

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India True Or False

Question 1. Latitudinally, in which hemisphere does India lie?
Answer: Northern Hemisphere.

Question 2. In which part of India is our state located?
Answer: Eastern part.

Question 3. Which is the westernmost longitude of the Indian landmass?
Answer: 68°7’E.

Question 4. Mention the longitudinal extension of India.
Answer: 68°7’E-97°25’E.

Question 5. Which state of India shares its borders with the maximum number of other states?
Answer: Uttar Pradesh (8 states).

Question 6. What is the length of India’s land boundary?
Answer: Almost 15200 km.

Question 7. What is the north-south length of the Indian landmass?
Answer: 3214 km.

Question 8. What is the east-west length of the Indian landmass?
Answer: 2933 km.

Real-Life Scenarios Involving Indian Heritage

Question 9. What is the total area of India?
Answer: 32,87,782 square km.

Question 10. Which is the southernmost tip of India?
Answer: Indira Point.

Question 11. How many languages enjoy official status in India?
Answer: 22 languages.

Question 12. Which country is the smallest of India’s neighbors?
Answer: Maldives.

Question 13. Which country is the largest of India’s neighbors?
Answer: China.

Question 14. What were the factors taken into consideration when the Indian states were formed?
Answer: Language, culture, and administrative capacity.

Question 15. What is the difference in local time between the extreme east and west of India owing to its longitudinal extent?
Answer: 117 minutes or nearly two hours.

Question 16. When did India become a republic?
Answer: January 26, 1950.

Question 17. Name the city in West Bengal through which the tropic of cancer passes.
Answer: Krishnanagar (Nadia).

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India Fill In The Blanks

Question 1. India is a part of the continent of___________
Answer: Asia

Question 2. A landmass bounded on three sides by water is called a___________
Answer: Peninsula

Question 3. India is divided into east and west by___________ longitude
Answer: 80ºE

Question 4. The state of Telangana was formed in the year___________
Answer: 2014

Question 5. There are ___________ union territories in India.
Answer: 8

Question 6. The capital of India is ___________
Answer: New Delhi

Question 7. The joint capital of the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is ___________
Answer: Hyderabad

Question 8. The north-south extension of India is ___________ km.
Answer: 3214

Question 9. ___________is the largest city in India.
Answer: Mumbai

Question 10. The literacy rate in India is___________
Answer: 74.04%

Question 11. The least populated state in India is ___________
Answer: Sikkim

Question 12. The Sunderban mangroves are in the state of ___________
Answer: West Bengal

Question 13. The smallest state of India in terms of area is ___________
Answer: Goa

Question 14. In India, the official language of communication is ___________
Answer: English

Question 15. India’s neighboring country to the north is ___________
Answer: Nepal

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India Write True Or False

Question 1. India’s Independence Day is celebrated on 15 September.
Answer: False

Question 2. The southern part of India is shaped like a triangle.
Answer: True

Question 3. The Bay of Bengal is to the north of India.
Answer: False

Question 4. Indira Point is situated in the Arabian Sea.
Answer: False

Question 5. The Palk Strait divides India and Sri Lanka.
Answer: True

Question 6. India’s most populous city is Kolkata.
Answer: False

Question 7. Telangana is India’s newest state.
Answer: True

Question 8. India’s Standard Meridian is 82° 30′ E.
Answer: True

Conceptual Questions on India’s Historical Contributions

Question 9. Pakistan is India’s neighboring country in the East.
Answer: False

Question 10. Sri Lanka is located to the south of India.
Answer: True

Question 11. The Tropic of Capricorn is imagined to pass over India.
Answer: False

Question 12. India is located north of the Equator.
Answer: True

WBBSE Chapter 10 Our Country India Topic A General Introduction And Cultural Heritage Of India Match The Columns

Question 1.

Answer: 1-D,2-A,3-B,4-C,5-E

Question 2.

Answer: 1-C,2-D,3-B,4-A,5-F,6-G,7-H,8-I,9-E