View source for Geography of South India

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{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
[[File:South India satellite.jpg|250px|thumb|[[NASA]] satellite photo of South India, 31 January 2003.]]
The '''Geography of South India''' comprises the diverse topological and climatic patterns of [[South India]]. South India is a [[peninsula]] in the shape of a vast inverted triangle, bounded on the west by the Arabian Sea, on the east by the [[Bay of Bengal]] and on the north by the [[Vindhya]] and [[Satpura]] ranges.

The Satpura ranges define the northern spur of the [[Deccan plateau]], one of the main geographic features of South India. The [[Western Ghats]], along the western coast, mark another boundary of the plateau. The narrow strip of verdant land between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is the [[Konkan]] region; the term encompasses the area south of the Narmada as far as Coastal Karnataka.

The Western Ghats continue south, forming the [[Malnad]] ([[Kanara|Canara]]) region along the Karnataka coast, and terminate at the [[Nilgiris (mountains)|Nilgiri]] mountains, an inward (easterly) extension of the Western Ghats. The Nilgiris run in a crescent approximately along the borders of [[Tamil Nadu]] with northern [[Kerala]] and [[Karnataka]], encompassing the [[Palakkad District|Palakkad]] and [[Wayanad]] hills, and the [[Satyamangalam]] ranges, and extending on to the relatively low-lying hills of the [[Eastern Ghats]], on the western portion of the Tamil Nadu–[[Andhra Pradesh]] border. The [[Tirupati (city)|Tirupati]] and [[Anaimalai Hills|Anaimalai]] hills form part of this range.

The Deccan plateau, covering the major portion of the states of [[Maharashtra]], Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, is the vast elevated region bound by the C-shape defined by all these mountain ranges. No major elevations border the plateau to the east, and it slopes gently from the Western Ghats to the eastern coast.

== Geological development ==
India is entirely contained on the [[Indian Plate]], a major [[tectonic plate]] that was formed when it split off from the  left over land of the ancient continent [[Gondwanaland]]. About 91 million years ago, during the late [[Cretaceous]] [[Geologic period|Period]], the Indian Plate began moving north at about 15&nbsp;cm/[[year|yr]] (6 in/yr).<ref name="AII">{{cite book|title=Age of Initiation of the India-Asia Collision in the East-Central Himalaya|url=http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~rowley/Rowley/Collision_Age_files/J%20Geol%202005%20Zhu.pdf|author=Bin Zhu|publisher=Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, [[University at Albany]]|pages=281|accessdate=2008-11-19|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

The vast [[volcanic]] basalt beds of the Deccan were laid down in the massive [[Deccan Traps]] eruption, which occurred towards the end of the Cretaceous period, between 67 and 66 million years ago. Some [[paleontologist]]s speculate that this eruption may have accelerated the extinction of the non-avian [[dinosaur]]s. Layer after layer was formed by the volcanic activity that lasted many thousands of years, and when the volcanoes became extinct, they left a region of highlands with typically vast stretches of flat areas on top like a table. Hence it is also known as '''Table Top'''. The volcanic hotspot that produced the Deccan traps is hypothesized to lie under the present day island of [[Réunion]] in the Indian Ocean.

== Climate ==
The region has a [[tropical climate]] with the monsoons playing the major part. The [[southwest monsoon]] accounts for most of the rainfall in the region and much of it occurs from about June to September. Tamil Nadu and southeast Andhra Pradesh receive rains from the [[northeast monsoon]] from about October to January. Much of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka has a distinct dry season from November until May when there is not much rainfall. This region also experiences cooler nights from October to March while the days are pleasantly warm. In the northern parts of the region temperatures can fall below {{convert|10|C|F|disp=or}} on occasions at night. Days are very hot from March to June when temperatures can surpass {{convert|40|C|F|disp=or}}.

== States and Union Territories ==
South India includes five states – [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]], [[Tamil Nadu]], and [[Telangana]] – where the official and majority languages are [[Dravidian languages]]. State boundaries generally follow linguistic lines.

The northern portion of the Western Ghats and Deccan plateau are in the states of [[Goa]] and [[Maharashtra]], although these states are often classed in [[Western India]]. The official and majority languages in Goa and Maharashtra are [[Indo-European languages]].

South India also has two [[Union territory|Union territories]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] and [[Lakshadweep]].

== Regions ==
South India has a number of overlapping traditional geographic regions. Some of these regions are:
* [[Bayaluseemae]]- The plain area of Deccan plateau in Karnataka
* [[Carnatic (region)|Carnatic]] – etymologically related to the [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]], refers to all of South India
* [[Kanara|Canara ''or'' Karaavali]] – the Karnataka coast
* [[Chera dynasty|Chera Nadu]] – Western Tamil Nadu and most of modern Kerala
* [[Chettinad]]u – Southern Tamil Nadu surrounding [[Sivagangai]]
* [[Chola Nadu]] – Central Tamil Nadu surrounding [[Thanjavur]].
* [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] - The region of [[Kerala]] which lies between the rivers [[Bharathappuzha]] and [[Periyar river|Periyar]], sometimes extended to [[Pamba River|Pamba]].
* [[Coromandel Coast]] – south coastal Andhra Pradesh, North coastal Tamil Nadu and the [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] [[Union Territory]]
* [[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]] – plateau region covering interior Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Includes the [[Marathwada]], [[Vidarbha]], [[Telangana]], [[Rayalaseema]], [[North Karnataka]] and [[Mysore (region)|Mysore regions]].
* [[Kammanadu]] – Region south of [[Krishna River]] up to [[Nellore]] in 
*[[Konaseema]] – Coastal region between the tributaries of the [[Godavari River]] in the [[East Godavari District]] of [[Andhra Pradesh]]
* [[Kongu Nadu]] – Western Tamil Nadu surrounding [[Coimbatore]]
* [[Konkan]] – coastal region comprising coastal Maharashtra, Goa and part of coastal Karnataka
* [[Kosta/Coastal Andhra|Kosta]] – Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh
* [[Malabar region]] – Northern Kerala
* [[Malenadu]] – Sahyadri hills between the coast and the plateau in Karnataka
* [[Mulakanadu]] – Region to the north of the Godavari River
* [[Mysore (region)|Mysore]] – South Karnataka around [[Mysore]]
* [[North Karnataka]] – North Karnataka around [[Dharawad]]
* [[North Malabar]] - The northern most region in [[Kerala]] which lies between [[Mangalore]] and [[Kozhikode]]. It was the former seat of [[Ezhimala]] kingdom, [[Mushika dynasty]] and [[Kolathunadu]].
* [[Northern Circars]] – Muslim administrative units in Madras state in British India, namely [[Chicacole]], [[Rajahmundry]], [[Ellore]], [[Kondapalli]] and [[Guntur]]
* [[Palnadu]] – Northern Tamil Nadu and Southern districts of Andhra Pradesh
* [[Pandya Nadu]] – Southern Tamil Nadu around [[Madurai]] 
* [[Raichur Doab]] – mostly northern Karnataka, between the [[Krishna River|Krishna]] and [[Tungabhadra]] rivers
* [[Rayalaseema]] – Southern parts [[Andhra Pradesh]] consisting of [[Kurnool district|Kurnool]], [[Kadapa district|Kadapa]], [[Anantapur district|Anantapuram]] and [[Chittoor district|Chittoor]] districts.
* [[South Malabar]] - The north-central region of Kerala, which lies between the rivers [[Korapuzha]] and Bharathappu.
* [[Tondai Nadu]] – Northern Tamil Nadu around Kanchipuram  
* [[Thiruvithaamkoor]] or Travancore – Southern Kerala and [[Kanniyakumari District]] of Tamil Nadu 
* [[Tulu Nadu]] – Coastal districts of [[Udupi]] and [[South Canara]] in Karnataka
* [[Velanadu]] – Places on the banks of [[Krishna River]] from Guntur to [[Srisailam]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]
*[[Uttarandhra]] – Northern parts of [[Andhra Pradesh]] comprising three districts ([[Srikakulam district|Srikakulam]], [[Vizianagaram district|Vizianagaram]] and [[Visakhapatnam district|Visakhapatnam]])

The low-lying [[coral]] islands of [[Lakshadweep]] are off the south-western coast of India. [[Sri Lanka]] lies off the south-eastern coast, separated from India by the [[Palk Strait]] and the chain of low sandbars and islands known as [[Rama's Bridge]]. The [[Andaman and Nicobar]] islands lie far off the eastern coast of India, near the [[Tanintharyi Region|Tenasserim]] coast of [[Burma]]. The southernmost tip of mainland India is at [[Kanyakumari (town)|Kanyakumari]] (Cape Comorin) on the [[Indian Ocean]].

== Water bodies ==
[[File:Godavari River.png|right|thumb|The rivers of Southern India]]
Rivers of South India are dependent on the monsoons and shrink during the dry season. The line created by the [[Narmada River]] and [[Mahanadi River]] is the traditional boundary between northern and southern India. The Narmada flows westwards in the depression between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. The plateau is watered by the east flowing [[Godavari River|Godavari]] and [[Krishna River|Krishna]] rivers. The other major rivers of the Deccan plateau are the [[Pennar]] and the [[Tungabhadra]], a major tributary of the Krishna.

The river [[Kaveri]] rises in the Western Ghats, in the [[Kodagu]] district of Karnataka and flows through the fertile Mandya, [[Mysore]], Hassan regions before entering Tamil Nadu, where it forms an extensive and fertile delta on the east coast. The three major river deltas of South India, the Kaveri, the Godavari and the Krishna, are located along the Bay of Bengal. These areas constitute the ''rice bowls'' of South India. Rivers that flow westward, from the mountains to the Arabian Sea, include the [[Periyar River]], [[Netravati River]], [[Mandovi]] and [[Tapti River]] (or [[Tapti River|Tapi]]) rivers, and the [[Narmada River|Narmada]] at the northern edge of the region.

[[File:Kerala backwaters, Vembanad Lake, Houseboats, India.jpg |thumbnail|India's largest lake at [[Vembanad]], is a part of the larger [[Kerala backwaters]]]]

{{citation needed span|text=[[Kerala]]'s western coastal belt is relatively flat compared to the eastern sloped region bounded by [[Western Ghats]], |date=January 2022}} and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected [[brackish]] canals, lakes, [[estuaries]],<ref name="Moss2010">{{cite book |author=Danny Moss |title=Public Relations Cases: International Perspectives |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s0-CJ3djEdEC&pg=PA41 |access-date=18 November 2012 |year= 2010 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0415773362 |page=41}}</ref> and rivers known as the [[Kerala Backwaters]].<ref name="Thorpe2012">{{cite book |author=Edgar Thorpe |title=The Pearson CSAT Manual 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1cruroSVFoUC&pg=RA3-PA38 |access-date=18 November 2012 |year=2012 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-8131767344 |page=3}}</ref> Geographically, the [[Malabar coast]] comprises the wettest regions of [[South India|southern India]], as the [[Western Ghats]] intercept the moisture-laden [[monsoon]] rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain slopes.<ref name="Moss2010"/>

[[Kuttanad]], also known as ''The Rice Bowl of Kerala'', has the [[List of extreme points of India#Altitudes|lowest altitude in India]], and is also one of the few places in world where cultivation takes place below sea level.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kerala Boat Ferries Lone Passenger To Help Her Take Exam|url=https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/coronavirus-lockdown4-kerala-government-boat-ferries-lone-passenger-sandra-babu-to-help-her-take-exam-2238752|last=Press Trust of India|date=1 June 2020|access-date=17 November 2020|work=NDTV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2003/07/13/stories/2003071300600200.htm|title=Thirst below sea level|last=Suchitra|first=M|date=2003-08-13|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2020-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922101804/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/thirst-below-sea-level/article28523147.ece |archive-date=2019-09-22}}</ref> The country's longest lake [[Vembanad Lake|Vembanad]], dominates the backwaters; it lies between [[Alappuzha]] and [[Kochi]] and is about {{convert|200|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in area.<ref name="Husain">{{cite book |author=Majid Husain |author-link=Majid Husain |title=Understanding: Geographical: Map Entries: for Civil Services Examinations: Second Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9VGKfQ-sQsC&pg=RA9-PT18 |access-date=18 November 2012 |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=978-0070702882 |page=9 |year=2011}}</ref> Around eight percent of India's waterways are found in Kerala.<ref name="IWAI_2005">{{Cite journal |author=Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI—Ministry of Shipping) |year=2005 |title=Introduction to Inland Water Transport |journal=IWAI (Ministry of Shipping) |url=http://iwai.nic.in/Introduction.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20050204175110/http://iwai.nic.in/Introduction.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 February 2005 |access-date=19 January 2006}}</ref> Kerala's [[List of rivers in Kerala|44 rivers]] include the [[Periyar River|Periyar]]; {{convert|244|km|mi|0}}, [[Bharathapuzha]]; {{convert|209|km|mi|0}}, [[Pamba River|Pamba]]; {{convert|176|km|mi|0}}, [[Chaliyar River|Chaliyar]]; {{convert|169|km|mi|0}}, [[Kadalundipuzha River|Kadalundipuzha]]; {{convert|130|km|mi|0}}, [[Chalakudy River|Chalakudipuzha]]; {{convert|130|km|mi|0}}, [[Valapattanam River|Valapattanam]]; {{convert|129|km|mi|0}} and the [[Achankovil River]]; {{convert|128|km|mi|0}}. The average length of the rivers is {{convert|64|km|mi|0}}. Many of the rivers are small and entirely fed by monsoon rain.<ref name=riverreport>{{cite book |last=India. |first=Planning Commission |title=Kerala Development Report |year=2008 |publisher=Academic Foundation |isbn=978-8171885947 |page=224 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=8171885942}}</ref>

== Flora and fauna ==
[[File:Pic from Doddabetta Peak.jpg|thumbnail|The [[Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve]] lies amid the [[Nilgiris district|Nilgiris range]] of [[Western Ghats]], which is scattered in the states of [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]], and [[Tamil Nadu]]]]
There is a large number and wide diversity of plants and animals in South India, resulting from its varied climates and geography. Tropical moist forests are found along the Arabian Sea coast and the Western Ghats. The [[Malabar Coast moist forests]] are found on the coastal plains.<ref name="netgeo_terres">{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial_im.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010321011649/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial_im.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=21 March 2001| title = Indo-Malayan Terrestrial Ecoregions| website = [[National Geographic Society]]| accessdate=15 April 2006}}</ref> The [[South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests]] are found at intermediate elevations. The southern Western Ghats have high altitude rain forests called the [[South Western Ghats montane rain forests]]. The Western Ghats are a [[biodiversity hotspot]].<ref name="cons_intl_hotspots">{{cite web |url=http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/ghats/ |title=Biodiversity Hotspot – Western Ghats & Sri Lanka, Conservation International |accessdate=15 April 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504042605/http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/ghats |archivedate=4 May 2006 }}</ref>

Scrub lands, including the [[Deccan thorn scrub forests]], are common in the interior Deccan plateau. Some of India's famous protected areas are found in South India. These include [[Project Tiger]] reserves [[Periyar National Park]], [[Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve|Kalakad – Mundanthurai]] and [[Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve]]. Important ecological regions of South India are the [[Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve]], located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the [[Nilgiri Hills]] including [[Mudumalai National Park]], [[Bandipur National Park]], [[Nagarhole National Park]] [[Silent Valley National Park]], [[Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary]] and [[Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary]] and the [[Anamalai Hills]] including the [[Eravikulam National Park]], [[Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary]] and the adjacent [[Indira Gandhi National Park|The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park]] of the Western Ghats. Important bird sanctuaries including [[Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary]], [[Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary]], [[Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary|Nelapattu]] and [[Pulicat Lake|Pulicat Sanctuary]] are home to numerous migratory and local birds. Other protected ecological sites include the [[backwater (river)|backwater]]s like the [[Pulicat Lake]] in Andhra Pradesh, [[Pitchavaram]] in Tamil Nadu and the famed [[Kerala backwaters|backwaters of Kerala]] formed by the [[Vembanad Lake]], the [[Ashtamudi Lake]] and the Kayamkulam Lake.

== References ==

<references/>

{{Geography of India by state or territory}}
{{Geography of India}}
{{India topics}}

{{GeoSouthAsia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of South India}}
[[Category:South India]]
[[Category:Geography of India by region]]