Covering an area of about l6 lakh sq km, the peninsular upland forms the largest physiographic division of India. With a general elevation between 600-900 metres, the region constitutes an irregular triangle with its base lying between the Delhi Ridge and the Rajmahal Hills and the apex formed by Kanyakumari.
It is bounded by the Aravallis in the north-west, Maikal Range in the north, Hazaribagh and Rajmahal Hills in the northeast, the Western Ghats {Sahayadri Mountains.) in the west and the Eastern Ghats in the east.
Importance of the Peninsular Plateau
The importance of Peninsular India is mainly because of the following benefits from its location and
rock formations:
(i) The Peninsular region of India is rich in both the metallic and non-metallic minerals. Mineral ores
like iron, manganese, copper, bauxite, chromium, mica, gold, silver, zinc, lead, mercury, coal,
diamond, precious stones, marble, building materials and decorative stones are found in abundance
in this physiographic region. About 98 per cent of the Gondwana coal deposits of India are also
found in the Peninsular region.
(ii) A substantial part of the Peninsular India is covered by black earth (Regur soil). The regur soil is
conducive for the successful cultivation of cotton, millets, maize. pulses, oranges and citrus fruits.
Some areas of south Peninsular India are suitable for the cultivation of tea, coffee, rubber, cashew,
spices, tobacco, groundnut and oilseeds.
(iii) On the southern and eastern parts of Peninsular India are large stretches of Archaean, Dharwar,
Cuddapah and Vindhyan formations in which red, brown and laterite soils have developed over time.
These soils are the bases of rural economy.
(iv) The Western Ghats, Nilgiris and the Eastern Ghats are covered by thick tropical moist deciduous
and semi-evergreen forests. These forests provide teak, sal, sandalwood, ebony, mahogany,
bamboo, cane, rosewood, iron-wood, and Iogwood as well as a large variety of forest products.
{v) The rivers flowing eastward into the Bay of Bengal make several gorges, waterfalls, rapids and
cataracts, which have been harnessed for the generation of hydro-electricity. The rivers originating
from the Western Ghats offer great opportunity for the generation of hydel power and irrigation of
agricultural crops and orchards.
(vi) There are numerous hill stations and hill resorts, of which Ooty, Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal,
Mahabaleshwar, Khandala, Metheron, Pachmarhi, and Mount Abu are the most important.
{vii) Apart from teak and fuelwood, the forests of Western and Eastern Ghats are rich in medicinal plants.
(viii) The hilly and mountainous areas of the Peninsula are the abodes of many scheduled tribes.
South of the Vindhyans is a predominance of Dravidian culture.
