INDIAN HIMALAYAN RANGE (IHR) (Syllabus GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: The Indian Himalayan Range (IHR) had a decadal urban growth rate of more than 40% from 2011 to 2021.

Indian Himalayan Range (IHR)

• Also known as: These are also known by other names such as Himadri, Himavan, and more.
• Composition: The Himalayan Range is the youngest mountain range in the world, primarily made up of uplifted sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
• States: 11 States and two Union Territories
• Boundaries: The Himalayas are bordered by the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges to the northwest, the Tibetan Plateau to the north, and the Indo-Gangetic Plains to the south.

o The southern boundary is well-defined by the foothills, whereas the northern boundary merges gradually with the Tibetan Plateau.

• River Origin: Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra
• Extent: The main Himalayan Range stretches over 2,500 km, from the Indus Gorge in the west to the Brahmaputra Gorge in the east.
• Width: These Ranges are wider in the west than in the east.
• Sub-Divisions: The IHR are divided into three main sections: Greater Himalayas, Inner or Middle Himalayas, and Shiwalik.