India occupies most of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia and has a highly varied physical geography. To the north lie the **Himalayas**, among the highest mountain systems on Earth. South of them spread the vast **Indo-Gangetic Plain**, one of the world’s most fertile and densely populated alluvial regions. Further south, much of peninsular India consists of the **Deccan Plateau**, bounded in part by the **Western Ghats** and **Eastern Ghats**.
The country also includes the **Thar Desert** in the northwest, extensive coastal plains along the **Arabian Sea** and **Bay of Bengal**, tropical and subtropical forests, wetlands, delta systems, and island territories. India’s major river systems include the **Ganges (Ganga)**, **Brahmaputra**, **Yamuna**, **Godavari**, **Krishna**, **Narmada**, **Tapti**, **Kaveri**, and **Mahanadi**. These river basins support agriculture, hydropower, transportation in some areas, and dense settlement patterns.
Ecologically, India is one of the world’s megadiverse countries. Its landscapes range from alpine meadows and cold deserts to mangroves, deciduous forests, rainforests, savannas, and coral environments. Notable natural regions include the **Sundarbans**, the **Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot**, Himalayan ecosystems, and the island chains of the **Andaman and Nicobar Islands** and **Lakshadweep**.
India’s climate is strongly shaped by the **monsoon system**, altitude, latitude, and proximity to the sea. Natural resources include coal, iron ore, bauxite, limestone, manganese, mica, and significant agricultural land, though distribution and quality vary widely by region.
