The seven major tectonic plates

1. The Pacific
2. The North American
3. The south American
4. The Eurasian
5. The African
6. The Indo-Australian
7. The Antarctic places

Folding

When rock strata are subjected to compressional forces, they are often deformed by being in a process called holding. 

Faulting

When the rocks are subjected to tensional forces, they are stretched in the opposite direction. Due to this stretching the Rocks get fractured. Such fracturing of the rock is called faulting.

Formation of the Himalayas

• The Indo-Australian plate collided with the much larger Eurasian plate. 
• The northern edge of the Indo-Australian was posed Beneath The Eurasian plate.
• Under the impact of this collision, the sedimentary rocks of the enclosed Ocean were folded to form the mountain system.

Formation of plains

• To the south of the Himalayas, a basin or depression was formed.
• The North Indian plain was born between the Himalayas and the peninsular plateau.

Formation of Peninsular plateau and the Arabian Sea

When the Himalayas were being formed, two major events affected the plateau. First the enormous volcanic outbreak in the North Western part of plateau. The second Arabian Sea was formed due to the subsidence  of this land mass.

Relief and physical division of India 

1. The Himalayan mountains
2. The northern plains
3. The peninsular plateau
4. The coastal plains
5. The great Indian desert
6. The Islands

The Himalayan mountains

• From Kashmir to Assam
• About 2400 km long and 150- 450 km wide
• Stretch from the Indus river (W) to the Brahmaputra river (E)
• The Altitude is Greater in Eastern half

 Three parallel ranges

•  The Himadri
•  The Himachal
•  The Shiwaliks

The Himadri

• Elevation – more than 6000 metre
• Important peak – Mount Everest (8848m) Nepal Kanchenjunga 3598m Sikkim
• Glaciers- Gangotri Yamunotri

The Himachal

• Elevation- 3700 m to 4500 mm width 50 kilometre
• Important Hill- Dalhousie Dharamshala Shimla
• Range- Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar

The Shivalik

• Altitude – between 900m – 1100m
• Width- 10 – 50 km
• Duns –  Dehradun,  Patlidun 

Division of Himalaya on the basis of regions

1. Western Himalayas- Punjab Himalaya between Indus and Satluj river

2. The central Himalaya- Kumaon between Satluj and Kali river

3. The Eastern Himalayas – between Kali and Tista river [ Nepal]

4. The Assam Hills – between Tista and river Dihang (Purvanchal) imp hills ;- patkai, Naga, Manipur, Mizo hills

5. The Eastern Himalayas – Purvanchal beyond Dihang gorge

Ques– Why are the Himalayas called young fold mountains?

Ans– The Himalayas are not very old, they are of recent birth.

Ques– In which state Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills are located?

Ans–   Meghalaya.