Geography of India (Part -III) (UPSC)

• It is also known as the lesser panda which is primarily a herbivorous, shy, solitary and arboreal animal.
• It uses its long, bushy tails for balance and to cover them in winter, presumably for warmth.
• It is considered an indicator species for ecological change.
• Appearance: It is the size of a house cat, the red panda is famous for its cute face and adorable defense stance.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
• Conservation status
• IUCN Red list: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
• Threats: The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas which is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range.

• Density of population is a better measure of understanding the variation in the distribution of population. It is expressed as the number of people per unit area
• According to the census of 2011, the population density of India is 382 people/square km
• The main cause of worry is that the Indian population density has been consistently increasing since 1921

• The National Population Policy lays a clear framework aimed at ensuring accessible reproductive health service across India, it emphasizes on encouraging people to adopt responsible health and family planning decisions through awareness and education.
• NPP 2000 guarantees free and compulsory education for every child up to 14 years of age, reducing the dropout rates and improving retention for both boys and girls.
• The policy targets a significant reduction in the Infant Mortality Rate aiming for fewer than 30 deaths per 1000 live births. In maternal health, the goal is to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to fewer than 100 deaths per 1,00,000 live births.
• National Population Policy had an objective to expand immunization coverages delaying the age of marriage for women to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
• Controlling the spread of communicable diseases is another area of focus, alongside integrating traditional indian medicine systems (AYUSH) into maternal and child healthcare.
• The NPP 2000 policy expands access to various contraceptive options, also promotes HIV prevention and strengthens coordination between National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and healthcare services for treating reproductive and sexually transmitted infections.

• Stage of demographic transition: India is currently in the second stage, characterised by a high population growth rate due to the combination of high birth rates and declining death rates.
• High population density: India's population density is high and rapidly rising, currently standing at around 464 people per square kilometre
• Skewed Sex Ratio: India has a skewed sex ratio, with a preference for male children leading to a higher number of males than females. This has led to an unfavourable sex ratio at birth for children of 931 as per NFHS-5.
• Youngest Population: India has a relatively young population with 68% of India's population being between 15-64 years old in 2022. Skewed
• Population across the states: India's population is not evenly distributed across the country, with large variations among states.
• Some states, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have a much higher population and density than others, like Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

With a population of over 1.42 billion, India is the most populous country in the world. Following are the key characteristics of the population of India.

• Stage of demographic transition: India is currently in the second stage, characterised by a high population growth rate due to the combination of high birth rates and declining death rates.
• High population density: India's population density is high and rapidly rising, currently standing at around 464 people per square kilometre
• Skewed Sex Ratio: India has a skewed sex ratio, with a preference for male children leading to a higher number of males than females. This has led to an unfavourable sex ratio at birth for children of 931 as per NFHS-5.
• Youngest Population: India has a relatively young population with 68% of India's population being between 15-64 years old in 2022. Skewed
• Population across the states: India's population is not evenly distributed across the country, with large variations among states.
• Some states, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have a much higher population and density than others, like Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

With a population of over 1.42 billion, India is the most populous country in the world. Following are the key characteristics of the population of India.

• Stage of demographic transition: India is currently in the second stage, characterised by a high population growth rate due to the combination of high birth rates and declining death rates.
• High population density: India's population density is high and rapidly rising, currently standing at around 464 people per square kilometre
• Skewed Sex Ratio: India has a skewed sex ratio, with a preference for male children leading to a higher number of males than females. This has led to an unfavourable sex ratio at birth for children of 931 as per NFHS-5.
• Youngest Population: India has a relatively young population with 68% of India's population being between 15-64 years old in 2022. Skewed
• Population across the states: India's population is not evenly distributed across the country, with large variations among states.
• Some states, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have a much higher population and density than others, like Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

• Climatic Influence: These ranges significantly affect the climate of India.
  o Owing to their high altitude, length, and direction, they effectively interrupt the summer monsoonal winds coming from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and trigger precipitation in the form of rain or snow.
  o They also prevent cold winter winds from the Siberian region from entering India.
• Security: These ranges have been protecting India from outside forces and intruders since ancient times thus serving as a defense barrier for India.
• Perennial Source of Water: They are the source of the majority of large rivers of India, which form the footing of life in the entire north India.
• Forest Wealth: They host the base of a rich forest that provides fuel wood and a huge diversity of raw materials for forest-based industries.
• Agriculture: Though the Himalayan ranges do not provide extensive plains for agricultural activities, some of the slopes have been terraced for cultivation.
• Minerals: The Himalayan region is a source of many valuable minerals such as Copper, Lead, Zinc, Nickel, Cobalt, Antimony, Tungsten, Gold, Silver, Limestone, Semi-Precious and Precious Stones, Gypsum, and Magnetite.
• Hydroelectricity: Due to the presence of rugged topography and fast-flowing rivers, these mountain ranges hold a huge potential for Hydroelectricity.

• Achieving quality education for all and lifelong learning
• Mobilizing science knowledge for sustainable development
• Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges
• Fostering cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue
• Promoting inclusive knowledge societies through ICT

• It is located at Omkareshwar in District Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
• The floating power plant was developed on the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam (it is a gravity dam on the Narmada River).
• It is the biggest solar park in India and the largest floating solar project in central and north India, generating 90 MW energy.
• This project was developed under the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy.
• The project is executed by SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN, a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
• Project Cost: Rs. 646 crores
• It is projected to generate 196.5 million units of electricity in its initial year of operation and a cumulative 4,629.3 million units over 25 years.
• On commissioning, it will reduce 2.3 lakh tons of carbon emissions and will significantly contribute to the Government of India's mission of net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• The project will also help in water conservation by reducing water evaporation.
• The project has been developed through competitive tariff bidding on Build Own and Operate basis for 25 years at a rate of Rs 3.26 per unit.

The coastal states of India include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, West Bengal, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The coastal union territories are Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Lakshadweep Islands, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. India's extensive coastline, measuring 7,516.6 km, includes 5,422 km of mainland coastline and 2,094 km belonging to island territories.
This coastline spans 9 states and 4 union territories, bordered by the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. Among the coastal states, Gujarat has the longest coastline, while Andaman & Nicobar Islands lead among union territories.