Geography of Himachal Pradesh
| Area | |
|---|---|
| • Total | 55,673 km2 (21,495 sq mi) |
| Highest point | Reo Purgyil (6,816 m or 22,362 ft) |
The state of
Himalaya
region, rich in natural resources
Topography
Rivers
The territory of Himachal Pradesh encompasses the
Beas and Sutlej flow through the state, with the first three originating in the state. Some Himalayan tributaries of the Yamuna
, which is itself a tributary of Ganga, also originate in the state.
The
Ghaggar river
, a monsoonal river, also originates in the state.
Habitation
Himachal Pradesh has 49 cities and towns. The smallest town is Naina Devi and the largest is Shimla with a total state population of 6,856,509. Urban population is only 7.5% of the state population. Most of the population reside in rural areas.[1]
Flora and fauna
Temperate broadleaf forest
in Kangra valley, Himachal PradeshNorthwestern thorn scrub forests are found. Himalayan subtropical pine forests dominate the lower elevation Himalayan foothills. The Western Himalayan broadleaf forests are found at elevations of 1,500 to 2,600 metres (4,900 to 8,500 ft). At higher altitudes, Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests are found. Above these, Western and Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows are the only vegetation found at elevations between 3,000 to 5,000 metres (9,800 to 16,400 ft). Beyond 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) lie permanent ice and snow
.
The state has five national parks: the Great Himalayan National Park (a world heritage site), Pin Valley National Park, Inderkilla National Park, Khirganga National Park and Simbalbara National Park.
Geographical characteristics
Elevation ranges from 465 m (1,526 ft) to over 7,000 m (23,000 ft) above sea level. The region extends from the
Shivalik range of mountains. There is a noticeable increase in elevation from west to east and from south (Shiwalik]) to the north (outer Himalayas). At 6816 m Reo Purgyil
is the highest mountain peak in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
The four general physiographic divisions from south to north are:
- The outer Himalayas (Shivaliks): Shivaliks range consists of lower hills (600 m above sea level). The hills of the region are composed of highly unconsolidated deposits which results in high rates of erosion and deforestation.
- The lesser Himalayas (central zone): The lesser Himalayan range near the bank of the Sutlej. A number of glaciers exist and several passes lie across the Pir Panjal. The Rohtang Pass(3,978 m) is one of these.
- The Great Himalayas (northern zone): The Great Himalayan range (5,000 to 6,000 metres) runs along the eastern boundary and is slashed across by the Sutlej. Some of the famous passes in this range are Kangla (5,248 m), Bara Lacha (4,512 m), Parang (5,548 m), Cheni Pass Churah Pangi (4,400m), and Pin Parvati (4,802 m).
- Zanskar range (Kinnaur and Spiti from Tibet and Pangi Chamba from Leh Ladakh UT. It has peaks up to 6816 m high. Some of the well-known peaks are Mount Gya (6,795 m) and Reo Purgyil (6,816 m); these are among the highest peaks in this range. There are many glaciersover the Zaskar and the Great Himalayan ranges.