Coastal Plains in India

coastal plains in India
  • Coastline of India is about 7517 Km long.
  • 6100 km of mainland coastline and 1417 km Indian islands.
  • 13 States and UTs have coastal plains in India
  • Coastline of India States & UTs wise:
    • Gujarat – 1215 Km
    • Andhra Pradesh – 974Km
    • Tamil Nadu – 907 Km
    • Maharashtra – 652.6 Km
    • Kerala – 569.7 Km
    • Odisha – 476.4 Km
    • Karnataka – 280 Km
    • Goa (with Daman & Diu) – 160.5 Km
    • West Bengal – 157.5 Km
    • Puducherry – 30.6 Km (UT)

 

western eastern coastal plains in india konkan malabar coromandel coast map

 

Western Coastline of India

  • Kutch and Kathiawar coast
  • Gujarat Plain
  • Konkan coast
  • Goan coast
  • Malabar coast

 

Eastern Coastline of India

  • Utkal Plain
  • Andhra Plain
  • Coromandel Coast

 

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Western Coastal Plains of India

  • It extends from Rann of Kutch in the north to Cape Comorin (Kanniyakumari).
  • Western coastal plains in India are an example of a submerged coastal plain.
  • Because of this submergence, it is a narrow belt with an average width of about 65 km
  • It provides natural conditions for the development of ports and harbors.
  • Kandla, Mazagaon, JLN port Navha Sheva, Marmagao, Mangalore, Cochin, etc. are some important natural ports located along the west coast.
  • Western coastal plains of India are narrow in the middle and get broader towards north and south.
  • Rivers flowing through this coastal plain do not form any delta but a few estuaries.
  • The estuaries of the Narmada and the Tapi are important.

 

Kutch & Kathiawar Coast

  • Kutch coast is an extension of the Peninsular plateau (made of the Deccan Lava).
  • It is treated as part of the Western coastal plains of India as they are now leveled down.
  • The Kutch Peninsula was an island surrounded by seas and Kutch lagoons.
  • These seas and lagoons were later filled by sediment brought by the Indus River which used to flow through this area.
  • Lack of rains in recent times has turned it into an arid and semi-arid landscape.
  • Salt-soaked plain to the north of Kutch is the Great Rann.
  • Its southern continuation, known as the Little Rann lies on the coast and southeast of Kutch.
  • The Kathiawar Peninsula lies to the south of the Kutch.
  • The Gir Range is located in the southern part of the Kathiawar peninsula.
  • It is covered with dense forests and is famous as the home of the Gir lion.
  • Mt. Girnar (1,117 m) is the highest point and is of volcanic origin.

 

Gujarat Plain

  • The Gujarat Plain lies east of Kutch and Kathiawar and slopes towards the west and south-west.
  • Formed by the rivers Narmada, Tapi, Mahi and Sabarmati
  • The plain includes the southern part of Gujarat and the coastal areas of the Gulf of Khambat.
  • The eastern part of this plain is fertile enough to support agriculture

 

Konkan Coast

  • The Konkan coast is located in the south of the Gujarat plain.
  • Konkan coast extends from Daman to Goa.
  • It is a 720 km long coastline.
  • This is the most submerged coastal plains of India.
  • Konkan coast has some features of marine erosion including cliffs, shoals, reefs and islands in the Arabian Sea.
  • The Thane creek around Mumbai is an important coastline of India which provides an excellent natural harbour.

 

Goan Coast

  • Coast of Goa and Karnataka
  • It is the narrowest coastal plain with an average width of 8-25 km, the maximum being 70 km near Mangalore.
  • Sharavati river makes Gersoppa (Jog) Falls which is 271 m high.

 

Malabar Coast

  • The Kerala Plain is also known as the Malabar Plain.
  • Between Mangalore and Kanniyakumari.
  • It is a wider and low-lying plain.
  • Malabar coast is a compound coastline.
  • It shows evidence of both submergence and emergence coastal plain.
  • The existence of lakes, lagoons, backwaters, spits, etc. is a significant characteristic of the Malabar coast.
  • The backwaters, locally known as kayals are the shallow lagoons.
  • Largest among these is the Vembanad Lake.
  • Every year the famous Nehru Trophy Vallamkali (boat race) is held in Punnamada Kayal in Kerala.

 

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Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast

 

Eastern Coastal Plains of India

  • The Eastern coastline is extended from the Subarnarekha river along the West Bengal-Odisha border to Kanniyakumari.
  • The Eastern coastal plain of India is broader and is an example of an emergent coast.
  • There are well-developed deltas on the eastern coastline of India
  • Deltas formed by the rivers flowing eastward into the Bay of Bengal, include Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.
  • The Eastern coastline of India is emergent in nature and the continental shelf extends up to 500 km into the sea.
  • It makes it difficult for the development of good ports and harbors.
  • This plain is known as
    • Northern Circars – Mahanadi to Krishna river
    • Carnatic – Krishna to Cauvery river
  • Tropical cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and make landfall on the Eastern coast.
  • Most of these tropical cyclones impact the Coromandel Coast.

 

Utkal Plain

  • The Utkal Plain comprises coastal areas of Odisha.
  • It includes the Mahanadi river delta.
  • The most prominent physiographic feature of this plain is the Chilika Lake.
  • It is the biggest lake in the country and its area varies between 780 sq km in winter to 1,144 sq km in the monsoon months.

 

Andhra Plain

  • South of the Utkal Plain and extends up to Pulicat Lake.
  • Pulicat lake has been barred by a long sand spit known as Sriharikota Island.
  • The two deltas of Godavari and Krishna have merged with each other and formed a single physiographic unit.
  • The combined delta has advanced by about 35 km toward the sea during recent years.
  • Kolleru Lake which was once a lagoon at the shore but now lies far inland.
  • This coastline of India lacks good harbors except for Vishakhapatnam and Machilipatnam.

 

Coromandel Coast

  • Coromandel Coast or Tamil Nadu Plain stretches from Pulicat lake to Kanniyakumari.
  • Pulicat Lake is the 2nd largest brackish water lagoon in India.
  • The fertile soil and large scale irrigation facilities have made the Cauvery delta (Thanjavur) the granary of South India.
  • Coromandel Coast or Payan Ghat plain stretches from Krishna delta to Kanyakumari

 

 

Significance of the Coastal Plains in India

  • Large parts of the coastal plains in India are covered by fertile soils on which different crops are grown.
  • Coconut trees grow all along the coastline of India.
  • The entire length of the coastline of India is dotted with big and small ports which help in carrying out trade.
  • The sedimentary rocks of these plains are said to contain large deposits of mineral oil (KG Basin).
  • Sands of Malabar coast have large quantities of Monazite sand, which can be used for nuclear power.
  • Fishing is an important occupation of the people living in the coastal plains of India.
  • Low lying areas of Gujarat are famous for producing salt.
  • Kerala’s backwaters are important tourist destinations.
  • Goa provides good beaches. This is also an important tourist destination.

 

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Some Important Beaches

  • Marina, TN – The longest beach in India
  • Kovalam, Kerala – Monazite and Limonite found here
  • Girgaum Chowpatti, MH – Famous for Ganesh Chaturthi
  • Alappuzha, Kerala – Venice of the East

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