{"id":4335,"date":"2025-10-10T18:21:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T18:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/?p=4335"},"modified":"2025-10-14T10:56:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:56:19","slug":"the-himalayas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/","title":{"rendered":"The Himalayas: Formation, Divisions &amp; Significance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Seated between the <strong>Indo-Gangetic Plains<\/strong> and the high Tibetan Plateau, <strong>the Himalayas<\/strong> constitute one of the most majestic mountain ranges in the world. Much more than just a geographical entity, the <\/em><strong><em>Himalayan mountains<\/em> <\/strong><em>gain significance for their environmental, cultural, and geopolitical implications. This <strong>article of NEXT IAS<\/strong> aims to study in detail the Himalayas, including their formation, divisions, important ranges, significance, and other related aspects.<\/em><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#About_Himalayas\" title=\"About Himalayas\">About Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Formation_of_Himalayas\" title=\"Formation of Himalayas\">Formation of Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Types_of_Himalayas\" title=\"Types of Himalayas\">Types of Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Longitudinal_Division_of_Himalayas\" title=\"Longitudinal Division of Himalayas\">Longitudinal Division of Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Trans-Himalayas\" title=\"The Trans-Himalayas\">The Trans-Himalayas<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Karakoram_Range\" title=\"Karakoram Range\">Karakoram Range<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Ladakh_Range\" title=\"Ladakh Range\">Ladakh Range<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Zaskar_Range\" title=\"Zaskar Range\">Zaskar Range<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Himalayan_Ranges\" title=\"The Himalayan Ranges\">The Himalayan Ranges<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Greater_Himalayas\" title=\"The Greater Himalayas\">The Greater Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Inner_or_Middle_Himalayas\" title=\"The Inner or Middle Himalayas\">The Inner or Middle Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Shiwalik_or_Outer_Himalayas\" title=\"The Shiwalik or Outer Himalayas\">The Shiwalik or Outer Himalayas<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#The_Eastern_Hills_or_the_Purvanchal\" title=\"The Eastern Hills or the Purvanchal\">The Eastern Hills or the Purvanchal<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Patkai_Bum\" title=\"Patkai Bum\">Patkai Bum<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Naga_Hills\" title=\"Naga Hills\">Naga Hills<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Manipur_Hills\" title=\"Manipur Hills\">Manipur Hills<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Mizo_Hills_or_Lushai_Hills\" title=\"Mizo Hills or Lushai Hills\">Mizo Hills or Lushai Hills<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Regional_Division_of_Himalayas\" title=\"Regional Division of Himalayas\">Regional Division of Himalayas<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Punjab_Himalayas\" title=\"Punjab Himalayas\">Punjab Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Kumaon_Himalayas\" title=\"Kumaon Himalayas\">Kumaon Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Nepal_Himalayas\" title=\"Nepal Himalayas\">Nepal Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Assam_Himalayas\" title=\"Assam Himalayas\">Assam Himalayas<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Syntaxial_Bends_of_Himalayas\" title=\"Syntaxial Bends of Himalayas\">Syntaxial Bends of Himalayas<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Western_Syntaxial_Bend\" title=\"Western Syntaxial Bend\">Western Syntaxial Bend<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Eastern_Syntaxial_Bend\" title=\"Eastern Syntaxial Bend\">Eastern Syntaxial Bend<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Comparison_of_Western_and_Eastern_Himalayas\" title=\"Comparison of Western and Eastern Himalayas\">Comparison of Western and Eastern Himalayas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Significance_of_the_Himalayas\" title=\"Significance of the Himalayas\">Significance of the Himalayas<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)\">Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Where_are_the_Himalayas_located_in_India\" title=\"Where are the Himalayas located in India?\">Where are the Himalayas located in India?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#What_is_Himalayas\" title=\"What is Himalayas?\">What is Himalayas?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#How_were_the_Himalayas_formed\" title=\"How were the Himalayas formed?\">How were the Himalayas formed?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#What_other_name_is_given_to_the_mountains_of_the_Himalayas\" title=\"What other name is given to the mountains of the Himalayas?\">What other name is given to the mountains of the Himalayas?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/the-himalayas\/#Himalayas_are_divided_into_how_many_ranges\" title=\"Himalayas are divided into how many ranges?\">Himalayas are divided into how many ranges?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0d05f8e2349ee47dd8a82c80b9f61e31\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>About Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Himalayas<\/strong> are <strong>young fold mountains<\/strong> formed by the convergence of two tectonic plates. They constitute one of the 5 physiographic divisions of India. Along with acting as a grand barrier guarding India\u2019s frontiers, they also act as a dividing range between the Tibetan Plateau in the north and India in the south.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"967\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/himalayas.png\" alt=\"the himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-4367\" style=\"width:613px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/himalayas.png 967w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/himalayas-460x200.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/himalayas-768x334.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/himalayas-696x302.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 967px) 100vw, 967px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5ee0fdd7b11bd30b159942f576e2d68f\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Formation_of_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Formation of Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Himalayas mountain of India<\/strong> were formed several million years ago as a result of the convergence of the <strong>Indo-Australian Tectonic Plate<\/strong> with the <strong>Eurasian (Asian) Tectonic Plate<\/strong>. The <strong>series of events<\/strong> that led to their genesis and evolution are listed chronologically below:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"501\" height=\"748\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-4.png\" alt=\"formation of himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-6402\" style=\"width:386px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-4.png 501w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-4-173x258.png 173w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-4-281x420.png 281w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/1-4-150x224.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The origin of Himalayas traces back in existence of Pangea and Panthalassa<\/strong>: Around 250 million years ago, there existed a <strong>supercontinent <\/strong>called <strong>Pangea <\/strong>(a giant formation of land under which all the continents of the world were attached together as a monolithic structure). This Pangea was surrounded by a <strong>massive water body <\/strong>called <strong>Panthalassa<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Breaking of Pangea<\/strong>: Around 150 million years ago, the supercontinent <strong>Pangea began to break<\/strong> into different parts. First of all, it broke into <strong>two parts:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Laurasia or Angaraland<\/strong>: The northern part of the Pangea was called Angaraland or Laurasia.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It consisted of landmasses that contained <strong>present-day North America, Europe, and Asia.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gondwanaland<\/strong>: The southern part of the Pangea was called Gondwanaland.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It consisted of present-day <strong>South America, Africa, South India, Australia, and Antarctica.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formation of Tethys Sea<\/strong>: Due to the breaking down of Pangea, a <strong>long narrow sea<\/strong> was created between Angaraland and Gondwanaland, occupying the area where the Himalayas stand today. This sea was known as the Tethys Sea.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deposition of Sediments<\/strong>: During the course of time, huge amounts of sediments were deposited in the bed of the Tethys Sea by the rivers flowing from Angaraland as well as Gondwanaland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Breaking Down of Gondwanaland and Angaraland<\/strong>: The Gondwanaland and Angaraland were further broken down into different smaller landmasses. The <strong>Indo-Australian Plate<\/strong> (comprising present-day Australia and the Indian Sub-continent) emanated from the Gondwanaland and the <strong>Eurasian Plate<\/strong> (containing present-day Europe and Northern Asia) emanated from the Angaraland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Convergence of Indo-Australian and Eurasian Plates<\/strong>: The convectional currents generated in the Mantle of the Earth made the <strong>Indo-Australian Plate drift northwards towards the Eurasian Plate.<\/strong> This drift continued for millions of years, leading to the convergence of the two plates across the Tethys Sea.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Formation of Folds<\/strong>: As the two plates continued to approach each other, the area of the Tethys Sea began to shrink and the <strong>sediments in<\/strong> <strong>its seabed<\/strong> were slowly <strong>pushed upwards<\/strong>, leading to the formation of folds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Genesis of the Himalayas<\/strong>: Eventually, the <strong>Tethys Sea vanished completely<\/strong> and sediments rising from its seabed formed a mountain range, which is now known as the Himalayas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is to be noted that the <strong>convergence <\/strong>of the two tectonic plates continues to date, leading to the<strong> rising of the Himalayas<\/strong> by about <strong>5 mm per year<\/strong> even now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ccd5f7cbc19810a9bd38bfad3b83dc64\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Types of Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Himalayas, one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world, are classified into four distinct types <strong>(parts of Himalayas)<\/strong> based on their geographical and geological characteristics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These are the <strong>Trans-Himalayas,<\/strong> located to the north of the Great Himalayas, characterised by arid landscapes and high plateaus; the <strong>Greater Himalayas (Himadri),<\/strong> the highest and most continuous range that hosts prominent peaks like Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga; the <strong>Lesser Himalayas (Himachal),<\/strong> marked by rugged terrains and famous hill stations like Shimla and Darjeeling; and the <strong>Shivalik Hills, <\/strong>the outermost and youngest range featuring low-altitude foothills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Together, these ranges form a natural barrier and are vital for India&#8217;s climate, biodiversity, and water resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fec4e5c1f36d58868d4846c8c929c791\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Longitudinal_Division_of_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Longitudinal Division of Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>On the basis of the latitudinal extent, classification of Himalayas<\/strong> can be divided into <strong>three divisions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Trans-Himalayas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Himalayan Mountain Ranges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Eastern Hills or Purvanchal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"992\" height=\"309\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/divisions-of-himalayas.png\" alt=\"longitudinal division of  the himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-4368\" style=\"width:707px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/divisions-of-himalayas.png 992w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/divisions-of-himalayas-460x143.png 460w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/divisions-of-himalayas-768x239.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2023\/12\/divisions-of-himalayas-696x217.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 992px) 100vw, 992px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bc778de89caa949038c633cbac743a2c\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Trans-Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>The Trans-Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Trans himalaya<\/strong> is the name denoted to the Himalayan Ranges which are <strong>north of the Great Himalayan Range.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They stretch in an <strong>east-west direction<\/strong> for a distance of about 1,000 km.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their<strong> average elevation<\/strong> is approximately <strong>3000 meters<\/strong> above mean sea level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>prominent ranges<\/strong> that comprise the Trans-Himalayas include &#8211; The <strong>Karakoram Range<\/strong>, the <strong>Ladakh Range<\/strong>, and the <strong>Zaskar Range<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-68d6572e7794fa05a583d671ca7cec4e\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Karakoram_Range\"><\/span><strong>Karakoram Range<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Karakoram Range is the <strong>northernmost range of the Trans-Himalayan in India.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It forms<strong> India\u2019s boundary <\/strong>with <strong>Afghanistan <\/strong>and <strong>China<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The average width of this range is 110-130 km.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is home to some of the <strong>highest peaks<\/strong> and the <strong>largest glaciers<\/strong> in the world.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>K2<\/strong>, also known as <strong>Mount Godwin-Austen<\/strong>, lies in this range.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is approximately <strong>8611m high<\/strong> and is the <strong>second-highest peak in the world<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Siachen Glacier<\/strong> and<strong> Remo Glacier<\/strong> are some of the prominent glaciers lying in this range.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d319d07c919a3decd652d437240fdfc4\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ladakh_Range\"><\/span><strong>Ladakh Range<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is considered the <strong>southeastern extension of the Karakoram Range.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From the mouth of the Shyok River in north Kashmir, it <strong>extends in the southeast direction<\/strong> towards the Indo-Tibetan borders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Deosai Mountains<\/strong>, situated towards the southwest of the Indus River in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), are occasionally considered part of the Ladakh range.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Kailash Range<\/strong> in western Tibet is also considered a <strong>westward extension<\/strong> <strong>of<\/strong> <strong>the Ladakh Range<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33b7d31f8c67296db99d88554fdaf70f\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Zaskar_Range\"><\/span><strong>Zaskar Range<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It runs more or less <strong>parallel to the Great Himalayan Range.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This range <strong>extends in the southeast direction<\/strong> from the Suru River to the upper Karnali River.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kamet Peak<\/strong> (25,446 feet) is the <strong>highest peak in this range.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fd5ffb2092b53cc833db7f0b2ac12ba3\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Himalayan_Ranges\"><\/span><strong>The Himalayan Ranges<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Alternative Names<\/strong>: The Himalayan Ranges are known by various other names such as <strong>Himadri, Himavan<\/strong>, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Composition<\/strong>: The Himalayan Range is the <strong>youngest mountain range in the world<\/strong> and consists mostly of uplifted <strong>sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boundaries<\/strong>: They are bordered on the <strong>northwest <\/strong>by the <strong>Karakoram and Hindu Kush<\/strong> ranges, on the <strong>north <\/strong>by the<strong> Tibetan Plateau<\/strong>, and on the <strong>south <\/strong>by <strong>Indo-Gangetic Plains.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>southern boundary<\/strong> of the Himalayas is <strong>well-defined by the foothills<\/strong> but the <strong>northern boundary<\/strong> is rather obscure and merges with the edge of the Tibet Plateau.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extent<\/strong>: The range of the main Himalayas stretches for a distance of over <strong>2,400 km<\/strong> from the <strong>Indus Gorge in the west <\/strong>to the <strong>Brahmaputra Gorge in the east.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Width<\/strong>: The Himalayan Mountain Ranges are <strong>wider on the western side<\/strong> compared to the eastern side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elevation<\/strong>: The average elevation of the Himalayan Range is approximately <strong>6,100 m<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While the elevation of the <strong>Western Himalayas<\/strong> witnesses a <strong>gradual change,<\/strong> there is a <strong>comparatively rapid change in elevation in the Eastern Himalayas<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sub-Divisions:<\/strong> The Himalayan Ranges are further subdivided into <strong>Greater Himalayas, Inner or Middle Himalayas, and Shiwalik<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1ee13ed06505bb88f07b13801d966f37\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Greater_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>The Greater Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are also known as the <strong>Himadri<\/strong>, the <strong>Inner Himalayas<\/strong>, or the <strong>Central Himalayas.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These mountains are composed of <strong>Archaean rocks<\/strong> like <strong>granite<\/strong>, <strong>gneisses<\/strong>, and the ancient <strong>schist<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>orientation <\/strong>of the Greater Himalayas changes in different regions as explained below:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They extend towards the <strong>southeast <\/strong>across the regions of <strong>northern Pakistan, northern India, and Nepal<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thereafter, they <strong>curve eastwards<\/strong> across the regions of <strong>Sikkim <\/strong>and <strong>Bhutan<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, they <strong>turn towards the northeast<\/strong> across the region of <strong>northern Arunachal Pradesh.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They comprise several of the <strong>world\u2019s highest peaks.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some of the <strong>prominent peaks<\/strong> in the Greater Himalayas <strong>(from west to east)<\/strong> include &#8211; <strong>Nanga Parbat, Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Namcha Barwa.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The orientation of <strong>slopes <\/strong>in this range is <strong>steep towards the north<\/strong> and <strong>gentle towards the south.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-992246465c4fb37d11719391df8abd3f\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Inner_or_Middle_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>The Inner or Middle Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are also called <strong>Lesser Himalayas<\/strong> or <strong>Lower Himalayas.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their <strong>mean elevation<\/strong> is about<strong> 3,500 to 5,000 meters<\/strong> and their <strong>average width<\/strong> is about <strong>60 to 80 km.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prominent ranges<\/strong> comprising this sub-division of the Himalayas include &#8211; <strong>Nag Tibba, Mahabharat Range, Dhauladhar, the Pir Panjal, <\/strong>and the <strong>Mussoorie Range<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Various important rivers such as <strong>Jhelum <\/strong>and <strong>Chenab <\/strong>pass through this range.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The famous <strong>Valley of Kashmir<\/strong> lies between Pir Panjal and Zanskar range.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Jhelum River cuts through the Kashmir valley.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are also home to some <strong>famous hill resorts<\/strong> like Shimla, Chail, Ranikhet, Chakrata, Nainital, Almora, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Middle Himalayas are also famous for the formation of <strong>Karewas<\/strong>, which refer to fluvioglacial deposits between the Greater Himalayas and the Middle Himalayas (Pir Panjal).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d780f39fb71c9ddf348fcbfddd0265e6\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Shiwalik_or_Outer_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>The Shiwalik or Outer Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Shiwalik Hills are the <strong>southernmost range of the Himalayas<\/strong> which lie <strong>between <\/strong>the <strong>Middle Himalayas<\/strong> in the <strong>north <\/strong>and the <strong>Indo-Gangetic Plains <\/strong>in the <strong>south<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They rise abruptly from the plain of the Indus and Ganges rivers in the south and <strong>parallel the main range of the Himalayas<\/strong> in the north.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They are separated from the main Himalayan Range by valleys.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>portion of the Shiwalik<\/strong> lying in the <strong>region of Nepal <\/strong>is called the <strong>Churia Range.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Shiwaliks are <strong>wider on the western side <\/strong>compared to the eastern side.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Formation of <strong>Doons <\/strong>and <strong>Duars <\/strong>is the <strong>peculiar feature<\/strong> of the Shiwaliks.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The upliftments of the Shiwaliks stopped the flow of many rivers, resulting in the formation of temporary lakes. The sediments being carried by these rivers were deposited at the bottom of these lakes. Over a period of time, the rivers could cut through the Shiwalik. As a result, water drained away from these lakes, and the sediments in the form of fertile alluvial soils were left behind.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is these fertile alluvial soils, which are known as <strong>Doons in the west<\/strong> and <strong>Duars in the eastern<\/strong> part of India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They are <strong>important for the cultivation of tea.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"434\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3.png\" alt=\"the Shiwalik or Outer Himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-6406\" style=\"width:606px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3.png 724w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3-430x258.png 430w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3-696x417.png 696w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3-701x420.png 701w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2-3-150x90.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4b2c840b2d0f3b933c05bb10c50082b0\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Eastern_Hills_or_the_Purvanchal\"><\/span><strong>The Eastern Hills or the Purvanchal<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Towards the region of Dihang Gorge, the Himalayas take a rapid southward turn because of Syntaxial Bend and form a <strong>series of relatively low hills<\/strong>. Collectively, these hills are also called Purvanchal as they are located <strong>in the eastern part of India.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They extend from <strong>Arunachal Pradesh <\/strong>in the <strong>north <\/strong>to <strong>Mizoram <\/strong>in the <strong>south<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These hills <strong>constitute India\u2019s border with Myanmar.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prominent ranges<\/strong> comprising the Purvanchal include the following:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b302f4f34d3eaee7ae0fb803d8e3a080\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Patkai_Bum\"><\/span><strong>Patkai Bum<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They are the northernmost range of Purvanchal, lying along the boundary between Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-abf90ab062d6f2fb8dd98872c36798a0\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Naga_Hills\"><\/span><strong>Naga Hills<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They lie to the south of Patkai Bum. They, along with Patkai Bum, form the watershed between India and Myanmar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e6d3ed51753b6f8f4e00f7d41bb6ce84\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manipur_Hills\"><\/span><strong>Manipur Hills<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They are situated to the south of Naga Hills. The Barail Range splits the Naga Hills from the Manipur Hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c7aff8fc4a1ecca167cae45fc94ed73f\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mizo_Hills_or_Lushai_Hills\"><\/span><strong>Mizo Hills or Lushai Hills<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They lie to the south of Manipur Hills.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"539\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3-2.png\" alt=\"mizo hills or lushai hills\" class=\"wp-image-6409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3-2.png 539w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3-2-275x258.png 275w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3-2-447x420.png 447w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3-2-150x141.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 539px) 100vw, 539px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a9b05613b421c8802a1fab67d525b0b0\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regional_Division_of_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Regional Division of Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on the <strong>longitudinal extent<\/strong>, the Himalayas have been divided into <strong>4 regional divisions &#8211; Punjab Himalayas, Kumaon Himalayas, Nepal Himalayas, and Assam Himalayas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b8b08d82311d534d941ec109bc47abd9\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Punjab_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Punjab Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It lies <strong>between the Indus River <\/strong>in the <strong>west <\/strong>and the <strong>Sutlej River<\/strong> in the <strong>east<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The majority of this region lies in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Hence, they are <strong>also known as Kashmir and Himachal Himalayas.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nearly, <strong>all the ranges <\/strong>such as Karakoram, Pir Panjal, Ladakh, Zanskar and Dhauladhar are <strong>prominent <\/strong>in this section.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is dominated by <strong>high snow-covered mountains, deep gorges, and high mountain passes.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4fc9991570f2a6d5faf7dfcfae0fd6f0\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kumaon_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Kumaon Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It lies between the <strong>Satluj River<\/strong> in the <strong>west <\/strong>and the <strong>Kali River<\/strong> in the <strong>east<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is <strong>also known as Garhwal Himalayas in the west.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As compared to the Kashmir Himalayas, this region is more loftier.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prominent peaks<\/strong> lying in this region include &#8211; <strong>Nanda Devi, Trisul, Kedarnath, Dunagiri, Kamet, Badrinath<\/strong>, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This region is home to some of the <strong>major hill stations<\/strong> such as <strong>Nainital, Ranikhet, and Almora.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8afda8f9fef1d7789197bcd74d71a130\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nepal_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Nepal Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It stretches from the <strong>Kali River<\/strong> in the <strong>west <\/strong>to the <strong>Tista River<\/strong> in the <strong>east<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>majority <\/strong>of this section <strong>lies in Nepal<\/strong>, therefore it is called Nepal Himalayas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This section is dominated by some of the <strong>tallest peaks in the world,<\/strong> including <strong>Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri,<\/strong> etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The famous <strong>Valley of Kathmandu<\/strong> is located in this region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2959cf3584fd30b2b5662ba94fd4f961\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Assam_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Assam Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a sector of the Himalayas that lies <strong>between <\/strong>the <strong>Tista River<\/strong> in the <strong>west <\/strong>and the <strong>Brahmaputra River <\/strong>in the <strong>east<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In India, it covers <\/strong>the states such as <strong>Assam <\/strong>and <strong>Arunachal Pradesh.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This sector is much <strong>lower in elevation<\/strong> when<strong> compared to the Nepal Himalayas.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Himalayas make a sudden turn towards the south in the region of Arunachal Pradesh. Hence, <strong>ranges <\/strong>in the Assam Himalayas region are <strong>arranged in the north-south direction.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prominent peaks<\/strong> in this region include &#8211;<strong> Namcha Barwa, Gyala Peri, Kengto, and Nyegyi Kangsang.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Namcha Barwa<\/strong> is the <strong>highest peak<\/strong> in this region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"598\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4-1.png\" alt=\"assam himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-6410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4-1.png 598w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4-1-378x258.png 378w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4-1-218x150.png 218w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/4-1-150x102.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-73328f8658e158c3840d1e4ee840d7d4\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Syntaxial_Bends_of_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Syntaxial<\/strong> <strong>Bends of Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At its western and eastern extremities, the east-west trend of Himalayan Ranges is suddenly terminated and the continuous range takes a <strong>sharp turn southwards.<\/strong> These sharp bends are called <strong>Syntaxial Bends of the Himalayas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"414\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/5-1.png\" alt=\"syntaxial bends of himalayas\" class=\"wp-image-6411\" style=\"width:739px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/5-1.png 414w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/5-1-324x160.png 324w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/blog\/uploads\/2024\/03\/5-1-150x74.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 414px) 100vw, 414px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0d63f649dabea6fe4d5eb6c74dc0bb23\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Western_Syntaxial_Bend\"><\/span><strong>Western Syntaxial Bend<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It occurs at the western extremity of the Himalayas <strong>near the Nanga Parbat <\/strong>where the River Indus cut the deep gorge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-86e534b14eb1c21b43196cf7a3fecad8\" style=\"color:#ff6a00\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eastern_Syntaxial_Bend\"><\/span><strong>Eastern Syntaxial Bend<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It occurs at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas <strong>near the Namcha Barwa (Arunachal Pradesh),<\/strong> where the mountain ranges turn southwards after crossing the Brahmaputra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7bb1e68bb6dc2f428a5e5fc0f2b7a263\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_of_Western_and_Eastern_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Comparison of Western and Eastern Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Parameters<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Western Himalayas<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Eastern Himalayas<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Extent<\/strong><\/td><td>The Western Himalayan ranges lie <strong>between <\/strong>the <strong>Indus river<\/strong> in the <strong>west <\/strong>and the <strong>Kali river<\/strong> (Nepal) in the <strong>east<\/strong>.<\/td><td>The Eastern Himalayan range extends from the <strong>Tista River<\/strong> in the <strong>west to the easternmost extent<\/strong> of the Himalayan Ranges.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Gradient<\/strong><\/td><td>In the portion of western Himalayan ranges, <strong>height <\/strong>is attained in <strong>gradual successions <\/strong>as the mountains from the plains rise in a series of stages. Thus, the higher mountain ranges are far away from the plains.<\/td><td>The Eastern Himalayan ranges <strong>rise abruptly<\/strong> from the plains, thus peaks are not very far away from the plains such as Kanchenjunga.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Precipitation<\/strong><\/td><td>The amount of rainfall in the Western Himalayan ranges is <strong>less <\/strong>and is 1\/4th of that of the Eastern Himalayan ranges.<\/td><td>The Eastern Himalayan ranges face <strong>high rainfalls<\/strong> and they are covered with dense forests.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Vegetation<\/strong><\/td><td>The dominant vegetation in the Western Himalayas includes <strong>Coniferous Forests <\/strong>and <strong>Alpine Vegetation<\/strong>.<\/td><td>The dominant vegetation in the Eastern Himalayas includes <strong>Evergreen Forests <\/strong>(along the foothills), <strong>Temperate Broadleaf Forests<\/strong>, and<strong> Alpine Forests.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Biodiversity<\/strong><\/td><td>In terms of biodiversity, the Western Himalayas <strong>lag behind<\/strong> the Eastern Himalayas.<\/td><td>Eastern Himalayan ranges have a <strong>high level of biodiversity<\/strong> due to the presence of Tropical Evergreen Forests. In fact, they are one of the <strong>Biodiversity Hotspots<\/strong> in India.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Read our detailed article on the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/mountain-peak\/\"> Important Peaks of the Himalayas<\/a><\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5362000f0dd939c3825e4d0f495afd7f\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Significance_of_the_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>Significance of the Himalayas<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Importance of himalayan mountains as given below:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Climatic Influence<\/strong>: These ranges significantly affect the climate of India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Owing to their high altitude, length, and direction, they <strong>effectively interrupt the summer monsoonal winds <\/strong>coming from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea and <strong>trigger precipitation<\/strong> in the form of rain or snow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They also <strong>prevent cold winter winds from the Siberian region<\/strong> from entering India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Security<\/strong>: These ranges have been protecting India from outside forces and intruders since ancient times thus serving as a defense barrier for India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Perennial Source of Water<\/strong>: They are the source of the majority of large rivers of India, which form the footing of life in the entire north India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Forest Wealth<\/strong>: They host the base of a rich forest that provides fuel wood and a huge diversity of raw materials for forest-based industries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Agriculture<\/strong>: Though the Himalayan ranges do not provide extensive plains for agricultural activities, some of the slopes have been terraced for cultivation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Minerals<\/strong>: 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hydroelectricity<\/strong>: Due to the presence of rugged topography and fast-flowing rivers, these mountain ranges hold a huge potential for Hydroelectricity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Much more than just a geographical feature,<strong> the Himalayas<\/strong> carry multifarious significance for the Indian subcontinent. Of late, they have been facing some significant ecological challenges arising out of factors such as climate change, deforestation, pollution, and unregulated tourism. Ensuring the sustainability of the Himalayas is not just crucial for the subcontinent but for the ecological health of the entire planet. <strong>Sustainable development<\/strong> is the way forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-36e582f5505cc73c4cdb9700b969ac3b\" style=\"color:#015aa7\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1734095330088\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_are_the_Himalayas_located_in_India\"><\/span><strong>Where are the Himalayas located in India?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Himalayas stretch across the northern border of India, covering states like Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of West Bengal and Assam.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1734095341795\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>What is Himalayas?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Himalayas are a vast mountain range in South Asia, known for their towering peaks, including Mount Everest, and their significance in shaping the region&#8217;s climate and biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1734095351019\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_were_the_Himalayas_formed\"><\/span><strong>How were the Himalayas formed?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Himalayas were formed due to the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate about 50 million years ago, leading to the uplifting of the Earth&#8217;s crust.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1734095360579\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_other_name_is_given_to_the_mountains_of_the_Himalayas\"><\/span><strong>What other name is given to the mountains of the Himalayas?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Himalayas are also known as the <strong>&#8220;Abode of Snow&#8221; <\/strong>(derived from the Sanskrit word Him\u0101laya).<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1734095377339\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h4 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Himalayas_are_divided_into_how_many_ranges\"><\/span><strong>Himalayas are divided into how many ranges?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The Himalayas are divided into <strong>three main ranges:<\/strong> the Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal), and the Shivalik Hills. Some classifications also include the Trans-Himalayas.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seated between the Indo-Gangetic Plains and the high Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas constitute one of the most majestic mountain ranges in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,832],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-4335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geography","category-indian-geography","tag-gs-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4335"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22438,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4335\/revisions\/22438"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}