The Western Ghats
The 1,600 km mountain chain along India's west coast, a World Heritage Site and the source of the big peninsular rivers.
What the paper can ask
- About 1,600 km long across six states; average elevation about 1,200 m; highest peak 2,695 m in Kerala.
- A biodiversity hotspot with about 30 percent of India's flora and fauna, many endemic; at least 325 globally threatened species.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012), 39 sites in seven clusters; the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected area in the range.
- Drains almost 40 percent of India; the Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rise in it.
Why exams ask
The highest peak, the gaps, the states, the rivers that rise there and the 2012 UNESCO listing are the usual questions.
The full story
The Western Ghats, or Sahyadri, run about 1,600 km from the Tapti river in the north to the southern tip of India, through Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They are older than the Himalayas, formed when India broke from Gondwana. They catch the south-west monsoon, drenching the coast and leaving a rain shadow on the Deccan, and are one of the world's biodiversity hotspots with about 30 percent of India's species.
In the news
- INS Sahyadri reaches Japan for Malabar 2026 naval exercise 4 Nov
- INS Sahyadri in India-Russia naval exercise INDRA 2026 at Vladivostok 13 Oct
- MoEFCC issues seventh draft notification for 56,825 sq km Western Ghats ESA 27 Jul
- Centre moves to finalise Western Ghats ESA, starting with Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra 22 Jun
Test yourself
1.The Toda people, known for barrel-vaulted huts and buffalo herding, live in the Nilgiris of which state?
Correct. The Toda are a pastoral people of the Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu; Toda Embroidery is GI registered (2012-13) under Tamil Nadu.
Not quite. The Toda are a pastoral people of the Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu; Toda Embroidery is GI registered (2012-13) under Tamil Nadu. It goes into your error book.
2.The Krishna river rises near which hill station in the Western Ghats?
Correct. The Krishna rises near Mahabaleshwar (Jor village, Satara district), Maharashtra.
Not quite. The Krishna rises near Mahabaleshwar (Jor village, Satara district), Maharashtra. It goes into your error book.
3.The Palakkad (Palghat) Gap in the Western Ghats connects Palakkad in Kerala with which city of Tamil Nadu?
Correct. The Palakkad Gap lies between Palakkad in Kerala and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills.
Not quite. The Palakkad Gap lies between Palakkad in Kerala and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills. It goes into your error book.