Showing posts with label GEOGRAPHY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GEOGRAPHY. Show all posts

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Factfile of Cyclones

The word cyclone has been derived from Greek word ‘cyclos’ which means ‘coiling of a snake’. The word cyclone was coined by Heary Piddington who worked as a Rapporteur in Kolkata during British rule. The terms “hurricane” and “typhoon” are region specific names for a strong “tropical cyclone”. Tropical cyclones are called “Hurricanes” over the Atlantic Ocean and “Typhoons” over the Pacific Ocean. 

A tropical cyclone is a rotational low pressure system in tropics when the central pressure falls by 5 to 6 hPa from the surrounding and maximum sustained wind speed reaches 34 knots (about 62 kmph). It is a vast violent whirl of 150 to 800 km, spiraling around a centre and progressing along the surface of the sea at a rate of 300 to 500 km a day.

Cyclone Prone Areas in IndiaGeneral EssaysIndia has a coastline of about 7,516 km of which 5,400 km is along the mainland. The entire coast is affected by cyclones with varying frequency and intensity. Although the North Indian Ocean (the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) generates only about 7% of the world's cyclones (5 to 6 Tropical Cyclones per year) their impact is comparatively high and devastating, especially when they strike the coasts bordering the North Bay of Bengal.

Thirteen coastal states and Union Territories (UTs) in the country are affected by tropical cyclones. Four states (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal) and one UT (Puducherry) on the east coast and one state (Gujarat) on the west coast are more vulnerable to cyclone hazards.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is the nodal government agency that provides weather services related to cyclones in India.

Classification of Cyclones in India: The criteria followed by Meteorological Department of India (IMD) to classify the low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea as adopted by World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) are as under: 
Type of Disturbances
Associated Wind Speed in the Circulation
Low pressure Area
Less than17 knots (<31 kmph)
Depression
17 to 27 knots (31 to 49 kmph)
Deep Depression
28 to 33 knots (50 to 61 kmph)
Cyclonic Storm
34 to 47 knots (62 to 88 kmph)
Severe Cyclonic Storm
48 to 63 knots (89 to 118 kmph)
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
64 to 119 knots (119 to 221 kmph)
Super Cyclonic Storm
120 knots and above (222 kmph and above)


Recent Cyclones of Andhra Pradesh
Name of the CycloneYear of Occurrence
Hudhud12 October 2014
Lehar25 November 2013
Helen21 November 2013
NilamOctober 2012
LailaMay 2010
Khai-MukNovember 2008
YemyinJune 2007


The recent deadly cyclones that hit Indian coastCyclone Phailin (2013) – The Cyclone Phailin is a category 5 storm that struck the Odisha and Andhra coast on 11 October 2013 causing massive destruction in the region- affecting 12 million people. Phailin is a Thai word which means Sapphire. This cyclone prompted India's biggest evacuation in 23 years with more than 5,50,000 people being moved from the coastline in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to safer shelters. Phailin brought very heavy rain of over 600 mm at many stations of Odisha. It also damaged crops worth Rs 2,400 crore and claimed over 40 lives. Loses due to Cyclone Phailin were estimated to be around rupees 420 crore.

Cyclone Nilam (2012) - Cyclonic Storm Nilam was the deadliest tropical cyclone to directly affect south India that made landfall near Mahabalipuram on October 31 as a strong cyclonic storm with peak winds of 85 kmph. Nilam caused economic losses of around Rs 100 crore because of torrential rain. 

Cyclone Thane (2011) - Thane was the strongest tropical cyclone of 2011 that became a very severe cyclonic storm on December 28, as it approached the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and made landfall at north Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Puducherry on December 30. Thane left at least 46 people dead in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Cuddalore and Puducherry were the worst affected areas. 

Cyclone Laila (2010) - Severe cyclonic storm Laila made a landfall in Andhra Pradesh on the 20 May 2010 and caused major flooding and damage along its path. Ongole in Andhra Pradesh recorded heavy rainfall of about 460 mm in just two days. Another town Addanki received the highest rainfall of 522 mm. The state government faced a loss of over Rs 500 crore due to Cyclone Laila.

Cyclone Jal (2010) - Cyclone Jal killed at least 54 people in India alone. About 300 thousand hectares of cropland was devastated by the cyclone. The remnants of Jal continued to move northwest, brought light to moderate spells of rain in India's warmest state of Rajasthan and also in Gujarat.

Cyclone Phyan (2009) - Cyclonic Storm Phyan developed as a tropical disturbance in the Arabian Sea to the southwest of Colombo in Sri Lanka on November 4, 2009 and made landfall in south India on November 7. Massive damage to property was reported in coastal districts of Maharashtra, such as Ratnagiri, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Thane and Palghar.

Cyclone Nisha (2008) - Over 180 people were killed in Tamil Nadu alone due to heavy rain and floods caused by the cyclone. Orathanadu, in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu received over 990 mm of rain within 24 hours. The total amount of rainfall received from Nisha was about 1280 mm. The damage caused by the cyclone was estimated to be about 3789 crores.

The 30 Deadliest Tropical Cyclones in World History
Rank
Name / Areas of Largest Loss
Year
Ocean Area
Deaths
1.Great Bhola Cyclone, Bangladesh1970Bay of Bengal500,000
2.Hooghly River Cyclone, India and Bangladesh1737Bay of Bengal300,000
3.Haiphong Typhoon, Vietnam1881West Pacific300,000
3.Coringa, India1839Bay of Bengal300,000
5.Backerganj Cyclone, Bangladesh1584Bay of Bengal200,000
6.Great Backerganj Cyclone, Bangladesh1876Bay of Bengal200,000
7.Chittagong, Bangladesh1897Bay of Bengal175,000
8.Super Typhoon Nina, China1975West Pacific171,000
9.Cyclone 02B, Bangladesh1991Bay of Bengal140,000
9.Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar2008Bay of Bengal140,000
11.Great Bombay Cyclone, India1882Arabian Sea100,000
12.Hakata Bay Typhoon, Japan1281West Pacific65,000
13.Calcutta, India1864Bay of Bengal60,000
14.Swatlow, China1922West Pacific60,000
15.Barisal, Bangladesh1822Bay of Bengal50,000
15.Sunderbans coast, Bangladesh1699Bay of Bengal50,000
15.India1833Bay of Bengal50,000
15.India1854Bay of Bengal50,000
19.Bengal Cyclone, Calcutta, India1942Bay of Bengal40,000
19.Bangladesh1912Bay of Bengal40,000
19.Bangladesh1919Bay of Bengal40,000
22.Canton, China1862West Pacific37,000
23.Backerganj (Barisal), Bangladesh1767Bay of Bengal30,000
24.Barisal, Bangladesh1831Bay of Bengal22,000
25.Great Hurricane, Lesser Antilles Islands1780Atlantic22,000
26.Devi Taluk, SE India1977Bay of Bengal20,000
26.Great Coringa Cyclone, India1789Bay of Bengal20,000
28.Bangladesh1965 (11 May)Bay of Bengal19,279
29.Nagasaki Typhoon, Japan1828Western Pacific15,000
30.Bangladesh1965 (31 May)Bay of Bengal12,000

Monday, October 13, 2014

Geography Made Easy

The Indian island closest to the equator is
The Great Nicobar
India is separated from Sri Lanka by
The Gulf of Mannar; The Palk Strait
The smallest state in area is
Goa
The border country sharing the longest boundary with India is
China
The longitude recognised as the basis for standard meridian in our country
82½° East
Difference between Greenwich Mean Time and Indian Standard Time is
5½ hours
The boundary line between India and China is called as
Mac Mohan line
The biggest state in area is
Rajasthan
The state that has longest coast
Gujarat
Andhra Pradesh has the coastal line of
972 kms
The number of coastal states in India is
9
Greater Himalayas are also known as
Himadri Ranges
K2 mountain peak is in
Karakoram Range
The highest mountain peak of the Himalayas in India is
K2
The highest peak in peninsular India is
Anaimudi
The highest peak in the World is
Mount Everest
Great Indian Desert is
Thar
The Ganga river in Bangladesh is called as
Padma
India receives bulk of its rainfall from
South West Monsoon
The monsoon burst first takes place in coastal areas in
Kerala
The highest rainfall recorded place, Mawsynram is in
Meghalaya
The lowest average rainfall recorded in
Jaisalmer
Monsoon means
Blowing of winds and reverse seasonally
Drought is
A condition when the rainfall is less than 75% of the normal
The state is having the largest area under forest is
Madhya Pradesh
The soil which is most clayey and moisture retentive is
Black
Laterite soils are characterized by leaching away of
Silica
Highest account of the total soil cover in the country is
Red soils
The highest intensity of irrigation is found in
Punjab
Hydro-Electricity is known as
White Coal
The winter crop season is known as
Rabi
During south west monsoon the crop season is known as
Kharif
Jute cultivation is predominant in
West Bengal
Black soils are favorable for the cultivation of
cotton
Natural rubber cultivation is predominant in
Kerala
The maximum energy producing mineral in India is
Coal
To manufacture the pencils we use
Graphite
Silk industry is predominating in
Karnataka
Rourkela steel plant was set up with the assistance of
Germany
Limestone is the chief raw material for
Cement
The biggest oil refinery in India is located at
Mathura
The largest industry in our country
Textile industry
The important navigable canal in southern India is
Buckingham Canal
River based port in India is
Kolkata
The single largest item of import
Petroleum

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Important International Boundary Lines

Important International Boundary Lines
Durand Line
Durand Line   It is the line demarcating the boundaries of India and Afghanistan. It was drawn up in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand. India recognizes Durand Line but Afghanistan does not.
Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line   It is the boundary dividing Germany and Poland. The German marched to this line in 1917 during World War I.
Mason-Dixon Line
Mason-Dixon Line    is a line of demarcation between four states in the United State.
Marginal Line
Marginal Line    was the 320 km line of fortification on the Russia-Finland border. Drawn up by General Mannerheim.
Macmahon Line
Macmahon Line    was drawn up by Sir Henry MacMahon, demarcating the frontier of India and China. China did not recognize the MacMahon line and crossed it in 1962.
Medicine Line 
Medicine Line    is the border between Canada and the United States.
Order-Neisse Line
Order-Neisse Line   It is the border between Poland and Germany running along the Oder and Neisse rivers; adopted after the Poland Conference ( August 1945 ) after the World War II.
Radcliffe Line 
Radcliffe Line    was drawn up by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, demarcating the boudary between India and Pakistan. Siegfried Line is the line of fortification drawn up by Germany on its border with France.
17th Parallel 
17th Parallel    defined the boundary between North Vietnam and South Vietnam before two were united.
24th Parallel
24th Parallel    is the line which Pakistan claims for demarcation between India and Pakistan. This, however, is not recognized by India
26th Parallel
26th Parallel    south is a circle of latitude which crosses through Africa, Australia and South America.
30th Parallel 
30th Parallel    north is a line of latitude that stands one-third of the way between the equator and the North Pole.
33rd Parallel
33rd Parallel    north is a circle of latitude which cuts through the southern United States, parts of North Africa, parts of the Middle East, and China.
35th Parallel 
35th Parallel    north forms the boundary between the State of North Carolina and the State of Georgia and the boundary between the State of Tennessee arid the State of Georgia, the State of Albama, and the State of Mississippi.
36th Parallel 
36th Parallel    forms the southermost boundary of the State of Missouri with the State of Arkansas.
36o30' Parallel 
36o30' Parallel    north forms the boundary between the Tenessee and the Commonwealth of Kentucky between the Tennessee River and the Mississippi River, the boundary between Missouri and Arkansas west of the White River, and the northermost boundary between the Texas and the Oklahoma.
37th Parallel 
37th Parallel    north formed the southern boundary of the historic and extralegal Territory of Jefferson.
38th Parallel 
38th Parallel    is the parallel of latitude which separates North Korea and South Korea.
39th Parallel
39th Parallel    north is an imaginary circle of latitude that is 39 degrees north of Earth's equatorial plane.
40th Parallel 
40th Parallel    north formed the original northern boundary of the British Colony of Maryland.
41st Parallel
41st Parallel    north forms the northern boundary of the State of Colorado with Nebraska and Wyoming and the southern boundary of the State of Wyoming with Colorado and Utah.
42nd Parallel
42nd Parallel    north forms most of the New York - Pennsylvania Border.
43rd Parallel 
43rd Parallel    north forms most of the boundary between the State of Nebraska and the State of South Dakota and also formed the northern border of the historic and extralegal Territory of Jefferson.
The Parallel 44o north
The Parallel 44o north    is an imaginary circle of latitude that is 44 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane.
45th Parallel north
45th Parallel north    is often the halfway point between the Equator and the North Pole. The 45th parallel makes up most of the boundary between Montana and Wyoming.
49th Parallel 
49th Parallel    is the boundary between USA and Canada.
Zambezi River
Zambezi River   the boundary proceeds eastwards in a straight line to a point on the international boundary between Zambia and Zimbabwe

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Largest Producers of crops in India

• The largest producer of wheat in India -Uttar Pradesh
• The largest producer of sugarcane in India -Uttar Pradesh
• The largest producer of groundnut in India -Gujarat
• The largest producer of tea in India - Assam
• The largest producer of coffee in India -Karnataka
• The largest producer of jute in India -West Bengal
• The largest producer of tobacco in India -Andhra Pradesh
• The largest producer of bananas in India -Tamilnadu
• The largest producer of onion in India -Maharashtra
• The largest producer of black pepper in India -Kerala

Cropping Seasons in India

Kharif Crops: Sown in summers between May and July, and harvested after the rains, in September and October. Eg: Rice, Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Cotton, Jute, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Groundnut, Pulses, etc.

Rabi Crops: Sown at the beginning of winter and harvested before the onset of the summer season, between Feb and April. Eg: Wheat, barley, oilseeds, gram, potatoes, etc.

Zayad Crops: They are raised between April and June. E.g. : Melon, watermelon, cucumber, toris, leafy and other vegetables.

Cash Crops of India (Commercial Crops): Grown mainly for the market, only a small portion
of the product is consumed by the farmers themselves (cotton, sugarcane etc.

cyclones

• Cyclones – in the Indian Ocean
• Hurricanes – in the Caribbean Islands
• Typhoons – in the China Sea
• Willy-Willies – in the North West Australia
• Tornadoes – in coastal US.
• Twisters – in Mississippi Valley, USA

Solar System Some Facts

• Biggest Planet: Jupiter
• Smallest Planet: Mercury
• Nearest Planet to Sun: Mercury
• Farthest Planet from Sun: Neptune
• Nearest Planet to Earth: Venus
• Brightest Planet: Venus
• Brightest star after Sun Sirius
• Planet with maximum satellites: Jupiter
• Coldest Planet: Neptune
• Hottest Planet: Venus
• Heaviest Planet: Jupiter
• Red Planet: Mars
• Biggest Satellite: Gannymede
• Smallest Satellite: Deimos
• Blue Planet: Earth
• Morning/Evening Star: Venus
• Earth's Twin: Venus
• Green Planet: Neptune
• Planet with a big red spot: Jupiter
• Lord of the Heavens: Jupiter
• Greatest Diurnal Temperature: Mercury

Friday, August 29, 2014

Rever side Cites And Countries

City
River
Country
 
» Alexandria-   Nile-   Egypt
»Amsterdam-   Amsel-   Netherlands 
» Baghdad-   Tigris-   Iraq
Tigris River
» Bangkok-   Menam-   Thailand
» Basra-   Eupharates and Tigris-   Iraq 
» Belgrade-   Danube-   Serbia 
» Berlin-   Spree-   Germany
Spree River
» Bonn-  Rhine-  Germany
» Bristol-   Avon-   England 
» Brussels-   Seine-   Belgium 
» Budapest-   Danube-   Hungary 
» Cairo-   Nile-   Egypt 
» Chittagong-   Karnaphuli-   Bangladesh 
» Colombo-   Kaliganga-   Sri Lanka 
» Cologne-   Rhine-   Germany 
» Dublin-   Liphi-   Ireland 
» Glasgow-   Clyde-   Scotland 
» Hamburg-  Elbe-   Germany 
» Karachi-  Indus-   Pakistan 
» Khartoum-  Nile-   Sudan 
» Lahore-  Ravi-   Pakistan 
» Lisbon-  Tagus-   Portugal 
» Liverpool-  Mersey-   England 
» London-  Thames-   England
Thames River
» Montreal-  Ottawa-   Canada
» Moscow-  Moskva-   Russia 
» New York-  Hudson-   USA
Hudson River
» Paris-  Seine-   France
» Philadelphia-  Delawara-   USA 
» Prague-  Vitava-   Czechoslovakia 
» Quebec-  St. Lawrence-   Canada 
» Rome-  Tiber-   Italy 
» Shanghai-  Yangtze-Kiang-   China 
» Stalingrad-  Volga-   Russia
Volga River
» Tokyo-  Sumida-   Japan
» Vienna-   Danube-   Austria 
» Warsaw-  Vistula-   Poland 
» Washington-  Potamac-   USA 
» Yangoon-  Irawadi-   Myanmar

Friday, August 23, 2013

Continents Lowest point


 Continents Lowest Point 
 Asia Dead Sea
 South America Laguna del Carbón
 North America  Death Valley 
 Africa Lake Assal
 Europe  Caspian Sea
 Antarctica Deep Lake
 Australia  Lake Eyre