84-614: The Marundhuvazh Malai , a part of Sanjeevi hills is also known as the Marundhu Vazhum Malai/Maruthwamalai ("the abode of medicinal herbs"), forms the part and the southernmost tip of the Western Ghats in Agasteeswaram taluk of Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu , India. People living in southern Kerala call it "Maruthuva Mala". The hill stretches for more than a kilometer and reaches
168-514: A 2010 report, following is the distribution of faunal species in the Western Ghats apart from more than 6,000 insect species. The Western Ghats region has one of the highest tiger population, estimated at 985 in 2022. The Western Ghats ecoregion has the largest Indian elephant population in the wild, with an estimated 11,000 individuals across eight distinct populations. Other mammals include endangered and vulnerable species such as
252-408: A 2014 report, at least 227 species of reptiles are found in the Western Ghats. The major population of the snake family Uropeltidae is restricted to the region. Several endemic reptile genera and species occur here, with the region having a significant population of mugger crocodiles . The amphibians of the Western Ghats are diverse and unique, with a high proportion of species being endemic to
336-693: A biography of Lord Sri Paada Sri Vallabha (first avatar of Sri Dattaatreya ) written in Sanskrit during the 13th century. This place is mentioned as "Maruthuva Malai" and the legend about this mountain is described. It is also said in the holy book that this is a holy land and siddhas and saints live in this mountain. This mountain is located near to Pothayadi Junction, on the way of Nagercoil to kanyakumari and 1 km from mylaudy 8°8′3.27″N 77°30′28.32″E / 8.1342417°N 77.5078667°E / 8.1342417; 77.5078667 Western Ghats The Western Ghats , also known as
420-546: A decline in the overall availability of fish resources; changes in species composition of catches; the high proportion of juvenile fish in the catch; and changes in marine biodiversity , especially through loss of vulnerable and endangered species . The transboundary nature of these issues are: that many fish stocks are shared between BOBLME countries through the transboundary migration of fish, or larvae . Fishing overlaps national jurisdictions, both legally and illegally – overcapacity and overfishing in one location forces
504-453: A few of the marine animals. Bay of Bengal hogfish ( Bodianus neilli ) is a type of wrasse which live in turbid lagoon reefs or shallow coastal reefs. Schools of dolphins can be seen, whether they are the bottle nose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) , pantropical spotted dolphin ( Stenella attenuata ) or the spinner dolphin ( Stenella longirostris ) . Tuna and dolphins usually reside in the same waters. In shallower and warmer coastal waters
588-502: A height of 800 feet at the highest point, from which one can see the 'V' shape of the Indian subcontinent, as well as the three seas (the Bay of Bengal , Indian Ocean , and Arabian Sea ), each with different shades of blue, and coconut trees with different shades of green. It is about 1 km from Pothaiyadi (a place along NH44 and NH66), and 10 km from Kanniyakumari town. This hill
672-576: A large estuarine delta that holds a mangrove area in the Ganges River Delta . A transboundary issue is defined as an environmental problem in which either the cause of the problem and/or its impact is separated by a national boundary; or the problem contributes to a global environmental problem and finding regional solutions is considered to be a global environmental benefit. The eight Bay of Bengal countries have (2012) identified three major transboundary problems (or areas of concern) affecting
756-418: A serious urgency by India and Myanmar into a territorial dispute. Disputes over rights of some oil and gas blocks have caused brief diplomatic spats between Myanmar and India with Bangladesh. The disputed maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar resulted in military tensions in 2008 and 2009. The maritime dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar settled in 2012 through the judgement of ITLOS. In 2014,
840-464: A unique type of stunted tropical montane forest found in the valleys between the mountains. Earlier sources indicated about four to five thousand vascular plant species of which nearly one-third was endemic to the region. Later studies and publications have recorded 7,402 species of flowering plants occurring in the Western Ghats of which 5,588 were described as indigenous, 376 are naturalized exotics, and 1,438 species are cultivated or planted. Among
924-603: Is a 14 km-wide deep sea canyon of the Bay of Bengal. The deepest recorded area of this valley is about 1340 m. The submarine canyon is part of the Bengal Fan , the largest submarine fan in the world. Submarine fan is also known as abyssal fan . Bay of Bengal fan, known as Bengal Fan , also known as the Ganges Fan is world's largest abyssal fan, also known as deep-sea fans, underwater deltas, and submarine fans. The fan
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#17327728599921008-839: Is a mangrove forest in the southern part of the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta which lies in the Indian state of West Bengal and in Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra at 2,948 km (1,832 mi) is the 15th longest River in the world. It originates in Tibet . The Hooghly River , another channel of the Ganga that flows through Kolkata drains into Bay of Bengal at Sagar in West Bengal, India. The Ganga–Brahmaputra-Barak rivers deposit nearly 1000 million tons of sediment every year. The sediment from these three rivers form
1092-463: Is a new venture proposed which would create a channel for a shipping route to link the Gulf of Mannar with the Bay of Bengal. This would connect India from east to west without the necessity of going around Sri Lanka. Thoni and catamaran fishing boats of fishing villages thrive along the Bay of Bengal shorelines. Fishermen can catch between 26 and 44 species of marine fish. In one year, the average catch
1176-792: Is about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) long, 1,430 km (890 mi) wide with a maximum thickness of 16.5 km (10.3 mi). The fan resulted from the uplift and erosion of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau produced by the collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate . Most of the sediment is supplied by the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers which supply the Lower Meghna delta in Bangladesh and
1260-574: Is also believed to be known in Ayyavazhi mythology as Parvatha Ucchi Malai . Apart from the mythology, this hill is historically related to the life of Vaikundar . A few theologians consider this hill as sacred, as one of the Ayyavazhi holy sites . Narayana Guru attained enlightenment while undergoing penance ( tapas ) at this hill. Marundhu Vaazh Malai is mentioned in Sri Pada Sri Vallabha Charithaamrutham ,
1344-899: Is located with respect to the Indian mainland. Ghat , a term used in the Indian subcontinent , depending on the context, could either refer to a range of stepped hills such as the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats, or a series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf . As per linguist Thomas Burrow , the word Ghat was derived from similar words used in various Dravidian languages such as kattu (mountain side, ridge, or dam) in Tamil , katte (dam), gatta (mountain), and gattu (bank or shore) in Kannada , and katta (dam), and gatte (shore or embankment) in Telugu . The ancient name for
1428-776: Is one of the World's 64 largest marine ecosystems . Kerilia jerdonii is a sea snake of the Bay of Bengal. Glory of Bengal cone ( Conus bengalensis ) is just one of the seashells which can be photographed along beaches of the Bay of Bengal. An endangered species , the olive ridley sea turtle can survive because of the nesting grounds made available at the Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, Gahirmatha Beach , Odisha , India. Marlin , barracuda , skipjack tuna, ( Katsuwonus pelamis ) , yellowfin tuna , Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin ( Sousa chinensis ) , and Bryde's whale ( Balaenoptera edeni ) are
1512-425: Is the study of how ancient peoples interacted with the sea and waterways. A specialized branch, archaeology of shipwrecks , studies the salvaged artifacts of ancient ships. Stone anchors, amphorae shards, elephant tusks, hippopotamus teeth, ceramic pottery, a rare wood mast and lead ingots are examples which may survive submerged for centuries for archaeologists to discover, study, and place their salvaged findings into
1596-650: Is two million tons of fish from the Bay of Bengal alone. Approximately 31% of the world's coastal fishermen live and work on the bay. The Bay of Bengal is centrally located in South and Southeast Asia. It lies at the center of two huge economic blocks, the SAARC and ASEAN . It influences China's southern landlocked region in the north and major sea ports of Bangladesh and India. China, India, and Bangladesh have forged naval cooperation agreements with Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia to increase cooperation in checking terrorism in
1680-531: The African continent. The mountains can be roughly divided into three parts: the northern section with an elevation ranging from 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft), the middle section starting from the south of Goa with a lower elevation of less than 900 m (3,000 ft), and the southern section where the altitude rises again. The Western Ghats have several peaks that rise above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with Anamudi (2,695 m (8,842 ft)) being
1764-593: The Andaman Sea , sediment from the river is found in the eastern Bay of Bengal. Indian ports on the bay include Paradip Port , Kolkata Port , Haldia Port , Chennai Port , Visakhapatnam Port , Kakinada Port , Pondicherry Port , Dhamra Port , and Gopalpur-on-Sea . Bangladeshi ports on the Bay are Chittagong , Mongla , Payra Port . Sri Lankan ports include Jaffna , Kankesanthurai , Batticaloa , and Trincomalee . Myanmar's main sea port includes Akyab (Sittwe). In alphabetical order The lithosphere of
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#17327728599921848-575: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between Sangaman Kanda , Sri Lanka, and the northwesternmost point of Sumatra , Indonesia. Cox's Bazar , the longest sea beach in the world and Sundarbans , the largest mangrove forest and the natural habitat of the Bengal tiger , are located along the bay. The Bay of Bengal occupies an area of 2,600,000 square kilometres (1,000,000 sq mi). A number of large rivers flow into
1932-574: The Arabian Sea . The Western Ghats play an important role in determining the climate and seasons in India. It blocks the rain-bearing monsoon winds flowing eastward from the Arabian Sea, resulting in rainfall along the western coast. By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, forming a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of
2016-741: The British East India Company . Gopalpur-on-Sea was one of their main trading centers. Other trading companies along the Bay of Bengal shorelines were the English East India Company and the French East India Company . BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) supports free trade internationally around the Bay of Bengal between Bangladesh, Bhutan , India, Myanmar, Nepal , Sri Lanka, and Thailand . The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project
2100-624: The Cyprinids (72 species), hillstream loaches (34 species; including stone loaches , now regarded a separate family), Bagrid catfishes (19 species), and Sisorid catfishes (12 species). The region is home to several ornamental fishes like the Denison (or red line torpedo) barb , melon barb , several species of Dawkinsia barbs, zebra loach , Horabagrus catfish, dwarf pufferfish and dwarf Malabar pufferfish . The rivers are also home to Osteobrama bakeri , and larger species such as
2184-422: The Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris before continuing south. The Western Ghats have many peaks that rise above 2,000 m (6,600 ft), with Anamudi (2,695 m (8,842 ft)) being the highest peak. The Western Ghats form one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial rivers. These major river systems drain almost 40% of the land area of the country. The major river systems originating in
2268-533: The Hoogly delta in West Bengal (India). Several other large rivers in Bangladesh and India provide smaller contributions. Turbidity currents have transported the sediment through a series of submarine canyons , some of which are more than 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) in length, to be deposited in the Bay of Bengal up to 30 degrees latitude from where it began. To date, the oldest sediments recovered from
2352-467: The Indomalayan realm , with the northern portion of the range generally drier than the southern portion. These include the following: Other types of ecosystems include dry deciduous forests on the leeward rain shadow region, scrub forests at the foothills, peat bogs , and swamps . Montane grasslands are found in high altitude locations in the south Western Ghats interspersed with sholas ,
2436-476: The Irrawaddy dolphins ( Orcaella brevirostris ) can be found. The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve provides sanctuary to many animals some of which include the saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ) , giant leatherback sea turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea ) , and Malayan box turtle ( Cuora amboinensis kamaroma ) to name a few. Another endangered species royal Bengal tiger is supported by Sundarbans
2520-667: The Malabar snakehead , and Malabar mahseer . A few are adapted to an underground life, including some Rakthamichthys swamp eels, and the catfish Horaglanis and Kryptoglanis . 97 freshwater fish species were considered threatened in 2011, including 12 critically endangered, 54 endangered, and 31 vulnerable. The reservoirs in the region are important for their commercial and sport fisheries of rainbow trout , mahseer , and common carp . There are more than 200 freshwater fish species including 35 also known from brackish or marine water. Several new species have been described from
2604-524: The Sahyadri , is a mountain range that stretches 1,600 km (990 mi) along the western coast of the Indian peninsula . Covering an area of 160,000 km (62,000 sq mi), it traverses the states of Gujarat , Maharashtra , Goa , Karnataka , Kerala , and Tamil Nadu . The range forms an almost continuous chain of mountains along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau , from
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2688-567: The Tapti River to Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. The Western Ghats meet with the Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris before continuing south. Geologic evidence indicates that the mountains were formed during the break-up of the supercontinent of Gondwana . The mountains came along the west coast of India somewhere in the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods when India separated from
2772-448: The crimson-backed sunbird . There is a higher fish species richness in the southern part of the Western Ghats. There are 13 genera entirely restricted to the Western Ghats ( Betadevario , Dayella , Haludaria , Horabagrus , Horalabiosa , Hypselobarbus , Indoreonectes , Lepidopygopsis , Longischistura , Mesonoemacheilus , Parapsilorhynchus , Rohtee , and Travancoria ). The most species-rich families are
2856-434: The gems of Sri Lanka . Garnet and other precious gems are also found in abundance in the Indian states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh . A 2014 study found that as a result of ocean acidification, there was reduced shell thickness of marine animals and breaking strength compared to normal shells. The study also showed that the pH in Bay of Bengal fell to 7.75 compared in 1994 when it averaged 7.95. From January to October,
2940-582: The historical Bengal region (modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal , Tripura and the Barak valley of Southern Assam ). In Ancient Indian scriptures , this water body may have been referred to as Mahodadhi ( Sanskrit : महोदधि, lit. ' Great water receptacle ' ). Ancient Romans called it Sinus Gangeticus or Gangeticus Sinus whilst Ancient Greeks called it in Ancient Greek : Κόλπος Γαγγητικός , meaning "Gulf of
3024-431: The lion-tailed macaque , Nilgiri tahr , leopard , Nilgiri langur , dhole , and gaur . The endemic Nilgiri tahr, which was on the brink of extinction, has recovered and had an estimated 3,122 individuals in 2015. Smaller endemic species include the Malabar large-spotted civet , Nilgiri marten , brown palm civet , stripe-necked mongoose , Indian brown mongoose , small Indian civet , and leopard cat . As per
3108-637: The sacred sea . The daily practise includes prayer and fire offering to the sea at Swargadwar in Puri by disciples of the Govardhana matha of the Shankaracharya. On Paush Purnima of every year the Shankaracharya himself comes out to offer prayers to the sea. The islands in the bay are numerous, including the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands of India. The Cheduba group of islands, in
3192-447: The tropical rainforests of India . New frog species have continued to be discovered in the 21st century. Frogs of the genera Micrixalus , Indirana , and Nyctibatrachus , toads like Pedostibes , Ghatophryne , and Xanthophryne , arboreal frogs like Ghatixalus , Mercurana , and Beddomixalus , and microhylids like Melanobatrachus are endemic to this region. There are at least 19 species of birds endemic to
3276-503: The 334 Western Ghats butterfly species, 316 species have been reported to occur in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve . The Western Ghats are home to 174 species of odonates (107 dragonflies and 67 damselflies ), including 69 endemics. Most of the endemic odonate are closely associated with rivers and streams, while the non-endemics are typically generalists . There are several species of leeches found all along
3360-481: The Arabian Sea is known as the Western Coastal Plains . The mountains can be roughly divided into three parts: the northern section with an elevation ranging from 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft), the middle section starting from the south of Goa with a lower elevation of less than 900 m (3,000 ft), and the southern section where the altitude rises again. The Western Ghats meet with
3444-642: The Bay of Bengal was also called the Chola Sea or Chola Lake. The Kakatiya dynasty reached the western coastline of the Bay of Bengal between the Godavari and the Krishna rivers. Kushanas about the middle of the 1st century AD invaded northern India perhaps extending as far as the Bay of Bengal. Chandragupta Maurya extended the Maurya Dynasty across northern India to the Bay of Bengal. Hajipur
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3528-820: The Bay of Bengal. The Ganga is the northernmost of these rivers. Its main channel enters and flows through Bangladesh, where it is known as the Padma River , before joining the Meghna River . However, the Brahmaputra River flows from east to west in Assam before turning south and entering Bangladesh where it is called the Jamuna River . This joins the Padma where upon the Padma joins the Meghna River that finally drains into Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans
3612-1027: The Bay of Bengal: the Ganges – Hooghly , the Padma , the Brahmaputra – Jamuna , the Barak – Surma – Meghna , the Irrawaddy , the Godavari , the Mahanadi , the Brahmani , the Baitarani , the Krishna , and the Kaveri . The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bay of Bengal as follows: Note: Oedjong means " cape " in Dutch language on maps of the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia). The bay gets its name from
3696-559: The Bengal Delta and the submarine fan , a vast structure that extends from Bengal to south of the Equator, is up to 16.5 kilometres (10.3 mi) thick, and contains at least 1,130 trillion tonnes of sediment, which has accumulated over the last 17 million years at an average rate of 665 million tons per annum. The fan has buried organic carbon at a rate of nearly 1.1 trillion mol/yr (13.2 million t/yr) since
3780-543: The Bengal fan are from Early Miocene age. Their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics allow to identify their Himalayan origin and demonstrate that the Himalaya was already a major mountain range 20 million years ago. The fan completely covers the floor of the Bay of Bengal. It is bordered to the west by the continental slope of eastern India, to the north by the continental slope of Bangladesh and to east by
3864-471: The Deccan plateau. The Western Ghats region is a biodiversity hotspot . It contains a large number of different species of flora and fauna, most of which are endemic to this region. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. The region was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. The name Western Ghats derives from the word ghat and the cardinal direction in which it
3948-485: The East Indian Winter Jet. September and December see very active weather, season varsha (or monsoon), in the Bay of Bengal producing severe cyclones which affect eastern India. Several efforts have been initiated to cope with storm surge . The Bay of Bengal is full of biological diversity, diverging amongst coral reefs , estuaries , fish spawning and nursery areas, and mangroves . The Bay of Bengal
4032-467: The Ganges", and old European maps continued to use this name. The other Sanskrit names for Bay of Bengal are Vaṅgopasāgara (Sanskrit: वङ्गोपसागर, lit. ' Bengal Sub-sea or Bengal Bay ' ), Vaṅgasāgara (Sanskrit: वङ्गसागर, lit. ' Bengal Sea ' ), Pūrvapayodhi (Sanskrit: पूर्वपयोधि, lit. ' Eastern Ocean ' ). In ancient Classical India , the Bay of Bengal
4116-468: The Western Ghats are the Godavari , Kaveri , and Krishna . Most rivers flow eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal owing to the steeper gradient moving from east to west, and many smaller streams drain the region, often carrying a large volume of water during the monsoon months. The streams and rivers give rise to numerous waterfalls in the region. The rivers have been dammed for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, with major reservoirs spread across
4200-510: The Western Ghats including the endangered rufous-breasted laughingthrush , the vulnerable Nilgiri wood-pigeon , white-bellied shortwing , and broad-tailed grassbird , the near threatened grey-breasted laughingthrush , black-and-rufous flycatcher , Nilgiri flycatcher , and Nilgiri pipit , and the least concern Malabar (blue-winged) parakeet , Malabar grey hornbill , white-bellied treepie , grey-headed bulbul , rufous babbler , Wayanad laughingthrush , white-bellied blue-flycatcher , and
4284-852: The Western Ghats were severely fragmented due to clear-felling for plantations. The introduction of non-native species threatened the rare endemic species and habitat specialists, which depleted faster than other species. Complex and species-rich habitats like the tropical rainforests are much more adversely affected than other habitats. The primary threats to fauna were not only from habitat loss , but also from overexploitation , illicit grazing , mining , poaching , and introduced species . The Government of India has established many protected areas , including two biosphere reserves , 13 national parks to restrict human access, several wildlife sanctuaries to protect specific endangered species, and many reserve forests . The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve , comprising 5,500 km (2,100 sq mi) of
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#17327728599924368-563: The Western Ghats, but the actual number is likely higher. This includes 28 endemics. Among the threatened freshwater molluscs are the mussel species Pseudomulleria dalyi , which is a Gondwanan relict, and the snail Cremnoconchus , which is restricted to the spray zone of waterfalls. According to the IUCN, four species of freshwater molluscs are considered endangered and three are vulnerable. An additional 19 species are considered data deficient. There are roughly 6,000 insect species. Of
4452-443: The Western Ghats. Historically, the Western Ghats were covered in dense forests. which formed the natural habitat for wildlife along with the native tribal people . Its inaccessibility made it difficult for people from the plains to cultivate the land and build settlements. After the establishment of British colonial rule in the region, large swathes of territory were cleared for agricultural plantations and timber. The forests in
4536-538: The current is northward flowing, and the clockwise circulation pattern is called the "East Indian Current". The Bay of Bengal monsoon moves in a northwest direction striking the Nicobar Islands, and the Andaman Islands first end of May, then coast of Mainland India by end of June. The remainder of the year, the counterclockwise current is southwestward flowing, and the circulation pattern is called
4620-529: The dispute between India and Bangladesh was also settled in which the UN tribunal awarded Bangladesh 19,467 km of the 25,602 km sea area of the Bay of Bengal. The Bay of Bengal in the stretch of Swargadwar , the gateway to heaven in Sanskrit , in the Indian town of Puri is considered holy by Hindus . The Samudra arati is a daily tradition started by the present Shankaracharya of Puri 9 years ago to honour
4704-431: The early Miocene period. The three rivers currently contribute nearly 8% of the total organic carbon (TOC) deposited in the world's oceans. Due to high TOC accumulation in the deep sea bed of the Bay of Bengal, the area is rich in oil and natural gas and gas hydrate reserves. Bangladesh can reclaim land substantially and economically gain from the sea area by constructing sea dikes , bunds, causeways and by trapping
4788-726: The earth is broken up into what are called tectonic plates . Underneath the Bay of Bengal, which is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate and is slowly moving north east. This plate meets the Burma Microplate at the Sunda Trench . The Nicobar Islands and the Andaman Islands are part of the Burma Microplate. The India Plate subducts beneath the Burma Plate at the Sunda Trench or Java Trench. Here,
4872-458: The equator receive lower annual rainfall and have rain spells lasting several months in a year. The Western Ghats region is a biodiversity hotspot . It consists of nearly 30% of all the species of flora and fauna found in India, most of which are endemic to this region. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats consist of four tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf terrestrial ecoregions of
4956-504: The forests, forms the largest contiguous protected area in the Western Ghats. In August 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), appointed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to assess the biodiversity and environmental issues of the Western Ghats, designated the entire region as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) and assigned three levels of Ecological Sensitivity to its different regions. Subsequent committees formed have recommended various suggestions to protect
5040-474: The health of the Bay, that they can work on together. With the support of the Bay Of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project (BOBLME), the eight countries are now (2012) developing responses to these issues and their causes, for future implementation as the Strategic Action Programme. Fisheries production in the Bay of Bengal is six million tonnes per year, more than seven percent of the world's catch. The major transboundary issues relating to shared fisheries are:
5124-485: The high seas. The Bay of Bengal's connection of South Asia to East Asia has aided in Bangladesh's efficiency of distributing natural gas to the Asia Pacific. Its outlying islands (the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and, most importantly, major ports such as Chittagong , Mongla , Payra , Paradip , Kolkata , Chennai , Visakhapatnam , and Tuticorin , along its coast with the Bay of Bengal added to its importance. China has recently made efforts to project influence into
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#17327728599925208-436: The highest peak. The average elevation is around 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The Western Ghats form one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial river systems that drain almost 40% of the land area of the country. Because of the higher elevation of the Deccan plateau on the west, most rivers flow from eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal , resulting in chiselled eastern slopes and steeper western slopes facing
5292-555: The indigenous species, 2,253 species are endemic to India and of them, 1,273 species are exclusively confined to the Western Ghats. 645 tree species were recorded with a high endemic ratio of 56%. There are 850 – 1000 species of bryophytes including 682 species of mosses (28% endemic) and 280 species of liverworts (43% endemic), 277 species of pteridophytes and 949 species of lichens (26.7% endemic). The Western Ghats are home to thousands of species of fauna, including at least 325 globally threatened species . As per
5376-399: The island of Sri Lanka and the Coromandel coast to the head of the bay, and thence southwards through a strip embracing the Andaman and Nicobar islands, is bounded by the 100 fathom line of sea bottom; some 50 m. beyond this lies the 500-fathom limit. Opposite the mouth of the Ganges, however, the intervals between these depths are very much extended by deltaic influence. Swatch of No Ground
5460-544: The majority of the rainfall to the plains up north. Climate in the mountains shows variations with altitude across the range. Due to its physical proximity to the equator and the Arabian Sea, the region experiences a warm and humid tropical climate throughout the year. Mean temperatures range from 20 °C (68 °F) in the south to 24 °C (75 °F) in the north. Subtropical or temperate climates, and occasional near-zero temperatures during winter are experienced in regions with higher elevations. The coldest period in
5544-467: The mountain range is Sahyadri , derived from Sanskrit , meaning benevolent or tolerant mountain. The Western Ghats are the mountainous faulted , and eroded edge of the Deccan Plateau . Geologic evidence indicates that they were formed during the break-up of the super-continent of Gondwana . After the break-up, the Deccan plateau was formed by basalt rocks, which caused the western side to rise at an elevation. Geophysical evidence indicates that
5628-438: The mountains came along the west coast of India somewhere in the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods when India separated from the African continent. Several faults triggered the formation of Western Ghats, then interspersed with valleys and river gorges. Because of the elevation of the Deccan plateau on the west, most rivers flow from west to east, resulting in chiselled eastern slopes and steeper western slopes facing
5712-444: The north-east, off the Burmese coast, are remarkable for a chain of mud volcanoes, which are occasionally active. Great Andaman is the main archipelago or island group of the Andaman Islands, whereas Ritchie's Archipelago consists of smaller islands. Only 37, or 6.5%, of the 572 islands and islets of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are inhabited. Many major rivers of India and Bangladesh flow west to east before draining into
5796-422: The northeastern part of the Indian Ocean . The world's largest bay , geographically it is positioned between the Indian subcontinent and the Indochinese peninsula , located below the Bengal region . Many South Asian and Southeast Asian countries are dependent on the Bay of Bengal . Geopolitically, the bay is bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and
5880-403: The northern part of Sunda Trench off Myanmar and the Andaman Islands , the accretionary wedge associated with subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Sunda Plate and continues along the west side of the Ninety East Ridge . The Nicobar Fan, another lobe of the fan, lies east of the Ninety East Ridge. The fan is now being explored as a possible source of fossil fuels for
5964-406: The pressure of the two plates on each other increase pressure and temperature resulting in the formation of volcanoes such as the volcanoes in Myanmar , and a volcanic arc called the Sunda Arc . The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and Asian tsunami was a result of the pressure at this zone causing a submarine earthquake which then resulted in a destructive tsunami. A zone 50 m wide extending from
6048-409: The region are the wettest monsoon period in the southern part of the mountain range. Annual rainfall in this region averages 100 cm (39 in) to 900 cm (350 in), with an average rainfall of 250 cm (98 in). The total amount of rain does not depend on the spread of the area; areas in northern Maharashtra receive heavy rainfall followed by long dry spells, while regions closer to
6132-428: The region since the last decade (e.g., Dario urops and S. sharavathiensis ). Seasonal rainfall patterns in the Western Ghats necessitate a period of dormancy for its land snails , resulting in their high abundance and diversity, including at least 258 species of gastropods from 57 genera and 24 families. A total of 77 species of freshwater molluscs (52 gastropods and 25 bivalves ) have been recorded from
6216-493: The region through tie-ups with Myanmar and Bangladesh. The United States has held major exercises with Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and recently India. The largest ever wargame in Bay of Bengal, known as Malabar 2007, was held in 2007 and naval warships from the United States, India, Singapore, Japan and Australia took part. Large deposits of natural gas in the areas within Bangladesh's sea zone incited
6300-416: The region. The Western Ghats play an important role in determining the climate and seasons in India. During the dry summer months of April – May, heat builds up on the land, which draws air from the sea. The air, which picks up moisture along the way and flows eastward from the Arabian Sea, is blocked by the Western Ghats. The rising air cools and brings about orographic precipitation along
6384-528: The region. In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site . In 2012, 39 sites divided into seven clusters across the Western Ghats, were declared as World Heritage Sites. [REDACTED] Media related to Western Ghats at Wikimedia Commons Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is
6468-680: The sea. The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range south of the Tapti River in the north and runs approximately 1,600 km (990 mi) to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, where it ends at the Marunthuvazh Malai at Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district . It covers an area of 160,000 km (62,000 sq mi), traversing across the Indian states of Gujarat , Maharashtra , Goa , Karnataka , Kerala , and Tamil Nadu . The Western Ghats form an almost continuous chain of mountains running parallel to
6552-570: The sediment from its rivers. Further southwest of Bengal , the Mahanadi , Godavari , Krishna and Kaveri Rivers also flow from west to east across Deccan Plateau in Peninsular India and drain into the Bay of Bengal forming deltas . Many small rivers also drain directly into the Bay of Bengal forming estuaries ; the shortest of them is the Cooum River at 64 km (40 mi). While Myanmar's Irrawaddy River flows into
6636-537: The surrounding developing nations . The fan was first identified by bathymetric survey in the sixties by Bruce C. Heezen and Marie Tharp which identified the abyssal cone and canyon structures. It was delineated and named by Joseph Curray and David Moore following a geological and geophysical survey in 1968. Coastal regions bordering the Bay of Bengal are rich in minerals. Sri Lanka, Serendib , or Ratna – Dweepa which means Gem Island. Amethyst , beryl , ruby , sapphire , topaz , and garnet are just some of
6720-461: The timeline of history. Coral reefs, tsunamis, cyclones, mangrove swamps, battles, and a criss-cross of sea routes in a high trading area combined with piracy have all contributed to shipwrecks in the Bay of Bengal. In chronological order: One of the first trading ventures along the Bay of Bengal was The Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies, more commonly referred to as
6804-399: The western coast of India along the Arabian Sea . The average elevation is around 1,200 m (3,900 ft). There are three gaps in the mountain range: the northernmost Goa Gap , formed 65–80 million years ago (Mya), the oldest and widest Palghat Gap , formed 500 Mya, and the southernmost, narrowest Shencottah Gap . The narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and
6888-514: The western coast. This signifies the onset of the monsoon season in June. By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, resulting in a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of the Deccan plateau. The monsoon winds rounding up the peninsula and moving from the east from the Bay of Bengal pass over the Eastern Ghats and bring
6972-567: Was a stronghold for Portuguese Pirates. In the 16th century, the Portuguese built trading posts in the north of the Bay of Bengal at Chittagong (Porto Grande) and Satgaon (Porto Pequeno). The earliest sign of Muslims in the region came from the textile trade routes where one targeted the east Arabian Sea influencing migration of Arabs and Persians and another to the west causing Buddhist Bengalis to culturally mix with Islam. In alphabetical order: Maritime archaeology or marine archaeology
7056-493: Was most commonly known as Kalinga Sagar ( Kalinga Sea). Another name commonly used mainly in Tamil was Vanga Kadal. Northern Circars occupied the western coast of the Bay of Bengal and is now considered to be India's Odisha and Andhra Pradesh state. Chola dynasty (9th century to 12th century) when ruled by Rajaraja Chola I and Rajendra Chola I occupied and controlled the Bay of Bengal with Chola Navy circa AD 1014 ,
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