Geography of Karnataka: Physical Setting, Climate, Soils, Agriculture, Industry, Population and Transport
Karnataka geography rewards precise local detail: latitude and longitude limits, the three natural divisions, which river carries which fall, which district grows which crop, and 2011 Census figures. Expect matching, map-based and data-interpretation questions.
Location and physiography
- Extent: 11°31′N to 18°45′N and 74°12′E to 78°40′E. Three divisions: Karavali (coastal strip with about 300 km of coastline), Malnad (Western Ghats) and Maidan, split into northern Maidan (black soil, jowar) and southern Maidan (red soil, ragi).
- Mullayanagiri (1,929 m, Chikkamagaluru district) is the highest peak.
Drainage and climate
- West-flowing: Sharavathi (carrying Jog Falls), Kali, Aghanashini, Netravati. East-flowing: Krishna with Bhima, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha; Cauvery with Hemavathi, Kabini and Shimsha; Tungabhadra.
- Southwest monsoon, June to September, gives very heavy rain to the coast and Malnad (Agumbe is the classic example); the retreating monsoon brings October–November rain to the Maidan.
Soils, crops and industry
- Red loam in the southern Maidan, black soil in the northern Maidan, laterite on the Ghats and coast, alluvium along river valleys.
- Crops: rice in the coast, Malnad and Shivamogga; ragi in Bengaluru, Tumakuru and Kolar; jowar in Kalaburagi and Vijayapura; sugarcane in Mandya and Belagavi; coffee in Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Hassan; arecanut in Shivamogga; sericulture around Ramanagara.
- Industry: Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Ltd, Bhadravati; JSW Steel, Toranagallu; HAL, BEML and BHEL in Bengaluru; Mangalore Refinery; cement in Kalaburagi district; sugar in Mandya and Belagavi.
Population and transport
- Census 2011: about 6.11 crore people, density 319 per km², literacy 75.36%, sex ratio 973, urban share 38.6%; Bengaluru is the most populous district and Kodagu the least.
- National highways, the Konkan Railway, New Mangalore Port and airports at Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hubballi and Belagavi anchor transport.
Worked example
Population rose from 52.85 million (2001) to 61.10 million (2011). Decadal growth = (61.10 − 52.85) ÷ 52.85 × 100 = 15.6%.
Traps that cost marks
- Placing Jog Falls on the Cauvery instead of the Sharavathi.
- Confusing Karavali with Malnad.
- Assigning ragi to north Karnataka, where jowar dominates.