Geographical features of Himachal Pradesh

Minerals in Himachal Pradesh

Important minerals of Himachal Pradesh are salt, gypsum, limestone, jbaryes, clays, mica, iron pirate and lead, but of these, salt and slate alone are of some significance, Rock salt deposits are located in Mandi district and gypsum in Sirmaur district. Vast deposits of slate are found in Mandi and chamba districts. Limestone is found in abundance in Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Mandi and Solan districts. Sirmaur and Bilaspur deposits of slate are of quickly suitable for cement industry. In a recent survey, uranium deposits have been reported to be found in Kullu valley and Hamirpur district. Traced of antimony, asbestos, bismuth, nickel, copper, glass-sand and china clay have also been found. At Jwalamukhi temples jets of combustible has have attracted people since long.

Famous valleys in Himachal Pradesh

Valley is the important feature of Himachal as Physiography they are the places where human civilization has flourished in this mountainous region. Some of the important valleysfound in Himachal Pradesh are given below

Satluj valley, Sangla valley, bhaga valley,Patton Valley, Malung Valley, Thrung Valley,Nishang Valley, Hangrangh or Leoparjial Valley, Swanb Valley, chauntra Valley, chuhar valley, Pangi Valley, Knihar Valley, Shami valley, sapron Valley, Lingti Valley, Dhami valley, Sapron Valley, Lingti Valley, Kiarda dun Valley, Kullu valley, Kangra Valley, Bara Banghal Valley, Balh Valley, Chamba valley Lahaul and spiti valley, Baspar Valley, Pabbar Valley etc.

Flora in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh has a diversified and rich flora because of the existence of a variety of climates and a wide range of altitudes. Here we come across every type of West Himalayan Flora from Himalayan meadows and high level fir and rhododendron down to tropical scrub and bamboo forests of the low foot hills, there are three climatic altitudinal zones of natural vegetation.

Vegetation Zone                                                          Altitude in mts

1.       Tropical and Sub tropical ---300-1525

2.       Temperate-----1525-3650

3.       Alpine------3650-4650     

               

Principle Plants

Alder (Kunch), Alpine Oak (Kharashu), Birch (Bhojpatra), Common ton(Tuna), Dog wood(Kaksh), Edilele pine(Neoza), Evergreen Oak(Bre), fir, Long leaved (Chil or Salla) Hazel (Shuroli), Himalayan Cedar (Deodar), Himalayan Horse chestnut(Kanor), Himalayan Poplar (Challan), Himalayan Spruce(Rai), Lofty Pine (Kail), Oak (Ban), Pencil Cedar(Lewar or Talu) Poplar(Pahari Pipal) Rhododendron (Bras) Silver fur (Pindro or tos) Walnut(Akhrot). Wild cherry (Jamun) wild mulberry (Kemu)

Climate Type in Himachal Pradesh

Climate Type in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous region with elevation ranging from 350 to 7000 meters. The climatic conditions here accordingly vary from the semitropical to semitropical. The climate of Kangra valley, Beas vallry, shiwalik areas and kiarda valley is severe in summer and winter is pleasant and bracing with only a moderate variation between the day and night temperature Snowfall is rare.

The climate in the mid or lesser Himalayan ranges of the Pradesh which convers one of Shimla ranges and the Ravi valley is pleasant in summer, very cold in winter and snowfall is heavy.

In the chandrabhaga and Kinnaur valleys the climate is temperate in summer and semi arctic in winter. Snowfall normally begins in October and after December the whole valley is under snow till March to April communication remain cut off the and the villages become almost isolated. In winter the inhabitants move to the lower hills.

Himachal Pradesh experience a wide variety of climatic conditions, ranging from areas, receiving very heavy rainfall to the cold, almost rainless deserts of Lahaul Spiti and Pooh. The areas like Dharamshala, Palampur, Mandi and Kullu receive good amount of rainfull during monsoon and winter seasons. The basic pattern of weather in Himachal Pradesh is governed by the following systems.

The south west monsoons which are gigantic land sea breezes that blow across the indian subcontinent once a year with clockwork regularity.

The winter monsoons system of the Asian continental mass

Himachal Pradesh experiences three well defined seasons viz. summer, monsoons and winter. Spring is the transition period between winter and summer and that between monsoon and winter is autumns.

Summer: Summer season begins in Himachal Pradesh from the middle of April and continues till the end of June. The Shivalik Hills, Beas Valley and Kiarda Valley is quite hot in summer with average temperature ranges from 28 degree Celsius to 32 degree Celsius  during  this season the snow on the higher peaks starts melting, which increases the level of water in the perennial rivers.

Monsoons: South-West monsoons remains active in the lower and mid hills from june to September. These rains are heavy on the south facing slopes of the hills. The average rainfall of Himachal Prasesh is 160 cms. The most wet part of the state is dharamshala which has record of having on average 340 cms. Rainfall in year, only second to cherapunji, which has heighest rainfall in india.The rain shadow areas of Himachal Pradesh are:

The Lahaul valley across the Pir Panjal upto Udaipur.

The tract along the Chenab river

The Spiti valley

The upper Satluj valley upstream at Wangtu.

Autumns: The weather cleats in Himachal Pradesh by the end of September and early October. This is the best season in Himachal Pradesh , lasting for two months October and November.

Winter:  The winter season follow autumn and continues form November end to March. During winter most parts of the state remain snow covered. The higher tracts of Lahual Spiti , Pangi valley, Shimla hills, chamba, Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges experience heaby snowfall . the areas above 2200 meters receive heavy to moderate snowfall. The remoter parts of the state remain cut off form test of the world during winter for weeks together and life becomes quite isolated there. Avalanches and snow stormes are common in tracrs lying above the snow line.

Spring: The spring season commences in the state from March and concludes by the end of April. In Spring and autumn maximum trade activities are performed by the people of the state.

The state can aptly be divided into four climatic regions on the basis of climatic conditions like temperature, precipitation. Latitude and altitude.

Arctic : over 4500 meters

Sub arctic:  3500-4500 meters

Temperate: 2000-3500 meters

Tropical: below 2000 meters