Western Ghats – Overview
The Western Ghats, known as the Sahyadri Hills, are known for their rich and unique flora and fauna. The range is called Sahyadri in northern Maharashtra and Sahya Parvatham in Kerala. The northern portion of the narrow coastal plain between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea is known as the Konkan Coast. The Central part is called Kanara and the southern portion is the Malabar region or coast. The foothill region east of the Ghats in Maharashtra is called Desh, while the eastern foothills of central Karnataka are known as Malanadu. The range is called Nilgiri Malai in Tamil Nadu.
The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north, go past Goa, through Karnataka, and into Kerala and Tamil Nadu end at Kanyakumari. These mountains cover an area of around 1,40,000 square kilometers in a 1,600-kilometer-long stretch. The Niligiri ranges southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, meet the Shevaroys and Tirumala range farther east, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats.
Area covered |
1,40,000 square kilometer |
---|---|
Length |
1,600 kilometer |
Also called |
Sahyadri hills |
Fauna |
Nilgiri marten, brown palm civet, leopard cat, torrent frogs, etc |
Flora |
Rosewood, Mahogany, Cedar, Teak, Sal, Shisham, etc |
Rivers |
Periyar, Bharatapuzha, Godavari, Krishna, etc |
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats are a continuous mountain range that is running parallel along India’s western coast. The mountain range started from Gujarat and ended in Tamil Nadu covering Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. The Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage site often called the Great Escarpment of India. They are one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity due to their high level of biodiversity.
Let us learn more about the Western Ghats in detail.
Table of Content
- Western Ghats – Overview
- Importance of the Western Ghats
- Flora and Fauna – Western Ghats
- Rivers – Western Ghats
- Passes – Western Ghats
- Threats – Western Ghats
- Conservation and Protection – Western Ghats
- UNESCO and Western Ghats
- Protected Areas – Western Ghats
- Medicinal Plants – Western Ghats
- Notable Places – Western Ghats