India is set apart from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas, both the highest and youngest major mountain chain on the planet. The subcontinent touches three large bodies of water and is immediately recognizable on any world map. This thick, roughly triangular country is defined by the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian Sea to the west and the India Ocean to the south.
India boasts virtually every type of landscape imaginable. An abundance of mountain ranges and national parks provide ample opportunity for ecotourism and trekking, and its sheer size promises something for everyone. From north to south, India extends more than 2,000 miles.
The Himalayas dominate India's northern border. North India is the country's largest region, and begins with Jammu and Kashmir, with terrain varying from arid mountains in the far north to the lake country and forests near Srinagar and Jammu.
Moving south along the Indus River, the North becomes flatter and more hospitable, widening into the fertile plains of Punjab to the west and the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh and the Ganges River valley to the east. Cramped between these two states is the capital city, Delhi.
The states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and part of the massive, central state of Madhya Pradesh constitute West India. Extending from the Gujarat peninsula down to Goa, the west coast is lined with some of India's best beaches. The land along the coast is typically lush with rainforests. The Western Ghats separate the verdant coast from the Vindya Mountains and the dry Deccan plateau further inland.
East India begins with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa, which comprise the westernmost part of the region. East India also contains an area known as the Eastern Triangle, which is entirely distinct. This is the last gulp of land that extends beyond Bangladesh, culminating in the Naga Hills along the Burmese border.
India reaches its peninsular tip in South India, which begins with the Deccan in the north and ends with Cape Comorin. The states in South India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, a favorite leisure destination. The southeast coast, mirroring the west, also rests snugly beneath a mountain range, in this case the Eastern Ghats.
