School Social Studies Gap Book (Classes VI-X themes) · Chapter 2

Landforms and Resources of Andhra Pradesh

What to remember

Andhra Pradesh has three broad landform regions: the Eastern Ghats and hill tracts, the eastern coastal plains with river deltas, and the dry Rayalaseema plateau. The Godavari, Krishna and Pennar are the main river systems.
Podu is the local name for shifting (slash-and-burn) cultivation practised by hill tribes; it clears forest, grows crops for a few years, and then moves on. It becomes harmful when the fallow period shrinks.
Soil, water and forest are renewable resources that can be lost by misuse; they must be conserved by terracing, tanks, watershed work, afforestation and wise use.

1. Landforms of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh lies on the east coast of India, facing the Bay of Bengal. It has one of the longest coastlines among Indian states (about 1,053 km; third after Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in the 2024-25 remeasurement, earlier counted second). Its land can be divided into three regions.

Region	Main features	Typical examples
Eastern Ghats and hill tracts	Broken, discontinuous hill ranges; forests; tribal areas	Northern hills with Arma Konda (the highest peak in the state), Nallamala, Seshachalam, Velikonda, Palkonda
Coastal plains	Flat, fertile land formed by river deposits; deltas; lagoons; sandy beaches	Godavari delta, Krishna delta, coast near Visakhapatnam and Nellore
Rayalaseema plateau	Part of the Deccan plateau; rocky, undulating; low rainfall	Interior south-west of the state

Eastern Ghats: unlike the Western Ghats, they are broken into separate ranges by river valleys. In Andhra Pradesh the Nallamala hills lie between the Krishna and Pennar; the Seshachalam hills (with Tirumala) lie further south. Araku Valley and Paderu are well-known hill regions in the north.
Deltas: the Godavari and Krishna deposit silt as they reach the sea, building deltas. Delta soils are very fertile and have dense canal networks; the region is called the rice bowl of the state.
Lakes and lagoons: Kolleru is a large freshwater lake between the Godavari and Krishna deltas, an important bird habitat. Pulicat is a brackish-water lagoon on the southern coast, shared with Tamil Nadu, separated from the sea by the barrier island of Sriharikota.
Mangroves: the Godavari delta has the Coringa mangrove forest and wildlife sanctuary; mangroves protect the coast from storms and cyclones.

2. Rivers and rainfall

Godavari: rises near Trimbak in Maharashtra; the longest river of peninsular India, called "Dakshin Ganga". It enters Andhra Pradesh in the east and divides into branches near Rajamahendravaram before falling into the Bay of Bengal. Sir Arthur Cotton built the barrage at Dowleswaram.
Krishna: rises in the Western Ghats near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. The Tungabhadra, formed by the Tunga and the Bhadra, is its important tributary. The Prakasam Barrage lies at Vijayawada; Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar are big dams on the river.
Pennar (Penna): rises in Karnataka and flows through Rayalaseema to the sea near Nellore. It is seasonal. Gandikota gorge lies on this river.
Other east-flowing rivers: Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Swarnamukhi. All the main rivers of the state flow east and drain into the Bay of Bengal.
Polavaram is a national multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari.
Rainfall: the state receives rain from both the south-west monsoon (June to September) and the north-east (retreating) monsoon (October to December). The south coast (Nellore, Prakasam) gets a major share from the north-east monsoon, and the whole coast is affected by cyclones. Rayalaseema lies in a rain-shadow region and is dry and drought-prone.

3. Land resources and land use

Land is used for farming, forests, grazing, houses, industry and roads. The standard land use categories are:

forest area
land put to non-agricultural use (buildings, roads)
barren and uncultivable land
permanent pastures and grazing land
fallow land (left unsown for a time)
net sown area (the area on which crops are actually grown)

Gross cropped area counts an area twice if two crops are taken in one year. Cropping intensity is the ratio of gross cropped area to net sown area.

Land is degraded by soil erosion, over-grazing, deforestation, waterlogging, salt build-up and mining. Remedies: crop rotation, contour ploughing, terrace farming, afforestation, planting shelter belts and proper drainage.

4. Soils of Andhra Pradesh

Soil	Where	Features	Crops
Red soil	Widespread, especially in Rayalaseema and the north-east	Red colour from iron oxide; light, porous; poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and lime	Groundnut, millets, pulses, tobacco, fruit crops
Black (regur) soil	Parts of Rayalaseema and the Krishna-Guntur plains	Clayey, holds moisture, swells when wet and cracks when dry	Cotton, chillies, pulses, sunflower
Alluvial soil	Deltas and river plains	Deep, fertile, rich in potash	Paddy, sugarcane, banana, coconut
Laterite soil	Eastern Ghats and high-rainfall hills	Formed by heavy rain washing out nutrients (leaching); acidic	Cashew, tea, coffee, rubber, tapioca
Coastal sandy soil	Along the coast	Sandy, low in nutrients	Casuarina, coconut, cashew

Soil conservation methods: contour ploughing (ploughing across the slope), terracing on hill slopes, check dams in gullies, mulching (covering the soil), shelter belts of trees, strip cropping, planting grass, and not leaving slopes bare.

5. Forest resources

Forests cover the Eastern Ghats and hill tracts. Main types: tropical dry deciduous forests (most common), moist deciduous forests in the wetter north-east, scrub and thorny forest in dry regions, and mangroves on the delta coast.

Products: timber (teak, rosewood, bamboo), fuel wood, honey, gum, tamarind, soapnut, tendu leaves, medicinal plants and lac. Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a valuable tree that grows naturally in the Seshachalam and Nallamala hills of the state and is protected against felling.
Uses: hold the soil, bring rain, absorb carbon dioxide and give oxygen, provide a home for wildlife, and give a livelihood to tribal people.
Protected areas: Papikonda National Park, Sri Venkateswara National Park, Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve.
Threats: felling, forest fires, encroachment, shifting cultivation and illegal smuggling of red sanders.
Conservation: Van Mahotsav (tree planting week in July, started by K. M. Munshi), social forestry, joint forest management with villagers, and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which recognises the rights of forest dwellers.

6. Podu cultivation (shifting cultivation)

Podu is the Telugu name for the slash-and-burn method practised by tribal communities on hill slopes of the Eastern Ghats (for example Kondh, Savara, Jatapu, Konda Reddi and Valmiki groups). The same practice is called jhum in the north-east of India.

Steps in podu:

1. Choose a patch of forest on a slope and cut the small trees and bushes (slash).
2. Let the cut plants dry and set them on fire (burn). The ash adds nutrients.
3. Sow seeds (millets, pulses, hill paddy, vegetables) on the ash-covered land, using simple tools and rainwater.
4. Harvest for two or three years, until fertility falls.
5. Leave the patch and move to a new one. The old patch regrows forest over many years (the fallow cycle).

Point	When fallow is long	When fallow is short
Forest regrowth	Full recovery	Poor recovery
Soil	Fertility restored	Erosion and low yield
Effect	Balanced with nature	Deforestation and hardship

Podu was sustainable when population was small. With more people, patches are used again too soon, forest is lost and soil washes away. Government efforts include development agencies for tribal areas (the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, ITDA), the Girijan Cooperative Corporation for forest produce, settled farming and horticulture, and plantation crops such as coffee in the Araku region. Tribal communities see podu as part of their culture and food security, so any change must involve them and respect their rights.

7. Water resources

Sources: rain, rivers, tanks (cheruvulu), wells, tube wells, canals and ponds.

Canal irrigation is strong in the Godavari and Krishna deltas.
Tank irrigation is an old and important system, especially in Rayalaseema and the southern districts, where rivers are seasonal. Tanks collect rainwater and recharge groundwater.
Wells and tube wells use groundwater; heavy pumping lowers the water table.
Conservation: rainwater harvesting, desilting of tanks, farm ponds, check dams, watershed management, drip and sprinkler irrigation, and not growing water-hungry crops in dry areas. The state water-conservation drive Neeru-Chettu and the national Jal Shakti Abhiyan promote these ideas.
Multi-purpose projects give irrigation, power, flood control and drinking water. Examples: Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Tungabhadra, Somasila and Polavaram.

Classroom angle: Take children on a walk to the village tank or fields and let them record soil colour and texture, trees, and water sources. Use a model of a slope to show terracing, and ask them to list ways their family saves water. Role-play a village meeting on podu to build empathy.

Exam traps

1. Podu is shifting cultivation; it is not terrace farming or plantation farming.
2. The Eastern Ghats are broken ranges; the Western Ghats are continuous.
3. Black soil is the cotton soil; alluvial soil is the paddy soil of deltas.
4. Laterite soil forms by leaching in heavy rain; it is not the same as red soil.
5. The Godavari is the longest river of peninsular India; the Krishna and Pennar are not.
6. Kolleru is a freshwater lake; Pulicat is a brackish lagoon.
7. Net sown area is the land actually cropped; gross cropped area counts repeated cropping.
8. Rayalaseema is a rain-shadow area; the south coast gets much of its rain from the north-east monsoon.

One-liners

1. Andhra Pradesh has the third longest coastline in India after the 2024-25 remeasurement (older books say second).
2. Arma Konda is the highest peak of the state.
3. The Godavari is called the Dakshin Ganga.
4. Kolleru lies between the Godavari and Krishna deltas.
5. Pulicat is a lagoon shared with Tamil Nadu.
6. Red sanders grow naturally in the Seshachalam hills.
7. Podu means slash-and-burn farming.
8. Black soil is best for cotton.
9. Terracing and contour ploughing prevent soil erosion.
10. The Prakasam Barrage is at Vijayawada on the Krishna.
11. Van Mahotsav is celebrated in July.
12. Neeru-Chettu is a state water and tree conservation mission.

Practice questions

Podu cultivation is another name for
1. dry farming with irrigation
2. plantation farming
3. terrace farming
4. shifting (slash-and-burn) cultivation
Answer
D. shifting (slash-and-burn) cultivation
Podu means cutting and burning forest patches and moving on.
Which is the highest peak of Andhra Pradesh?
1. Mahendragiri
2. Doddabetta
3. Anamudi
4. Arma Konda
Answer
D. Arma Konda
Arma Konda in the northern Eastern Ghats is the highest peak of the state.
The Godavari is known as the
1. Vridha Ganga
2. Telugu Ganga only
3. Sone of the south
4. Dakshin Ganga
Answer
D. Dakshin Ganga
Because of its length and sacredness it is called Dakshin Ganga.
Kolleru is a
1. mangrove forest
2. glacial lake
3. freshwater lake
4. brackish lagoon
Answer
C. freshwater lake
Kolleru lies between the Godavari and Krishna deltas and is a freshwater lake.
Pulicat is a
1. reservoir behind a dam
2. freshwater lake
3. brackish-water lagoon
4. salt desert
Answer
C. brackish-water lagoon
Pulicat is a lagoon on the coast shared with Tamil Nadu.
Which soil is called regur and suits cotton?
1. Alluvial soil
2. Red soil
3. Laterite soil
4. Black soil
Answer
D. Black soil
Black soil holds moisture and is the cotton soil.
Red soil gets its colour from
1. iron oxide
2. humus
3. salt
4. lime
Answer
A. iron oxide
Iron compounds give the red colour.
Which soil forms by heavy rain washing out nutrients (leaching)?
1. Black
2. Alluvial
3. Coastal sand
4. Laterite
Answer
D. Laterite
Leaching in heavy rainfall produces laterite soil.
The Prakasam Barrage is built on the river
1. Godavari
2. Pennar
3. Krishna
4. Tungabhadra
Answer
C. Krishna
It lies at Vijayawada on the Krishna.
The Dowleswaram barrage, associated with Sir Arthur Cotton, is on the
1. Vamsadhara
2. Krishna
3. Nagavali
4. Godavari
Answer
D. Godavari
Cotton's barrage is across the Godavari.
Which river rises in Karnataka and flows through Rayalaseema?
1. Nagavali
2. Vamsadhara
3. Pennar
4. Godavari
Answer
C. Pennar
The Pennar is a seasonal river of Rayalaseema.
The Tungabhadra is an important tributary of the
1. Krishna
2. Pennar
3. Cauvery
4. Godavari
Answer
A. Krishna
It joins the Krishna.
Rayalaseema is dry mainly because it lies in the
1. Himalayan foothills
2. delta region
3. rain-shadow region
4. coastal plain
Answer
C. rain-shadow region
Moisture-bearing winds give little rain there.
Which monsoon gives a major share of rain to coastal Andhra Pradesh?
1. North-east (retreating) monsoon
2. Western disturbance
3. Pre-monsoon showers only
4. Winter westerlies
Answer
A. North-east (retreating) monsoon
October to December rains come from the north-east monsoon.
The Eastern Ghats differ from the Western Ghats in being
1. much higher
2. made of young fold mountains
3. continuous and unbroken
4. broken into separate ranges
Answer
D. broken into separate ranges
River valleys cut the Eastern Ghats into discontinuous hills.
Which forest in the Godavari delta is famous for mangroves?
1. Nallamala
2. Seshachalam
3. Papikonda
4. Coringa
Answer
D. Coringa
Coringa has mangrove forest and a wildlife sanctuary.
Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) grow naturally in the
1. Seshachalam hills
2. Thar region
3. Western Ghats
4. Himalayan foothills
Answer
A. Seshachalam hills
The tree is native to parts of the southern Eastern Ghats.
Van Mahotsav is observed in the month of
1. January
2. July
3. November
4. March
Answer
B. July
The tree plantation week is held in the first week of July.
The tribal development agency in tribal areas of the state is called
1. NABARD
2. DRDA
3. ITDA
4. APIIC
Answer
C. ITDA
The Integrated Tribal Development Agency works in tribal regions.
Which crop is popularly grown on the hills of the Araku region?
1. Jute
2. Wheat
3. Coffee
4. Tea only
Answer
C. Coffee
Araku is known for tribal-grown coffee plantations.
In podu cultivation, the ash left after burning acts as
1. a pesticide
2. a source of nutrients
3. a weed
4. a mulch for water
Answer
B. a source of nutrients
Ash adds minerals to the soil for a few seasons.
Podu becomes harmful when
1. the fallow period becomes very short
2. the fallow period is very long
3. only millets are grown
4. the land is irrigated
Answer
A. the fallow period becomes very short
Shorter fallow gives the forest no time to regrow.
Net sown area means the
1. area under forest
2. area sown more than once counted twice
3. fallow area only
4. area on which crops are actually sown
Answer
D. area on which crops are actually sown
Net sown area counts each field once.
If a farmer takes two crops a year from the same one hectare, gross cropped area is
1. 1 hectare
2. 0.5 hectare
3. 3 hectares
4. 2 hectares
Answer
D. 2 hectares
Gross cropped area counts the area once for each crop.
Ploughing across the slope to reduce soil erosion is called
1. shifting cultivation
2. strip mining
3. contour ploughing
4. fallowing
Answer
C. contour ploughing
Furrows across the slope slow the flow of water.
Which of these is a multi-purpose project on the Godavari?
1. Somasila
2. Polavaram
3. Srisailam
4. Tungabhadra Dam
Answer
B. Polavaram
Polavaram is a national irrigation project on the Godavari.
Which soil is rich in potash and best for paddy in the deltas?
1. Alluvial soil
2. Laterite soil
3. Red soil
4. Black soil
Answer
A. Alluvial soil
Delta alluvium is deep and fertile.
Tank irrigation is very important in Rayalaseema because
1. it has large deltas
2. there are no wells
3. rivers there carry water throughout the year
4. rivers there are seasonal and rain is low
Answer
D. rivers there are seasonal and rain is low
Tanks store scarce rain for farming.
Match the pair correctly: soil and its main crop. Which pair is correct?
1. Red soil - jute
2. Black soil - cotton
3. Alluvial soil - tea only
4. Laterite soil - wheat only
Answer
B. Black soil - cotton
Black soil is cotton soil.
Match the pair correctly: feature and its place. Which pair is correct?
1. Pulicat - lagoon on the southern coast
2. Coringa - freshwater river
3. Arma Konda - delta
4. Kolleru - lagoon on the southern coast
Answer
A. Pulicat - lagoon on the southern coast
Pulicat is a lagoon on the south coast.
A teacher wants children to learn about water conservation in their village. The best first step is to
1. ask them to copy a table of dams
2. give a speech on rainfall
3. show only a map of India
4. take them to see the village tank and wells
Answer
D. take them to see the village tank and wells
Learning from the local environment makes ideas concrete.
Which law recognises the rights of forest dwellers in India?
1. Wildlife Act, 1872
2. Indian Forest Act, 1865 only
3. Forest Rights Act, 2006
4. Water Act, 1974
Answer
C. Forest Rights Act, 2006
The 2006 Act recognises the rights of traditional forest dwellers.
Mulching helps in soil conservation by
1. removing top soil
2. covering the soil to reduce water loss and erosion
3. burning crop residue
4. increasing the slope
Answer
B. covering the soil to reduce water loss and erosion
A cover protects against raindrops and wind.
Consider the statements on podu cultivation. 1. After two or three years the farmer returns to the same patch without a fallow period. 2. Podu is practised mainly on hill slopes by tribal communities.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
The patch is left fallow so the forest can regrow.
Consider the statements on the rivers of Andhra Pradesh. 1. The Godavari rises in Maharashtra. 2. The main rivers of the state flow west into the Arabian Sea.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
They flow east into the Bay of Bengal.
Consider the statements on soils. 1. Red soil is rich in nitrogen and lime. 2. Black soil swells when wet and cracks when dry.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Red soil is poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and lime.
Consider the statements on forests. 1. Mangroves help to protect the coast from storms. 2. Red sanders can be felled freely.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Red sanders are a protected valuable species.
Consider the statements on land use. 1. Net sown area includes forest land. 2. Gross cropped area can be larger than net sown area.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Net sown area is only the cropped land.
Consider the statements on Pulicat and Kolleru. 1. Kolleru is a freshwater lake. 2. Pulicat is shared between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are correct.
Consider the statements on the monsoon. 1. Coastal Andhra Pradesh gets considerable rain in October to December. 2. Rayalaseema is a high-rainfall region.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Rayalaseema is a rain-shadow region and dry.
Consider the statements on soil conservation. 1. Overgrazing improves the soil. 2. Terracing helps to check soil erosion on slopes.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Overgrazing removes grass and leads to erosion.
Consider the statements on the Eastern Ghats. 1. They are a continuous range without breaks. 2. Several rivers cut through them.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
The Eastern Ghats are discontinuous because rivers cut them.
Consider the statements on water resources. 1. Tanks are useless for recharging groundwater. 2. Heavy pumping of tube wells can lower the water table.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Tanks help to recharge groundwater.
Consider the statements on protected areas. 1. Coringa has mangroves in the Godavari delta. 2. Papikonda National Park lies in the Eastern Ghats region of the state.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are correct.
Consider the statements on the delta region. 1. Delta soils are formed by river deposits. 2. The Godavari and Krishna deltas are poor in irrigation.
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
They have dense canal networks.

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