Geography of Delhi
Delhi is a situated in the northern part of India. It is the
capital of the Union of India. Previously Delhi was a union
territory, but few years back it gained the status of a state. Every
alley and street of Delhi has a long history. Its establishment
dates back to Indraprasta, which was the renowned capital city of
the Pandav kings. Till today seven different cities of Delhi have
been discovered by the archeologists. In the year 736 C.E., the city
of Lal Kot, was set up at the location of the present Delhi. Delhi
had been the capital city of some of the greatest rulers of India,
such as the Pritviraj Chauhan, Delhi Sultanates, the Mughals, and
the British Raj.
The location of Delhi is exactly on the intersection of 77.12° E
longitude and 28.38° N latitude (Interactive
map of Delhi). It is one of the most important places in India.
It is the present seat of power for the government.
The territory of Delhi is stretched over an area of 1483 square
kilometers. It is located between the mountain ranges of the Great
Himalayas and Aravallis. The area of Delhi is surrounded on three
sides by the state of Haryana, with the state of Uttar Pradesh on
remaining side. The river Yamuna, run by the eastern part of the
Delhi. Its length is about 33 miles, while the breadth is 30 miles,
making it the second largest metropolis of the Union of India. It
lies around 200 to 300 meters above the sea level.
The topography of Delhi can be divided into three different parts,
the plains, the Yamuna flood plain, and the ridge. As per the
topography, Delhi is located on the western fringes of the Gangetic
Plains. The low altitude Yamuna flood plains provides an excellent
scope of agriculture, as it is covered with the fertile alluvium
brought by the river Yamuna and deposited here during the frequent
floods. The other topographical feature is the Ridge, which reaches
the height of 1043 ft above sea level, and is the highest point in
Delhi. The ridge originates in the south and surrounds its western,
the northwestern and northeastern part. It is a part of the Aravalli
Hills. There are three canals crossing it, namely the Yamuna Canal,
the Agra Canal, and the Hindou Canal.
The climate of Delhi is one of the most varied. Delhi experiences
the extremes of weather. This is because of the geological location
of Delhi. The climatic conditions of Delhi are similar to that of
the temperate grasslands with hot, dry summers, and cold winters.
The summers in Delhi start from the month of April and continue till
the month of July. It is very hot and dry in the summer months, with
temperature soaring up to 45o C. The rainy season provides relief
from searing heat, which is frequented by Norwesters. It continues
till the month of October. The humidity levels very high in Delhi at
this time of the year. The winter months are characterized by dip in
the temperature levels often reaching 5o C to 0o C. The months of
October, November, February and March have pleasant weather and
ideal for tourism.