Tourism Chapter 12 – Natural Tourist Attractions in India

NIOS Class 12 Tourism Chapter 12 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.1

1. Write any three characteristics of the Deccan Plateau.

Ans: The Deccan Plateau is divided into three parts, the Deccan Trap, the Western Ghats, and the Eastern Ghats. It covers an area of 7 lakhs 59 km. Its average height ranges from 500 meters to 1000 meters.

2. Which of the Ghats is the Biodiversity Hotspot in India?

Ans: The Western Ghats

3. Differentiate the Andaman Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands.

Ans: Andaman Nicobar is rocky, whereas Lakshadweep is made up of coral. 

The Andaman has large islands with large numbers, whereas the Lakshadweep islands are smaller in size and have fewer numbers.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.2

1. Describe the major tourist circuits of India.

Ans: There are many tourist circuits in India. Tourists used to visit the places on the routes. Those places are very important in terms of tourism. They are made/organised by tour operators. Because of their greater demand?

2. Name the major hill stations in northern India.

Ans: There are many hill stations in North India. Important among them are: – Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Mussoorie, Nainital, Darjeeling, Mt. Abu, and Dharamshala.

3. Explain three types of adventure tourism.

Ans: Three types – Aerial, Water, and Land

• (a) Arial Adventure tourism – Parachuting and Paragliding
• (b) Water Adventure tourism – Rafting and water skiing
• (c) Land Adventure tourism – Rock climbing and angling

INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.3

1. Define Wildlife Sanctuary and Bird Sanctuary.

Ans: A Wildlife Sanctuary is a planned area for the preservation of wildlife from human interference. A Bird Sanctuary is a special type of wildlife sanctuary for the conservation of a variety of bird species in their natural habitat.

2. Why do tourists visit Wildlife and Bird Sanctuaries?

Ans: Tourists are keen to visit the natural habitat of the animals and birds.

3. Why is Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary famous?

Ans: Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is famous because it is the largest wetland bird sanctuary and the busiest tourist spot in India.

Terminal Exercises

1. Describe the different geographic regions of India.

Ans: India can be divided into four major regions

• 1. The Northern Mountains Regions: The Northern boundary of the country is formed by the mountain system of the Himalayas. It stretches from Jammu and Kashmir in the Northwest to the hill ranges of Purvanchal in the East. It is one of the youngest fold mountains of the world, rising to over 8000 meters above mean sea level. Being the highest mountain system in the world, it also has the highest peak in the world.
• 2. The Great Northern Plains: The Great Northern Plains are placed between the Himalayas in the north and the Peninsular Plateau in the south. It extends from the western boundary of the country from Punjab and Rajasthan to the Ganges delta and the Brahmaputra plain in the East. There are many cultural and religious centres in the plains, which have emerged as the centres of tourism for foreign as well as domestic tourists. Almost the entire region is famous for various kinds of attractions for tourists.
• 3. The Peninsular Plateau: The Peninsula Plateau is located to the south of the Great Northern Plains. It is surrounded by seas on three sides. It is one of the oldest land features of world. The Narmada River divides this peninsula into two parts. The Central Highland is north of the Narmada River, and the Deccan Plateau lies to the South of this river.
• 4. The Coastal Plains and Islands: The Coastal Plains of India are found on both coasts – eastern and western. The Western Coastal Plain is confined between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. It starts from the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat in the North to Kanyakumari in the South. Several cascading waterfalls may be observed, which attract tourists from various regions.

2. How physiography of India promote tourism activities?

Ans: India is a vast country with immense geographical and cultural diversity. The diversity varies from the Himalayan Mountains in the north to the coasts in the south and from the Thar Desert of Rajasthan in the west to the humid forests of the North-East. With different climatic conditions from the equatorial in the south to the polar region in the higher slope ofthe northern mountain, there are several natural attractions for tourists to visit. People from these regions would like to visit the other areas in search of a different climate. This provides opportunities for the development of tourism in the country. Each geographical region has its own beauty, and people prefer nature to refresh themselves. Both domestic and international tourists prefer such beauty and help increase tourism. 

3. Write an account of tourist centres in India.

Ans: The presence of both natural and cultural tourist attractions in India distributes the tourist centres throughout the country. They are closely associated with certain types of physiographic regions of the country. 

• Hill stations are on the hills and mountains, which offer cool climatic conditions.
• The mountainous region offers adventure tourism such as rock climbing, trekking, angling, parachuting, rafting, etc.
• Himalayan rivers provide the base for white water rafting in the Ganga, the Alaknanda, the Chenab, the Beas, etc.
• The combination of sea, sand and sun is very attractive for tourists,s such as Kovalam, the world-famous beach in Kerala.
• Many areas are full of forests. They have several National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and protected forests, which are charming for some tourists.
• The religious faith of the people is a great attraction for many of the tourists. Hence, those places are also much sought after by the people.

Additional Study Materials

• NIOS Class 12 Tourism Syllabus Bifurcation
• NIOS Class 12 Tourism Sample Question Paper
• Chapter 9. Culture and Heritages in India–I: Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism
• Chapter 10. Culture and Heritages in India–II: Sikhism, Islam, and Christianity
• Chapter 11. Cultural Attractions of India