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Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: November 14th, 2023

The difference between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains can be understood based on different factors such as agriculture, division of coast, land fertility, rivers, lakes, etc. The eastern coastal plain lies between the Eastern Ghats to its West and the Bay of Bengal in the east, while the western coastal plains are between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. It is very important for all UPSC aspirants to understand the difference between eastern and western coastal plains, as this topic is a crucial part of the Geography syllabus.

Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains PDF

Coastal plains are areas in India situated on the coastal borders of the subcontinent. The coastal plains in India are divided into two zones, western coastal plains and eastern coastal plains. Read this article to learn the major differences between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains.

Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

The major difference between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains is that the western plains are divided into three parts named Malabar Coast, Karavali, and Konkan, while the eastern plains are divided into 2 stretches known as Coromandel Coast and Northern Circar.

Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

Basis

Eastern Coastal Plains

Western Coastal Plains

Divided

The Eastern Coastal Plains are divided into two sections – Coromandel Coast and Northern Circar.

The Western Coastal Plains are divided into three parts – Malabar Coast, Karavali, and Konkan.

Rivers

Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri.

Incidentally broken by certain hill terrains, this area does not contain any rivers of prominence.

Lakes

Chilka Lake in Orissa, Pulicat in Andhra Pradesh, and Kolleru.

The Western Coastal Plains are not bejeweled by prominent lakes like the Eastern Coastal Plains.

Land Fertility

Rivers such as Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri, have built deltas along the eastern coast, giving rise to fertile alluvial soil, one of the Types of Soil in India.

These plains lack prominent rivers flowing through the areas. The water bodies here are fast-flowing and short, resulting in the deposition of less alluvial soil in the region.

Agriculture

Due to the deposition of rich alluvial soil along the eastern coast, these plains are suitable for growing important crops such as rice, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, wheat, gram, and oilseeds (groundnut). Plantations of Coconut and Banana are widely found.

Although not particularly fertile, this region is home to Major crops of India such as Great, Bajra, Jowar, Cotton, Millets, and Pulses.

Land Stretch

Stretches from the Mahanadi in the State of Orissa to the Kaveri in Tamil Nadu.

Stretches from the Rann of Kutch at the tip of Rajasthan to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

Surface Area

Very wide and have a huge surface area of 41,400 square km.

Narrowers have a surface area of 6,150 km, much less than the Eastern Coastal Plains.

Surface Type

Very smooth because of the rich alluvial soft soils that the rivers in the region build up throughout the year.

Covered in ridges and curves because of the presence of several rocky hills.

Lies Between

Lie between the mighty Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.

Lie between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea.

Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

After learning the difference between eastern and western coastal plains, it is also important to thoroughly know about each of them. Read the following points carefully to know more about the western and eastern coastal plains.

What are Western Coastal Plains?

The Western Coastal plains rest between the Eastern Ghats and the Arabian Sea. It is further divided into three zones:

  1. Konkan Coast – Covers areas from the Daman Ganga River in North Mumbai, through the river between Maharashtra and Goa called Terekhol river, and to the Union Territory of Daman in the South.
  2. Kanara Coast – Southern part of the Konkan coast; consists of three coastal districts of Karnataka, namely Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada, and Kasaragod Taluk of Kerala in southwestern India.
  3. Malabar Coast – Southern part of the Western Coastal plains stretches from Goa to Kanyakumari.

What are Eastern Coastal Plains?

Lying between the mighty Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, the Eastern Coastal Plains of India are further divided into three areas:

  1. Utkal Coast – Situated in Odisha, the deltas of Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani rivers, and the Chilka Lake are included.
  2. Circar Coast – Northern part of the plains; consists of the deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, and Krishna.
  3. Coromandel Coast – Southern part of the plains; consists of the delta of river Krishna to Kanyakumari.

Similarities between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

Along with the difference between western coastal plains and eastern coastal plains, there are many similarities between the two as well.

  • Water bodies surround both plains.
  • Both have the same climatic zone.
  • Both eastern and western coastal plains are part of the peninsular block.
  • Both lie between the water bodies and the Deccan plateau.

Conclusion:

Key Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains

The key Difference Between Western Coastal Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains is that western coastal plains lie between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, while Eastern coastal plains lie between the mighty Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.

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