Meghalaya Geography for UPSC: Interactive Map, Rivers and Protected Areas
a state of the Khasi, Garo and Jaintia hills, among the wettest places on Earth
4
Protected areas mapped
2
Rivers mapped
At a glance
Capital
Shillong
Language
Khasi, English
Dance
Nongkrem
Area
22,429 km²
Coastline
Landlocked
Highest peak
Shillong Peak · 1,961 m
Borders
Assam, Bangladesh (international)
Why UPSC asks about Meghalaya
Meghalaya is the Shillong plateau: Mawsynram and Cherrapunji (the wettest places on Earth), the Khasi-Garo-Jaintia hills, and the living root bridges. UPSC tests the orographic monsoon rainfall mechanism, the plateau's rain-shadow (Umiam), and coal-mining river pollution.
Umngot
Rises East Khasi Hills; flows to Flows into Bangladesh near Dawki
Known for exceptionally clear water at Dawki, where boats appear to float in mid-air.
Simsang
Rises East Garo hills; flows to joins the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) in Bangladesh
The Simsang (Someshwari) is the longest river of the Garo hills.
Nokrek Biosphere
A biosphere reserve in the Garo Hills around Nokrek NP, protecting the wild citrus gene pool, including citrus indica, a wild ancestor of cultivated citrus, and the red panda.
Garo Hills; wild citrus indica gene pool.
Balpakram NP
A park in South Garo Hills, known as the 'land of the perpetual winds', with deep gorges, grasslands and the red panda, wild buffalo and marbled cat.
'Land of the perpetual winds' in the Garo Hills.
Nokrek NP
A park in the Garo Hills, core of the Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, home to the rare citrus indica, a wild ancestor of cultivated citrus fruits.
Nokrek Biosphere core; wild citrus indica habitat.
Nongkhyllem WLS
A sanctuary in Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya's largest, protecting subtropical forests with elephants, leopards and rich birdlife.
Meghalaya's largest sanctuary in Ri-Bhoi.
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