Physiography Of Pakistan

Physiography Of Pakistan: 

There are two main Physiographic provinces of Pakistan.

1.      The western thigh-Lands.

2.     The Indus Plaines

Western Highlands: 

It extends from the Makran coast in the south to the Pair Plateau m the north covering most of Baluchistan. NWFP, the Northern Area and Part of the Punjab. It can be divided into following physiographic divisions Mount.

Mountains North: 

It covers the northern part of Pakistan. It has the following important mountain ranges.

1.       The Himalayas.

2.       The Karakoram.

3.       The Hindu Kush

i.                     The Himalayas:

Alifye - Pakistan Study - Physiography Of Pakistan - Himalayas

The Himalayas can be divided as under.

a) The sub- Himalayas or the Siwaliks. It extends over southern part of Hazara and Murree and includes the Hills of Rawalpindi and Pabbi. Their everagte height is 600 to 1200 metres.

b) The Lesser — Himalayas: They are situated in north Hazara and Murree. They are represented by the Pir-Panjal in Jammu & Kashmir. They rise to 1800 to 4600 metres The Great Himalayas: They ac., iocated north of the Lesser Himalayas. Their bights are more than 4600 metres. • They dominate Kohistan District.

ii.             Karakoram: 

Alifye - Pakistan Study - Physiography Of Pakistan -Korakoram

The Karakoram range originate near the Pangong Lake and runs north of and parallel to the Himalayas. Their average height is 6100 metres. Dowdier Austin (K-2) the second highest Peak in the world (8610 metres) is located in the Karakoram.

iii.                  The Hindu Kush and OtherRanges: 

Alifye - Pakistan Study - Physiography Of Pakistan -Hindu Kush

Hindu Kush les in the north — east where the boarders of Pakistan, g stan, Russia and China meet. There it branches off from the Himalayas at the Pair.

These mountains take a southerly turn and guard the northern and northwestern boarders of Pakistan. They rise to snow heights and are coy erect Nvith a number of glaciers, Some of peaks rise to great heights like Noshaq (7. 369 metres/ 24. 376 feet) and Teich Mire (7, 690 metres / 25.230 feet).

The Hindu Kush mountains are crossed by a number of difficult passes. like Baraghil pass (3, 798 metres/ 12, 460 feet) in the north and Dorah. Shul. Shera. Slung and Shingara Passes in the west. All these passes connect Pakistan with Afghanistan. A number of ranges branch off south of the Hindu Kush and pass through Chitral_ Swat and Dir.

The safed Koh ranges have an east — west trend and rise to an average height of 36. 00 meters/ 12. 000 feet. They are commonly covered with snow.

Skeram, the highest peak rises to 4. 760 metres/ 15. 620 feet. The Safed Koh Ranges merge into the Kohat Hills .in the east. These hills are about 1.600 metres/ 5. 000 feet high. South of the .Safed Koh Ranges, are located the Waziristan Hills. These hills rise to 1.500 — 3.000 metres/ 5, 000 — 10. 000 feet.

The Sulaiman — Kirthar Mountains lie between Balochistan Plateau and the Indus Plains. These mountains belong to the Himalayan Oregon. The Sulaiman Mountain extends south from the Gomal River. On reaching the Marie — Bugti Hills, They turn northward and extend up to Quetta. Near Quetta they take a syntactical bend southward and merge into the Nagano Range. Further South they meet the Kirthar Mountains, which merge into Kohistan area of Sindh. The Kohistan area extends eastward up to the Indus River and southward up to the Arabian Sea. The Kirthar Mountains AE backed by the Central Brahui Range and the Pub Range. The Sulaiman Mountain rises to an average height of 600 meters! 2, 000 feet. Their height decreases southward.