What are the Climatic Zones?

The geographical area of India has been divided into 15 agro climatic regions and these have been further divided into 72 sub-zones. The 15 agro-climatic zones are as follows:

1. Western Himalayan Region: Covers the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Known for temperate climate and cultivation of fruits like apples and cherries.
2. Eastern Himalayan Region: Includes the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. Known for tea cultivation, horticulture, and rice farming.
3. Lower Gangetic Plain Region: Encompasses parts of Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. Suitable for rice, wheat, sugarcane, and jute cultivation.
4. Middle Gangetic Plain Region: Covers parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Suitable for rice, wheat, and pulses cultivation.
5. Upper Gangetic Plain Region: Includes parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Suitable for wheat, sugarcane, and pulses cultivation.
6. Trans-Gangetic Plains Region: Spans across parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. Known for wheat, rice, and sugarcane cultivation.
7. Eastern Plateau and Hills Region: Covers states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and parts of West Bengal. Suitable for rice, pulses, and oilseed cultivation.
8. Central Plateau and Hills Region: Encompasses parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Suitable for cotton, oilseeds, pulses, and millets cultivation.
9. Western Plateau and Hills Region: Includes parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Goa. Suitable for millets, pulses, oilseeds, and cotton cultivation.
10. Southern Plateau and Hills Region: Covers parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Suitable for coffee, tea, spices, and plantation crops.
11. East Coast Plains and Hills Region: Encompasses parts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and West Bengal. Suitable for rice, pulses, oilseeds, and fruits cultivation.
12. West Coast Plains and Ghat Region: Covers parts of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Suitable for coconut, spices, cashew, and plantation crops.
13. Gujarat Plains and Hills Region: Encompasses the state of Gujarat. Suitable for cotton, oilseeds, pulses, and fruits cultivation.
14. Western Dry Region: Includes parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Suitable for arid and semi-arid crops like millets, pulses, and oilseeds.
15. Islands Region: Encompasses the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Suitable for coconut, spices, and plantation crops.

Agro Climatic Zones in India: For the development of resources, the country has been divided into fifteen agricultural regions which are based on agro-climatic features, which include soil type, climate which includes temperature as well as rainfall, and also variations based on the available water resources. It is an extension of the climate classifications while keeping in mind the sustainability of agriculture.

In this article, we will learn about various agro-climatic zones in India!