384 India. 



by a long dry season. But on the Eastern coast the 

 summer rains are slight, and the principal rainy 

 season is delayed into October and November, while 

 in Northern India and the Himalayas, also winter 

 rains occur, irregular and of short duration. 



Even where a relatively large rainfall prevails, the 

 climate is dry on account of the high temperature, 

 hence some 30,000,000 acres of the cultivated acreage 

 (which comprises 225,000,000 acres in all) depend on 

 irrigation, over half of this irrigated area lying in the 

 tropical zone. 



Roughly speaking, at least four climatic zones with 

 many sub-types, may be recognized: the truly tropic, 

 intensely hot and wet (over 75 inch rainfall), prevailing 

 on the plains and tablelands of the lower half of the 

 peninsula; the hot and dry (below 15 inch rainfall) 

 climate of the Northwestern Indus plain and plateau; 

 the moderately warm and dry to humid (30-75 inch 

 rainfall) climate of the Ganges plain and central 

 plateau; and the temperate to alpine, humid climate 

 of the Himalaya mountains, with snow and ice in 

 winter, and moderate heat in summer. 



In keeping with this great diversity of climate, 

 both as to temperature and humidity, there is a great 

 variation in the character and development of the 

 forest cover. At least six types can be recognized, 

 namely the evergreen forest, found along the West 

 coast, in Burma, Andaman Islands, and the sub- 

 Himalaya zone, which is composed of broadleaved 

 species with a dense undergrowth of small trees and 

 tangled lianas (vines), but few shrubs, as is character- 

 istic of most tropical forest; the deciduous forest, 



