92 EAST INDIA. 



2. Climate and Rainfall. 



Owing to the great extent of country included in India and 

 the varying conditions prevaiUng in the several parts it is 

 impossible to speak of the climate of India ; it would be more 

 correct to speak of the "climates," of which the following four 

 types may be indicated : — 



(1.) The climate of Tropical India. 

 (2.) „ of North- Western India. 



(3.) „ of North-Eastern India. 



(4.) „ of the Himalayas. 



About one-half of the area of India, comprising the greater 

 part of the Peninsula and Burma, is situated south of the 

 tropic. These are the hottest parts of India, as far as the 

 average of the whole year is concerned ; but the highest 

 temperature is found further north. The early arrival of the 

 summer monsoon rains mitigates the summer temperature in 

 tropical India ; on the other hand, this region enjoys little or 

 no cool season, except at high elevations. 



The second type of climate is found to the north of the 

 tropic in the dry and in some cases almost rainless plain of 

 the north-western corner of India, comprising the area which 

 is traversed by the Eiver Indus. Here, the highest summer 

 temperature is found, due to a greater length of day and a 

 later arrival of the summer monsoon rains than in tropical 

 India; it receives to some extent compensation by four or five 

 cool and even cold months during winter, representing at that 

 time a climate which has been compared with a south Italian 

 winter. 



The third type of climate is found in Assam and north- 

 eastern Bengal. Here humidity of the air reigns supreme ; 

 although there is a distinct summer and winter, in either case 

 the extremes of temperature are moderated by the effects of a 

 relatively large quantity of moisture in the atmosphere, which 

 produces fogs in winter and interferes in summer with the 

 full effect of the sun's rays on the land. 



