- India has a coastline of 7516.6 Km (6100 km of mainland coastline + coastline of 1197 Indian islands) touching 13 States and Union Territories (UTs).
- The straight and regular coastline of India is the result of faulting of the Gondwanaland during the Cretaceous period.
- As such the coast of India does not offer many sites for good natural harbours.
East Coast of India
- Lies between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. It extends from the Ganga delta to Kanyakumari.
- It is marked by deltas of rivers like the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Cauvery.
- Chilka lake and the Pulicat lake (lagoon) are the important geographical features of the east coast.
Regional Names of The East Coast of India
- In Orissa (Odisha) it is known as Utkal coast.
- From the southern limit of the Utkal plain, stretch the Andhra coast.
- In the south of the Andhra plain is the Tamil Nadu coast.
- The Tamil Nadu coast and parts of Andhra coast together are known as Coramandal Coast or Payan Ghat.
West Coast of India
- The west coast strip extends from the Gulf of Cambay (Gulf of Khambhat) in the north to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari).
- Starting from north to south, it is divided into (i) the Konkan coast, (ii) the Karnataka coast and (iii) the Kerala coast.
- It is made up of alluvium brought down by the short streams originating from the Western Ghats.
- It is dotted with a large number of coves (a very small bay), creeks (a narrow, sheltered waterway such as an inlet in a shoreline or channel in a marsh) and a few estuaries.
- The estuaries, of the Narmada and the Tapti, are the major ones.
- The Kerala coast (Malabar Coast) has some lakes, lagoons and backwaters, the largest being the Vembanad Lake.
Regional Names of The West Coast of India
- Konkan coast: Maharashtra coast and Goa coast.
- Malabar Coast: Kerala and Karnataka coast.
