Q120
Geography (incl. West Bengal)Physiography: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains & Islands
Which of the following is the oldest part of the Himalayas?
- a.Middle Himalayas
- b.Greater Himalayas
- c.Lower Himalayas
- d.Transhimalayas
Answer: (B) Greater Himalayas
The Greater Himalaya (Himadri) was the first of the three parallel Himalayan ranges to be uplifted, so it is the oldest; the Lesser Himalaya (the Middle or Lower Himalaya of the options) came next and the Shiwaliks are the youngest. The Trans-Himalaya lies north of the Himalaya proper and is treated as a separate system in this three-range scheme. The Trans-Himalayan ranges were uplifted before the Greater Himalaya, so (D) could be argued if they are counted as part of the Himalayas; the key follows the standard three-range scheme.