India lies wholly in the northern and eastern hemispheres. The main land of India extends from 8o 4 ' 28" N to 37o 17 ' 53" N latitudes and from 68o 7 ' 53" E to 97o 24 ' 47" E longitudes. The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India is approximately the same i.e. 30o. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands extend further southwards and add to the latitudinal extent of India. The southernmost point known as the Indira Point in the Great Nicobar Island is at 6o 45 ' N. The latitudinal extent of India from Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south is 3,214 km. India’s longitudinal extent from the Rann of Kutch in the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east is 2,933 km.
1. The longitudinal extent of India is from longitudes 68 degrees 7 minutes E to 97 degrees 25 minutes E.
2. Significance of having such a large longitudinal extent is:
a.) There is a time difference of 2 hours from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh.
b.) Hence. Time along the Standard Meridian of India (82 degrees 30 minutes East) passing through mirzapur (U.P) is taken as the standard time for the whole country. This Meridian has been chosen because it passes roughly through the centre of the longitudinal extent.
