Difference between Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats generally referred to as the Western Mountainous region, are a range of mountains that span 160,000 km² and 1,600 km (990 mi) along the western coast of the Indian peninsula region (62,000 sq. mi). It passes through the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, and Karnataka. It is among the 36 biodiversity hotspots on the entire planet and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also known as the Indian Great Escarpment. In addition to some species that are particular to this region, it is home to a sizeable portion of the country's flora and wildlife.

According to UNESCO, the Western Ghats exist before the Himalayas. They affect the climate patterns of the monsoon by obstructing the wind-filled rain monsoons that come from the south and west in the summer months. The range, which runs north to south along the whole west side of the plateau, separates the Deccan Plateau from the Konkan, a narrow coastal plain throughout the Arabian Sea. Twenty of the 39 Western Ghats areas, which included national parks, animal reserves, and reserve forests, were in Kerala, ten were in Karnataka, six were in Tamil Nadu, & four were in Maharashtra. In 2012, these locations received the designation of world heritage sites.

The range begins close to the Tapti River's southern bank. It extends for around 1,600 km (990 mi), passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu states before ending at Marunthuvazh Malai, which is close to the country's southernmost point. These hills, with a surface area of 160,000 km² (62,000 sq. mi), serve as the watershed for intricate riverine drainage networks that dredge about 40% of India. The Deccan Plateau cannot receive the southwest monsoon breezes because of the Western Ghats. The typical elevation is close to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft.).

This area is one of the top ten "hotspots for biodiversity" in the world. More than 7,402 kinds of flowering plants, 1,814 kinds of non-flowering plants, 139 species of mammals, 508 species of birds, 227 species of reptiles and amphibians, 179 species of amphibians, 290 species of freshwater fish, and 6,000 species of insects live there. It is likely that the Ghats are home to a large number of undiscovered species. At least 325 internationally endangered species call the Western Ghats home.

Eastern Ghats

The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous mountain range that runs along the eastern coast of India. The Eastern Ghats pass across the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha before ending in southern Tamil Nadu. The four major rivers that erode and pass through them are the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri in peninsular India. Deomali, in Odisha, is the state's highest point and is 1672 m high. The highest point in Andhra Pradesh is Arma Konda/Jindhagada Peak, which rises to a height of 1680 metres. The 'BR range' in Karnataka, the tallest hill range of the Eastern Ghats, features numerous peaks greater than 1750 metres. With a height of 1822 metres, 'Kattahi Betta' in the BR Hills is the tallest peak in the Eastern Ghats. Thalamalai is the second tallest hill region in Tamil Nadu. The Araku range is the third tallest hill range.

The Eastern Ghats are made up of rock formations such quartzite, khondalite, granite gneisse, charnockites, and metamorphic gneisses. Thrusts and strike-slip faults are both prevalent along the whole length of the Eastern Ghats. Deposits of bauxite, iron ore and limestone can be found in this mountain range. The Eparchaean Unconformity in the Tirumala Hills is a large stratigraphic discontinuity that denotes prolonged period of erosion and non-deposition. It can be seen in the ravines, road scars, and naturally occurring steep slopes along the Tirumala ghat roads in the Tirupati region of Andhra Pradesh.

Along the irregular hill ranges, these mountain ranges, like the Western Ghats, also have local names. The Ponnaiyar & Palar Rivers run from their headwaters on the Kolar Plateau up the east coast via openings in the Ghats before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Javadhu Hills are situated between these rivers. Waterfalls can be found in far-off places, such as the Kiliyur Falls.

The Madhurawada Dome was created within this Ghats mobility belt by a tectonic arrangement between the khondalite suite and quartz Archean formations of the Ghats north of Visakhapatnam. It is located near the peak of the Maliya Range's Eastern Ghats. The Maliya Range typically lies between 900 and 1200 metres above sea level, while some of its peaks soar far higher. Mahendragiri is the highest mountain in this range (1,501 m).