What is the difference between the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats of India?

Direct Answer

The Western Ghats (also known as the *Sahyadri*) and the Eastern Ghats form the western and eastern elevated rims of the Peninsular Deccan Plateau in India. They meet at the Nilgiri Hills in southern India.

• Western Ghats: A continuous, high-altitude mountain range running parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, acting as a major orographic rainfall barrier and a global biodiversity hotspot.
• Eastern Ghats: A discontinuous, lower-elevation range of dissected hills running along the Bay of Bengal, heavily eroded by east-flowing peninsular rivers.

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Comprehensive Comparison Table

| Geographic Parameter | Western Ghats (Sahyadris) | Eastern Ghats |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Coast Parallel To | Arabian Sea Coast (Western Coastal Plain) | Bay of Bengal Coast (Eastern Coastal Plain) |

| Continuity | Continuous chain; can be crossed only through mountain passes (*Palghat, Thalghat, Bhorghat*) | Discontinuous & broken into fragmented hill tracts by large river deltas |

| Average Elevation | High elevation: 900 to 1,600 metres | Lower elevation: 600 to 900 metres |

| Highest Peak | Anamudi (2,695 m, in Anaimalai Hills, Kerala) — highest in South India | Jindhagada Peak (1,690 m, Andhra Pradesh) / Mahendragiri (1,501 m, Odisha) |

| Rainfall Received | Very Heavy Orographic Rainfall ($250 - 400\text{ cm}$) during Southwest Monsoon | Moderate to low rainfall ($60 - 100\text{ cm}$), mostly from retreating Northeast Monsoon |

| River Systems | Source of major east-flowing rivers: Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery; short swift west-flowing rivers (Periyar, Sharavati) | Does not originate any major perennial rivers; cut through by Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, Cauvery |

| Ecology & Biodiversity| UNESCO World Heritage Site; one of the world's 8 'Hottest Hotspots' of biological diversity | Scrub forests, deciduous woodlands; less dense biological endemism |

| Soil Quality | Red loam and laterite soils on hills; fertile forest soils | Red soils, deltaic alluvium along the coast |