Topography in Meghalaya

Meghalaya topography comprises of various elements including the landscape, climate, altitude, water bodies, flora and fauna of the entire region. Meghalaya is already known for its beautiful landscape and green vegetation. These elements of the topography of Meghalaya add charm to the picturesque state.

The topography at Meghalaya comprises of landscapes that have a blend of mountain and plateau regions and this is why it is also known as Meghalaya plateaus. The altitude of these plateaus range from 150 meters to 1961 meters. The highest altitude is that of the plateaus in the central region comprising of Khasi hills while the lowest is that of the Garo hills which has an altitude of 1515 meters and seems almost like a plain. The highest peak in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak at a height of 1961 meters.

The climate is also one of the major elements of Meghalaya. Though the climate remains moderate in all seasons, humidity is high in the interiors of Garo hills. The places where the altitude is high such as Shillong, the climate is cool and soothing. Meghalaya is the wettest state in India. The rainfall is not evenly spread in all regions but overall the state receives a large amount of rainfall with Cherrapunji receiving the highest around 12000 meters.

Forests, which are an integral part of the topography in Meghalaya, cover around 8514 square kilometers of the whole area of Meghalaya. Meghalaya comprises mainly two types of forests- tropical forests and temperate forests. The main occupation of people at Meghalaya is agriculture as the soil is fertile.

Rivers such as Manda, Janjiram, Simsang, Ganol, Khri, Umkhem, Kynshi, Umiam Mawphlang, Myngot, Myntdu, etc. that flow across the terrain are also the significant components of Meghalaya topography. It is due to these seasonal rivers that Meghalaya gets water for its dense vegetation.