Soils of India

India has a geographical area of 327.4 million ha (3274690 km2) and lies between latitudes of 8°C and 37°C and longitude of 69° and 93°E.  The nature and properties of soils are greatly dependent upon the soil forming factors and processes.  Since there exist a significant differences in these parameters, these are expected to exert their influence in the evolution of soils of India. India represents all the major soil groups of the world.

         Schokalskaya (1932) prepared the first soil map of India and classified the soils on the basis of existing knowledge of Russian pedological principles. Govindarajan (1965) divided the soils of India into 24 major soil groups. Raychaudhuri and Govindarajan (1971) revised the soil map of India giving the equivalents of different soil groups in US comprehensive system of soil classification.  The Nation Bureau of soil survey and Land use planning (1985) prepared a soil map using the units of soil taxonomy.