In a more comprehensive way the topography of Rajasthan can be divided in the following ways-
The Aravalis or the Hilly regions- The Aravali range which is the oldest range of folded mountains in the world that has an altitude of 100 to 350 m above sea level and extends from the southwest summit- Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu) to the northeast. This peak (Guru Shikhar) at Mount Tabu is the highest with an elevation of 1,722 m. Geographically the Aravali range spearheads the state of Rajasthan into two partitions -North-West and South-East. The north-west region is barren and dry while the south-east is bountiful and has some wet fertile regions which boost vegetation.
The South-Eastern region has also forested regions. Most important of all, the only perennial river Chambal River originates in this range and then meanders towards the northeast.
The Thar and the other arid regions- The Great Indian Thar Desert is known as the' Maru-kantar' meaning the region of death and is called so due to parched and scorching surroundings. The Shekhavati area marks the beginning of the desert region. The source of water in these regions is deep wells or irrigation dams. The Marusthali is another remarkable desert where the fossils of plants have been found embedded in the rocks of Jaisalmer.
The Forest Regions- Rajasthan has small tracts of wooded regions that consist of 9.36% of total geographical area of the country. The forests lie in the in Northern, Eastern, South Eastern and Southern parts of Rajasthan. The forests of Bharatpur, Alwar, and Sawai are the abode of diverse flora and wildlife like the panther, the wild boar, the blue bull tiger and various species of deer.
The Fertile plains including the Mewar-The plains consist of Mewar region in the east and Chappan plains in the east and embrace the extended tract from Jaipur through Tonk and Bhilwara to Udaipur. All these regions have rich reserves of granite which has been utilized by the Rajput kings and other craftsmen for carving sculptures sine ages. These plains have also rich deposits of alluvial and loam. The northeastern Bharatpur region is a part of the alluvial basin that is drained by the Yamuna River.
The Plateaus including Vindhaya and the Malwa - The Vindhayan range of Rajasthan houses the Hardoti plateau. The Malwa plateau extends to the Vindhayas and is covered with lush woods green forests and black lava soil.
The Waterbodies including Rivers and Salt Lakes - Water is very scarce in Rajasthan and is found at a depth of 30 to 61 m. However the main perennial river is the Chambal River which has a distributary called the Banas. The Banganga and the Luni River are other small rivers. The Shekhawati area the region of internal drainage and is drained by the salt lakes. Sambhar Salt Lake is the largest salt lake in Rajasthan.
