What are duns in the context of geography?

Question

What are duns in the context of geography?

1. A. Mountain peaks
2. B. Fertile plains at the foothills (Correct answer)
3. C. Deep valleys
4. D. Glacial lakes

Correct Answer

Option B — Fertile plains at the foothills

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Fertile plains at the foothills.

Key Points

• Duns (or Doons) are elongated, flat-floored valleys/basins formed between the Lesser Himalayas and the Siwalik Range.
• Filled with fertile alluvial/fluvial deposits, they support agriculture.
• Famous examples: Dehradun, Haridwar Dun, Patlidun.

Additional Information

• Duns are longitudinal valleys formed between the Lesser Himalayas (Himachal) and the Shiwaliks, filled with gravel and alluvium washed down from above.
• Well-known examples: Dehradun, Kotli Dun and Patli Dun; the same landform is called a Duar in the eastern Himalayas.
• Their flat floors and fertile fill make them agriculturally valuable and natural sites for settlement, which is why so many hill towns sit in them.