Covering an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi), it traverses the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

The range forms an almost continuous chain of mountains along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, from the Tapti River to Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula.

The Western Ghats form one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial river systems that drain almost 40% of the land area of the country.

It blocks the rain-bearing monsoon winds flowing eastward from the Arabian Sea, resulting in rainfall along the western coast.

By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, forming a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of the Deccan plateau.

After the break-up, the Deccan plateau was formed by basalt rocks, which caused the western side to rise at an elevation.

[6] The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range south of the Tapti River in the north and runs approximately 1,600 km (990 mi) to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, where it ends at the Marunthuvazh Malai at Swamithoppe in Kanyakumari district.

[7][8] It covers an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi), traversing the Indian states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

[10][17] Most rivers flow eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal owing to the steeper gradient moving from east to west, and many smaller streams drain the region, often carrying a large volume of water during the monsoon months.

By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, resulting in a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of the Deccan plateau.

The monsoon winds rounding up the peninsula and moving from the east from the Bay of Bengal pass over the Eastern Ghats and bring the majority of the rainfall to the plains up north.

Due to its physical proximity to the equator and the Arabian Sea, the region experiences a warm and humid tropical climate throughout the year.

The total amount of rain does not depend on the spread of the area; areas in northern Maharashtra receive heavy rainfall followed by long dry spells, while regions closer to the equator receive lower annual rainfall and have rain spells lasting several months in a year.

[53] The amphibians of the Western Ghats are diverse and unique, with a high proportion of species being endemic to the tropical rainforests of India.

[56] There are at least 19 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats, including the endangered rufous-breasted laughingthrush, the vulnerable Nilgiri wood-pigeon, white-bellied shortwing, and broad-tailed grassbird, the near threatened grey-breasted laughingthrush, black-and-rufous flycatcher, Nilgiri flycatcher, and Nilgiri pipit, and the least concern Malabar (blue-winged) parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, white-bellied treepie, grey-headed bulbul, rufous babbler, Wayanad laughingthrush, white-bellied blue-flycatcher, and the crimson-backed sunbird.

There are 13 genera entirely restricted to the Western Ghats (Betadevario, Dayella, Haludaria, Horabagrus, Horalabiosa, Hypselobarbus, Indoreonectes, Lepidopygopsis, Longischistura, Mesonoemacheilus, Parapsilorhynchus, Rohtee, and Travancoria).

[67][68] Seasonal rainfall patterns in the Western Ghats necessitate a period of dormancy for its land snails, resulting in their high abundance and diversity, including at least 258 species of gastropods from 57 genera and 24 families.

[69] A total of 77 species of freshwater molluscs (52 gastropods and 25 bivalves) have been recorded from the Western Ghats, but the actual number is likely higher.

Among the threatened freshwater molluscs are the mussel species Pseudomulleria dalyi, which is a Gondwanan relict, and the snail Cremnoconchus, which is restricted to the spray zone of waterfalls.

After the establishment of British colonial rule in the region, large swathes of territory were cleared for agricultural plantations and timber.

[75] The primary threats to fauna were not only from habitat loss, but also from overexploitation, illicit grazing, mining, poaching, and introduced species.

[76] The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, comprising 5,500 km2 (2,100 sq mi) of the forests, forms the largest contiguous protected area in the Western Ghats.

[80] In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site.