The term North India has had various meanings. In the pre-1947 context, the term corresponds to the non-peninsular region of the Indian subcontinent, including most parts of the modern states of Pakistan and Bangladesh. More recently, it has come to refer to the non-peninsular region of the Republic of India including the area to the north of the Vindhya mountains, Narmada River and Mahanadi River, but excluding the states of Gujarat in the west and West Bengal in the east as well as the seven north-east states. In ancient times, this area was known as "Aryavarta" (Land of the Aryans), referring to the ancient Indo-Iranian-speaking tribes that settled around the Gangetic and Indus river plains. The dominant geographic features of northern India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas.