Human and Economic Geography: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Geography)
3 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Human and Economic Geography (Geography). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–3 of 3 questions
UPSC 2009Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q1. Consider the following statements: 1. Infant mortality rate takes into account the death of infants within a month after birth. 2. Infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths in a particular year per 100 live births during that year. Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) accounts for the deaths of infants within the first year of life, not just within a month after birth. The mortality during the neonatal period (first 28 days) is a subset of infant mortality.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Infant Mortality Rate is defined as the number of infant deaths (under 1 year of age) per 1,000 live births in a given year, not per 100 live births.
Additional insight:
Indicator Definition India(NFHS-5/ Recent Estimates) Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) Number of deaths of infants (aged <1 year) per 1,000 live births ~28 per 1,000 live births Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) Number of maternal deaths (due to pregnancy/ childbirth complications) per 100,000 live births ~97 per 100,000 live births (estimate from recent surveys) Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Average number of children a woman is expected to have over her reproductive lifetime ~2.0 children per woman Crude Birth Rate Number of live births per 1,000 total population per year ~19.5 per 1,000 population per year (contextual estimate) Crude Death Rate Number of deaths per 1,000 total population per year ~6 per 1,000 population per year (contextual estimate) Natural Increase Rate Difference between the crude birth rate and crude death rate (often expressed per 1,000 or as a % per year) ~10 per 1,000 population (1% annual growth)
UPSC 2009Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q2. Consider the following statements: 1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times. 2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Population density is measured as the number of people living per square kilometer. Below is a table summarizing key demographic data from the three censuses:
Census Year Population Density (persons/sq km) Annual Exponential Growth Rate (%) 1951 117 1.25 2001 324 1.93 2011 382 ~1.64
Statement 1 is incorrect: In 1951, the density was about 117 persons/sq km. By 2001, it had risen to 324 persons/sq km. Although this is a substantial increase, calculating the multiplication factor shows: = × Factor 2.77 This means the density increased by roughly 2.77 times--which is less than three times. For additional context, the 2011 census reported a further increase to 382 persons/sq km, confirming a continuing but moderate increase.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The annual growth rate (exponential) of India’s population has not doubled during this period. The growth rate was highest during the 1971 Census but gradually declined thereafter, indicating no doubling of the growth rate between 1951 and 2001. The annual exponential growth rate is the average rate at which the population increases each year. The annual growth rate in 1951 was about 1.25%, and by 2001 it had risen to 1.93%. While this represents an increase, it is not a doubling of the rate. In fact, when we compare 1.25% and 1.93%, the rate has increased by a factor of about: × 1.93 1.54 1.25 In other words, it has increased by roughly 54%, not 100% (which would be doubling). Moreover, the trend into the 2011 census shows the growth rate has moderated to approximately 1.64% per annum (derived from a decadal growth of 17.7%), reinforcing that there has been no doubling.
UPSC 2009Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q3. Which one among the following South Asian countries has the highest population density?
Explanation
According to World Bank data, among the given South Asian countries, India has the highest population density. In 2008, its density was approximately 406. In comparison, Sri Lanka has population density roughly around 329, Pakistan about 246, and Nepal is around 208 persons per square kilometer.
Additional insight:
As of 2021, India’s population density was approximately 479 people per square kilometer, according to the World Bank, up from 382 people per square kilometer reported in the 2011 Census. The Indo-Gangetic Plain remains one of the most densely populated regions in the country, reflecting the overall growth in population density over the past decade.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2009
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
2
2009
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
3
2009
(a) India
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Human and Economic Geography?
This page covers 3 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Human and Economic Geography (Geography), asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Human and Economic Geography?
Questions on Human and Economic Geography (Geography) are available for 27 years, from 1996 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
