Human and Economic Geography: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Geography)
89 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on human and economic geography are on this page, from 1996 to 2025, across 27 exam years. UPSC covers minerals and where they occur, crops and their conditions, energy sources, ports and industries, and population. The explanations tie each resource to its location and use.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 51–60 of 89 questions
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UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q51. The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, whose permission is required for cultivation of any genetically modified crop such as Bt Cotton in India, is under the Union Ministry of:
Explanation
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the regulatory body responsible for granting environmental release of genetically modified (GM) crops like Bt Cotton in India, while the final approval for commercial cultivation is decided by the central government. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). It was established under the 1989 Rules, which were framed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. It oversees the safety assessment of GM crops before their commercial release. Final approvals for cultivation are based on GEAC’s recommendations, but the central government makes the final decision after considering inputs from other stakeholders like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture."
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q52. Consider the following statements: 1. India ranks first in the world in fruit production 2. India ranks second in the world in export of tobacco Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: India was the second-largest producer of fruits after Brazil in 2003-04. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, this trend continued, and in 2019, India remained the world’s second-largest producer of both fruits and vegetables.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Ranked by volume, Zimbabwe, China, India (3rd), and Malawi were major exporters of tobacco in 2002. However by 2021-22, India was the second largest tobacco producer behind China and India was the 2nd largest exporter of tobacco behind Brazil.
Additional insight:
To regulate tobacco production, and exports of tobacco, Tobacco Board was formed in 1976. It is based in Andhra Pradesh. The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act adopted by Parliament in 2003 bans tobacco advertising and smoking in public places. India has signed and ratified the global Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2003.
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q53. Life expectancy is the highest in the world in:
Explanation
Amongst the given, In 2003 as well as the in the latest ranking Japan had the highest life expectancy in the world. The highest average life expectancy countries according to statista are-Monaco > Republic of Korea (South Korea) > China (Hongkong) > Spain > Malta > Israel. In India, life expectancy at birth (years) has improved from 63 years in 2000 to 67.3 years in 2021. Comparison of option countries:
Country Life Expectancy (Approx.) Canada ~83.9 years Germany ~81.5 years Japan ~85.2 years Norway ~83.3 years
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q54. Consider the following statements: 1. In Macedonia, ethnic Albanians are in a minority 2. In Kosovo, Serbians are in a majority. Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: Ethnic Albanians are the largest minority in Macedonia. In 2007, rising tensions over Kosovo’s final status appeared to spark outbreaks of violence. Ethnic Albanian extremists were seeking to break away from Macedonia to join Kosovo. Likewise, Macedonians are a minority in Albania. Greeks are the largest minority of Albania.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Serbs are the largest minority group in Kosovo while the Ethnic Albanian makes up the majority. The conflict in Kosovo was largely driven by ethnic Albanian demands for independence from Serbia.
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q55. Which among the following countries has the largest population?
Explanation
Below is a table summarizing approximate population figures for the four countries in question for the years 2003 and
2024:
Country Population (2003) Population (2024) Indonesia ~222 million ~275 million Pakistan ~158 million ~240 million Japan ~127 million ~123 million Sudan ~39 million ~45 million
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q56. Which amongst the following States has the highest population density as per Census-2001?
Explanation
Based on the data from the Census of India 2001 and 2011, the population densities (persons per square kilometer) for the specified states are as follows:
State Population Density (2001) Population Density (2011) West Bengal 903 1,029 Kerala 819 860 Uttar Pradesh 698 829 Madhya Pradesh 196 236
UPSC 2002Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q57. Consider the following countries: 1. Brazil 2. Indonesia 3. Japan 4. Russia What is the descending order of the size of the following countries population-wise?
Explanation
Below is a table summarizing approximate population figures for the four countries for the years 2002 and 2024:
Country Population (2002) Population (2024) Indonesia ~214 million ~283 million Brazil ~176 million ~212 million Russia ~145 million ~144 million Japan ~127 million ~123 million
Option (c) is correct: Based on the table above, the correct descending order (largest to smallest) for the population of the countries is: Indonesia (2)>Brazil (1)> Russia (4)> Japan (3)
UPSC 2002Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q58. Consider the following countries of South Asia: 1. Bangladesh 2. India 3. Pakistan 4. Sri Lanka The descending order of literacy status of these countries is:
Explanation
As per WB Group "Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life." Literacy rate measures educational attainment and predicts future labor force quality. Currently the world average is 87% while India’s literacy rate in 2023 is 77%.
Option (a) is correct: Below is a table summarizing approximate adult literacy rates (percentage of people aged 15 and above) for the four South Asian countries, based on available data from around 2002 and more recent estimates for 2024:
Country Adult Literacy Rate (2002) Adult Literacy Rate (2024) Sri Lanka ~91% ~93% India ~64% ~77% Bangladesh ~48% ~74% Pakistan ~46% ~58% Based on World Bank Data, the sequence of Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in 2002 was-Sri Lanka(4) > India(2) > Bangladesh(1) > Pakistan(3).
UPSC 2002Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q59. With reference to Indian agriculture, which one of the following statements is correct?
Explanation
Option (a) is correct: Recent studies indicate that more than 83 percent of the area under pulses in India is rainfed. Around 2001-02 "about 90 percent" of pulse cultivation in India was under rainfed cultivation. Pulses are often grown in rainfed areas, meaning they rely on rainfall for irrigation rather than artificial irrigation systems. This makes pulse production vulnerable to variations in rainfall. India is the the largest producer and consumer of pulses (25% of global production and 27% of consumption Options (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect:
Pulse production has remained stagnant for nearly 40 years. India is the second-largest producer of rice in the world, accounting for about 25-30% of the world’s total rice area. Rice occupies a significant portion of India’s gross cropped area around 23-25% of the gross cropped area in India.
UPSC 2002Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q60. Consider the following high yielding varieties of crops in India: 1. Arjun 2. Jaya 3. Padma 4. Sonalika Which of these are of wheat?
Explanation
HYV seeds played a crucial role in the Green Revolution in India. These varieties, developed by scientists such as Norman Borlaug and further promoted in India by M.S. Swaminathan, are genetically improved to produce significantly higher yields than traditional varieties. They have been instrumental in boosting crop production and achieving food security in the country.
Option (c) is correct:
Arjun is a well-known high-yielding variety of wheat developed in India. It is known for its high yield potential and resistance to certain diseases. Sonalika is another important high-yielding variety of wheat. It is known for its adaptability to different agro-climatic conditions and its relatively shorter growing season. Jaya and Padma are high-yielding variety of rice, not wheat. It was developed in India and played a significant role in the Green Revolution.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
51
2003
(b) Environment and Forests
52
2003
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
53
2003
(c) Japan
54
2003
(a) Only 1
55
2003
(a) Indonesia
56
2003
(d) West Bengal
57
2002
(c) 2, 1, 4, 3
58
2002
(a) 4, 2, 1, 3
59
2002
(a) About 90 percent of the area under pulses in India is rainfed
60
2002
(c) 1 and 4
What UPSC has tested in Human and Economic Geography
Ilmenite and rutile, abundant in coastal tracts of India, are rich sources of titanium.
Monazite is a source of rare earths and thorium.
About three-fourths of the world’s cobalt, used in batteries for electric vehicles, is produced by the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Cotton is subtropical and needs at least 210 frost-free days.
Sugarcane is the least water-efficient crop among the options asked.
Steel production in India needs imported coking coal; shale gas is found in the Cambay, Cauvery and Krishna-Godavari basins.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Human and Economic Geography?
This page covers 89 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.
Which metal is obtained from ilmenite and rutile?
Titanium. Ilmenite and rutile occur in the beach sands of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Titanium dioxide is widely used in paints, and titanium metal is used in aerospace.
Which country produces most of the world’s cobalt?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, which produces roughly three-fourths of the world’s cobalt. The metal is essential for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, which makes the Congo’s supply important for the energy transition.
What conditions does cotton need?
A subtropical climate with at least 210 frost-free days, since a hard frost injures the crop. It grows best on black cotton soil, with moderate rainfall and a warm, bright period at boll formation.
