485 previous year UPSC Prelims Geography questions are on this page, from 1996 to 2025, in 10 chapters. Indian Geography, Human and Economic Geography, the two Places and Locations chapters and Climatology are the largest. Physical geography (climate, oceans, landforms) and location-based pairs are the usual formats. Filter by chapter to revise one area, or by year for a single paper.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 341–350 of 485 questions
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UPSC 2003Geography · Climatology
Q341. Assertion (A): Areas lying within five to eight degrees latitude on either side of the equator receive rainfall throughout the year. Reason (R): High temperatures and high humidity cause conventional rain to fall mostly in the afternoons near the afternoons near the equator.
Explanation
Assertion (A) is true: Areas located within 5° to 8° latitude on either side of the Equator, often influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), experience year-round rainfall due to persistent solar heating and moisture-laden air masses. The ITCZ is a region where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, causing warm, humid air to rise continuously. This rising air cools and condenses, leading to frequent cloud formation and precipitation. The consistent high temperatures in these regions enhance evaporation, while the abundant moisture ensures that convectional rainfall occurs almost daily, particularly in the afternoons when the ground has heated the most. Reason (R) is true: Convectional rainfall is characteristic of equatorial regions. High temperatures during the day cause the surface air to heat up and rise (convection), cooling as it ascends, leading to afternoon rainfall. This process is driven by the intense solar heating and high humidity near the Equator. Reason(R) explains Assertion(A): Because the continuous rainfall near the Equator is a direct result of high temperatures and convectional rain, which occurs due to the daily cycle of heating and cooling.
UPSC 2003Geography · Climatology
Q342. Which one among the following covers the highest percentage of forest area in the world?
Explanation
Option (a) is correct: Temperate coniferous forests dominate due to their vast distribution in the boreal or taiga zones, covering large parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. They thrive in cold climates and represent the largest biome by area, accounting for the highest percentage of forest cover worldwide. Options (b), (c), and (d) are incorrect:
Temperate Deciduous Forests: Found in areas with distinct seasons, like eastern North America, Europe, and East Asia, but their global coverage is smaller than that of coniferous forests. Tropical Monsoon Forests: Found in regions with monsoon climates (seasonal rainfall) like parts of Asia and Africa, they cover a smaller area compared to temperate coniferous forests. Tropical Rain Forests: Found near the Equator, these forests are rich in biodiversity but are geographically restricted to regions like the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia.
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q343. Assertion (A): Eastern coast of India produces more rice than the western coast. Reason (R): Eastern coast receives more rainfall than the western coast.
Explanation
Assertion (A) is true: The eastern coastal states (West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu) are among the largest rice-producing regions in India. The western coastal region (Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala) produces comparatively less rice due to limited lowland areas suitable for large-scale paddy cultivation. Reason (R) is false: The western coast (Konkan, Malabar) receives higher rainfall than the eastern coast due to the south-west monsoon and orographic effect of the Western Ghats. The eastern coast receives sufficient rainfall, mainly from the south-west monsoon (except Tamil Nadu, which depends on the northeast monsoon). Additionally, major rivers like the Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri provide irrigation, supporting rice cultivation.
Additional insight:
Although the eastern coast produces more rice, the main reason is not higher rainfall but the presence of large river deltas, extensive irrigation, and favorable soil conditions. The western coast, despite higher rainfall, has limited flat land for large-scale rice cultivation, as it is narrow and hilly due to the Western Ghats.
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q344. Consider the following statements: 1. India is the original home of the cotton plant. 2. India is the first country in the world to develop hybrid cotton varieties leading to increased production. Which of these statements is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Indian subcontinent is indeed the original home of the cotton plant. The Neolithic Site of Mehrgarh near Bolan Pass in Balochistan region of Pakistan has the oldest evidence of cotton. Many Harappan sites provide evidence of cotton cultivation.
Statement 2 is correct: The first commercial cotton hybrid was Hybrid-4 (H-4), developed by Indian scientist Chandrakant T. Patel in 1970. This hybrid was created by crossing the Gujarat-67 variety with the American variety. These hybrids offer advantages like higher yields, improved resistance to pests and diseases, and better adaptability to diverse climatic conditions.
UPSC 2003Geography · Human and Economic Geography
Q345. 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
Q346. 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
Q347. 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
Q348. 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
Q349. 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
Q350. 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
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
341
2003
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
342
2003
(a) Temperate coniferous forests
343
2003
(c) A is true but R is false
344
2003
(c) Both 1 and 2
345
2003
(b) Environment and Forests
346
2003
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
347
2003
(c) Japan
348
2003
(a) Only 1
349
2003
(a) Indonesia
350
2003
(d) West Bengal
What UPSC has tested in Geography
Recent papers favour statement-and-explanation pairs on climatology and landforms, such as dust in the atmosphere, isotherms and chalk and rainwater on rocks.
Location questions ask about rivers, lakes, reserves and countries as pairs, often using places seen in the news.
Resource questions combine minerals, crops and States, for example rare earths, cobalt, turmeric and ilmenite.
The 2025 paper’s Geography questions cover continental drift, Andes countries, the equator and the Bering Strait.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Geography?
This page covers 485 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Geography, asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Which Geography chapters have the most questions?
Indian Geography has the most with 115 questions, then Human and Economic Geography with 89, Places and Locations: World Geography with 79, Places and Locations: Indian Geography with 66, and Climatology with 55.
How can I revise Geography for Prelims using these questions?
Open one chapter at a time with the Chapter filter, attempt the questions, then read the key facts at the end of the page. For location questions, repeat them with a map open to fix the places in memory.
Are map or diagram questions included?
No. Questions that depend on a map, figure or diagram cannot be shown without that figure, so they are left out. Every Geography question here can be answered from its text alone.
