Geography: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The East-West Corridor is a part of India’s National Highways Development Project (NHDP) which is designed to improve connectivity between the eastern and western regions of the country. It connects Silchar in Assam to Porbandar in Gujarat, passing through states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The Golden Quadrilateral forms a quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. The East-West Corridor is not under the Golden Quadrilateral Project.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is an initiative to enhance connectivity between the three countries. The highway connects Moreh in Manipur, India, to Mae Sot in Thailand, passing through Myanmar. The route includes key locations such as Tamu and Mandalay in Myanmar. Chiang Mai located further north in Thailand is not on this route.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor is a proposed initiative aimed at enhancing economic integration and connectivity among the four countries. The corridor is intended to link Kolkata in West Bengal, India, to Kunming in Yunnan Province, China, traversing through Bangladesh and Myanmar. Varanasi is not part of this proposed route.

Explanation

Option (c) is correct: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, accounting for approximately 70-75% of global production. Cobalt is a critical metal used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and electronic devices. The DRC’s vast mineral-rich deposits in the Katanga region which makes it the dominant player in the global cobalt supply chain

Explanation

Ilmenite(FeTiO) and rutile(TiO₂) are heavy minerals found abundantly in coastal sands, particularly in India’s Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala coasts. These minerals are the primary sources of titanium which are a valuable metal used in aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. They contain titanium dioxide, which is extracted and processed to produce titanium metal and its alloys.

Option (a), (b) and (c) are incorrect:

Aluminium is extracted from bauxite and not ilmenite or rutile. Copper is obtained from ores like chalcopyrite and not from coastal sands. Iron is found in hematite and magnetite ores

Explanation

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Kamarajar Port is the 12th major port of India and the first in the country to operate as a public company. In 1999 it was declared a major port under the Indian Ports Act,1908. It was incorporated as Ennore Port Limited under the Companies Act, 1956 in October 1999. Kamarajar Port is the only corporatized major port in India, operating as a company. Today, the landlord port model, where the port authority leases the facilities to private operators, is the dominant approach in larger and medium-sized ports.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Mundra Port is situated along the northern coast of the Gulf of Kutch near Mundra in Gujarat. It is the largest privately owned port of India. It is owned and operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) and handles a significant portion of India’s cargo.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva) is the largest container port in India. Visakhapatnam Port ranks as India’s third largest state-owned port in terms of cargo volume handled and holds the distinction of being the largest port on the Eastern Coast.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: India has more arable area than China. According to the World Bank India has approximately 156 million hectares of arable land, while China has about 119 million hectares.

Statement 2 is incorrect: China has a higher proportion of its arable land under irrigation than India. As per reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) about 50% of China’s arable land is irrigated while India has approximately 35% of its arable land under irrigation.

Statement 3 is incorrect: According to FAO (2021) China’s ce-real yield is about 6,300 kg/ha while India’s is around 3,200 kg/ha. This shows that China’s agricultural productivity is significantly higher than India’s.

Explanation

Option 1 is incorrect: Jackfruit(Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an evergreen tree native to tropical regions of Asia. It retains its foliage throughout the year unlike deciduous trees, which shed their leaves during certain seasons. The tree thrives in hot and humid climates and is known for edible fruit that grows directly from the trunk. Jackfruit trees are common in India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia Option 2 is correct: Mahua (Madhuca indica) is a deciduous tree found in the dry forests of Central India including parts of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. This tree sheds its leaves during the dry season to conserve water. Mahua is culturally significant in tribal communities and its flowers are used to make a traditional alcoholic drink. The tree’s flowers are also edible and have medicinal properties.

Option 3 is correct: Teak (Tectona grandis) is one of the most valuable hardwoods in the world. It is a deciduous tree that sheds its leaves in the dry season between February and March. It is known for its durability, resistance to weathering, and ability to withstand termites which makes it highly sought after for furniture, shipbuilding, and construction.

Explanation

Option 4 is correct: The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is an extensive marshland formed due to repeated falls in sea level. This region was a shallow part of the Arabian Sea. Over time tectonic activity and sea level changes caused the area to be-come landlocked and created a vast salt marsh. During monsoons it gets flooded and in the dry season it turns into a salty desert.

Option 1,2 and 3 are incorrect:

Bhitarkanika Mangroves is located in Odisha. These mangroves are coastal wetlands characterized by tidal waters and mangrove forests and not by repeated falls in sea level. Marakkanam Salt Pans is situated in Tamil Nadu. These are man-made salt pans used for salt production and not natural marshlands formed by sea level changes. Naupada Swamp is a freshwater wetland, not a salt marsh formed by sea level fluctuations. It is located in Andhra Pradesh.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Amarkantak Hills are located at the confluence of the Vindhya and Satpura Ranges, not the Sahyadri Range. It is a plateau region in Madhya Pradesh where the Vindhya and Satpura Ranges meet, along with the Maikal Hills. The Sahyadri Range is another name for the Western Ghats which are located along the western coast of India located further south.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Biligirirangan Hills belong to the Eastern Ghats mountain range rather than the Satpura Range. The BR Hills serve as an ecological bridge between the Western and Eastern Ghats, providing a corridor for wildlife movement.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Seshachalam Hills are part of the Eastern Ghats located in Andhra Pradesh, and are not related to the Western Ghats. The Seshachalam Hills are known for the Sri Venkateswara National Park and the Tirumala Temple.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake and the lake controls its flow and water discharge. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes of Asia and is located in Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Kolleru Lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams and not the Krishna River. It is indirectly connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by drains and channels. Kolleru Bird Sanctuary serves as a habitat for migratory birds.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Kanwar Jheel/Kabar Taal is a fresh-water residual oxbow lake formed due to the meandering of Burhi Gandak River, a tributary of Ganga(not Gandak River). It is located in Begusarai, Bihar. The lake is a significant bio-diversity hotspot, particularly for migratory birds, and has been designated as a Ramsar site.

Explanation

Ukraine is a country located in eastern Europe. Its capital is Kyiv which is located on the Dnieper River in north-central Ukraine. Ukraine shares its borders with seven countries:

Poland to the west Slovakia to the west Hungary to the west Romania to the southwest Moldova to the southwest Russia to the east and northeast Belarus to the north Among given countries Ukraine shares borders with Hungary and Romania only. The other countries-Bulgaria, Czech Re-public, Latvia, and Lithuania do not share a land border with Ukraine.