Geography: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

Chandipur, located in Balasore district, Odisha is famous for its unique vanishing sea phenomenon where the sea recedes up to 5 km during low tide and returns during high tide, occurring twice a day. This hide-and-seek of the sea comes to play twice a day and seeing the sea disappear and then return is an unforgettable experience. Thus it is also called the ‘hide-and-seek’ beach. The Bay of Bengal coast experiences semi-diur-nal tides, meaning it has two high tides and two low tides each day. Chandipur beach has a shallow gradient which amplifies the tidal effect and causes the sea to retreat significantly. The gradual slope of the sea bed allows water to move far away and return cyclically. The beach is rich in biodiversity, including horseshoe crabs and red crabs, which become visible when the water recedes. Chandipur also has the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) Integrated Research Range. In this range ballistic missiles are test-fired.

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

Bhavnagar is located in Saurashtra, Gujarat near the Gulf of Khambhat, which has one of the highest tidal ranges in India (up to 11 meters), but the sea does not recede as dramatically as in Chandipur. Bheemunipatnam is a coastal town near Visakhapatnam. It is known for its historical Dutch settlements, but does not exhibit this tidal phenomenon. Nagapattinam is a port town on the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu. It is known for fishing and trade, but does not have the dramatic sea retreat seen in Chandipur.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct:

Great Nicobar is closest to Sumatra. Great Nicobar lies on the south of the Nicobar Islands of India and it is the largest island of the Nicobar Islands. South of Great Nicobar is the island of Sumatra. The distance between the two places is approximately 150 Kms. The close proximity of Sumatra to Great Nicobar has implications beyond mere geography. Historically, this nearness has influenced trade routes, cultural exchanges, and even ecological patterns between the two regions. For instance, certain flora and fauna exhibit similarities due to this geographical closeness.

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

The distance from Great Nicobar to Borneo is 2,398 kms. The distance from Great Nicobar to Java stands at 1,817 kms. The distance from Great Nicobar to Sri Lanka is 1437 kms.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Indian Himalayan spans 13 states and union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Western Ghats are spread over six states namely Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat and not 5 states.

Statement 3 is correct: Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lake in India and spreads over the two states namely Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Large varieties of birds, including Painted Storks and Grey pelicans, frequent the area every year.

Explanation

The Mediterranean Sea is a significant body of water almost entirely enclosed by land, serves as a natural border for numerous countries across three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Option (c) is correct: The countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey.

Explanation

Option (b) is correct: Traveling by road from Kohima in Nagaland to Kottayam in Kerala involves traversing multiple Indian states. To determine the minimum number of states one would pass through, including the origin and destination, let’s analyze the shortest route:

Nagaland: Starting point at Kohima.

Assam: Proceed westward into Assam.

West Bengal: Continue through Assam into West Bengal. Odisha: Travel southward from West Bengal into Odisha. Andhra Pradesh: Proceed further south into Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu: From Andhra Pradesh, enter Tamil Nadu. Kerala: Finally, arrive at Kottayam in Kerala. This route covers seven states in total. Alternatively, after Andhra Pradesh, one could enter Karnataka before reaching Kerala, still totaling seven states.

Explanation

Shale gas is a type of natural gas that is trapped within shale formations, which are fine-grained sedimentary rocks. Un-like conventional natural gas, which is found in porous reservoirs like sandstone, shale gas is tightly bound within the rock and requires advanced extraction techniques to release it.

Option (d) is correct: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) has identified six basins as potentially shale gas bearing. These are: Cambay, Assam-Arakan, Gondwana, Krishna-Godavari Basin, Cauvery Basin and the Indo Gangetic plain.

Explanation

Drip irrigation is a highly efficient water-saving irrigation technique where water is directly supplied to the plant roots through a network of pipes, valves, and emitters.

Statement 1 is correct: Drip irrigation delivers water only to plant roots, preventing water wastage in surrounding soil areas. Since weeds grow in moist conditions, less water in non-target areas leads to reduced weed growth.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Drip irrigation does not reduce soil salinity. Instead it may lead to salt accumulation near the root zone over time due to limited leaching of salts from the soil. Flood irrigation is more effective in reducing soil salinity as it washes away excess salts.

Statement 3 is correct: Since drip irrigation supplies water at a slow and controlled rate there is minimal surface runoff, preventing soil erosion. Unlike traditional irrigation methods like flood or sprinkler irrigation, which cause water runoff and soil displacement, drip irrigation keeps soil structure intact.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Bodhgaya is located in the Magadh region of Bihar not Baghelkhand (which is in Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh). It is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world. It is where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree around 5th-6th century BCE. The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a major pilgrimage center for Buddhists. The Great Buddha Statue, monasteries built by Buddhist communities worldwide, and the annual Kalachakra festival add to its spiritual significance.

Pair 2 is correctly matched: Khajuraho is in Madhya Pradesh, part of the Bundelkhand region, which spans Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It is famous for its Hindu and Jain temples, built between the 10th-12th centuries by the Chandela dynasty. The temples are known for their intricate carvings and erotic sculptures which symbolizes Kama (desire) as one of the four goals of life (Purusharthas) in Hindu philosophy. Important temples include Kandariya Mahadev, Lakshmana, Vishwanath, and Parshvanath Jain Temple.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Shirdi is located in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra which is not part of Vidarbha region. Vidarbha is in eastern Maharashtra, covering districts like Nagpur, Amravati, and Chandrapur. It is known as the holy town of Sai Baba, one of India’s most revered saints, who preached love, unity, and service to humanity in the late 19th-early 20th century. Sai Baba’s teachings blended Hindu and Sufi traditions, promoting religious harmony. The Dwarkamai Mosque, Chavadi, and Gurusthan are other significant sites related to Sai Baba’s life.

Pair 4 is incorrectly matched: Nashik is in northern Maharashtra, not Malwa (which is in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan).Nashik is an important Hindu pilgrimage site associated with the Ramayana. It hosts the Kumbh Mela every 12 years, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It is home to the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Pair 5 is correctly matched: Tirupati located in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. It is famous for the Venkateswara Temple, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world.

Explanation

The Brahmaputra River, a major transboundary river in South Asia, is fed by numerous tributaries that enhance its volume and sustain the diverse ecosystems along its course. the Dibang, Kameng, and Lohit rivers are important tributaries of Brahmaputra River.

Option (d) is correct:

The Dibang River also known as the Sikang, originates in the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It traverses through the rugged terrains of Arunachal Pradesh, carving out deep gorges and valleys. The Dibang merges with the Lohit River near the town of Sadiya in Assam. Together they join the main channel of the Brahmaputra River. The Kameng River originates from a glacial lake beneath the Gori Chen mountain in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The river flows through the Bhalukpong circle of West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh and then through the Sonitpur district of Assam. It joins the Brahmaputra River near the town of Tezpur in Assam. The Lohit River originate in the Zayü County of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Upon entering India in Arunachal Pradesh, the Lohit traverses the Mishmi Hills, flowing through dense forests and mountainous terrains. It meets the Dibang River near Sadiya in Assam and their combined waters subsequently merge with the Brahmaputra River.

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrect: While cool sea surface temperatures can hinder cyclone formation, there are instances where localized warming (e.g., due to anomalies like El Niño) can occur in these regions. However, cyclones still rarely form, suggesting that low sea surface temperature alone isn’t the primary reason.

Option (b) is correct: In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific tropical regions, the ITCZ seldom occurs or is weak and displaced. This lack of persistent convergence means that there is insufficient atmospheric instability and rising air currents needed for cyclone formation.

Option (c) is incorrect: The Coriolis force is indeed weak near the equator, but the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific are far enough from the equator for the Coriolis force to induce the necessary rotation for cyclones. Cyclones frequently form at similar latitudes in other ocean basins (e.g., the North Atlantic or the North-Western Pacific), so this isn’t the limiting factor in these regions.

Option (d) is incorrect: Cyclones form over oceans, not land, as they require moisture and heat from the sea. The absence of land actually favors cyclone formation, as land disrupts and weakens cyclones.