UPSC 2023 Geography Questions with Answers

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.

Explanation

Option (a) is correct: The Congo Basin is a vast region in Central Africa, encompassing approximately 3.7 million square kilometers. It spans across several countries, including Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It is home to the Congo Rainforest which is the second-largest tropical rainforest globally, after the Amazon. This region plays a crucial role in climate regulation, carbon storage, and biodiversity conservation. Cameroon forms the northwestern boundary of the Congo Basin. The southeastern parts of Cameroon--especially the regions of East, South, and Centre provinces--are covered by dense equatorial rainforests that are part of the basin.

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

Nigeria is located further west. Nigeria’s terrain is dominated by savannah, mangroves, and rainforests but it is located outside the Congo Basin. South Sudan is rich in wetlands (Sudd Swamp) but it lies northeast of the Congo Basin and is part of the Nile Basin. Uganda shares a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo but it belongs to the Great Lakes Region and Nile River Basin and not the Congo Basin.