Geography MCQs for UPSC Prelims

885 practice questions covering Geography, organised into 17 topics. 885 questions include a written explanation; 163 are from previous year papers. Pick a topic below, or try the samples first.

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Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question hard

With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements: 1. Area under rice cultivation is the highest. 2. Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds. 3. Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane. 4. Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A 1 and 3 only
  2. B 2, 3 and 4 only
  3. C 2 and 4 only
  4. D 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - 1 and 3 only

Among Kharif crops, rice occupies the largest area in India, so statement 1 is correct. Oilseeds cover far more area than jowar, so statement 2 is wrong. Cotton's area (well over a hundred lakh hectares) clearly exceeds that under sugarcane, so statement 3 is correct. Sugarcane area has fluctuated rather than steadily declined, so statement 4 is wrong. Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

Q2
Previous year question easy

Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?

  1. A Andaman and Nicobar
  2. B Nicobar and Sumatra
  3. C Maldives and Lakshadweep
  4. D Sumatra and Java.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Andaman and Nicobar

The Ten Degree Channel, lying roughly along the 10 degree north latitude, separates the Andaman group of islands from the Nicobar group, so option (a) is correct. Nicobar and Sumatra are separated by the Great Channel, ruling out (b). Maldives and Lakshadweep lie in the Arabian Sea and are unrelated to this channel, ruling out (c). Sumatra and Java are separated by the Sunda Strait, ruling out (d).

Q3
Previous year question hard

Consider the following statements : Statement I : In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, the isotherms bend equatorward while crossing the landmasses, and poleward while crossing the oceans. Statement II : In January, the air over the oceans is warmer than that over the landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
  2. B Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
  3. C Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
  4. D Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I

In January the Northern Hemisphere landmasses cool faster than the oceans, so isotherms bend equatorward over the colder continents and poleward over the warmer oceans, making statement I correct. Statement II is also correct because in winter the oceans retain heat and are warmer than the adjacent land. Since this warmer ocean air is precisely the reason the isotherms bend the way they do, statement II explains statement I.

Q4
Previous year question easy

The longest border between any two countries in the world is between:

  1. A Canada and the United States of America
  2. B Chile and Argentina
  3. C China and India
  4. D Kazakhstan and Russian Federation
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - Canada and the United States of America

The Canada-United States border runs about 8,891 km, making it the longest international land border between two countries. The Chile-Argentina Andean border and the China-India border are both long but considerably shorter. The Kazakhstan-Russia border is the longest continuous border within a single landmass at roughly 7,600 km, but it is still shorter than the Canada-US frontier when its total length including the Alaska section is counted.

Q5
Previous year question medium

Siachen Glacier is situated to the

  1. A East of Aksai Chin
  2. B East of Leh
  3. C North of Gilgit
  4. D North of Nubra Valley
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - North of Nubra Valley

The Siachen Glacier lies in the eastern Karakoram range and its meltwater feeds the Nubra river, with the glacier sitting to the north of the Nubra Valley. It is not east of Aksai Chin, which lies far to the east, nor simply east of Leh, and it is well to the east, not the north, of Gilgit. Hence Siachen Glacier is situated to the north of the Nubra Valley.

Q6
Previous year question easy

Consider the following crops: 1. Cotton 2. Groundnut 3. Rice 4. Wheat Which of these are Kharif crops?

  1. A 1 and 4
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1, 2 and 3
  4. D 2, 3 and 4
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1, 2 and 3

Kharif crops are sown with the onset of the southwest monsoon around June-July and harvested in autumn; cotton (1), groundnut (2) and rice (3) are all classic monsoon-season Kharif crops, so option (c) is correct. Wheat (4) is the principal Rabi crop, sown in winter and harvested in spring, so it is not a Kharif crop, which eliminates options (a) and (d). Option (b) is too narrow because it omits cotton, which is also Kharif.

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