Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Norway
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question asks about the dominance of hydro electric power in the energy mix of different countries. Some nations are highly dependent on hydro power due to their natural topography, abundant rivers, and strong hydro development policies. Knowing which country relies on hydro for more than 90 percent of its electricity supply is a useful fact in world geography and energy resource studies, and it often appears in competitive exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Norway has a mountainous landscape, plentiful rivers, and a long history of developing hydro electric projects. As a result, the vast majority of its electricity generation comes from hydro power, commonly quoted as over 90 percent in many geography texts. Sweden has a more diversified energy mix including nuclear and other sources. India and the United Kingdom have significant thermal, nuclear, and other forms of generation, so hydro power does not dominate their supply in the same way.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall general patterns. Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden use a lot of hydro power due to their rivers and elevation.
Step 2: Distinguish between Norway and Sweden. Sweden also uses nuclear, thermal, and other renewables, so hydro is important but not above 90 percent.
Step 3: Consider India. India has many hydro projects but also heavy dependence on coal based thermal power, natural gas, nuclear, and increasing renewables, so hydro is a smaller fraction of the total.
Step 4: Consider the United Kingdom. The UK’s power mix is dominated by natural gas, nuclear, and other sources, with hydro forming only a small proportion.
Step 5: Conclude that Norway is the country where hydro electric power makes up more than 90 percent of electricity generation in many standard references.
Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to think about it is to visualise the physical geography of each country. Norway has steep valleys and abundant water flow, ideal for dams. With relatively low population and strong investment in hydro power, it can rely almost entirely on this renewable source. In contrast, India has large plains where coal fired plants are common, and the United Kingdom is an industrialised island country without the same large scale hydropower potential. Sweden, while mountainous in parts, still uses a significant share of nuclear power. These comparisons confirm that Norway is the best answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, Sweden, uses substantial hydro electricity but also depends on nuclear and other sources, so the hydro share does not exceed 90 percent. Option C, India, has a diverse power mix heavily based on thermal power, and hydro contributes a smaller though important portion. Option D, United Kingdom, has only a minor contribution from hydro facilities. Therefore these countries do not meet the more than 90 percent hydro electricity condition stated in the question.
Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to assume that any country with many rivers must be almost fully dependent on hydro power, which is not true. Students may also confuse installed capacity with actual energy share. Always focus on the share of electricity generated or consumed, not just the number of dams. Another pitfall is to mix up Norway and Sweden, but with practice you can remember Norway as the classic textbook example of a country where hydro power dominates the energy mix.
Final Answer:
The country where hydro electric power provides more than ninety percent of the total power consumed is Norway.
Discussion & Comments