Question 1

Glaciology (physical geography): Which type of glaciers are the largest on Earth by area and volume? Consider the distinction between alpine/mountain glaciers and vast ice sheets. Choose the correct type.

Accepted Answer

What is being asked? Identify the largest glacier type by scale. Concept/Approach Continental glaciers, i.e., ice sheets (like those in Antarctica and Greenland), cover vast continental areas and hold the majority of Earth’s freshwater ice. Alpine/mountain glaciers are comparatively small and confined to mountain valleys; piedmont glaciers spread at mountain bases but are far smaller than ice sheets. Final Answer Continental glaciers

Question 2

Indian mineral geography: In which zone is the highest concentration of India’s mineral deposits found, as commonly referenced in general studies? Focus on the broad zone label used in standard GK (Chota Nagpur–Odisha belt context). Choose the corre…

Accepted Answer

What is being asked? The zone with the most concentrated mineral resources in India. Concept/Approach Standard GK sources describe the country’s richest mineral belt as the eastern/north-eastern plateau belt—the Chota Nagpur Plateau and adjoining Odisha belt—with abundance of coal, iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, etc. Common pitfalls Confusing the ‘‘north-eastern zone’’ label with the administrative North-East states; here it refers to the eastern/north-eastern plateau mineral belt (Jharkhand–Odisha–Chhattisgarh–West Bengal region) used in GK shorthand. Final Answer Northeastern zone

Question 3

European physical geography (mountain systems): Which of the following lists correctly names important mountain ranges of Europe? Focus on well-known European ranges and exclude non-European ranges when evaluating the options. Choose the correct set…

Accepted Answer

Given data Identify a set composed only of major European mountain ranges. Concept/Approach The Alps, Carpathians, Pyrenees, and Apennines are all in Europe. The Andes (South America), Himalayas (Asia), and Rockies (North America) are not European. Step-by-step check Option A → includes Andes (not Europe) → incorrect.Option B → all four are European → correct.Option C → includes Himalayas and Rockies (not Europe) → incorrect. Final Answer Alps, Carpathians, Pyrenees, Apennines

Question 4

Atmospheric layers (ionosphere): The ionosphere contains ionised air which helps protect the Earth—mainly from which solar radiation? Consider which band is significantly absorbed by high-altitude ionised layers rather than by lower atmospheric laye…

Accepted Answer

Given data Ionosphere = ionised region at high altitude. Concept/Approach The ionosphere absorbs a significant portion of solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray radiation, protecting the lower atmosphere. (By contrast, most incoming meteoroids ablate primarily in the mesosphere; IR is not chiefly attenuated by the ionosphere.) Final Answer The ultraviolet rays of the Sun

Question 5

Climatology (regional winds of West Africa): What is the Harmattan, and when/how does it blow? Assess its dryness, seasonality, and dust transport characteristics from the Sahara toward the Gulf of Guinea. Choose the most accurate description.

Accepted Answer

Given data African regional wind system (Harmattan). Concept/Approach The Harmattan is a cool, very dry, dusty northeasterly trade wind blowing from the Sahara toward West Africa, typically December to February, carrying substantial Saharan dust. Final Answer All of the above

Question 6

World biomes (grasslands): Which of the following is a tropical grassland biome? Distinguish tropical grasslands from temperate grasslands and boreal forests. Choose the correct biome name.

Accepted Answer

Concept Savannah is the typical tropical grassland (with scattered trees), whereas Pampas (South America) and Prairies (North America) are temperate grasslands; Taiga is boreal forest. Final Answer Savannah

Question 7

Urban geography (Latin America): Which is the largest city in Latin America by population among the options given? Treat 'largest' in the standard GK sense of major urban agglomerations historically referenced. Choose the correct city.

Accepted Answer

Concept Among the listed options, Mexico City has historically been the largest urban agglomeration in Latin America. (São Paulo is often the overall largest in the region but is not listed here.)

Question 8

African physiography (highest peak): Which is the highest mountain in Africa that does not belong to any continuous mountain chain? Focus on the free-standing volcanic massif vs. chain peaks. Choose the correct peak.

Accepted Answer

Concept Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) is Africa’s highest free-standing mountain. Aconcagua is in the Andes (South America); Kosciuszko is in Australia; Mont Blanc is in the Alps (Europe).

Question 9

Space weather (magnetic storms): What causes the initial increase of the Earth’s magnetic field during magnetic storms? Consider solar-wind–magnetosphere interactions and shock compression effects. Choose the correct cause.

Accepted Answer

Concept The initial phase of a magnetic storm often shows a brief increase in geomagnetic field strength caused by compression of the magnetosphere by interplanetary shocks embedded in the solar wind.

Question 10

Continents (world geography): Which is the largest continent by area? Use the standard continental area rankings used in geography. Choose the correct continent.

Accepted Answer

Concept Asia is the largest continent by land area, followed by Africa, then North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.

Question 11

Atmospheric absorption (greenhouse gases): The Sun’s infrared radiation is strongly absorbed by which gases in the Earth’s atmosphere? Identify the key IR-absorbing constituents among the choices. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Concept Earth’s atmosphere absorbs IR mainly due to water vapour and carbon dioxide (major greenhouse gases). Ozone is most important for absorbing UV, not IR.

Question 12

Volcanology (eruption style): Which is the least explosive type of volcano among the options listed? Compare typical eruption styles of the given volcanic forms. Choose the correct type.

Accepted Answer

Concept Shield volcanoes erupt low-viscosity basaltic lava with gentle, effusive eruptions, making them the least explosive. Composite (stratovolcanoes) are typically more explosive; cinder cones are moderately explosive; flood-basalt plateaus involve extensive effusive events but are not single volcano types.

Question 13

Indian industries (paper): Which Indian state has traditionally led in paper production among the options given? Use standard GK referencing of paper industry clusters and mills. Choose the correct state.

Accepted Answer

Concept Among the options, West Bengal has been a traditional leader with major paper mills and allied industries (historical GK). Other large producers include states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, but they are not listed here.

Question 14

Australia (states and territories): Which is the island state of Australia? Identify the state separated from mainland Australia by Bass Strait. Choose the correct state.

Accepted Answer

Concept Tasmania is Australia’s island state, located south of the mainland across the Bass Strait.

Question 15

South Asia (country names): The island nation of Sri Lanka was formerly known by which colonial-era name? Recall official renaming and historical usage in the 20th century. Choose the correct former name.

Accepted Answer

Concept Sri Lanka was officially known as Ceylon until it adopted the name Sri Lanka in 1972 (as a republic).

Question 16

Upper atmosphere (ionosphere coverage): Which layers of the atmosphere are included within the ionosphere? Recognise that the ionosphere overlaps multiple high-altitude layers due to solar ionisation. Choose the most comprehensive option.

Accepted Answer

Concept The ionosphere is not a separate discrete layer; it is a region of ionised particles that overlaps mainly the thermosphere, extends upward into the exosphere, and reaches down into the upper mesosphere (D layer).

Question 17

Mineralogy (classification): Minerals that chemically contain hydrocarbons belong to which group? Differentiate organic-bearing minerals from silicates/oxides/hydrides. Choose the correct group.

Accepted Answer

Concept Minerals with hydrocarbon chemistry are classified under the organic group (e.g., some bitumens, natural hydrocarbons), distinct from silicates, oxides, and hydrides.

Question 18

Soil science (shrink–swell clays): The heavy clay soils that show marked expansion when wet and contraction when dry are called what? Note: 'heavy day soils' in the prompt refers to heavy clay soils (typo clarified). Choose the correct soil…

Accepted Answer

Concept Vertisols are clay-rich soils (e.g., black cotton soils) with high shrink–swell capacity, forming deep cracks when dry and expanding when moist. Aridisols are arid-region soils; Histosols are organic; Andisols form from volcanic ash.

Question 19

Oceanography (seafloor mapping): Our knowledge of ocean-basin topography has been obtained using which method(s)? Consider geophysical and acoustic techniques used to map the seabed. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Concept Seafloor topography is mapped via echo sounding (single-beam), side-scan sonar and multibeam bathymetry, as well as seismic surveying for sub-seafloor structure. Hence, all listed methods contribute.

Question 20

Fisheries (global trade): Which region is the largest fish exporting region in the world among the choices given? Focus on export volumes rather than just capture production by FAO area. Choose the correct region.

Accepted Answer

Concept South-East Asia (including nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and others) is a dominant hub for fisheries exports (wild capture and aquaculture), making it the leading exporting region among the options provided.

World Geography Questions