Pariksha SaathiGeneral Studies
Indian Geography: Practice Questions with Answers
239 practice questions on Indian Geography, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.
Read the lesson on this topic →
Page 1 / 5 Next →
-
Q.1
Alluvial soils of India are generally
- A Rich in potash but poor in phosphorus
- B Rich in phosphorus but poor in potash
- C Rich in iron and aluminium oxides but poor in lime
- D Very rich in nitrogen and humus
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Rich in potash but poor in phosphorus
NCERT notes that alluvial soils vary from sandy loam to clay and are generally rich in potash but poor in phosphorus. They are deposited by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems and in the coastal deltas.
-
Q.2
Nathu La, a Himalayan pass on the India-China border used for trade, is located in
- A Sikkim
- B Himachal Pradesh
- C Arunachal Pradesh
- D Uttarakhand
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Sikkim
Nathu La and Jelep La are passes in Sikkim connecting it with Tibet. Shipki La is in Himachal Pradesh, Lipulekh in Uttarakhand and Bomdila in Arunachal Pradesh.
-
Q.3
The Deccan Trap region of Maharashtra and adjoining states was formed by
- A Basaltic lava flows
- B Granite intrusions
- C Marine deposition
- D Glacial deposition
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Basaltic lava flows
The Deccan Trap was built by successive sheets of basaltic lava erupted through fissures around the end of the Cretaceous period. Weathering of this basalt gives the black regur soil.
-
Q.4
Laterite soil, found on the Western Ghats, Odisha and Meghalaya and used for brick-making, is formed by
- A deposition by rivers
- B deposition by wind
- C weathering of basalt lava
- D intense leaching under heavy rain and high temperature
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) intense leaching under heavy rain and high temperature
Alternate wet and dry seasons with heavy rain wash away silica and lime, leaving iron and aluminium oxides; this leaching produces laterite. It supports cashew, tea and coffee with manuring.
-
Q.5
Pulicat Lake, a lagoon separated from the Bay of Bengal by the island of Sriharikota, lies on the border of
- A Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
- B Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
- C Kerala and Tamil Nadu
- D Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
Pulicat is a brackish-water lagoon on the east coast shared by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with the Sriharikota barrier island on its seaward side. Chilika, a larger lagoon, is in Odisha.
-
Q.6
The Panchpatmali bauxite deposits, which feed the alumina refinery of NALCO at Damanjodi, are in which district of Odisha?
- A Keonjhar
- B Sundargarh
- C Mayurbhanj
- D Koraput
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Koraput
The Panchpatmali hills and the Damanjodi refinery are both in Koraput district, part of the Eastern Ghats bauxite belt of Odisha. Keonjhar and Sundargarh are better known for iron ore.
-
Q.7
Which west-flowing river crosses the Tropic of Cancer twice before draining into the Gulf of Khambhat?
- A Sabarmati
- B Narmada
- C Luni
- D Mahi
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Mahi
The Mahi rises in the Vindhyas of Madhya Pradesh and flows north, crossing the Tropic of Cancer, into Rajasthan, where it makes a U-shaped bend in Banswara district. It then flows south-west, crosses the Tropic again near the Rajasthan-Gujarat border and reaches the Gulf of Khambhat through Gujarat. The Narmada lies wholly south of the Tropic.
-
Q.8
The Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station of NTPC is located in which state?
- A Uttar Pradesh
- B Madhya Pradesh
- C Chhattisgarh
- D Jharkhand
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Madhya Pradesh
Vindhyachal is in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh and draws on the Singrauli coalfield, which extends into Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh. Korba is the main thermal power hub of Chhattisgarh.
-
Q.9
The Bist Doab of the Punjab plains lies between which two rivers?
- A Ravi and Beas
- B Beas and Sutlej
- C Chenab and Ravi
- D Jhelum and Chenab
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Beas and Sutlej
A doab is the land between two rivers that meet. The Bist (Jalandhar) Doab lies between the Beas and the Sutlej, the Bari Doab between the Beas and the Ravi, and the Rechna Doab between the Ravi and the Chenab.
-
Q.10
Desert National Park near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan is an important habitat of which endangered bird?
- A Sarus crane
- B Himalayan monal
- C Great Indian Bustard
- D Nicobar pigeon
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Great Indian Bustard
Desert National Park, spread over Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, protects Thar grasslands that are among the last strongholds of the Great Indian Bustard (godawan), the state bird of Rajasthan.
-
Q.11
Consider the following statements: 1. The western coastal plain is narrower than the eastern coastal plain. 2. The rivers flowing across the western coastal plain form large deltas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Only 1
The western coastal plain is a narrow, submerged coastal strip, and its short, swift rivers do not form deltas. The broad eastern plain has the deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
-
Q.12
Which was the first biosphere reserve to be established in India (1986)?
- A Nilgiri
- B Nanda Devi
- C Sundarbans
- D Gulf of Mannar
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Nilgiri
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, spread over Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, was the first, set up in 1986. Nanda Devi followed in 1988.
-
Q.13
Consider the following statements: 1. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are believed to be elevated portions of submarine mountains. 2. The Lakshadweep Islands are made up of coral deposits. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Both are correct. The Andaman and Nicobar group in the Bay of Bengal is the raised part of a submarine mountain chain, while Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea consists of small coral islands.
-
Q.14
The Damodar Valley Corporation (1948), set up to control the floods of the Damodar, was modelled on which foreign river project?
- A Tennessee Valley Authority of the USA
- B Hoover Dam project of the USA
- C Aswan High Dam project of Egypt
- D Three Gorges project of China
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Tennessee Valley Authority of the USA
DVC was one of the earliest multipurpose river valley projects of independent India and followed the Tennessee Valley Authority model. Before its dams were built, the Damodar was called the Sorrow of Bengal because of its floods.
-
Q.15
The Puga valley in Ladakh and Manikaran in the Parvati valley of Himachal Pradesh are associated with which source of energy?
- A Tidal energy
- B Wind energy
- C Solar thermal energy
- D Geothermal energy
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Geothermal energy
Hot springs at Puga and Manikaran show the earth's internal heat close to the surface, and both have been sites of experimental geothermal projects. India's tidal energy potential lies in the Gulfs of Kachchh and Khambhat.
-
Q.16
The Kaveri rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri hills of which district of Karnataka?
- A Chikkamagaluru
- B Shivamogga
- C Hassan
- D Kodagu
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Kodagu
Talakaveri, the source of the Kaveri, is in Kodagu (Coorg) district. From here the river flows south-east across the Karnataka plateau and Tamil Nadu to the Bay of Bengal.
-
Q.17
Mormugao, the major port of Goa, has been known mainly for the export of
- A Crude oil
- B Raw jute
- C Tea
- D Iron ore
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Iron ore
Mormugao, at the mouth of the Zuari estuary, handles iron ore mined in Goa and nearby Karnataka. Kandla (Deendayal Port) in Gujarat and Paradip in Odisha are other major ports.
-
Q.18
Which iron ore is the finest, with an iron content of up to 70 percent and excellent magnetic qualities?
- A Haematite
- B Limonite
- C Siderite
- D Magnetite
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Magnetite
Magnetite has up to 70 percent iron and is especially valuable in the electrical industry. Haematite, with 50 to 60 percent iron, is the most important industrial iron ore in terms of quantity used.
-
Q.19
V. O. Chidambaranar Port, a major port on the Gulf of Mannar coast of Tamil Nadu, is located at
- A Nagapattinam
- B Thoothukudi (Tuticorin)
- C Rameswaram
- D Cuddalore
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Thoothukudi (Tuticorin)
The major port at Thoothukudi is named after the freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, who founded a swadeshi shipping company in 1906. Tamil Nadu's other two major ports are Chennai and Kamarajar Port at Ennore.
-
Q.20
Lonar Lake in Buldhana district of Maharashtra was formed by
- A A volcanic eruption
- B Glacial erosion
- C A meteorite impact
- D A river meander being cut off
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) A meteorite impact
Lonar is a saline crater lake formed when a meteorite struck the basaltic Deccan Trap. A lake formed by a cut-off river meander is called an ox-bow lake.
-
Q.21
According to the Census of 2011, which state had the highest proportion of urban population?
- A Maharashtra
- B Tamil Nadu
- C Goa
- D Kerala
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Goa
About 62 percent of Goa's people lived in urban areas in 2011, the highest share among states. Himachal Pradesh, at about 10 percent, was the least urbanised.
-
Q.22
Wular, the largest freshwater lake in India, is located in
- A Jammu and Kashmir
- B Himachal Pradesh
- C Uttarakhand
- D Manipur
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Jammu and Kashmir
Wular lake in the Kashmir valley is fed by the Jhelum and is the largest freshwater lake of India. Loktak in Manipur is the largest freshwater lake of north-east India.
-
Q.23
Which of the following pulses is a kharif crop?
- A Gram
- B Arhar (tur)
- C Masoor (lentil)
- D Peas
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Arhar (tur)
Arhar, moong and urad are sown with the monsoon as kharif crops. Gram, masoor and peas are rabi pulses sown in winter.
-
Q.24
Kalbaisakhi (Nor'westers), the violent pre-monsoon thunderstorms of April-May, occur mainly in
- A Punjab and Haryana
- B Kerala and Karnataka
- C Rajasthan and Gujarat
- D West Bengal and Assam
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) West Bengal and Assam
Kalbaisakhi storms strike West Bengal and Assam in the hot season and help jute and rice sowing. Kerala and Karnataka get the gentler Mango showers in the same season.
-
Q.25
Gir National Park, the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion, is in which state?
- A Gujarat
- B Rajasthan
- C Madhya Pradesh
- D Maharashtra
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Gujarat
Gir forest in the Saurashtra region (Junagadh) of Gujarat is the last home of the Asiatic lion in the wild.
-
Q.26
The Singareni coal fields of Telangana lie in the valley of which river?
- A Godavari
- B Krishna
- C Mahanadi
- D Damodar
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Godavari
Gondwana coal occurs in the valleys of the Damodar, Son, Mahanadi, Wardha and Godavari; the Singareni fields belong to the Godavari valley. Jharia and Raniganj lie in the Damodar valley.
-
Q.27
According to the Census of 2011, which state has the highest population density in India?
- A Uttar Pradesh
- B Bihar
- C West Bengal
- D Kerala
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Bihar
Bihar recorded 1,106 persons per sq km in 2011, the highest among states, followed by West Bengal (1,028) and Kerala (860). Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state but not the densest.
-
Q.28
Which of the following states does the Tropic of Cancer NOT pass through?
- A Odisha
- B Jharkhand
- C Tripura
- D Mizoram
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Odisha
Odisha lies entirely south of the Tropic of Cancer. Jharkhand, Tripura and Mizoram are among the eight states crossed by the line.
-
Q.29
Coffee cultivation in India was first introduced on which hills?
- A Nilgiri Hills
- B Cardamom Hills
- C Baba Budan Hills
- D Biligirirangan Hills
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Baba Budan Hills
Coffee of the Arabica variety, originally brought from Yemen, was first grown on the Baba Budan Giri hills of Chikkamagaluru district in Karnataka. Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru remain core coffee areas.
-
Q.30
The Standard Meridian of India, which determines Indian Standard Time, is the longitude of
- A 68 degree 7 minutes E
- B 82 degree 30 minutes E
- C 97 degree 25 minutes E
- D 77 degree 30 minutes E
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 82 degree 30 minutes E
82 degree 30 minutes E passes through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) and gives IST, which is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT. 68 degree 7 minutes E and 97 degree 25 minutes E are the western and eastern longitudinal limits of India.
-
Q.31
Which coarse grain, grown in dry regions on red, black, sandy, loamy and shallow black soils, is very rich in iron, calcium and roughage?
- A Ragi
- B Jowar
- C Bajra
- D Maize
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Ragi
Ragi (finger millet) is a hardy crop of dry areas valued for its iron, calcium, other micro-nutrients and roughage. Bajra grows well on sandy and shallow black soils, and jowar is a rain-fed crop of moist areas.
-
Q.32
The thick lake (lacustrine) and glacial clay deposits of the Kashmir valley, well known for the cultivation of saffron, are called
- A Karewas
- B Duns
- C Bhabar
- D Doabs
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Karewas
Karewas are thick deposits of glacial clay and other material left by an ancient lake in the Kashmir valley. They are useful for growing zafran, the local saffron, for example around Pampore.
-
Q.33
In the four-season division of India's climate, the season of the retreating (post-) monsoon covers which months?
- A December to February
- B March to May
- C June to September
- D October and November
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) October and November
The four seasons are the cold weather season (December to February), the hot weather season (March to May), the advancing south-west monsoon (June to September) and the retreating monsoon (October and November).
-
Q.34
Koderma in Jharkhand is well known for the mining of which mineral?
- A Bauxite
- B Manganese
- C Mica
- D Chromite
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Mica
Koderma lies in the mica belt along the northern edge of the Chotanagpur plateau. Mica is valued in the electrical and electronics industries for its insulating property; Nellore in Andhra Pradesh is another mica area.
-
Q.35
The river Sutlej enters India from Tibet through which pass?
- A Rohtang
- B Lipulekh
- C Shipki La
- D Bomdila
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Shipki La
The Sutlej rises near Rakas Tal in Tibet and enters Himachal Pradesh through the Shipki La pass. Rohtang connects Kullu with Lahaul in the same state but is not on the international border.
-
Q.36
The Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar separate India from which country?
- A Maldives
- B Indonesia
- C Myanmar
- D Sri Lanka
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is separated from Tamil Nadu by the narrow Palk Strait in the north and the Gulf of Mannar in the south. The Maldives lie south-west of Lakshadweep across the Eight Degree Channel.
-
Q.37
Which state has the longest coastline in India?
- A Andhra Pradesh
- B Tamil Nadu
- C Gujarat
- D Maharashtra
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Gujarat
Gujarat, with the Kachchh and Kathiawar peninsulas, has the longest coastline of any state (over 1,600 km). Andhra Pradesh has the longest coastline on the east coast.
-
Q.38
Babool, khair, khejri and cacti are typical of the vegetation found in
- A Tropical evergreen forests
- B Tropical thorn forests and scrubs
- C Montane wet temperate forests
- D Mangrove forests
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Tropical thorn forests and scrubs
Thorn forests and scrubs grow in areas with less than about 70 cm of rain, mainly in the semi-arid north-west such as Rajasthan and Gujarat. Their plants have long roots and small, thick leaves to reduce water loss.
-
Q.39
The first successful cotton textile mill in India was established in 1854 at
- A Mumbai
- B Ahmedabad
- C Kolkata
- D Kanpur
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Mumbai
The Mumbai mill of 1854 could draw raw cotton from the black soil areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat and use Mumbai port to import machinery. An earlier mill at Fort Gloster near Kolkata (1818) did not last, and Ahmedabad later grew into a major textile centre.
-
Q.40
Which state is the largest producer of jute, the Golden Fibre, in India?
- A Bihar
- B West Bengal
- C Assam
- D Odisha
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) West Bengal
The hot, humid Ganga delta of West Bengal grows most of India's jute, and the jute mills are concentrated along the Hugli river. Bihar and Assam are the next producers.
-
Q.41
Slash-and-burn shifting cultivation is called jhumming in the north-eastern states. By what name is it known in Andhra Pradesh?
- A Bewar
- B Kuruwa
- C Podu
- D Khil
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Podu
Local names of shifting cultivation include Podu or Penda in Andhra Pradesh, Bewar or Dahiya in Madhya Pradesh, Kuruwa in Jharkhand and Khil in the Himalayan belt.
-
Q.42
Rubber, an equatorial crop grown mainly in Kerala, needs a moist and humid climate with
- A rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature above 25 degrees C
- B rainfall of 50 to 75 cm and a cool growing season
- C rainfall below 50 cm and a long dry season
- D rainfall of 75 to 100 cm and frost at the time of ripening
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) rainfall of more than 200 cm and temperature above 25 degrees C
Rubber trees need heavy rainfall above 200 cm and warmth above 25 degrees C. Besides Kerala, rubber is grown in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Garo hills of Meghalaya.
-
Q.43
The Kaveri carries water throughout the year with less fluctuation than most other peninsular rivers mainly because
- A it is fed by melting Himalayan snow
- B it flows through a deep rift valley
- C its upper basin gets the south-west monsoon and its lower basin the north-east monsoon
- D its whole basin lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) its upper basin gets the south-west monsoon and its lower basin the north-east monsoon
The upper catchment of the Kaveri in Karnataka receives rain in summer from the south-west monsoon and the lower catchment in Tamil Nadu receives rain in winter from the north-east monsoon, so its flow is more regular.
-
Q.44
Black (regur) soil of the Deccan, ideal for cotton, is formed from the weathering of
- A Basaltic lava
- B Granite and gneiss
- C River alluvium
- D Limestone
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Basaltic lava
Regur soil develops on the Deccan Trap basalt in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. It retains moisture, develops deep cracks in summer (self-ploughing) and is rich in lime, iron and magnesia but poor in nitrogen.
-
Q.45
According to the Census of 2011, the total population of India was about
- A 102 crore
- B 121 crore
- C 115 crore
- D 131 crore
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 121 crore
Census 2011 counted about 1,210.8 million people, or roughly 121 crore. The 2001 Census had counted about 102.9 crore.
-
Q.46
Which of the following dams is NOT on the Chambal river?
- A Gandhi Sagar
- B Rana Pratap Sagar
- C Jawahar Sagar
- D Matatila
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Matatila
Gandhi Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Rana Pratap Sagar and Jawahar Sagar (Rajasthan) are the three dams of the Chambal project. Matatila is on the Betwa, on the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border.
-
Q.47
The headquarters of the Northeast Frontier Railway zone is at
- A Maligaon (Guwahati)
- B Gorakhpur
- C Kolkata
- D Hajipur
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Maligaon (Guwahati)
Northeast Frontier Railway is headquartered at Maligaon in Guwahati. Gorakhpur is the HQ of North Eastern Railway and Hajipur of East Central Railway.
-
Q.48
Cotton, which grows well on the black soil of the Deccan plateau, needs high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, bright sunshine and about how many frost-free days?
- A 90
- B 210
- C 150
- D 300
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 210
Cotton needs about 210 frost-free days and bright sunshine; it is a kharif crop that takes 6 to 8 months to mature. The moisture-retaining black regur soil suits it well.
-
Q.49
According to the Census of 2011, which is the least populous state of India?
- A Mizoram
- B Arunachal Pradesh
- C Sikkim
- D Goa
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Sikkim
Sikkim had about 6.1 lakh people in 2011, the fewest among states; Uttar Pradesh, with about 19.98 crore, was the most populous.
-
Q.50
Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of the Aravalli range, is located on
- A Kumbhalgarh
- B Chittorgarh
- C Ajmer
- D Mount Abu
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Mount Abu
Guru Shikhar rises on Mount Abu in Sirohi district of Rajasthan, near the south-western end of the Aravallis. The Aravallis are among the oldest fold mountains in India.
Page 1 / 5 Next →
How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.