Prelims · Geography · 42 questions

World: places, rivers & mapping

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2022 (8)

UPSC syllabus: “Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.” See the full syllabus →

Showing 31–42 of 42, newest first.

Prelims 2022 · Q87

Medium

Consider the following pairs:

	Country	Important reason for being in the news recently
1.	Chad	Setting up of permanent military base by China
2.	Guinea	Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3.	Lebanon	Severe and prolonged economic depression
4.	Tunisia	Suspension of Parliament by President

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Only three pairs

Pairs 2, 3 and 4 are correct and pair 1 is wrong, so three pairs match. Guinea's army seized power in September 2021, Lebanon is in its worst economic collapse, and Tunisia's President suspended Parliament in July 2021. China's overseas base is in Djibouti, not Chad.

✗ 1. China's overseas military base is in Djibouti. A 2021 US Defense Department report says China was only pursuing further facilities and does not name Chad among the countries it likely considered.
✓ 2. After the army's takeover of 5 September 2021, the junta suspended Guinea's constitution and dissolved the institutions of government.
✓ 3. Since 2019 Lebanon has faced the most severe economic and financial collapse in its history, with a banking system left insolvent.
✓ 4. The UN human rights office records that on 25 July 2021 the Tunisian President suspended Parliament and assumed all executive functions, so the pair matches.

Remember · 2021 in the news: Guinea military coup (Sept), Tunisia's President suspends Parliament (July), Lebanon's economic collapse. China's overseas military base: Djibouti.

Sources

World Bank, Lebanon Overview ↗ “Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented crisis stemming from the most severe economic and financial collapse in the country’s history.”
US Department of Defense, Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2021 ↗ “Beyond its base in Djibouti, the PRC is pursuing additional military facilities to support naval, air, ground, cyber, and space power projection.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mamady Doumbouya ↗ · reference work “The junta suspended the constitution and dissolved the institutions of government and promised to form a transitional government of national unity.”
UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): Dissolution of Tunisia's High Judicial Council (Bachelet), 5 Feb 2022 ↗ · reference work “On 25 July 2021, the President suspended Parliament and assumed all executive functions.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2022 · Q88

Medium

Consider the following pairs:

	Region often mentioned in the news	Country
1.	Anatolia	Turkey
2.	Amhara	Ethiopia
3.	Cabo Delgado	Spain
4.	Catalonia	Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Only two pairs

Only pairs 1 and 2 are correct: Anatolia is the region of modern-day Turkey and Amhara is a region of Ethiopia. Cabo Delgado is a province of Mozambique and Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain.

✓ 1. Anatolia is the region that forms modern-day Turkey; NCERT places the Hittite empire in 'Anatolia (modern-day Turkey)'.
✓ 2. Amhara is one of Ethiopia's regions, listed by the UN among those hit by conflict and displacement.
✗ 3. Cabo Delgado is a northern province of Mozambique, where conflict has displaced many people. It is not in Spain.
✗ 4. Catalonia is an autonomous community within Spain: its Statute of Autonomy speaks of a State that respects 'the peoples of Spain'. It is not part of Italy.

Remember · Anatolia = Turkey; Amhara = Ethiopia; Cabo Delgado = northern Mozambique; Catalonia = Spain.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 9 Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 9 · Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Chapter 4 “Hittites: The Hittites were Indo-European people who established a powerful empire in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) around the second millennium BCE.”
UN OCHA, Ethiopia ↗ · reference work “In the regions of Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia, Somali and Tigray, a combination of conflict, violence, climate shocks and disease outbreaks has led to displacement”
UNHCR, Mozambique ↗ · reference work “support sustainable solutions for internally displaced people in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado, Nampula, and Niassa, for refugees and asylum-seekers, and for the communities that host them”
Parliament of Catalonia, Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia (consolidated English text) ↗ · reference work “Catalonia wishes to develop its political personality within the framework of a State which recognises and respects the diversity of identities of the peoples of Spain.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2020 · Q68

Easy

Consider the following pairs:

	River	Flows into
1.	Mekong	Andaman Sea
2.	Thames	Irish Sea
3.	Volga	Caspian Sea
4.	Zambezi	Indian Ocean

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 3 and 4 only

The Volga drains into the Caspian Sea and the Zambezi empties into the Indian Ocean, so pairs 3 and 4 are correctly matched. The Mekong ends in the South China Sea, not the Andaman Sea, and the Thames flows into the North Sea, not the Irish Sea.

✗ 1. The Mekong flows through Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and drains into the South China Sea, south of Ho Chi Minh City; it does not reach the Andaman Sea.
✗ 2. The Thames's fresh water enters the North Sea. The Irish Sea is the arm of the Atlantic that separates Ireland from Great Britain, on the island's western side.
✓ 3. The Volga, Russia's great waterway, drains into the Caspian Sea (NCERT).
✓ 4. The Zambezi flows east across southern Africa (NCERT places Victoria Falls on it) and empties into the Indian Ocean.

Remember · Volga: Caspian Sea. Zambezi: Indian Ocean. Mekong: South China Sea. Thames: North Sea.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Fundamentals of Human Geography, Ch 7 (practise this chapter) · Class 6 Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 12 · Fundamentals of Human Geography, Chapter 7 “It provides a navigable waterway of 11,200 km and drains into the Caspian Sea.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Zambezi River ↗ · reference work “The Zambezi flows east for about 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers) from its source on the Central African Plateau, emptying into the Indian Ocean.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mekong River ↗ · reference work “The Mekong River flows through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam before draining into the South China Sea, south of Ho Chi Minh City.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: North Sea ↗ · reference work “Large quantities of fresh water also enter through the Rhine, Thames, and other rivers.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Irish Sea ↗ · reference work “Irish Sea , arm of the North Atlantic Ocean that separates Ireland from Great Britain.”
NCERT Class 6 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Chapter 3 “The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, the Hundru Falls on the Subarnarekha River”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2019 · Q36

Medium

Consider the following pairs:

	Sea	Bordering country
1.	Adriatic Sea	Albania
2.	Black Sea	Croatia
3.	Caspian Sea	Kazakhstan
4.	Mediterranean Sea	Morocco
5.	Red Sea	Syria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 1, 3 and 4 only

Albania touches the Adriatic, Kazakhstan the Caspian and Morocco the Mediterranean, so pairs 1, 3 and 4 are right. Croatia has no Black Sea coast (it is on the Adriatic), and Syria's coast is on the Mediterranean, not the Red Sea.

✓ 1. Albania lies on the southeastern Adriatic, where the Strait of Otranto separates it from Italy.
✗ 2. The Black Sea's coastal states are Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. Croatia is on the Adriatic.
✓ 3. Kazakhstan is one of the five Caspian littoral states, with Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkmenistan.
✓ 4. Morocco has a Mediterranean coast, and is a Contracting Party to the Barcelona Convention for the Mediterranean.
✗ 5. Syria borders the Mediterranean. The Red Sea states in the regional body PERSGA are Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen; Syria is not among them.

Remember · Caspian littoral states: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan. Black Sea: Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine. Syria is on the Mediterranean, not the Red Sea.

Sources

Tehran Convention (Caspian Sea) Secretariat: About the Convention (Internet Archive copy) ↗ · reference work “signed by all five Caspian littoral States (Republic of Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan)”
Black Sea Commission (Bucharest Convention), 2022 archived copy of the Commission's website ↗ · reference work “the Black Sea coastal states Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, The Russsian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine”
UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan: Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention ↗ “The 22 Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention are: Albania , Algeria , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Croatia , Cyprus , Egypt , France , Greece , Israel , Italy , Lebanon , Libya , Malta , Monaco , Montenegro , Morocco , Slovenia , Spain , Syrian Arab Republic , Tunisia , Türkiye , and the European Union .”
PERSGA (Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden) ↗ · reference work “PERSGA is an IGO have seven member states, including Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.”
FAO: Inland fisheries of Europe, Albania (country description) ↗ “and the Mediterranean Ocean (Adriatic and lonian Seas) on the west for 472 km.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q13

Easy

Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities?

1.Aral Sea
2.Black Sea
3.Lake Baikal

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only the Aral Sea fits. From the 1960s the Soviet Union diverted its feeder rivers, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, to irrigate cotton, and the lake that was once the world's fourth largest broke into small remnants. The Black Sea and Lake Baikal have not shrunk in this way.

✓ 1. Irrigation diversions starved the Aral Sea (on the Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan border) of inflow; satellite images show it was already a fraction of its 1960 extent by 2000.
✗ 2. The Black Sea, a large inland sea linked to the Mediterranean through the Bosporus, faces pollution problems but has not dried up.
✗ 3. Lake Baikal in Siberia, the world's deepest lake, still holds its vast volume of fresh water; it has not shrunk immensely.

Remember · Aral Sea: once the world's fourth-largest lake, fed by the Amu Darya and Syr Darya; shrank drastically after Soviet-era irrigation diversions from the 1960s.

Sources

World of Change: Shrinking Aral Sea, NASA Earth Observatory ↗ “In the 1960s, the Soviet Union undertook a major water diversion project on the arid plains of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. … The lake they made, the Aral Sea , was once the fourth largest in the world. Although irrigation made the desert bloom, it devastated the Aral Sea.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q18

Easy

Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Yemen and South Sudan

In 2017 the UN formally declared famine in parts of South Sudan, where civil war had wrecked food supply, and warned that war-torn Yemen had more than 17 million people facing severe food insecurity. Both crises were driven by armed conflict.

✓ (d) Famine was declared in parts of South Sudan's Unity region on 20 February 2017, and in March 2017 the UN counted 2.2 million acutely malnourished children in conflict-ridden Yemen.
✗ (c) Venezuela's shortages of food and medicine at the time grew out of an economic collapse rather than a war or ethnic conflict, and neighbouring Colombia saw no famine.
✗ (a) Angola's civil war ended in 2002 and Zambia has had no recent war; neither saw conflict-driven famine around 2017.

Remember · 2017: UN declared famine in South Sudan (Leer and Mayendit, Unity region); Yemen called one of the world's worst hunger crises, 17 million food-insecure.

Sources

Famine declared in region of South Sudan – UN, United Nations Academic Impact (20 February 2017) ↗ “Famine has been formally declared in parts of South Sudan, the United Nations said today, warning that war and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation there”
Yemen needs urgent assistance to prevent famine - FAO, WFP, UNICEF (UNICEF press release, 15 March 2017) ↗ “Severe food insecurity threatens more than 17 million people in conflict-ridden Yemen, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released by the United Nations and humanitarian partners today.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q37

Easy

Consider the following pairs:

	Towns sometimes mentioned in news	Country
1.	Aleppo	Syria
2.	Kirkuk	Yemen
3.	Mosul	Palestine
4.	Mazar-i-sharif	Afghanistan

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 1 and 4

Aleppo is in Syria and Mazar-i-Sharif is in Afghanistan, so pairs 1 and 4 are correct. Kirkuk and Mosul are both cities of Iraq, not of Yemen or Palestine.

✓ 1. Aleppo is a historic city of Syria; its Ancient City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in that country.
✗ 2. Kirkuk is in Iraq, where its Citadel is on the country's UNESCO tentative list. It is not in Yemen.
✗ 3. Mosul is in Iraq. India's Ministry of External Affairs records that 39 Indian nationals were killed in Mosul, and their remains were brought back from Baghdad in April 2018. It is not in Palestine.
✓ 4. Mazar-i-Sharif (also spelt Mazar-e-Sharif) is one of the main cities of Afghanistan; India has run an Indian Medical Mission there.

Remember · Aleppo: Syria. Mosul and Kirkuk: Iraq. Mazar-i-Sharif: Afghanistan.

Sources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ancient City of Aleppo ↗ “The city's development is being considered under the 'Programme for Sustainable Urban Development in Syria' (UDP), a joint undertaking between international agencies, the Syrian Ministry for Local Administration and Environment”
UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Tentative Lists, Iraq ↗ “States Parties: Iraq close Order by States Parties Iraq Archaeological site of Aqar Quf (ancient Dur-Kurigalzu) 31/01/2025 The Hajj Pilgrimage Routes: The Darb Zubaydah 02/01/2022 Kirkuk Citadel 06/04/2021 Lalish Temple 15/04/2020 Old City of Mosul 17/08/2018”
MEA, India-Iraq Bilateral Brief ↗ “MoS for External Affairs visited Baghdad on April 1-2, 2018 in a Special Aircraft to bring back mortal remains of the 39 Indian nationals who were killed in Mosul.”
MEA, India-Afghanistan: A Development Partnership ↗ “five Indian Medical Missions (IMMs) have been working in Kabul, Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif, attending and disbursing medicines to 30,000 patients per month.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2018 · Q90

Easy

Consider the following pairs:

	Regions sometimes mentioned in news	Country
1.	Catalonia	Spain
2.	Crimea	Hungary
3.	Mindanao	Philippines
4.	Oromia	Nigeria

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Catalonia is in Spain and Mindanao is in the Philippines, so pairs 1 and 3 are right. Crimea is a Black Sea peninsula that belongs to Ukraine, not Hungary, and Oromia is a region of Ethiopia, not Nigeria.

✓ 1. Catalonia is an autonomous community of north-eastern Spain. In October 2017 the Spanish Government announced it would suspend the region's autonomy and impose direct rule, as a UN human-rights expert's statement records; its independence movement kept it in the news.
✗ 2. Crimea, with the port of Sevastopol, is part of Ukraine. Russia took control of it in 2014, and the UN General Assembly called on states not to recognise any change in its status.
✓ 3. Mindanao is the southern island group of the Philippines. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was created there after a 2019 plebiscite under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
✗ 4. Oromia is a region of Ethiopia; UN experts wrote about protests in the Oromia region of Ethiopia in 2015-16. It is not in Nigeria.

Remember · Catalonia: Spain. Crimea: Ukraine (annexed by Russia in 2014, not recognised by the UN General Assembly). Mindanao: Philippines. Oromia: Ethiopia.

Sources

UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): UN independent expert urges Spanish Government to reverse decision on Catalan autonomy (25 October 2017) ↗ · reference work “following the announcement that the Spanish Government would suspend the region’s autonomy. On 19 October, the Spanish Government announced its intention to impose direct rule on the region”
General Assembly Adopts Resolution Calling upon States Not to Recognize Changes in Status of Crimea Region (UN Meetings Coverage, 27 March 2014; Internet Archive copy) ↗ “the Assembly adopted a resolution titled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”, calling on States, international organizations and specialized agencies not to recognize any change in the status of Crimea or the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol”
BARMM: Three years of fulfilling the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people (Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, Government of the Philippines) ↗ “The ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) through the plebiscite held in 2019 paved the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)”
UN experts urge Ethiopia to halt violent crackdown on Oromia protesters, ensure accountability for abuses (UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR, 21 January 2016) ↗ · reference work “The ‘Master Plan’ could reportedly lead to mass evictions and the seizure of agricultural land in the Oromia region, as well as extensive deforestation.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q49

Medium

If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 7

The shortest chain of neighbouring States from Kohima (Nagaland) to Kottayam (Kerala) has seven States: Nagaland, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Each State in this chain shares a border with the next.

✓ (b) Nagaland borders Assam on the west, and Assam has a boundary with West Bengal. West Bengal has Odisha to its south, Andhra Pradesh lies south of Odisha, Tamil Nadu is on Andhra Pradesh's southern border, and Kerala is on Tamil Nadu's west. That is 7 States.
✗ (a) Six is not possible. Odisha does not touch Tamil Nadu, Karnataka or Kerala, so a route must pass through Andhra Pradesh and then one of Tamil Nadu or Karnataka before reaching Kerala.
✗ (c) Eight would come from a longer route, for example adding Jharkhand or going through both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The question asks for the minimum.

Remember · Kohima to Kottayam by road, shortest State chain: Nagaland, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (or Karnataka), Kerala = 7.

Sources

Nagaland, Know India (Government of India portal, Internet Archive copy) ↗ “It is bounded by Myanmar on the East, Arunachal Pradesh on the North, Assam on the West, and Manipur on the South.”
Boundaries of Assam, Directorate of Border Protection and Development, Government of Assam ↗ “Assam-Manipur - 204.1 Km Assam-Mizoram - 164.6 Km Assam-Tripura - 46.3 Km Assam-Meghalaya - 884.9 Km Assam-West Bengal - 127.0 Km”
West Bengal, Know India (Government of India portal, Internet Archive copy) ↗ “On the west are the States of Bihar and Jharkhand, while on the South lies Odisha and the Bay of Bengal washes its southern frontiers.”
Andhra Pradesh, Know India (Government of India portal, 2016 Internet Archive copy) ↗ “Andhra Pradesh is bound on the north by Odisha and Chhattisgarh, on the west by Maharashtra and Karnataka, on the south by Tamil Nadu”
Tamil Nadu, Know India (Government of India portal, Internet Archive copy) ↗ “Tamil Nadu is bounded on north by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on west by Kerala, on east by the Bay of Bengal and on South by the Indian Ocean.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q54

Easy

Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries?

1.Jordan
2.Iraq
3.Lebanon
4.Syria

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 3 and 4 only

Only Lebanon and Syria, of the four West Asian countries listed, have a Mediterranean coastline. Jordan and Iraq have no Mediterranean coast: Jordan's short coast is on the Gulf of Aqaba and Iraq's on the Persian Gulf.

✗ 1. Jordan has about 26 km of coast, all on the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea side), where Aqaba is its only port. It does not touch the Mediterranean.
✗ 2. Iraq's small coastline of about 58 km lies at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, far from the Mediterranean.
✓ 3. Lebanon is on the eastern Mediterranean shore and is a Contracting Party to the Barcelona Convention, which covers the Mediterranean's coastal states.
✓ 4. Syria also has a western coast on the Mediterranean and is likewise a Contracting Party to the Barcelona Convention.

Remember · Eastern Mediterranean coast, north to south: Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, then Egypt. Jordan and Iraq are not on it.

Sources

UNEP/MAP: Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (Mediterranean coastal states) ↗ “The 22 Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention are: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Türkiye, and the European Union.”
PERSGA (Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden) ↗ · reference work “PERSGA is the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PERSGA is an IGO have seven member states, including Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Jordan ↗ · reference work “Jordan has 16 miles (26 km) of coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba in the southwest, where Al-ʿAqabah, its only port, is located.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Iraq ↗ · reference work “Iraq has a small coastline of 36 miles (58 km) on the northern end of the Persian Gulf.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q84

Easy

What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Chabahar, a port on Iran's southern coast, gives India a sea-and-land route to Afghanistan and Central Asia that does not pass through Pakistan. Pakistan does not allow Indian goods to move overland through its territory to Afghanistan and beyond, which is why this route matters.

✓ (c) Chabahar is described as a gateway for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. It is a sea route through Iran, so India need not rely on Pakistan for land transit.
✗ (a) Chabahar is on the Gulf of Oman side of Iran and is meant for links with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Trade with Africa is not its purpose.
✗ (b) Iran is not an Arab country, and the project is about transit connectivity, not about ties with Arab oil producers.
✗ (d) Chabahar is a port project. It involves no gas pipeline between Iraq and India, and Pakistan is not a party to it.

Remember · Chabahar (Iran) is India's route to Afghanistan and Central Asia that avoids Pakistan, and links to the International North-South Transport Corridor.

Sources

PIB, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: Long-term Main Contract for development of Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal, Chabahar (13 May 2024) ↗ “highlights the importance of Chabahar as a gateway for trade with Afghanistan and broader Central Asian countries.”
Ministry of External Affairs: Distinguished Lecture on India and Central Asia (mea.gov.in) ↗ “Pakistan does not permit goods, cargo or people to move directly through Pakistan to Afghanistan, let alone to Central Asia beyond it.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q98

Easy

Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Sumatra

Sumatra (Indonesia) is the closest. Indira Point, the southern tip of Great Nicobar and the southernmost point of India, is only about 140 km from Sumatra. Java, Borneo and Sri Lanka lie much farther away.

✓ (a) The Andaman and Nicobar Administration puts Indira Point barely 140 km from Sumatra; its geography note gives about 91 geographical (nautical) miles to Achin Head in Sumatra.
✗ (d) Sri Lanka lies across the Bay of Bengal to the west, much farther from Great Nicobar than Sumatra is.
✗ (c) Java lies south-east of Sumatra, so it is farther from Great Nicobar than Sumatra is.
✗ (b) Borneo lies far to the east of Sumatra, so it is also farther from Great Nicobar.

Remember · Great Nicobar (Indira Point, India's southernmost point) lies only about 140 km from Sumatra, Indonesia.

Sources

Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Nicobar district: Location & Area ↗ “presently known as Indira Point which is also southern most point of India, is 310 Kms from Car Nicobar and barely 140 Kms from Sumatra Island (Indonesia)”
Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Nicobar district: Geography ↗ “The extreme southern point of Great Nicobar, previously known as Pygmalion Point and now Indira Point, is about 91 geographical miles from Pulo Brass of Achin Head of Sumatra.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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