World Geography – Geographical Features and Natural Resources
2024 Prelims PYQs
1] Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world? [2024]
a) Algeria and Morocco
b) Botswana and Namibia
c) Cöte d’Ivoire and Ghana
d) Madagascar and Mozambique
Ans: c) Cöte d’Ivoire and Ghana
2] Consider the following information: [2024]
Region – Name of the mountain range – Type of Mountain
1. Central Asia – Vosges – Fold mountain
2. Europe – Alps Block mountain
3. North America – Appalachians – Fold mountain
4. South America – Andes – Fold mountain
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) Only three
d) All four
Ans: b) Only two
2023 Prelims PYQs
1] About three-fourth of world’s Cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by: [2023]
a) Argentina
b) Botswana
c) The Democratic Republic of the Congo
d) Kazakhstan
Ans: c) The Democratic Republic of the Congo
2] Which one of the following is part of the Congo Basin? [2023]
a) Cameroon
b) Nigeria
c) South Sudan
d) Uganda
Ans: a) Cameroon
3] Consider the following statements: [2023]
Statement-I:
Switzerland is one of the leading exporters of gold in terms of value.
Statement-II:
Switzerland has the second largest gold reserves in the world.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
c) Statement-1 is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Ans: c) Statement-1 is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
2022 Prelims PYQs
1] Which one of the following lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert? [2022]
a) Lake Victoria
b) Lake Faguibine
c) Lake Oguta
d) Lake Volta
Ans: b) Lake Faguibine
2] Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers? [2022]
a) Cauvery
b) Manjira
c) Pennar
d) Tungabhadra
Ans: c) Pennar
2018 Prelims PYQs
1] Consider the following pairs: [2018]
Regions sometimes mentioned in the news – Country
1. Catalonia – Spain
2. Crimea – Hungary
3. Mindanao – Phillipines
4. Oromia – Nigeria
Which of the pairs given below above are correctly matched?
a) 1, 2 and 3
b) 3 and 4 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 4 only
Ans: c) 1 and 3 only
2013 Prelims PYQs
1] Which of the following pairs is correctly matched? [2013]
a) Abyssinian Plateau: Arabia
b) Altas Mountains:: North-Western Africa
c) Guiana Highlands: South-western Africa
d) Okavango Basin: Patagonia
Ans: b) Altas Mountains:: North-Western Africa
2009-1995 Prelims PYQs
1] Which among the following has the world’s largest reserves of Uranium? [2009]
a) Australia
b) Canada
c) Russian Federation
d) USA
Ans: a) Australia
2] Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched: [2009]
City River
a) Berlin: Rhine
b) London: Thames
c) New York: Hudson
d) Vienna: Danube
Ans: a) Berlin: Rhine
3] Match List I With List II and select the correct ANSWER using the code given below the lists: [2009]
List I List II
(Geographic feature) (Country)
a) Great Victoria Desert 1. Australia
b) Grand Canyon 2. Canada
c) Lake Winnipeg 3. New Zealand
d) Southern Alps 4. USA
A B C D
a) 1 2 4 3
b) 1 4 2 3
c) 3 2 4 1
d) 3 4 2 1
Ans: b) 1 4 2 3
4] Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists: [2007]
| List_I (City) | List-II (River) |
| A. Bangkok | 1. Irrawaddy |
| B. Phnom-penh | 2. Mekong |
| C. Hanoi | 3. Menam (chao phraya) |
| D. Yangon | 4. Red River |
A B C D
a) 3 2 4 1
b) 4 1 3 2
c) 3 1 4 2
d) 4 2 3 1
Ans: a) 3 2 4 1
5] Which one among the following rivers is the longest? [2007]
a) Amazon b) Amur
c) Congo d) Lena
Ans: a) Amazon
6] In which one of the following oceans is Diamantina Trench situated? [2006]
a) Pacific Ocean b) Atlantic Ocean
c) Indian Ocean d) Arctic Ocean
Ans: c) Indian Ocean
7] Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched? Well-known Place Country: [2006]
a) Baikonur: Russia
b) Kourou: French Guiana
c) Borobudur: Indonesia
d) Cannes: France
Ans: a) Baikonur: Russia
8] Which one of the following countries is the leading producer of Uranium? [2006]
a) United States of America
b) Canada
c) Germany
d) Zambia
Ans: b) Canada
9] Match List-I (City) with List-II (River) and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists: [2005]
| List I | List II |
| A. Washington DC | 1. River Manzanares |
| B. Berlin | 2. River Seine |
| C. Paris | 3. River Spree |
| D. Madrid | 4. River Potomac |
Codes:
A B C D
a) 2 3 4 1
b) 4 1 2 3
c) 2 1 4 3
d) 4 3 2 1
Ans: d) 4 3 2 1
10] Where is the volcanic mountain, Mount St. Helens located? [2005]
a) Chile
b) Japan
c) Philippines
d) USA
Ans: d) USA
11] Where are the Balearic Islands located? [2005]
a) Mediterranean Sea
b) Black Sea
c) Baltic Sea
d) North Sea
Ans: a) Mediterranean Sea
12] Which pairs is not correctly matched? [2005]
1) Bahamas – Nassau
2) Costa Rica – San Jose
3) Nicaragua – Belmopan
4) Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo
Ans: 3) Nicaragua – Belmopan
13] The great Asian river Mekong does not run through: [2004]
a) China
b) Malaysia
c) Cambodia
d) Laos
Ans: b) Malaysia
14] Match List-I (State / Province / Overseas Territory), with List-II (Country) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: [2004]
| List-I (State/Province/ Overseas Territory) | List-II (Country) |
| A. British Colombia | 1. USA |
| B. Bavaria | 2. UK |
| C. Gibraltar | 3. Canada |
| D. Rhode Island | 4. Germany |
| 5. Denmark |
A B C D
a) 1 2 5 3
b) 3 4 2 1
c) 1 4 2 3
d) 3 2 5 1
Ans: b) 3 4 2 1
15] The waterfall ‘Victoria’ is associated with the river: [2003]
a) Amazon
b) Missouri
c) St Lawrence
d) Zambezi
Ans: d) Zambezi
16] The high density of population in Nile Valley and Island of Java is primarily due to: [2001]
a) Intensive agriculture
b) Industrialisation
c) Urbanisation
d) Topographic constraints
Ans: a) Intensive agriculture
17] Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: [2000]
List I (Oceanic Trench) List II (Location)
I. Aleutian A) Indian Ocean
II. Kermadec B) North Pacific Ocean
III. Sunda C) South Pacific Ocean
IV. S. Sandwich D) South Atlantic Ocean
a) I-B, II-D, III-A, IV-C
b) I-B, II-C, III-A, IV-D
c) I-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
d) I-A, II-D, III-B, IV-C
Ans: b) I-B, II-C, III-A, IV-D
18] Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: [2000]
| List I (Minerals) | List II (Major producer) |
| I. Mineral oil | A) Zambia |
| II. Copper | B) Guyana |
| III. Manganese | C) Venezuela |
| IV. Bauxite | D) Gabon |
a) I-C, II-A, III-D, IV-B
b) I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D
c) I-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
d) I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B
Ans: a) I-C, II-A, III-D, IV-B
19] Which one of the following is known as the “Coffee port” of the world? [2000]
a) Sao Paulo b) Santos
c) Rio de Janeiro d) Buenos Aires
Ans: b) Santos
20] Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: [1999]
| List I (Volcanic Mountain) | List II (Country) |
| I. Mt. Rainier | A) Italy |
| II. Etna | B) Mexico |
| III. Paricutin | C) Philippines |
| IV. Taal | D) USA |
a) I-D, II-B, III-A, IV-C
b) I-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C
c) I-B, II-A, III-D, IV-C
d) I-D, II-C, III-B, IV-A
Ans: b) I-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C
21] Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: [1999]
| List I (Timber) | List II (Country) |
| I. Cedar | A) Myanma |
| II. Douglas Fir | B) Canada |
| III. Mahogany | C) Mexico |
| IV. Teak | D) Honduras |
a) I-C, II-B, III-A, IV-D
b) I-C, II-B, III-D, IV-A
c) I-B, II-C, III-D, IV-A
d) I-B, II-C, III-A, IV-D
Ans: b) I-C, II-B, III-D, IV-A
22] Assertion (A): Chile continues to be an important producer of copper in the world.: [1999]
Reason (R): Chile is endowed with the world’s largest deposit of porphyry copper.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
c) A is true, but R is false
d) A is false, but R is true
Ans: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
23] Consider the map given below: [1997]
Of the four-shaded areas in the map, that which is characterised by hot dry summers, mild and moist winters and seasonal reversal of winds is the area labelled:
a) 1 b) 2
c) 3 d) 4
Ans: a) 1
24] “From Aceh in the far north-west to Torres Strait in the east is 5000 miles, almost as far as from London to Baghdad. The Archipelago has 14,000 islands, some mere equatorial rocks, others some of the largest in the world.” This description best fits: [1997]
a) West Indies b) Japan
c) Philippines d) Indonesia
Ans: d) Indonesia
25] Which one of the following countries is the largest producer of fuelwood in the world? [1997]
a) Indonesia b) Russia
c) India d) China
Ans: b) Russia
26] About 50% of the world population is concentrated between the latitudes of: [1997]
a) 5°N and 20°N b) 20°N and 40°N
c) 40°N and 60°N d) 20°S and 40°S
Ans: b) 20°N and 40°N
27] Which one of the following is the continent with the highest mean elevation in the world? [1995]
a) Antarctica b) North America
c) Asia d) South America
Ans: a) Antarctica
