UPSC (IAS) Prelims 2020: Important Questions on World Geography

World Geography is an important part of the UPSC Civil Services Prelims as well as the mains exam syllabus. Every year 1-2 questions are asked from this section in the Prelims exam. This makes it necessary for the aspirants to study the World Geography section thoroughly. To understand the pattern and type of questions asked in the UPSC Prelims exam, check the below list of questions asked from the World Geography section in the past 10 years. 

UPSC Civil Services 2020: Important Topics to Study from World Geography Syllabus

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2011 Paper

Ques: What could be the main reason/reasons for the formation of the African and Eurasian desert belt? 

1. It is located in the subtropical high-pressure cells.
2. It is under the influence of warm ocean currents.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct in this context?

(a.) 1 only

(b.) 2 only

(c.) Both 1 and 2

(d.) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (a)

Ques: An artificial satellite orbiting around the Earth does not fall down. This is so because the attraction Of Earth 

(a.) does not exist at such distance

(b.) is neutralized by the attraction of the moon

(c.) provides the necessary speed for its steady motion

(d.) provides the necessary acceleration for its motion

Solution: (d)

Ques: What is die difference between asteroids and comets? (2011)

1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material.
2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.
3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a.) 1 and 2 only

(b.) 1 and 3 only

(c.) 3 only

(d.) 1, 2 and 3

Solution: (b)

Ques: Between India and East Asia, the navigation-time and distance can be greatly reduced by which of the following?

1. Deepening the Malacca straits between Malaysia and Indonesia.
2. Opening a new canal across the Kra isthmus between the Gulf of Siam and the Andaman Sea.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a.) 1 only

(b.) 2 only

(c.) Both 1 and 2

(d.) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (b)

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2012 Paper

Ques: Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region? (a) Rainfall throughout the year

(b) Rainfall in winter only

(c) An extremely short dry season

(d) A definite dry and wet season

Solution: (d)

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2013 Paper

Ques: Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

Geographical  Feature                               Region

(a) Abyssinian Plateau:                              Arabia

(b) Atlas Mountains:                                    North-Western Africa

(c) Guiana Highlands:                                South-Western Africa

(d) Okavango Basin:                                    Patagonia

Solution: (b)

Ques: The most important fishing grounds of the world are found in the regions where:

(a) warm and cold atmospheric currents meet

(b) rivers drain out large amounts of freshwater into the sea

(c) warm and cold oceanic currents meet

(d) the continental shelf is undulating

Solution: (c)

Ques: Which of the following is/are unique characteristic/characteristics of equatorial forests? 

1. Presence of tall, closely set trees with crowns forming a continuous canopy
2. Coexistence of a large number of species
3. Presence of numerous varieties of epiphytes

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d)1, 2 and 3

Solution: (d)

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World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2014 Paper

Ques: Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms? 

1. Continental drift
2. Glacial cycles

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2.

Solution: (c)

Ques: Turkey is located between  

1. Black Sea and Caspian Sea
2. Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
3. Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
4. Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea 

Solution (b)

Ques: What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north?  (2014)

1.Bangkok

2.Hanoi

3.Jakarta

4.Singapore

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 4-2-1-3
2. 3-2-4-1
3. 3-4-1-2
4. 4-3-2-1

Solution: (c)

Ques: Consider the following pairs 

Region often in news Country

1. Chechnya Russian Federation
2. Darfur Mali
3. Swat Valley Iraq

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Solution: (a)

Ques: “Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.” 

The above statement best describes which of the following regions?

(a) African Savannah

(b) Central Asian Steppe

(c) North American Prairie

(d) Siberian Tundra

Solution: (b)

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2015 Paper

Ques: Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?

(a) Syria

(b) Jordan

(c) Lebanon

(d) Israel

Answer. b

Ques: "Each day is more or less the same, the morning is clear and bright with a sea breeze; as the Sun climbs high in the sky, heat mounts up, dark clouds form, then rain comes with thunder and lightning. But rain is soon over." Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?

(a) Savannah

(b) Equatorial

(c) Monsoon

(d) Mediterranean

Answer. b

Ques: In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason?

(a) Sea surface temperatures are low

(b) Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone seldom occurs

(c) Coriolis force is too weak

(d) Absence of land in those regions

Answer. A

Ques: The area known as 'Golan Heights' sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to

(a) Central Asia     

(b) Middle East     

(c) South-East Asia     

(d) Central Africa

Answer: b

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2016 Paper

Ques: Consider the following pairs :

Community sometimes In the affairs of mentioned in the news

1. Kurd         :    Bangladesh
2. Madhesi     :    Nepal
3. Rohingya     :    Myanmar

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

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 only

Answer: c

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2017 Paper

Ques: 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:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer. C

Ques: Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar ?

(a) Sumatra

(b) Borneo

(c) Java

(d) Sri Lanka

Answer. a

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2018 Paper

Ques: 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 :

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3

(c) 2 only

(d) I and 3

Answer.d

Ques: Select the correct answer using the code given below :

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3

(c) 2 only

(d) I and 3

Answer.d

Ques: 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?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b)) 3 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 2 and 4 only

Answer.c

Ques: Consider the following pairs:

Town sometime 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?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 1 and 4

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 and 4

Answer.b

World Geography Questions from UPSC Civil Services Exam 2019 Paper

Ques: Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pair given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 4 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Answer: b

Ques: Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years?

(a) China

(b) India

(c) Myanmar

(d) Vietnam

Answer: b

UPSC (IAS) Prelims 2020: Subject-Wise Study Material for Preparation/ Revision