Geography - UPSC MCQ

Resource distribution refers to the geographic occurrence or spatial arrangement of resources on earth. In other words, where resources are located. Any one place may be rich in the resources people desire and poor in others.

Low latitudes (latitudes close to the equator) receive more of the sun's energy and much precipitation, while higher latitudes (latitudes closer to the poles) receive less of the sun's energy and too little precipitation. The temperate deciduous forest biome provides a more moderate climate, along with fertile soil, timber, and abundant wildlife. The plains offers flat landscapes and fertile soil for growing crops, while steep mountains and dry deserts are more challenging. Metallic minerals are most abundant in areas with strong tectonic activity, while fossil fuels are found in rocks formed by deposition (sedimentary rocks).

These are just a few of the differences in the environment that result from different natural conditions. As a result, resources are distributed unevenly across the globe.

Some Principles of Sustainable Development:

•  Respect and care for all forms of life
•  Improve the quality of human life
• Conserve the earth‘s vitality and diversity
•  Minimise the depletion of natural resources
•  Change personal attitude and practices toward the environment
•  Enable communities to care for their own environment.

India – 57% crop

Australia – 56% pasture

Agricultural holdings in Australia totalled 405 million hectares, a decrease of 4.2 million hectares, or 1% from the 2010-11 Agricultural Census.

Around 355 million hectares (88%) of agricultural land were mainly used for grazing, with Queensland businesses reporting 129 million hectares or 36% of Australia's agricultural land mainly used for grazing.

Approximately 50.5 million hectares of agricultural land were mainly used for grazing on improved pasture, while 305 million hectares were mainly used for grazing on other agricultural land.

Around 63,250 agricultural businesses reported a combined total of 32.0 million hectares of land that were mainly used for crops, with Western Australia using 9.9 million hectares, ahead of New South Wales with 9.2 million hectares.

Almost a third (32%) of all agricultural businesses in Australia reported setting aside a combined total of 8.4 million hectares of land for conservation or protection purposes.

The Northern Territory recorded the highest percentage of agricultural land mainly used for grazing (96%), followed by Queensland (94%). Victoria had the lowest percentage (54%) but it was the state with the highest percentage of agricultural land mainly used for cropping (35%). Tasmania recorded the highest percentage of agricultural land set aside for conservation or protection purposes (8%).
Japan – 67% forest area followed by Brazil with 66 % forest area. Japan has nine forest eco regions which reflect the climate and geography of the islands. They range from subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the Ryukyu and Bonin Islands, to temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in the mild climate regions of the main islands, to temperate coniferous forests in the cold, winter portions of the northern islands

-Contour barriers: Stones, grass, soil are used to build barriers along contours. Trenches are made in front of the barriers to collect water. Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at different times to protect the soil from rain wash

Australia alone produces 23% of the Uranium in the world.

Uranium in India

In commercial farming crops are grown and animals are reared for sale in market. The area cultivated and the amount of capital used is large. Most of the work is done by machines. Commercial farming includes commercial grain farming, mixed farming and plantation agriculture

Wheat requires moderate temperature and rainfall during growing season and bright sunshine at the time of harvest. It thrives best in well drained loamy soil. Wheat is grown extensively in USA, Canada, Argentina, Russia, Ukraine, Australia and India. In India it is grown in winter.

Rates of population growth vary across the world. Although, the world‘s total population is rising rapidly, not all countries are experiencing this growth.

Some countries like Kenya have high population growth rates. They had both high birth rates and death rates. This is a sign of low human development.

Rates of population growth vary across the world. Although, the world‘s total population is rising rapidly, not all countries are experiencing this growth.

Some countries like Kenya have high population growth rates. They had both high birth rates and death rates. This is a sign of low human development.

Western Himalaya refers to the western half of the Himalayan Mountain region, stretching from Badakhshan in northeastern Afghanistan/southern Tajikistan, through Kashmir to Nepal. Eastern Himalaya is situated between Central Nepal in the west and Myanmar in the east, occupy ing southeast Tibet in China, Sikkim, North Bengal, Bhutan and North-East India.

The western himalayas consist of the most continuous range and the loftiest peaks and compared to eastern Himalayas. The western Himalayas receive more precipitation from northwest in the winters, and eastern Himalayas receive more precipitation from south eastern monsoon in the summers. Due to higher temperature and perception, the Eastern Himalayas are far greener with forests than the Western Himalaya 

India’s peninsular rivers have relatively steep gradients and thus rarely give rise to floods of the type that occur in the plains of northern India, despite considerable variations in flow from the dry to wet seasons. Forming Delta or not is irrelevant to the flooding of rivers. It depends more on the river’s silt load, water volume flow, and gradient of flow

The Himalayas along with other Peninsular mountains are young, weak and lexible in their geological structure unlike the rigid and stable Peninsular Block. Consequently, they are still subjected to the interplay of exogenic and endogenic forces, resulting in the development of faults, folds and thrust plains. These mountains are tectonic in origin, dissected by fast flowing rivers which are in their youthful stage. Therefore, various landforms like gorges,

Vshaped valleys, rapids, waterfalls, etc. are indicative of this stage. These are both due to the speed of the rivers as well as the weak geological structure

Tea plantation cannot grow in steep slopes, it requires moderate slopes. Moreover, soil with high organic content is needed for tea plantation. Moreover, mild winter and well distributed rainfall made the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas an ideal destination for the British to grow tea plantations

Bhabar is a narrow belt ranging between 8-10 km parallel to the Shiwalik foothills at the break-up of the slope. As a result of this, the streams and rivers coming from the mountains deposit heavy materials of rocks and boulders, and at times, disappear in this zone. South of the Bhabar is the Tarai belt, with an approximate width of 10-20 km where most of the streams and rivers re-emerge without having any properly demarcated channel, thereby, creating marshy and swampy conditions known as the Tarai

This has a luxurious growth of natural vegetation and houses a varied wild life. The Terai is crossed by the large perennial Himalayan rivers Yamuna, Ganges, Sarda, Karnali, Narayani and Kosi that have each built alluvial fans covering thousands of square kilometres below their exits from the hills

West Flowing Rivers in India Narmada River (1057 km) : Has only l/10th part in Gujarat. Rises in Amarkantak Plateau and flows into Gulf of Khambat. It forms the famous Dhuan Dhar Falls near Jabalpur. Main tributaries: Hiran, Burhner, Banjar, Shar, Shakkar, Tawa, etc.

Tapti River (724 km) : Rises from Betul distt in MR Also known as twin or handmaid of Narmada. Main tributaries: Purna, Betul, Arunavati, Ganjal, etc.

Sabarmati River (416 km) : Rises from Aravallis in Rajasthan.

Mahi River (560 km) : Rises from Vindhyas in MR Luni River (450 km) : Rises from Aravallis. Also called Salt River. It is finally lost in the marshy grounds at the head of the Rann of Kuchchh.

Sharavati is a west flowing river of the Sahyadris. It forms the famous Jog or Gersoppa or Mahatma Gandhi Falls (289 m), which is the highest waterfall in India.

Regions with this climate experience high temperatures all year round. The average monthly temperatures are about 26 – 28 degrees Celsius. The annual temperature range (the difference between the average temperature of the hottest and coldest months) is very small. The annual temperature range may be as low as 3 degrees Celsius. The diurnal or daily temperature range (the difference between the highest temperature in the day and the lowest temperature at night) is usually greater. Humidity is usually very high.

Another major characteristic of this climate is the high rainfall. These regions usually experience 2000 mm of rainfall or more in a year. Rainfall is high for most of the year. Many equatorial regions are affected by the ITCZ. As the ITCZ passes over these areas it brings heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. In some areas, the ITCZ causes two periods of very heavy rainfall every year. One occurs when the ITCZ crosses these areas on its way north and another occurs when it crosses these areas again on its way south.

Snowline is a function of altitude and latitude. Higher is the latitude and altitude lower is the snowline. Eastern Himalaya’s altitude as well as latitudinal location is lower compared to Western Himalayas. Due to higher altitude as well as latitude the temperature is much less in the Western Himalaya and as a consequence the snowline in the Western Himalaya is at a lower altitude than in the Eastern Himalaya. Southwest monsoon winds bring more rainfall to Eastern Himalayas than compared to Western Himalayas. Thus monsoon winds can have moderating effect on Eastern Himalayas and in turn increasing the altitude of snowline.

- Heat waves impacted mainly in northern states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Eastern states like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.

Central government has declared cold waves; tsunamis etc as National Calamity but not heat waves. Thus recently after the heat waves took toll of many lives country wide, there was a demand from experts as well as many states for heat waves to be declared as National Calamity.

Heat waves are the phenomenon found not only in tropical regions but also in temperate regions.Example: UK experienced the severe heat waves in 2013

Bhangar soils are rich in kankarie calcareous deposits like calcium carbonate. Second statement is wrong and Bangar soils are rich in kankar nodules i.e. calcareous deposits. Infactkankar deposits improve soil fertility. Also that in Khader soils nutrients are renewed every year from flood waters and thus more fertile than Bangar soils which is rarely replenished with nutrients

Statement 1: The Kerala Coast largely experiences significant upwelling during the southwest monsoon period (June to September), resulting in abundant

Phytoplankton and zooplankton.

Statement 2: Only one third of full-time fishermen are located on India’s east coast, while two thirds are from the west coast Only.

Statement 3: While traditional catamarans are common along the east coast, most

Fisheries production from the west coast is derived from the mechanized sector.

Statement 4: Fisheries in the backwaters and estuaries of west coast tend to be

Undertaken throughout the year whereas the marine coastal fishery (mostly in east coast) is seasonal with a regulated, variable closed season during the monsoon periods