Test: Indian Geography - 3 - SSC CGL MCQ

Wheeler Island, located in Odisha, is currently known as Dr. Abdul Kalam Island. The island is located off the coast of Odisha, approximately 150 kilometers east of the state capital Bhubaneshwar.

Rajasthan is a land-locked state which is bordered by Pakistan to the west, Gujarat to the south-west, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to the northeast and Punjab to the north.

The demographic transition model is a chart showing the different stages of a country's population's birth rate and death rate. There are 5 stages, with each progressively going further into the future. India is in stage 2 of the demographic transition model right now with a high birth rate of 23 per 1000, and a decreasing death rate of 7 per 1000.

Each unit of land has limited capacity to support people living on it. The ratio between the numbers of people to the size of land is known as the density of population, usually measured in persons per sq km.

Density of Population =Population/ Area.

Jawahar Tunnel or Banihal Tunnel, named after the first Prime Minister of India, was constructed for round-the-year surface transport by Mr. Alfred Kunz and C. Barsel (both were German) between 1954 and 1960. Situated between Banihal and Qazigund, This tunnel facilitates round-the-year road connectivity to Srinagar From Jammu.

According to India's census facts 2011, Kerala comes up as the most literate state in the country with 94.0 percentage of literacy rate. The state of Bihar is the least literate with 61.8% of literacy rate. As regards to Union Territories, Lakshadweep shows the highest literacy rate of 91.8%. The least literate Union Territory in India is Dadra and Nagar Haveli with a literacy rate of 76.2%.

The Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India is a famous avifauna sanctuary that plays host to thousands of birds especially during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the National Park their home. The Sanctuary is one of the richest bird areas in the world. It is known for nesting of its resident birds and visiting migratory birds including water birds. The rare Siberian cranes used to winter in this park but this central population of Siberian Cranes is now extinct.

Gir Forest National Park or Sasan Gir is a forest and wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat. It is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica) and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NG0s.

The southwestern summer monsoons occur from June through September. The Thar Desert and adjoining areas of the northern and central Indian sub-continent heats up considerably during the hot summers. This causes a low pressure area over the northern and central Indian subcontinent. To fill this void, the moisture-laden winds from the Indian Ocean rush in to the subcontinent.

The driest part of India is Western Rajasthan. Here is a detailed explanation:
Reasons for Western Rajasthan being the driest part of India:
- Geographical Location: Western Rajasthan is located in the northwestern part of India and falls in the arid and semi-arid region. It is surrounded by the Thar Desert, which is one of the largest deserts in the world.
- Rainfall: Western Rajasthan receives very low rainfall due to its location. It falls under the rain shadow area of the Aravalli Range and the Western Ghats, which block the monsoon winds. The region experiences an average annual rainfall of less than 250 mm.
- High Evaporation: The hot and dry climate of Western Rajasthan leads to high evaporation rates. The high temperatures and low humidity levels result in the rapid evaporation of water, making the region even drier.
- Lack of Water Sources: Western Rajasthan faces a scarcity of water sources such as rivers and lakes. The region relies heavily on groundwater, which is limited and often saline. The lack of water sources further contributes to the aridity of the area.
- Vegetation and Wildlife: Due to the extreme aridity, vegetation in Western Rajasthan is sparse and consists mainly of thorny shrubs and desert plants. The wildlife in this region has adapted to survive in the harsh desert conditions.
Overall, Western Rajasthan stands out as the driest part of India due to its geographical location, low rainfall, high evaporation rates, lack of water sources, and unique desert ecosystem.

The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire. The Botanical Survey was formally instituted on 13 February. 1890 under the direction of Sir George King, who had been superintendent of Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta since 1871. After India's independence, survey was drawn for the much-needed inventorisation of the country's rich floral resources, and Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal was appointed Officer on Special Duty on 14 October, 1952. The reorganisation plan was finally approved by the Government of India on 29 March, 1954 with Calcutta as the headquarters of Botanical Survey of India.

The Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), established in 1960, is one of the constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), dedicated to R&D in the hydrocarbon sector. Spread over a campus of 257-acre (1.04 km2), it is situated in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand state, on National Highway 72 (NH 72). Established through an act of parliament in the year 1959, it started in New Delhi in 1960 and finally in Dehradun since 1963.

The minimum area of forests to maintain a good ecological balance has been regarded to be 33%. India lags on this front. The Green India campaign has been announced by the Prime Minister for the afforestation of 6 million hectares. The current area under forests is 23%. 

Bandipur National Park, established in 1973 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, is a national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore.

Bandipur National Park, established in 1973 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, is a national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka. It was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Bandipur is located in Gundlupet taluq of Chamarajanagar district. Together with the adjoining Nagarhole National Park, Mudumalai National Park and Wynad Wildlife Sanctuary, it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve totaling 2,183 km2 making it the largest protected area in southern India. 

Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India. The park—named for the hunter and conservationist Jim Corbett who played a key role in its establishment—was established in 1936 as Halley National Park. Situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand the park acts as a protected area for the endangered Bengal tiger of India, the secure survival of which is the main objective of Project Tiger, an Indian wildlife protection initiative.

The Sundarbans is one of the world's largest mangrove forests. It's a complex ecosystem that's shared between India and Bangladesh, with 40% of the area in India and 60% in Bangladesh. 

The Coromandal Coast of Tamil Nadu receives heavy rainfall from the retreating monsoon winds as the retreating winds are moisture laden. It falls in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, and receives a good deal less rainfall during the summer southwest monsoon, which contributes heavily to rainfall in the rest of India. The region averages 800 mm/year, most of which falls between October and December.

The Coromandal Coast of Tamil Nadu receives heavy rainfall from the retreating monsoon winds as the retreating winds are moisture laden. It falls in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, and receives a good deal less rainfall during the summer southwest monsoon, which contributes heavily to rainfall in the rest of India.

The predominant wild animal species that inhabits the Park is the deer, of which the most easily sighted are the graceful little chinkara or Indian gazelle, and the chital. Other species that have their habitat in the park are nilgai, sambar, chausingha or four-horned antelope, blackbuck, sloth bear, leopard and the common langur.