Very Short Answer Questions: India and Her Neighbours

Q1: Which countries are India's land-based neighbours?

Ans: India's land-based neighbours are Pakistan, Afghanistan, China (Tibet region), Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. These countries share direct land boundaries with India.

Q2: What is the total length of India's land borders?

Ans: India's land borders stretch over 15,100 kilometres. These borders pass through deserts, plains, forests, mountains, marshes, and river valleys across different geographical features.

Q3: What is the length of India's coastline?

Ans: India has a long coastline of about 11,100 kilometres along three sides of the country. This gives India a strong maritime position in the region.

Q4: Name three maritime neighbours of India.

Ans: Three of India's maritime neighbours are Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia. These countries are connected to India by shared seas or oceans without direct land borders.

Q5: Which Indian states share a border with China?

Ans: The Indian states that share a border with China are Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh. The border runs across the Himalayas.

Q6: How does Buddhism connect India and China culturally?

Ans: Buddhism spread from India to China around the 1st century CE through trade and pilgrimage. Chinese monks like Faxian and Xuanzang travelled to India to study Buddhism.

Q7: What does India export to China?

Ans: India exports iron ore, chemicals, and cotton yarn to China. In return, India imports electronics and industrial equipment from China for its industries.

Q8: When was Pakistan created, and why is it significant?

Ans: Pakistan was created in 1947 during the Partition of India, a legacy of the colonial era. It was founded on a religious basis, unlike India.

Q9: What is the Kartarpur Corridor?

Ans: The Kartarpur Corridor is a visa-free border crossing between India and Pakistan. It allows Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Guru Nānak Dev.

Q10: When was Bangladesh born, and what was it called earlier?

Ans: Bangladesh was born in 1971 as the outcome of a war between India and Pakistan. It was earlier called East Pakistan before gaining independence.

Q11: Which Indian states share a border with Bangladesh?

Ans: The Indian states that share a border with Bangladesh are West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. This border is longer than India's border with China.

Q12: What is the Sundarban National Park, and where is it located?

Ans: The Sundarban National Park is the largest mangrove forest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. About two-thirds lies in Bangladesh and the rest in India.

Q13: What does the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Nepal provide?

Ans: The 1950 Treaty provides for open borders and free movement of people and goods between India and Nepal. It also includes cooperation in defence and foreign policy.

Q14: Why is Bhutan called the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'?

Ans: Bhutan is called 'Drukyul' or 'Land of the Thunder Dragon' by its inhabitants. The dragon on Bhutan's emblem symbolises the thunderous voice of the Buddha's teachings.

Q15: What is the Gross National Happiness Index?

Ans: Bhutan developed the Gross National Happiness Index as a more holistic measure of progress compared to Gross Domestic Product. It includes sustainability, good governance, and promotion of culture.

Q16: Which Indian states share a border with Myanmar?

Ans: India's northeastern states that share borders with Myanmar are Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. Myanmar also shares a maritime boundary with India in the Bay of Bengal.

Q17: What was the ancient Uttarāpatha trade route?

Ans: The Uttarāpatha was an ancient trade route linking the Ganga plains to Central Asia via Afghanistan. It stretched from Gandhāra through Takṣhaśhilā, Varanasi, and Pāṭaliputra.

Q18: What were the Buddhas of Bamiyan?

Ans: The Buddhas of Bamiyan were gigantic statues in Afghanistan and symbols of Mahāyāna Buddhism. They were destroyed in 2001 after standing for many centuries.

Q19: When was SAARC formed, and what are its aims?

Ans: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was formed in 1985 to promote mutual interests and sociocultural and economic progress. It aims to share resources around development.

Q20: How is Sri Lanka separated from India?

Ans: Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait. At the nearest point, the distance between India and Sri Lanka is only about 32 kilometres.

Q21: What cultural influences does the Maldives show from India?

Ans: The Maldives shows influences from Tamil Nadu and Kerala in language, cuisine, and arts. Dishes like coconut curries reflect South Indian flavours, and Boduberu dance echoes Tamil folk rhythms.

Q22: What is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway?

Ans: The India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway stretches from Manipur through Myanmar into Thailand. It improves overland connectivity, trade, and regional cooperation amongst the three countries.

Q23: What is the Borobudur Stūpa?

Ans: The Borobudur Stūpa is the world's largest Buddhist monument, built in stone in the 8th and 9th centuries CE in Indonesia. It has over 500 Buddha statues.

Q24: What is Chabahar Port, and why is it important for India?

Ans: Chabahar Port is located in Iran, and India is helping develop it. This port gives India better access to Afghanistan and Central Asia for trade and transport.

Q25: How are India and Oman historically connected?

Ans: People-to-people contact between India and Oman dates back over 5,000 years to the time of the Indus or Harappan civilisation. Harappan traders brought back copper ingots from Oman.