UPSC Prelims 2024 Geography questions: topic-wise weightage
UPSC Prelims 2024 asked 19 geography questions in GS Paper I, spread over 4 topics. See the geography weightage for 2024 below, then attempt each question with the official answer and an explanation.
Geography 2024: questions by topic
- Climate and oceans9
- India: relief, rivers, lakes and monsoon2
- India: soils, vegetation, agriculture, minerals, energy, industry, population1
- World geography and places in the news (mapping)7
Counted from the 19 questions on this page, tagged by topic in the Battle IAS PYQ bank.
Seeing 19 Geography questions spread over 4 topics can feel overwhelming. That's exactly why the Battle IAS PYQ Book maps every question topic by topic, so you know what to study first. Download free sample
Climate and oceans 9
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : The atmosphere is heated more by incoming solar radiation than by terrestrial radiation.
Statement-II : Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are good absorbers of long wave radiation.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
Answer (d) & explanation
Statement I is wrong but Statement II is correct (d). Statement II is right: carbon dioxide, water vapour and other greenhouse gases are good absorbers of long-wave radiation. Statement I is wrong: incoming short-wave sunlight mostly passes through the air without heating it much. The Earth's surface absorbs it, warms up, and gives off long-wave terrestrial radiation, which the greenhouse gases absorb. So the atmosphere is heated mainly from below, by terrestrial radiation, not directly by the Sun.
Notice why temperature falls with height in the troposphere, about 6.5°C per km, the normal lapse rate: the air is warmest near its heat source, the ground. This is also the basis of the greenhouse effect, which keeps the Earth about 33°C warmer than it would otherwise be.
The air is warmest near the ground and cools with height. That pattern itself shows heating from below.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : Thickness of the troposphere at the equator is much greater as compared to poles.
Statement-II : At the equator, heat is transported to great heights by strong convectional currents.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Both statements are correct and II explains I (a). Statement I is right: the troposphere is about 18 km thick at the equator and only about 8 km at the poles. Statement II is right and is the reason: over the hot equator, strong convection currents carry heat and air to great heights, pushing the top of the layer, the tropopause, much higher. At the cold poles, the air sinks and stays low. The troposphere is also slightly thicker in summer than in winter for the same reason.
Notice that almost all weather, clouds and rain happen in the troposphere, which holds about 75–80% of the atmosphere's mass. Above it, the stratosphere holds the ozone layer and is calm, so jet aircraft cruise near its base.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following :
- 1. Pyroclastic debris
- 2. Ash and dust
- 3. Nitrogen compounds
- 4. Sulphur compounds
How many of the above are products of volcanic eruptions ?
Answer (d) & explanation
All four are products of volcanic eruptions (d). Item 1 is right: an eruption throws out pyroclastic debris: bombs, lapilli and cinders. Item 2 is right: it sends up clouds of fine ash and dust, which can ground flights, as Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull did in 2010. Items 3 and 4 are right: the gases are mainly water vapour and carbon dioxide, with sulphur compounds such as sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, and nitrogen compounds.
Notice the climate effect: sulphur dioxide forms tiny sulphate aerosols in the stratosphere that reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. Mount Pinatubo (1991) cooled the globe by about 0.5°C for a year or two. India's only active volcano is on Barren Island in the Andamans.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Which of the following is/are correct inference/inferences from isothermal maps in the month of January ?
- 1. The isotherms deviate to the north over the ocean and to the south over the continent.
- 2. The presence of cold ocean currents, Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift make the North Atlantic Ocean colder and the isotherms bend towards the north.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (a) & explanation
Only statement 1 is correct (a). Statement 1 is right: in January, the northern winter, the oceans stay warmer than the land. So isotherms, lines joining places of equal temperature, bend north (poleward) over the oceans and south (equatorward) over the cold continents. Statement 2 is wrong: the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift are warm currents, not cold ones. They make the North Atlantic warmer, which is why the isotherms bend far north there.
Notice the result: the warm drift keeps ports of Norway and north-west Europe ice-free in winter, while places at the same latitude in Canada freeze. In July, the pattern reverses: isotherms bend poleward over the hot land and equatorward over the cooler sea.
Statement 2 has the right result (isotherms bend north) for the wrong reason (it calls the currents cold).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : Rainfall is one of the reasons for weathering of rocks.
Statement-II : Rain water contains carbon dioxide in solution.
Statement-III : Rain water contains atmospheric oxygen.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Both II and III are correct and both explain I (a). Statement I is right: rain is a major cause of chemical weathering. Statement II is right and explains it: rainwater dissolves carbon dioxide from the air and becomes weak carbonic acid, which dissolves limestone; this is carbonation, which forms caves and karst landscapes. Statement III is right and also explains it: dissolved oxygen reacts with iron-bearing minerals, turning them rusty red and weak; this is oxidation. Each explains Statement I on its own.
Notice the other kinds: hydration (minerals absorb water and swell) and solution. Mechanical weathering, such as frost wedging and the exfoliation of rocks in deserts, breaks rocks without changing them chemically. Hot, wet climates have the fastest chemical weathering.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
With reference to “water vapour”, which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1. It is a gas, the amount of which decreases with altitude.
- 2. Its percentage is maximum at the poles.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (a) & explanation
Only statement 1 is correct (a). Statement 1 is right: water vapour is a variable gas, and most of it lies in the lowest few kilometres of the air. It decreases with altitude, because colder air holds less moisture. Statement 2 is wrong: water vapour makes up as much as about 4% of the air in the warm, wet tropics, but less than 1% in cold, dry polar air. So it is lowest at the poles, not highest.
Notice why it matters: water vapour is the most important natural greenhouse gas, and it gives us clouds and rain. It also releases latent heat when it condenses, which powers thunderstorms and cyclones. A warmer world holds more water vapour, about 7% more per degree Celsius, which makes extreme rain heavier.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following description :
- 1. Annual and daily range of temperatures is low.
- 2. Precipitation occurs throughout the year.
- 3. Precipitation varies between 50 cm – 250 cm.
What is this type of climate ?
Answer (d) & explanation
This is the Marine West Coast climate (d). The Marine West Coast, or British type, climate lies on the western sides of continents between about 45° and 60° latitude. Onshore westerlies and warm currents moderate it, so both annual and daily temperature ranges are low. Cyclones bring rain in every month, and the total is moderate, about 50–250 cm. Option (a) is wrong: equatorial climates get much more rain, usually over 200 cm, from daily convection. Options (b) and (c), the China type and humid subtropical, have hot summers and a wider temperature range.
Notice where it is found: north-west Europe, British Columbia, southern Chile and New Zealand. Its typical forests are deciduous trees like oak and beech, and it suits dairy farming.
The equatorial climate also has a low temperature range and year-round rain. The 50–250 cm figure is what rules it out.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
With reference to “Coriolis force”, which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1. It increases with increase in wind velocity.
- 2. It is maximum at the poles and is absent at the equator.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (c) & explanation
Both statements are correct (c). The Coriolis force comes from the Earth's rotation; its formula is 2Ωv sin φ, where v is wind speed and φ is latitude. Statement 1 is right: it increases with wind speed. Statement 2 is right: it depends on the sine of latitude, so it is zero at the equator and greatest at the poles. It deflects winds to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.
Notice the result: cyclones cannot form within about 5° of the equator, because there is too little Coriolis force to make the air spin. This deflection also creates the trade winds, the westerlies and the circular flow of ocean currents, called gyres.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
On June 21 every year, which of the following latitude(s) experience(s) a sunlight of more than 12 hours ?
- 1. Equator
- 2. Tropic of Cancer
- 3. Tropic of Capricorn
- 4. Arctic Circle
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Answer (d) & explanation
The Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle get more than 12 hours (d). On 21 June, the June solstice, the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, so days are longer than 12 hours everywhere north of the equator. Item 2 is right: the Tropic of Cancer gets about 13½ hours, and the Sun is overhead there at noon. Item 4 is right: the Arctic Circle gets 24 hours of daylight. Item 1 is wrong: the equator always has about 12 hours. Item 3 is wrong: the Tropic of Capricorn has its shortest day, about 10½ hours.
Notice the midnight Sun in places like northern Norway and Alaska. India's longest day falls on 21 June, and the Tropic of Cancer passes through eight Indian States.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
India: relief, rivers, lakes and monsoon 2
With reference to the Himalayan rivers joining the Ganga downstream of Prayagraj from West to East, which one of the following sequences is correct ?
Answer (b) & explanation
The correct order is Gomati, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi (b). Going downstream, or west to east, from Prayagraj: the Gomati, flowing past Lucknow, joins the Ganga near Ghazipur. The Ghaghara, from Tibet through Nepal, joins near Chhapra in Bihar. The Gandak, also from Nepal, joins opposite Patna, at Hajipur. The Kosi, the "Sorrow of Bihar", joins near Kursela in eastern Bihar. Options (a), (c) and (d) put one pair in the wrong order.
Notice that the Gomati rises in the plains, near Pilibhit, unlike the other three, which come from the Himalayas. The Kosi often shifts its course and floods, as in the 2008 disaster, which is why it got its nickname.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following information :
| Waterfall | Region | River
| 1. Dhuandhar | Malwa | Narmada
| 2. Hundru | Chota Nagpur | Subarnarekha
| 3. Gersoppa | Western Ghats | Netravati
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Only one row is correctly matched (a). Row 2 is right: Hundru falls on the Subarnarekha near Ranchi, on the Chota Nagpur plateau of Jharkhand. Row 1 is wrong: Dhuandhar is on the Narmada at Bhedaghat near Jabalpur, in the Mahakoshal region, not Malwa; it is known for the marble rocks nearby. Row 3 is wrong: Gersoppa, or Jog Falls, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, is on the Sharavathi, not the Netravati.
Notice other well-known falls: Kunchikal (Karnataka), among India's highest; Athirappilly (Kerala), on the Chalakudy; Chitrakote (Chhattisgarh), on the Indravati, called India's Niagara; and Nohkalikai (Meghalaya). Jog Falls drops about 253 m in four streams: Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket.
Each wrong row has one correct entry (the Narmada; the Western Ghats). Check every column before marking a row.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
India: soils, vegetation, agriculture, minerals, energy, industry, population 1
Consider the following airports :
- 1. Donyi Polo Airport
- 2. Kushinagar International Airport
- 3. Vijayawada International Airport
In the recent past, which of the above have been constructed as Greenfield projects ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Donyi Polo and Kushinagar are greenfield airports (a). A greenfield airport is built on a new site, from scratch. Item 1 is right: Donyi Polo Airport at Itanagar, opened in 2022, is Arunachal Pradesh's first greenfield airport. Item 2 is right: Kushinagar International Airport, opened in 2021, serves the Buddhist circuit where the Buddha attained mahaparinirvana. Both are on the Civil Aviation Ministry's list of greenfield airports. Item 3 is wrong: Vijayawada (Gannavaram) is an old airport that has been expanded and upgraded, which is a brownfield project.
Notice the Greenfield Airports Policy (2008), under which over 20 such airports have been approved, such as Mopa (Goa), Navi Mumbai and Noida (Jewar). The UDAN scheme connects small towns.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
World geography and places in the news (mapping) 7
Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world ?
Answer (c) & explanation
Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are the two largest cocoa producers (c). The Gulf of Guinea belt of West Africa grows most of the world's cocoa. Côte d'Ivoire is first and Ghana second; together they produce more than half of the global crop. Cocoa needs a hot, humid equatorial climate with steady rain and shade. Option (a) is wrong: Algeria and Morocco are dry North African countries. Option (b) is wrong: Botswana and Namibia are known for diamonds. Option (d) is wrong: Madagascar is famous for vanilla, and Mozambique for gas and cashew.
Notice the 2024 price spike: bad weather, disease and ageing trees cut West African harvests, and cocoa prices hit records. India grows cocoa mainly in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following countries :
- 1. Finland
- 2. Germany
- 3. Norway
- 4. Russia
How many of the above countries have a border with the North Sea ?
Answer (b) & explanation
Two of the four border the North Sea (b). The North Sea is bordered by the UK, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. So Germany (item 2) and Norway (item 3) qualify. Item 1 is wrong: Finland lies on the Baltic Sea, between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland. Item 4 is wrong: Russia reaches the Baltic, through St Petersburg and Kaliningrad, and the Arctic, but not the North Sea.
Notice the North Sea's importance: it has oil and gas fields shared by the UK and Norway, and is now a hub of offshore wind power. The Dogger Bank is a famous fishing ground. Finland joined NATO in 2023, Sweden in 2024, turning the Baltic into a NATO lake.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following information :
| 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 ?
Answer (b) & explanation
Two rows are correctly matched (b). Row 3 is right: the Appalachians in North America are old fold mountains, worn down over hundreds of millions of years. Row 4 is right: the Andes in South America are young fold mountains, rising where the Nazca plate sinks under South America. Row 1 is wrong: the Vosges are in France, in Europe, not Central Asia, and they are a classic block mountain, with the Black Forest across the Rhine rift valley. Row 2 is wrong: the Alps are young fold mountains, not block mountains.
Notice the types: fold mountains form from compression (Himalayas, Rockies), block mountains from faulting (Vosges, Black Forest, India's Satpura), and volcanic mountains from eruptions (Kilimanjaro, Fuji).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following countries :
- 1. Italy
- 2. Japan
- 3. Nigeria
- 4. South Korea
- 5. South Africa
Which of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for their low birth rates, or ageing population or declining population ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Italy, Japan and South Korea face low births and ageing (a). Item 4 is right: South Korea has the world's lowest fertility rate, below 0.8 children per woman. Item 2 is right: Japan has one of the oldest populations, and it has been shrinking for over a decade. Item 1 is right: Italy has very low births and an ageing population. Item 3 is wrong: Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing, youngest populations. Item 5 is wrong: South Africa is also young and still growing.
Notice the term: a replacement fertility rate is about 2.1. China's population has also fallen since 2022. India's fertility rate has dropped to about 2.0, below replacement, while its demographic dividend continues for now.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
The longest border between any two countries in the world is between :
Answer (a) & explanation
Canada and the USA share the longest border (a). The Canada–USA border, including the Alaska–Canada section, is about 8,890 km long, the longest between any two countries. Option (d) is wrong: Kazakhstan–Russia, about 7,600 km, is the longest continuous land border, but shorter overall. Option (b) is wrong: Chile–Argentina runs about 5,300 km along the Andes. Option (c) is wrong: the India–China border is about 3,488 km.
Notice India's own longest border: with Bangladesh, about 4,096 km, followed by China and Pakistan. Much of the Canada–USA border follows the 49th parallel and the Great Lakes, and it is called the world's longest undefended border.
Kazakhstan–Russia is the longest unbroken border, but the question asks about the border between two countries, so Alaska counts.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Both are correct and Statement II explains Statement I (a). Statement II is right: Egypt's SUMED (Suez–Mediterranean) line is a pair of oil pipes from Ain Sukhna on the Gulf of Suez (Red Sea) to Sidi Kerir near Alexandria on the Mediterranean. Statement I is right because of it: Persian Gulf crude bound for Europe can be pumped across, bypassing the Suez Canal, especially for giant tankers too deep for the canal. Options (b), (c) and (d) miss this link.
Notice why it mattered recently: Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping from late 2023 pushed many ships around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. Other chokepoints: Bab-el-Mandeb, Hormuz and Malacca.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements :
- 1. The Red Sea receives very little precipitation in any form.
- 2. No water enters the Red Sea from rivers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Answer (c) & explanation
Both statements are correct (c). Statement 1 is right: the Red Sea lies between the Sahara and Arabian deserts, so rainfall is tiny and evaporation is very high. Statement 2 is right: no permanent river flows into it. That is why it is one of the saltiest seas, at about 40 parts per thousand, against an ocean average of about 35. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Notice its other features: it is a young ocean forming along a rift, as Africa and Arabia drift apart. Seasonal blooms of the alga Trichodesmium give it a reddish tinge, one reason for its name. Its warm, clear water holds rich coral reefs.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
All years by topic
Every question from 2011 to 2026, grouped by syllabus topic, with year-wise trends.