UPPCS Prelims 2024 · GS Paper I: Consider the following statements with reference to cultivated area of some countries of the…
Consider the following statements with reference to cultivated area of some countries of the world :
- 1. In comparison to USA, China and Japan, India has highest geographical area under cultivation.
- 2. India's location in tropical monsoon region helps diversified cropping all through the year.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Option (a), both, is correct. Statement 1 is right: about half of India's geographical area, around 51-55%, is under cultivation, a much higher share than in the USA (about 17%), China (about 12-13%) or Japan (about 12%). Its large plains and plateaus make most land arable. Statement 2 is right: India's location in the tropical monsoon region, with warm temperatures all year, allows crops in three seasons, namely kharif, rabi and zaid, and a wide range of crops from rice to wheat to cotton. Concept: India's net sown area is about 140 million hectares and gross cropped area about 210 million, giving cropping intensity of about 150%. The USA has the largest total arable area.
India has about half its area under cultivation, far above the USA, China or Japan.
Question as printed in UPPSC's official question booklet. Source: uppsc.up.nic.in
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Related questions from other years
Which of the following with reference to Indian States is/are not correct ?
- 1. Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the highest number of other Indian States.
- 2. Rajasthan shares the longest international border among all Indian States.
- 3. Sikkim is the only State that shares its boundary with just one other Indian State.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (c) & explanation
Statements 2 and 3 are not correct (c). Statement 1 is correct: Uttar Pradesh touches eight States, plus Delhi, the most of any State. Statement 2 is wrong: the longest international border belongs to West Bengal, with Bangladesh, not Rajasthan. Statement 3 is wrong: Sikkim touches only West Bengal, but Meghalaya also touches only one State, Assam, so the word "only" fails. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Notice the trap: the question asks which are not correct. UP's neighbours are Uttarakhand, Himachal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar. Rajasthan has the longest border with Pakistan, about 1,070 km. Words like "only", "all" and "never" often hide the error.
The question asks for statements that are not correct. Statement 3 is half right; the word "only" breaks it.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Ships from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian Ocean ?
- 1. Bahrain
- 2. Syria
- 3. Qatar
- 4. Egypt
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Bahrain and Qatar must cross the Strait of Hormuz (b). The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is the only sea exit from the Persian Gulf. Items 1 and 3 are right: Bahrain and Qatar lie wholly inside the Gulf, so their ships must pass it. Item 2 is wrong: Syria is on the Mediterranean. Item 4 is wrong: Egypt reaches the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice its importance: about a fifth of the world's oil passes through Hormuz, and much of India's crude and LNG (Qatar is a top LNG supplier). Iran's threats to close it raise prices. The UAE's pipeline to Fujairah and Saudi pipelines to the Red Sea help bypass it.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Tungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the following countries ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Tungurahua is in Ecuador (a). Tungurahua, meaning "throat of fire", is an active stratovolcano in the Andes of central Ecuador, above the town of Baños. UNESCO named the area around it a Global Geopark in 2025. Options (b), (c) and (d), Peru, Bolivia and Colombia, are wrong, though the Andes pass through all of them too.
Notice Ecuador's other famous volcanoes: Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes, and Chimborazo, whose summit is the point farthest from Earth's centre, because of the equatorial bulge. Ecuador also owns the Galápagos Islands. A Global Geopark honours geological heritage; India has none yet, though sites like Lonar have been proposed.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
With reference to the climate of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1. The climate can be defined as a humid, tropical coastal climate.
- 2. It receives rainfall from both South-west monsoon and North-east monsoon.
- 3. Maximum precipitation is between December and May.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 1 and 2 are correct (b). Statement 1 is right: the islands lie close to the equator in the Bay of Bengal, so they are hot and humid all year, a tropical coastal climate. Statement 2 is right: they get rain from both the south-west and north-east monsoons, from about May to December. Statement 3 is wrong: January to April is the driest part of the year, so maximum rain is not between December and May. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice the islands' features: Barren Island, India's only active volcano; Saddle Peak, the highest point; and Indira Point, India's southernmost tip. Rich tropical evergreen forests cover them, and cyclones often form nearby.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.