Geomorphology : Earth

Q 1 / 13

UPSC CSE Prelims 2025

Consider the following water bodies :

  1. Lake Tanganyika
  2. Lake Tonlé Sap
  3. Patos Lagoon
Through how many of them does the equator pass?

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (D)

Explanation

The equator does not pass through any of the three water bodies listed:

  • Lake Tanganyika: This large African Great Lake is situated in East Africa, bordering Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia. While the equator passes through other East African countries like Uganda and Kenya, it lies north of Lake Tanganyika and does not intersect it.
  • Lake Tonlé Sap: Located in central Cambodia, Lake Tonlé Sap is entirely within the Northern Hemisphere. It is significantly north of the equator.
  • Patos Lagoon: Situated in southeastern Brazil, Patos Lagoon is entirely within the Southern Hemisphere. It lies considerably south of the equator.

Therefore, the equator does not pass through any of the three water bodies mentioned.

Incorrect Options

Options (1), (2), and (3) are incorrect because, as detailed above, none of the listed water bodies are intersected by the equator. The equator passes north of Lake Tanganyika, and both Lake Tonlé Sap and Patos Lagoon are located far from the equator in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively.

SOURCECertificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong, Chapter 1: The Earth and the Universe