Physiography PYQs — 42 UPSC CSE Previous Year Questions

Question 1

Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India? Submergence of parts of the western coast due to tectonic activity Presence of residual mountain ranges such as the Veliconda hills and Mahendragiri hills Deep, V-shaped river valleys formed by fast-flowing rivers Select the answer using the code given below :

Accepted Answer

B. 1 and 2

Question 2

Which of the following with reference to Indian States is/are not correct? Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the highest number of other Indian States. Rajasthan shares the longest international border among all Indian States. Sikkim is the only State that shares its boundary with just one other Indian State. Select the answer using the code given below :

Accepted Answer

C. 2 and 3

Question 3

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 ?

Accepted Answer

A. Only one

Question 4

Which one of the following is the best example of repeated falls in sea level, giving rise to present-day extensive marshland?

Accepted Answer

D. Rann of Kutch

Question 5

Consider the following statements : Amarkantak Hills are at the confluence of Vindhya and Sahyadri Ranges. Biligirirangan Hills constitute the easternmost part of Satpura Range. Seshachalam Hills constitute the southernmost part of Western Ghats. How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

D. None

Question 6

Consider the following pairs : Peak Mountains 1. Namcha Barwa Garhwal Himalaya 2. Nanda Devi Kumaon Himalaya 3. Nokrek Sikkim Himalaya Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

Accepted Answer

B. 2 only

Question 7

Consider the following statements : The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Accepted Answer

A. 1 only

Question 8

Consider the following statements : In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only. Western Ghats are spread over five States only. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Accepted Answer

B. 3 only

Question 9

If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination ?

Accepted Answer

B. 7

Question 10

Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar ?

Accepted Answer

A. Sumatra

Question 11

Consider the following pairs: Famous place Region 1. Bodhgaya Baghelkhand 2. Khajuraho Bundelkhand 3. Shirdi Vidarbha 4. Nasik (Nashik) Malwa 5. Tirupati Rayalaseema Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

C. 2 and 5 only

Question 12

Which one of the following pairs of States of India indicates the easternmost and westernmost State?

Accepted Answer

D. Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat

Question 13

Consider the following pairs: Place of Pilgrimage Location 1. Srisailam Nallamala Hills 2. Omkareshwar Satmala Hills 3. Pushkar Mahadeo Hills Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

A. 1 only

Question 14

Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?

Accepted Answer

B. Jordan

Question 15

Consider the following pairs: Hills Region 1. Cardamom Hills Coromandel Coast 2. Kaimur Hills Konkan Coast 3. Mahadeo Hills Central India 4. Mikir Hills North-East India Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

C. 3 and 4

Question 16

Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the 'Ten Degree Channel'?

Accepted Answer

A. Andaman and Nicobar

Question 17

Consider the following pairs: 1. Dampa Tiger Reserve Mizoram 2. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim 3. Saramati Peak Nagaland Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

C. 1 and 3 only

Question 18

Consider the following pairs: Nokrek Biosphere Reserve : Garo Hills Logtak (Loktak) Lake : Barail Range Namdapha National Park : Dafla Hills Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

A. 1 only

Question 19

The latitudes that pass-through Sikkim also pass through:

Accepted Answer

A. Rajasthan

Question 20

If there were no Himalayan ranges, what would have been the most likely geographical impact on India?

Much of the country would experience the cold waves from Siberia.
Indo-Gangetic plain would be devoid of such extensive alluvial soils.
The pattern of monsoon would be different from what it is at present.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

D. 1, 2 and 3

Question 21

In which one of the following places is the Shompen tribe found?

Accepted Answer

B. Nicobar Islands

Question 22

Which of the following hills are found where the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats meet?

Accepted Answer

C. Nilgiri Hills

Question 23

In India, how many states share the coastline?

Accepted Answer

C. 9

Question 24

Out of the four southern States: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, which shares boundaries with the maximum number of Indian States?

Accepted Answer

C. Each of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka

Question 25

Which one among the following major Indian cities is most eastward located?

Accepted Answer

C. Lucknow

Question 26

In which State is the Guru Shikhar Peak located?

Accepted Answer

A. Rajasthan

Question 27

Match List-I (Valley) with List-II (State) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: List-I (Valley) List-II (State) A. Markha Valley 1. Sikkim B. Dzukou Valley 2. Himachal Pradesh C. Sangla Valley 3. Jammu & Kashmir D. Yumthang Valley 4. Nagaland

Accepted Answer

D. A—3 B—4 C—2 D—1

Question 28

Other than India and China, which one of the following groups of countries border Myanmar?

Accepted Answer

D. Thailand, Laos and Bangladesh

Question 29

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of hills starting from the north and going towards the south?

Accepted Answer

C. Nallamalai Hills―Javadi Hills―Nilgiri Hills―Anamalai Hills

Question 30

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given towns of Pakistan while moving from the north towards the south?

Accepted Answer

C. Peshawar–Islamabad–Gujranwala–Multan

Question 31

Which of the following states border Uttar Pradesh? Punjab Rajasthan Chhattisgarh Jharkhand Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Accepted Answer

B. 2, 3 and 4

Question 32

Consider the following: Mahadeo Hills Sahyadri Parvat Satpura Range What is the correct sequence of the above from north to south?

Accepted Answer

C. 1, 3, 2

Question 33

In which one of the following Union Territories do people of the Onge tribe live?

Accepted Answer

A. Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Question 34

Match List I (Beaches in India) with List II (States) and select the correct answer using the codes given below:

List-I	List-II
A. Gopinath Beach	1. Andhra Pradesh
B. Lawsons Bay Beach	2. Kerala
C. Devbagh Beach	3. Gujarat
D. Sinquerim Beach	4. Goa
	5. Karnataka

Codes:

Accepted Answer

B. A—3 B—1 C—5 D—4

Question 35

Nanda Devi peak forms a part of:

Accepted Answer

B. Kumaon Himalayas

Question 36

Among the following cities, which one has the highest altitude above mean sea level?

Accepted Answer

A. Bangalore

Question 37

Which one of the following is not a lagoon?

Accepted Answer

C. Periyar lake

Question 38

Consider the following countries: Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatia Macedonia Which of these countries has/have Adriatic Sea as a boundary?

Accepted Answer

B. 1, 2 and 3

Question 39

In the rough outline map of a part of Jammu and Kashmir shown in the figure, places marked A, B, C and D represent respectively:

Accepted Answer

C. Baramula, Srinagar, Anantnag and Kargil

Question 40

Some people in Manipur live in houses built on floating islands of weeds and decaying vegetation held together by suspended silt. These are called:

Accepted Answer

C. Phumdis

Question 41

Consider the map given below. The places marked A, B, C, and D on the map are respectively:

Accepted Answer

C. Rift valley region, Chhattisgarh plain, Chhota Nagpur plateau, and Rain shadow region

Question 42

The Palk Bay lies between:

Accepted Answer

B. Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal

Waterfall	Region	River
1. Dhuandhar	Malwa	Narmada
2. Hundru	Chota Nagpur	Subarnarekha
3. Gersoppa	Western Ghats	Netravati

Peak	Mountains
1. Namcha Barwa	Garhwal Himalaya
2. Nanda Devi	Kumaon Himalaya
3. Nokrek	Sikkim Himalaya

Famous place	Region
1. Bodhgaya	Baghelkhand
2. Khajuraho	Bundelkhand
3. Shirdi	Vidarbha
4. Nasik (Nashik)	Malwa
5. Tirupati	Rayalaseema

Place of Pilgrimage	Location
1. Srisailam	Nallamala Hills
2. Omkareshwar	Satmala Hills
3. Pushkar	Mahadeo Hills

Hills	Region
1. Cardamom Hills	Coromandel Coast
2. Kaimur Hills	Konkan Coast
3. Mahadeo Hills	Central India
4. Mikir Hills	North-East India


1. Dampa Tiger Reserve	Mizoram
2. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary	Sikkim
3. Saramati Peak	Nagaland

List-I (Valley)	List-II (State)
A. Markha Valley	1. Sikkim
B. Dzukou Valley	2. Himachal Pradesh
C. Sangla Valley	3. Jammu & Kashmir
D. Yumthang Valley	4. Nagaland