Geography

Geomorphology

• Internal Structure of Earth: Crust, Mantle & Core, Discontinuities
• Sources of Information About Earth’s Interior
• Theories explaining distribution of Oceans and Continents: Continental drift, Sea floor spreading & Plate tectonics
• Plate Tectonics & Earth Surface: Movement of Indian plate, East African Rift Valley & Earthquakes in India
• Earthquake Waves & Shadow Zones
• Forces acting on Earth; Endogenetic & Exogenetic
• Volcanism and volcanicity
• Geomorphic Processes: Exogenic, Endogenic, Weathering, Erosion & Mass wasting
• MINERALS & ROCKS: Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic

Climatology

• Earth’s Atmosphere: Composition & Comparison
• Structure of the Earth’s Atmosphere
• Temperature: Factors controlling temperature distribution, vertical and horizontal distribution
• Solar Radiation: Heating & cooling of atmosphere, Heat Budget
• Temperature inversion
• Atmospheric Circulations: Planetary winds, Pressure belts, Shifting of pressure belts
• Jet streams
• Tropical cyclones
• Tropical cyclones in Indian Ocean
• Temperate cyclone: Formation, tracks, bomb cyclone, difference between tropical and temperate cyclone
• Recurving of cyclones
• Climate change & cyclones: unique cyclones in Indian Ocean
• Local winds: Chinook, Foehn, Bora, Loo, Harmattan, blizzards, nor westers, mango showers, cherry blossoms
• Air masses: sources types and climatic significance
• Atmospheric River

Oceanography

• Hydrological cycle; water on Earth’s surface, components and processes of water cycle
• Relief of the Ocean Floor
• Temperature of the Ocean Waters; Factors affecting, horizontal and vertical distribution
• Salinity of Ocean Waters; Factors affecting salinity, horizontal & vertical distribution
• Ocean Currents; types, factors and significance
• Thermohaline circulations; deep water currents & water mass
• Waves
• Tides: types (Diurnal, semi diurnal, mixed, neap & spring) and importance
• Tsunami

Biogeography

• Soils; Classification, Factors & Formation processes
• Biogeochemical cycles; Carbon cycle, Water cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Phosphorous cycle & Sulphur cycle.
• Biomes
• Tropical Evergreen Rainforest Biome
• Monsoon Deciduous Biome
• Savanna Biome
• Mediterranean Biome
• Taiga (Boreal) Biome
• Tundra Biome

Indian Physiography

• India’s Physiography
• Northern Mountain Range; Trans Himalayas
• India’s Physiography: Himalayan mountain range; Great, Lesser, Outer Himalayas & North East Mountains
• Regional Division of Himalayas: Kashmir Himalayas, Himachal & Uttarakhand Himalayas, Darjeeling & Sikkim Himalayas, Arunachal Himalayas
• Mountain Passes
• Physiography and Regional divisions of Great Plains of India
• Physiography of Peninsular India – Peninsular Hills
• Physiography of Peninsular India – Plateaus
• Physiography of Peninsular India: Coastal India
• Physiography of Islands

Indian Drainage

• Drainage system
• Drainage patterns
• Indus River System: Tributaries & River valley projects
• Ganga river system: Tributaries & River valley projects
• Evolution of Himalayan & Peninsular Drainage
• Brahmaputra river system: Tributaries & river valley projects in North-East
• Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna & Kaveri river system
• Narmada & Tapi river systems
• Small peninsular rivers flowing towards East
• Small peninsular rivers flowing towards West
• River valley projects on East & West flowing rivers

Indian climate

• Indian Climate: Factors
• Indian Climate: seasons
• Indian Monsoon: Classical theory (Thermal concept)
• Indian monsoon: Dynamic concept (ITCZ shifting)
• Current understanding of Indian monsoon: Jet streams & Tibetan plateau
• Indian monsoon: El Nino southern oscillations
• Indian monsoon: Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)
• Madden Julian Oscillations
• Challenges in monsoon prediction

Indian vegetation

• Natural vegetation of India: Evergreen, Deciduous, Montane, Thorn & Mangrove

Indian soils

• Indian Soils

Industrial location

• Types of Industry & General Location factors
• Industrial regions: India and the world
• Iron & steel Industries
• Aluminium industry
• Automobile Industry: Factors, issues & Electric vehicle industry
• Semi conductor manufacturing
• Fertiliser industry
• Petrochemical industries & oil refining
• Pharmaceutical industries
• Textile Industry & Technical textiles
• Food processing Industry
• Paper and pulp industry
• Cotton industry
• Jute industry

Resources

• Mining
• Iron
• Coal: types, distribution, benefits, challenges, role in industrial location & industrial inertia
• Coal bed methane
• Petroleum
• Uranium
• Electricity
• Thermal electricity
• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• Hydro electric power
• Nuclear power plants
• Copper
• Lead and zinc
• Gold & Silver
• Cropping patterns
• Irrigation
• Maize
• Oilseeds
• Millets
• Cotton
• Jute
• Rice
• Wheat
• Coffee
• Tea
• Fishing
• Livestock
• Forest resources & Lumbering
• Groundwater in India

Rau’s IAS Geography Book for UPSC is the most comprehensive and up-to-date Notes on geography for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Written by a team of Rau’s IAS Faculty and subject experts, the book covers all the important topics in geography, including Indian geography, world geography, physical geography, human geography, and economic geography.

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