Skip to content
No results
Compass by Rau's IAS
Menu
Compass by Rau's IAS
Menu

Geography 2023 MCQs

Consider the following statements:
  1. In a seismograph, P waves are recorded earlier than S waves.
  2. in P waves, the individual particles vibrate to and fro in the direction of wave propagation whereas in S waves, the particles vibrate up and down at right angles to the direction of wave propagation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • A (a) 1 only
  • B (b) 2 only
  • C (c) Both 1 and 2
  • D (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Show Answer
The correct answer is C.

There are two types of body waves. They are called P and S-waves. P-waves move faster and are the first to arrive at the surface. These are also called ‘primary waves’. The P-waves are similar to sound waves. They travel through gaseous, liquid and solid materials. S-waves arrive at the surface with some time lag.

These are called secondary waves. An important fact about S-waves is that they can travel only through solid materials. This characteristic of the S-waves is quite important. P-waves vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave. The direction of vibrations of S-waves is perpendicular to the wave direction in the vertical plane.

Hence, they create troughs and crests in the material through which they pass.

Consider the following statements: Statement-I:The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater during summer than in winter. Statement-II:The specific heat of water is more than that of land surface.Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
  • A (a)  Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
  • B (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  • C (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Show Answer
The correct answer is D.

Statement (a) is incorrect because during summers water accumulates high amount of energy which it is unable to loose quickly by winters. Hence during winters land becomes extremely cold whereas water still remains warm leading to high thermal contrast. Statement (b) is factual.

Consider the following statements: Statement–I:The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients. Statement-II:The high temperature and moisture of tropical rain forests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose quickly. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
  • A (a)  Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
  • B (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  • C (c)  Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Show Answer
The correct answer is A.

The high temperature and moisture of tropical rainforests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose more quickly than in other climates, thus releasing and losing its nutrients rapidly. The high volume of rain in tropical rainforests washes nutrients out (leaching) of the soil more quickly than in other climates.

With reference to the Earth’s atmosphere, which one of the following statements is correct?
  • A (a)  The total amount of insolation received at the equator is roughly about 10 times of that received at the poles.
  • B (b) Infrared rays constitute roughly two-thirds of insolation.
  • C (c)  Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.
  • D (d) Infrared waves are a part of visible spectrum of electromagnetic waves of solar radiation.

Show Answer
The correct answer is C.

Statement (a) is incorrect because the insolation received at the surface varies from about 320 Watt/m2 in the tropics to about 70 Watt/m2 in the poles. Equator receives comparatively less insolation than the tropics.

Statement (b) is factually incorrect.

Statement (c) is correct because some atmospheric gases, such as water vapour absorb and re-emit infrared energy from the atmosphere down to the Earth’s surface.Statement (d) is incorrect because infra-red waves is outside the visible spectrum.

With reference to India’s projects on connectivity, consider the following statements:
  1. East-West Corridor under Golden Quadrilateral Project connects Dibrugarh and Surat.
  2. Trilateral Highway connects Moreh in Manipur and Chiang Mai in Thailand via Myanmar.
  3. Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor connects Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh with Kunming in China.
How many of the above statements are correct?
  • A (a) Only one
  • B (b) Only two
  • C (c) All three
  • D (d) None

Show Answer
The correct answer is A.

TLH from Moreh – Tamu – Kalewa – Monywa – Mandalay – Nay Pyi Taw – Bago – Myawaddy –Mae Sot.

BCIM corridor connects Kolkata and Kunming not Varanasi.

East West corridor connect Porbandar and Silcher.

Consider the following statements :
  1. Amarkantak Hills are at the confluence of Vindhya Sahyadri Ranges.
  2. Biligirirangan Hills constitute the easternmost part of Satpura Ranges.
  3. Seshachalam Hills constitute the southernmost part of Western Ghats.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
  • A (a) Only one
  • B (b) Only two
  • C (c)  All three
  • D (d) None

Show Answer
The correct answer is D.

Amarkantak is in Maikala range. Anaimalai hills and cardamom hills are the southernmost point of western ghats.

Seshachalam hills are part of Eastern Ghats.

Which one of the following is a part of the Congo Basin?
  • A (a) Cameroon
  • B (b) Nigeria
  • C (c) South Sudan
  • D (d) Uganda

Show Answer
The correct answer is A.

The Congo Basin spans across countries—Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

About three-fourths of world’s cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by
  • A (a) Argentina
  • B (b) Botswana
  • C (c)  the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • D (d)  Kazakhstan

Show Answer
The correct answer is C.

Indonesia has emerged as the world’s second-largest supplier of cobalt, contributing to a sharp fall in the price of the battery metal and adding to western anxieties about Beijing’s dominance across the electric car supply chain.

The south-east Asian country generated 9,500 tonnes of cobalt last year — 5 per cent of the global supply — up from minimal volumes before 2021.

Despite its rapid growth, Indonesia remains a long way behind the world’s number one supplier, the Democratic Republic of Congo, which holds a 73 per cent global share.

Ilmenite and rutile, abundantly available in certain coastal tracts of India, are rich sources of which one of the following? (a) Aluminium(b) Copper(c)  Iron(d) Titanium
  • A (a) Aluminium
  • B (b) Copper
  • C (c)  Iron
  • D (d) Titanium

Show Answer
The correct answer is D.

India is endowed with large resources of heavy minerals which occur mainly along coastal stretches of the country and also in inland placers.

Heavy mineral sands comprise a group of seven minerals, viz, ilmenite, leucoxene (brown ilmenite), rutile, zircon, sillimanite, garnet and monazite. Ilmenite (FeO.TiO2 ) and rutile (TiO2 ) are the two chief minerals of titanium. Titanium dioxide occurs in polymorphic forms as rutile, anatase (octahedrite) and brookite

Which one of the following is the best example of repeated falls in sea level, giving rise to present-day extensive marshland?
  • A (a) Bhitarkanika Mangroves
  • B (b) Marakkanam Salt Pans
  • C (c) Naupada Swamp
  • D (d) Rann of Kutch

Show Answer
The correct answer is D.

The Rann was a once a shallow part of the Arabian Sea, until a geological shift closed off the connection with the sea. The region became a seasonal marshy salt desert over the years. During monsoons the region fills up with water and forms a wetland. In the summer the water dries to create a bed of white salty land. The Great Rann is a bowl-shaped depression, its eastern edge merging into the drainage area of the Luni River.

1. India has more arable area than China. 2. The proportion of irrigated area is more in India as compared to China. 3. The average productivity per hectare in Indian agriculture is higher than that in China. How many of the above statements are correct?  
  • A (a) Only one
  • B (b) Only two
  • C (c)  All three
  • D (d) None

Show Answer
The correct answer is B.

Statement 1: India’s arable land area is 156 million hectares while China’s arable land area is 119 million hectares.

Statement 2: According to the above articles, India’s proportion of irrigated area is 48% while China’s proportion of irrigated area is 41%.

Statement 3: Agricultural productivity in China is almost 50 to 100% more than that of India.

Consider the following trees:
  1. Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
  2. Mahua (Madhuca indica)
  3. Teak (Tectona grandis)
How many of the above are deciduous trees?
  • A (a) Only one
  • B (b) Only two
  • C (c) All three
  • D (d) None

Show Answer
The correct answer is B.

Jackfruit is evergreen tree hence incorrect. Mahua and Teak are deciduous trees.

Consider the following pairs : Port Well known as
  1. Kamarajar Port:First major port in India registered as a company
  2. Mundra Port:Largest privately owned port in India
  3. Visakhapatnam Port: Largest container port in India
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
  • A (a) Only one pair
  • B (b) Only two pairs
  • C (c) All three pairs
  • D (d) None of the pairs

Show Answer
The correct answer is B.

Mundra Port is India’s biggest commercial port by volumes, has gained another distinction in container handling by overtaking State-run Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to become the leader by handling 5.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in FY21, posting a growth of 18 per cent over the previous year.

Consider the following statements:
  1. Jhelum River passes through Wular Lake.
  2. Krishna River directly feeds Kolleru Lake.
  3. Meandering of Gandak River formed Kanwar Lake.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
  • A (a) Only one
  • B (b) Only two
  • C (c) All three
  • D (d) None

Show Answer
The correct answer is B.

Kolleru lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams and lies between Krishna and Godavari rivers.

hence statement 2 is incorrect.

Statement 1 and 3 are factually correct.

Get Email Updates

Trending now

State of India’s Environment 2026: Rising Climate Risks and the Need for Resilience
Karnataka Announces Ban on Social Media for Children Under-16
India–France “Special Global Strategic Partnership”: A New Indo-Pacific Anchor
Front-of-Package Labelling: A Preventive Strategy to Address India’s Rising Lifestyle Diseases

About Rau’s IAS

  • About Us
  • Faculty
  • Our Results
  • Academic Courses
  • Contact Us
  • Payment Methods

About Civil Services Exam

  • Structure of Exam
  • List of Services
  • No. of attempts
  • Eligibility Criteria
  • How To Apply
  • UPSC Syllabus

Foundation Course

  • Best UPSC Classroom Foundation Course
  • CSAT Foundation Course
  • Optional Subject coaching for IAS/UPSC exam
  • Distance Learning Study Material

Targeted Course

  • Our Online Courses
  • Prelims Test Series & QIP 2024
  • Mains Test Series & QIP 2024
  • Interview Guidance for UPSC IAS

Resources

  • FOCUS Magazine
  • COMPASS Magazine
  • Perspectives Magazine
  • NCERT Books
  • Prelims Paper – 10 years
  • Mains Paper – 10 years

Copyright © 1953-2026 - Rau's IAS Study Circle. All Rights Reserved. Copyright Policy

Designed by Gaurav Tiwari