Physical & Regional Geography

* Bulgaria does not share a land border with Ukraine. It is located to the south of Romania and is separated from Ukraine by Romania. * The Czech Republic is located to the west of Ukraine and does not share a land border with it. * Hungary shares a land border with Ukraine to the west. * Latvia is located to the north of Ukraine and does not share a land border with it. * Lithuania is located to the north of Ukraine and does not share a land border with it. * Romania shares a land border with Ukraine to the south. * Only two of the above-mentioned countries (Hungary and Romania) share a land border with Ukraine.

Statement 1 is correct: The Jhelum River originates from Verinag Spring in the Pir Panjal range and flows through Srinagar. It passes through Wular Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes in India, before continuing westward toward Baramulla and entering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Statement 2 is not correct: Kolleru Lake lies between the Krishna and Godavari deltas in Andhra Pradesh but is not directly fed by either river. The lake receives inflows mainly from smaller rivers such as Budameru and Tammileru, which are distributaries of the Krishna and Godavari systems. Therefore, the Krishna River does not directly feed Kolleru Lake. Statement 3 is not correct: Kanwar Lake (also known as Kabartal) in Begusarai district of Bihar is an oxbow lake formed by the meandering of the Burhi Gandak River, not the main Gandak River. The Burhi Gandak (Old Gandak) is a separate channel originating near Someshwar Hills and flowing parallel to the Ganga.

* Statement 1 is incorrect: Amarkantak is a pilgrim town in Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh. Amarkantak Hills is the meeting point of the Vindhya, Satpura, and Maikal Ranges. It is also the origin of the Narmada, Son, and Johilla Rivers. * Statement 2 is incorrect: The Billigirirangan Hills, also known as BR Hills, are not a part of the Satpura range. It is a hill range situated in south-western Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu (Erode District). The area is called Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The Seshachalam Hills, also known as Tirumala Hills, are not a part of the Western Ghats. Seshachalam Hills are hilly ranges part of the Eastern Ghats in southern Andhra Pradesh. The Seshachalam hill ranges are predominantly present in Tirupati district of the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh.

* The Congo Basin is a vast region in Central Africa that encompasses several countries. It is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River and is located in a region known as West Equatorial Africa.  * The Congo Basin spans across mainly six countries Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Thus, Option A is correct.

* The Rann of Kutch, located in the Thar Desert of Gujarat, India, is a vast seasonal salt marsh.  * Geological evidence suggests it was once a shallow extension of the Arabian Sea.  * Over time, due to a combination of factors like tectonic plate movement and climatic changes, the sea level receded repeatedly, leaving behind saline deposits and creating the marshland we see today.  * During the monsoon season, the Rann fills with water, transforming into a shallow lake, but dries up again in the summer, leaving behind a vast expanse of cracked white salt flats. * Bhitarkanika Mangroves: Located in Odisha, Bhitarkanika Mangroves is a protected wetland area and a UNESCO Ramsar site. It is home to saltwater crocodiles, migratory birds, and various plant species. The mangroves provide coastal protection and support local fishing communities. * Marakkanam Salt Pans: Marakkanam, in Tamil Nadu, is one of India's largest salt-producing regions. The salt pans are a major source of salt production, and the area also attracts migratory birds, including flamingos. * Naupada Swamp: Located in Andhra Pradesh, is an important wetland for migratory birds and aquatic life. The swamp supports a wide variety of wildlife, including endangered species like the smooth-coated otter.

Lake Faguibine in Mali is a prime example of increasing aridity . Here's how it changed over the years, as seen through false-color Landsat satellite images - Initially, it was one of the largest lakes in West Africa, fed by the Niger River during floods. - In 1974, it spanned approximately 590 square kilometers (230 square miles). - A decline in precipitation from the late 1980s led to its gradual drying. - By the late 1990s, traditional livelihoods like fishing , agriculture , and livestock herding became impractical. - Despite the resumption of normal rainfall after 2000, the lake has remained nearly dry. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and remains filled with water.
Lake Oguta is located in Nigeria and is still a freshwater lake.
Lake Volta is one of the largest artificial lake by surface area in the world and remains filled with water from the Volta River.

Pair 1 is correctly matched. Anatolia is the peninsula of land that today constitutes the Asian portion of Turkey. Because of its location at the point where the continents of Asia and Europe meet, Anatolia was, from the beginnings of civilization, a crossroads for numerous peoples migrating or conquering from either continent. Pair 2 is correctly matched. The Amhara Region is located in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. It is the homeland of Amharapeople. Amhara is the site of the largest inland body of water in Ethiopia, Lake Tana. Amhara region is often mentioned in the news due to historical conflicts among Oromo, Amhara, and Tigrayan groups of Ethiopia. Pair 3 is not correctly matched. Cabo Delgado is the northernmost province of Mozambique. It was in news because Mozambique's Al-Shabab extremist group has been carrying out attacks in the country's most northern province, Cabo Delgado, since 2017. Pair 4 is not correctly matched. Catalonia occupies a triangular area in the northeastern corner of Spain. It is bordered by France and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the autonomous community of Valencia to the south, and the autonomous community of Aragon to the west. Recently, mass protests broke out across Spain's Catalonia region after its former separatist leader Carles Puigdemont was arrested. So, only two pairs (Anatolia Turkey and Amhara Ethiopia) are correctly matched.

Statement 1 is correct: Although less common than coffee, tea is grown in the high-altitude regions of Andhra Pradesh (such as the Chintapalli and Araku areas). Statement 2 is correct: Kerala is a major tea producer, especially in the Munnar, Wayanad, and Idukki districts. Statement 3 is correct: Himachal Pradesh is famous for its Kangra Tea, which holds a GI tag and is known for its unique flavor. Statement 4 is correct: Tripura is a significant tea-producing state in the Northeast, ranking among the top 5-6 producers in the country. Note: This is a UPSC Prelims 2022 Previous Year Question. Per the Official Answer Key, Andhra Pradesh is included as a tea-producing state.

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Namcha Barwa is located in the Arunachal Himalayas (Eastern Himalayas) in the Great Bend of the Brahmaputra River. The Garhwal Himalayas are located further west in Uttarakhand (e.g., Kamet, Trisul). Pair 2 is correctly matched: Nanda Devi is the highest peak in the Kumaon Himalayas (Uttarakhand). It is the second-highest mountain in India and the highest located entirely within the country. Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Nokrek is the highest peak of the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. It is part of the Shillong Plateau/Meghalaya Plateau, not the Sikkim Himalayas.

The term "Levant" refers to the geographical region located along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This region typically includes the countries of Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey (the southern/southeastern region). The Levant connects Anatolia, the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. It encompasses the eastern Mediterranean coastline and the hinterlands that stretch inland from that coast. The Levant has faced prolonged unrest, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian Civil War, and ethnic and religious tensions.