The Continents Archives

1. What is the name of the first research station established by the Gove

What is the name of the first research station established by the Government of India for conduct of research at Antarctica?

Dakshin Gangotri

Uttar Gangotri

Bharati

Maitri

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2019

Download PDF Attempt Online

The first research station established by the Government of India in Antarctica was Dakshin Gangotri.

Dakshin Gangotri was established in 1983 as India’s first permanent base in Antarctica. It was located on the ice shelf but was decommissioned in 1990 due to being submerged in ice and snow.

Following Dakshin Gangotri, India established its second permanent station, Maitri, on a rocky terrain near the Schirmacher Oasis in 1989. India’s third operational research station, Bharati, was commissioned in 2012 near Larsmann Hill.

2. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched? Geographica

Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

Geographical Feature	Region
(a) Abyssinian Plateau	: Arabia
(b) Atlas Mountains	: North-Western Africa
(c) Guiana Highlands	: South-Western Africa
(d) Okavango Basin	: Patagonia

Abyssinian Plateau : Arabia

Atlas Mountains : North-Western Africa

Guiana Highlands : South-Western Africa

Okavango Basin : Patagonia

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

The pair “Atlas Mountains : North-Western Africa” is correctly matched. The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb region of North-Western Africa, stretching through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

(a) Abyssinian Plateau is located in Ethiopia, East Africa, not Arabia.
(c) Guiana Highlands are located in northern South America.
(d) Okavango Basin (including the delta) is located in Southern Africa (primarily Botswana, Namibia, Angola), not Patagonia (which is in South America).

Accurate geographical knowledge is crucial for matching features with their correct regions. Knowing the approximate locations of major geographical features like plateaus, mountains, basins, and highlands is important for such questions.

3. With reference to ‘South Coast of Australia’ which of the following st

With reference to ‘South Coast of Australia’ which of the following statements is/are correct ?

1. It is situated along the Indian Ocean
2. It experiences rain during its winter months of December and January

Select the answer using the code given below :

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

The correct answer is A) 1 only.

Statement 1 is correct. The southern coast of Australia, including the Great Australian Bight and areas to its west, lies along the Indian Ocean (which some classifications consider part of the Southern Ocean). Statement 2 is incorrect. December and January are summer months in the Southern Hemisphere (including Australia). Parts of the South Coast of Australia, particularly in Western Australia and South Australia, experience a Mediterranean climate characterized by dry summers and wet winters (June to August). Therefore, significant rainfall typically occurs during the Australian winter, not summer (Dec/Jan).

The climate along the South Coast of Australia varies. Western parts have a Mediterranean climate, while central and eastern parts can be more arid or have different rainfall patterns. However, the statement specifies “winter months of December and January”, which are summer months in Australia, making the statement false for the typical Mediterranean climate areas along the south coast known for winter rainfall.

4. The continent having the largest area in the equatorial belt is

The continent having the largest area in the equatorial belt is

Asia

South America

Africa

North America

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2013

Download PDF Attempt Online

C) Africa

The equatorial belt is the region lying near the Earth’s equator. To determine the continent with the largest area in this belt, we need to consider which continents straddle the equator and the extent of their landmass within approximately a few degrees of the equator.
– Africa is traversed by the equator through a vast central region, including parts of the Congo Basin, East Africa, and the Gulf of Guinea coast. A large portion of the African continent lies within the tropical and equatorial zones.
– South America is also traversed by the equator, notably through the Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
– Asia is crossed by the equator mainly through the Indonesian archipelago, which consists of numerous islands.
– North America does not have any significant landmass on the equator.
Comparing the land area within the equatorial belt, Africa has the largest continuous landmass situated around the equator, making it the continent with the largest area in this region.

Regions near the equator typically experience a tropical climate with high temperatures and high humidity throughout the year. The equatorial belt is home to extensive rainforest ecosystems, such as the Amazon in South America and the Congo in Africa.

5. Through which one of the following continents, do the equator, the tro

Through which one of the following continents, do the equator, the tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricom pass through ?

Africa

South America

North America

Australia

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2009

Download PDF Attempt Online

Africa is the only continent through which the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn pass.

The Equator passes through the central part of Africa. The Tropic of Cancer lies to the north of the Equator, crossing North Africa. The Tropic of Capricorn lies to the south, crossing Southern Africa.

South America is crossed by the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. North America is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. Australia is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn. Asia is crossed by the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Europe is not crossed by any of these lines.

6. With reference to the continent of ‘Antarctica’ which of the following

With reference to the continent of ‘Antarctica’ which of the following statements are correct ?

1. It is larger than Europe in terms of area.
2. It has the highest average elevation as compared to all other continents.
3. Mt. Ross is the highest peak of this continent.
4. Waters of the Southern Ocean (West Wind Drift) move in an anticlockwise direction around it.

Select the answer using the code given below :

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

1, 2 and 3

2, 3 and 4

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

Statement 1 is correct. Antarctica covers an area of approximately 14.2 million square kilometers (including ice shelves), making it the fifth-largest continent. Europe’s area is about 10.18 million square kilometers. Thus, Antarctica is larger than Europe.

Statement 2 is correct. Due to the immense ice sheet covering most of the landmass, Antarctica has the highest average elevation of any continent, estimated to be around 2,500 meters above sea level. This is significantly higher than the average elevation of other continents.

Statement 3 is incorrect. While Mount Erebus (often associated with Mount Ross on Ross Island) is a prominent and active volcano in Antarctica, it is not the highest peak of the continent. The highest peak is Vinson Massif, part of the Ellsworth Mountains, with an elevation of 4,892 meters.

Statement 4 is incorrect. The Southern Ocean waters around Antarctica are dominated by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), also known as the West Wind Drift. This current flows predominantly from west to east around the continent, driven by the prevailing westerly winds. This flow is clockwise when viewed from above the South Pole or from west to east on a standard map projection, not anticlockwise.

– Antarctica is larger than Europe.
– Antarctica has the highest average elevation due to its ice sheet.
– Vinson Massif is the highest peak, not Mt. Ross (Mt. Erebus).
– The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows from west to east (clockwise when viewed from above the South Pole).

Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. It is also the continent with the highest average elevation. Around 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice.

7. Which of the following statements regarding continent of Antarctica is

Which of the following statements regarding continent of Antarctica is/are correct?

1. It has the highest average elevation as compared to all other continents.
2. Mount Vinson is the highest peak of this continent.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only

2 only

Both 1 and 2

Neither 1 nor 2

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

Download PDF Attempt Online

Both statements provided about the continent of Antarctica are correct.

Statement 1: Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all continents, mainly due to the presence of its thick ice sheet. Statement 2: Mount Vinson (Vinson Massif), located in the Ellsworth Mountains, is indeed the highest peak on the continent of Antarctica.

The vast Antarctic ice sheet covers approximately 98% of the continent’s surface area. Mount Vinson is one of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.