Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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China separated Hainan Island from mainland customs to support entry into a trans-Pacific trade deal and develop a Hong Kong-style commercial hub. Hainan is China’s southernmost tropical island, located in the northeastern Beibu Gulf, across the Qiongzhou Strait. It is known as the “Hawaii of China”. It covers 35,400 sq. km, the largest island administered by China. The island has a population of about 10 million; its capital Haikou is called the “Coconut City.”

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Bezymianny Volcano, a cone‑shaped stratovolcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, is now rising faster than scientists expected after a massive past explosion. It lies on the southeast slope of the extinct Kamen Volcano, separated by a high narrow saddle. The east and west slopes have wide, sloping valleys; upper slopes feature several lava flows, and lower slopes have domes along the southern and western sides. Since 1955, Bezymianny has had eruptions with dome growth, explosions, pyroclastic flows, ash plumes, and ashfall. The 1956 eruption was one of the most significant explosive events of the 20th century.

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Japan plans to conduct test mining of rare-earth-rich mud from the deep seabed near Minamitori Island. Minamitori Island, also called Marcus Island, is an isolated coral atoll in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is the easternmost point of Japan and the first place in the country to see sunrise. The island lies about 1,950 kilometres southeast of central Tokyo. It is the summit of a giant seamount on the Marcus–Necker Ridge and lies on the Pacific Plate. The island has a transitional tropical–subtropical oceanic climate with an average temperature of about 25.6°C. Waters around the island contain valuable marine minerals like rare-earth muds and cobalt-rich crusts.

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Recently, Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for Mount Bur Ni Telong due to increased volcanic activity and frequent earthquakes. Mount Bur Ni Telong is an active stratovolcano located in Aceh, the westernmost province of Indonesia. It is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Aceh region. The volcano rises to about 2,624 metres above sea level. It is situated at the southern base of the large Bur Ni Geureudong volcanic complex in northern Sumatra. The volcano has a conical shape formed by layers of lava and eruptive material.

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Scientists used first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to discover the fastest-spinning asteroid of its size, named 2025 MN45. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is located on Cerro Pachón in the Chilean Andes at 8,684 feet altitude. It is named after astronomer Vera C. Rubin, who provided early evidence for dark matter. It is jointly funded by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Department of Energy (DoE). Its goals include studying dark matter and dark energy, mapping the Milky Way, tracking asteroids and comets, and observing changing cosmic objects.

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Recently, Kruger National Park was temporarily closed to day visitors due to severe flooding after prolonged heavy rainfall. Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest and oldest national park, globally famous for wildlife conservation. It is located in northeastern South Africa across Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The park was first proclaimed as Sabi Game Reserve in 1898 and became a national park in 1926.

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A Chinese reconnaissance drone recently flew over the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the northern South China Sea, which Taiwan described as “provocative and irresponsible.” The Pratas Islands, also called the Dongsha Islands, consist of three islands, with Dongsha Island being the only one above sea level; the other two are submerged. The islands have a circular atoll structure made mainly of clastic coral and reef flats.

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Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula is facing record-breaking snowfall due to powerful winter storms. It is located between the Sea of Okhotsk to the west and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea to the east. Kamchatka is part of Kamchatka Krai in Russia. It is one of the world’s largest peninsulas and a major zone of geothermal activity. The region lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has over 150 volcanoes, including 29 active ones. The “Volcanoes of Kamchatka” is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

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Researchers found the world’s oldest known rock art, a painted human hand outline, inside a cave on Muna Island, Indonesia, dated to at least 67,800 years ago. Muna Island is located in Southeast Sulawesi province of Indonesia and covers about 1,704 square kilometres. The island has a hilly landscape rising up to about 445 metres, with teak forests in the north and northeast. Muna Island is known for rich culture, natural beauty, forests, and clean beaches

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Nine workers and engineers were rescued after their boat malfunctioned while working on a bridge across Mir Alam Tank in Hyderabad. The rescue operation was carried out by the Hyderabad Disaster Management and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). Mir Alam Tank is a historic reservoir located in Hyderabad, Telangana, situated to the south of the Musi River. Before the construction of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, it served as the main source of drinking water for Hyderabad. The tank is named after Mir Alam Bahadur, Prime Minister during the reign of Asaf Jah III, the third Nizam of Hyderabad.