World & Physical Geography MCQs
World Geography Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Quiz for State and UPSC Civil Services Examinations. Objective Questions on Physical Geography and World Geography for competitive examinations.
1. Which country was earlier known as Formosa?
[A] Egypt
[B] Taiwan
[C] Gahana
[D] Kenya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Taiwan]
Notes:
The Republic of Formosa is nothing but today’s Taiwan. It was a short-lived republic that existed on the island of Taiwan in 1895 between the formal cession of Taiwan by the Qing dynasty of China to the Empire of Japan by the Treaty of Shimonoseki.
2. Which among the following is the standard map projection for nautical purposes (suitable for showing sea routes)?
[A] Mercator projection
[B] Cassini projection
[C] Gnomonic projection
[D] Polyconic Projection
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Mercator projection]
Notes:
Mercator projection is the standard map projection for nautical purposes. It was created in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator for navigational purposes. The Mercator projection is widely used for navigation charts because any straight line on a Mercator projection map is a line of constant true bearing. This enables a navigator to plot a straight-line course. The Mercator projection is uniquely suited to marine navigation because it maps trajectories of constant bearing (called rhumb lines or loxodromes) to straight lines. Courses and bearings are measured using a compass rose or protractor, and the corresponding directions are easily transferred from point to point. The Mercator projection became popular because it shows relative sizes accurately and is useful for navigation.
3. Identify the correct geographical location of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, known for housing hypersaline water bodies on dry land.
[A] Africa
[B] Central Asia
[C] North America
[D] Antarctica
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Antarctica]
Notes:
The McMurdo Dry Valleys, renowned for their hypersaline lakes like Lake Vanda with a striking salinity of over 35%, which is 10 times more than typical ocean water, are located in Antarctica. Despite this, the most saline water body globally is not found here but at the Gaet’ale Pond. This site, situated in the Danakil Depression in Afar, Ethiopia, holds an even higher concentration of salt, accurately representing the diversity of extreme environments on Earth.
4. A Total Solar Eclipse can occur only on:
[A] First quarter moon
[B] New moon
[C] Third quarter moon
[D] Full moon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New moon]
Notes:
A Total Solar Eclipse can occur only at new moon when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun.
5. In geographical context, the terms Chars and Bils denote:
[A] Small tracts of saline and alkaline soils
[B] The upland and marshy areas of the delta region
[C] Fluvial and Aeolian landforms in the Ganga Plains
[D] Tea and Coffee plantation region in Himachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [The upland and marshy areas of the delta region]
Notes:
The Deltaic plain is the extension of the Khadar land. It covers large area in the lower reaches of the Ganga River. In the delta region, the upland is called Chars, while the marshy area is known as Bils.
6. What are the grass lands of South America called?
[A] Stepes
[B] Prairies
[C] Pampas
[D] Savanna
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Pampas]
Notes:
In Europe and Asia, temperate grasslands are called steppes. In South America, grasslands are called pampas. In North America, temperate grasslands are called prairies.
7. Through which one of the following groups of countries does the Equator pass?
[A] Brazil, Zambia and Malaysia
[B] Columbia, Kenya and Indonesia
[C] Brazil, Sudan and Malaysia
[D] Venezuela, Ethiopia and Indonesia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Columbia, Kenya and Indonesia]
Notes:
The equator passes through 13 countries: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome & Principe, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia and Kiribati.
8. The Archipelago Sea is the part of which sea?
[A] Arabian Sea
[B] Mediterranean Sea
[C] Baltic Sea
[D] Sea of Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Baltic Sea]
Notes:
The Archipelago Sea is a part of the Baltic Sea and it is the second largest archipelago in the world comprising around 40,000 islands, islets and reefs. It is located between The Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Aland.
9. In which ocean is Sri Lanka island located?
[A] Bay of Bengal
[B] Indian Ocean
[C] Arabian Sea
[D] Pacific Ocean
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indian Ocean]
Notes:
Sri Lanka is an island country which is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is separated from the Indian continent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
10. Which of the following canyon is found in Kazakhstan?
[A] Charyn Canyon
[B] Bad Rock Canyon
[C] Piva Canyon
[D] Salt River Canyon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Charyn Canyon]
Notes:
Charyn Canyon is found in Kazakhstan. It lies on the Sharyn River and it is nearly 90 km long. It is 200 km east of Almaty (largest city in Kazakhstan), close to the Chinese border.
