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Civil Services Prelims Examination World Geography - GS Paper I

Civil Services Examination 2019


1. Which one of the following groups of plants was domesticated in the ‘New World’ and introduced into the ‘Old World’?

  1. Tobacco, cocoa and rubber
  2. Tobacco, cotton and rubber
  3. Cotton, coffee and sugarcane
  4. Rubber, coffee and wheat


2. On 21st June, the Sun

  1. does not set below the horizon at the Arctic Circle
  2. does not set below the horizon at Antarctic Circle
  3. shines vertically overhead at noon on the Equator
  4. shines vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn


3. Consider the following statements:

  1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into environment.
  2. Cattle release ammonia into environment.
  3. Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds into environment.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

  1. 1 and 3 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 2 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years?

  1. China
  2. India
  3. Myanmar
  4. Vietnam


Civil Services Examination 2018


1. Consider the following statements:

  1. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters.
  2. More than one—third of the world’s coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
  3. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rain forests.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


2. Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds?

  1. Decreased salinity in the river
  2. Pollution of groundwater
  3. Lowering of the water-table

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


3. With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements:

  1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity.
  2. Soil does not play any role in the sulphur cycle.
  3. Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. Consider the following statements:

  1. The Earth’s magnetic field has reversed every few hundred thousand years.
  2. When the Earth was created more than 4000 million years ago, there was 54% oxygen and no carbon dioxide.
  3. When living organisms originated, they modified the early atmosphere of the Earth.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


5. Which of the following has / have shrunk immensely / dried up in the recent past due to human activities?

  1. Aral Sea
  2. Black Sea
  3. Lake Baikal

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 2 only
  4. 1 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2017


1. Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries?

  1. Jordan
  2. Iraq
  3. Lebanon
  4. Syria

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 3 and 4 only

Civil Services Examination 2016


1. Consider the following pairs:

Community sometimes

mentioned in the news in the affairs of
1. Kurd Bangladesh
2. Madhesi Nepal
3. Rohingya Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

  1. 1 and 2
  2. 2 only
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only


Civil Services Examination 2015


1. “Each day is more or less the same, the morning is clear and bright with a sea breeze; as the Sun climbs high in the sky, heat mounts up, dark clouds form, then rain comes with thunder and lightning. But rain is soon over.”

Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?

  1. Savannah
  2. Equatorial
  3. Monsoon
  4. Mediterranean


2. Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?

  1. Syria
  2. Jordan
  3. Lebanon
  4. Israel


3. Consider the following statements:

  1. The winds which blow between 30°N and 60°S latitudes throughout the year are known as Westerlies.
  2. The moist air masses that cause winter rains in North-Western region of India are part of Westerlies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


4. In the South Atlantic and South-Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason?

  1. Sea surface temperatures are low
  2. Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone seldom occurs
  3. Coriolis force is too weak
  4. Absence of land in those regions


5. What explains the eastward flow of the equatorial counter-current?

  1. The Earth’s rotation on its axis
  2. Convergence of the two equatorial currents
  3. Difference in salinity of water
  4. Occurrence of the belt of calm near the equator


6. Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following?

  1. Gravitational force of the Sun
  2. Gravitational force of the Moon
  3. Centrifugal force of the Earth

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


Civil Services Examination 2014


1. Turkey is located between

  1. Black Sea and Caspian Sea
  2. Black Sea and Mediterranean
  3. Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
  4. Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea


2. What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north?

  1. Bangkok
  2. Hanoi
  3. Jakarta
  4. Singapore

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 4, 2, 1, 3
  2. 3, 2, 4, 1
  3. 3, 4, 1, 2
  4. 4, 3, 2, 1


3. The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of

  1. Equatorial climate
  2. Mediterranean climate
  3. Monsoon climate
  4. All of the above climates


4. Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms?

  1. Continental Drift
  2. Glacial Cycles

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


Civil Services Examination 2013


1. During a thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies is produced by the

  1. meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in the sky
  2. lightning that separates the nimbus clouds
  3. violent upward movement of air and water particles

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 3
  4. None of the above produces the thunder


2. The annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is high as compared to coastal areas. What is / are the reason / reasons?

  1. Thermal difference between land and water
  2. Variation in altitude between continents and oceans
  3. Presence of strong winds in the interior
  4. Heavy rains in the interior as compared to coasts

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


3. “Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.”

The above statement best describes which of the following regions?

  1. African Savannah
  2. Central Asian Steppe
  3. North American Prairie
  4. Siberian Tundra


4. The most important fishing grounds of the world are found in the regions where

  1. warm and cold atmospheric currents meet
  2. rivers drain out large amounts of fresh water into the sea
  3. warm and cold oceanic currents meet
  4. continental shelf is undulating


5. Which of the following is / are unique characteristic/characteristics of equatorial forests?

  1. Presence of tall, closely set trees with crowns forming a continuous canopy
  2. Coexistence of a large number of species
  3. Presence of numerous varieties of epiphytes

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


6. Variations in the length of daytime and night time from season to season are due to

  1. the Earth’s rotation on its axis
  2. the Earth’s revolution round the Sun in an elliptical manner
  3. latitudinal position of the place
  4. revolution of the Earth on a tilted axis


7. On the planet Earth, most of the freshwater exists as ice caps and glaciers. Out of the remaining freshwater, the largest proportion

  1. is found in atmosphere as moisture and clouds
  2. is found in freshwater lakes and rivers
  3. exists as groundwater
  4. exists as soil moisture


8. 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


Civil Services Examination 2012


1. Consider the following factors:

  1. Rotation of the Earth
  2. Air pressure and wind
  3. Density of ocean water
  4. Revolution of the Earth

Which of the above factors influence the ocean currents?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 3
  3. 1 and 4
  4. 2, 3 and 4


2. When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following:

  1. Deep gorges
  2. U-turn river courses
  3. Parallel mountain ranges
  4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding

Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for Himalayas being young fold mountains?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1, 2 and 4 only
  3. 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


3. Normally, the temperature decreases with the increase in height from the Earth’s surface, because

  1. the atmosphere can be heated upwards only from the Earth’s surface
  2. there is more moisture in the upper atmosphere
  3. the air is less dense in the upper atmosphere

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


4. The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern?

  1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected.
  2. The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected.
  3. The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected.
  4. The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4


5. A person stood alone in a desert on a dark night and wanted to reach his village which was situated 5 km east of the point where he was standing. He had no instruments to find the direction but he located the polestar. The most convenient way now to reach his village is to walk in the

  1. direction facing the polestar
  2. direction opposite to the polestar
  3. direction keeping the polestar to his left
  4. direction keeping the polestar to his right


6. Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region?

  1. Rainfall throughout the year
  2. Rainfall in winter only
  3. An extremely short dry season
  4. A definite dry and wet season


7. Consider the following agricultural practices:

  1. Contour bunding
  2. Relay cropping
  3. Zero tillage

In the context of global climate change, which of the above helps / help in carbon sequestration / storage in the soil?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3
  4. None of the Above


Civil Services Examination 2011


1. If a tropical rain forest is removed, it does not regenerate quickly as compared to a tropical deciduous forest. This is because

  1. the soil of rain forest is deficient in nutrients
  2. propagules of the trees in a rain forest have poor viability
  3. the rain forest species are slow-growing
  4. exotic species invade the fertile soil of rain forest


2. The surface of a lake is frozen in severe winter, but the water at its bottom is still liquid. What is the reason?

  1. Ice is a bad conductor of heat
  2. Since the surface of the lake is at the same temperature as the air, no heat is lost
  3. The density of water is maximum at 4°C
  4. None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct.


3. A layer in the Earth’s atmosphere called Ionosphere facilitates radio communication. Why?

  1. The presence of ozone causes the reflection of radio waves to Earth.
  2. Radio waves have a very long wavelength.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


4. La Nina is suspected to have caused recent floods in Australia. How is La Nina different from EI Nino?

  1. La Nina is characterised by ‘un-usually cold ocean temperature’ in equatorial Indian Ocean whereas EI Nino-is characterised by ‘unusually warm ocean temperature’ in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
  2. El Nino has adverse effect on south-west monsoon of India, but La Nina has no effect on monsoon climate.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


5. Salinization occurs when the irrigation water accumulated in the soil evaporates, leaving behind salts and minerals. What are the effects of salinization on the irrigated land?

  1. It greatly increases the crop production
  2. It makes some soils impermeable
  3. It raises the water table
  4. It fills the air spaces in the soil with water


6. What is the difference between asteroids and comets?

  1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material.
  2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury.
  3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3


7. Westerlies in Southern Hemisphere are stronger and persistent than in Northern Hemisphere. Why?

  1. Southern Hemisphere as compared to Northern Hemisphere has less landmass.
  2. Coriolis force is higher in Southern Hemisphere, as compared to Northern Hemisphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


8. What could be the main reasons for the formation of African and Eurasian desert belt?

  1. It is located in the sub-tropical high pressure cells.
  2. It is under the influence of warm ocean currents.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct in this context?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2


9. The jet aircrafts fly very easily and smoothly in the lower stratosphere. What could be the appropriate explanation?

  1. There are no clouds or water vapour in the lower stratosphere.
  2. There are no vertical winds in the lower stratosphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct in this context?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2