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GeographyEasyAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2026, GAT

The temperate forests in the Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Palani hills are called :

  1. A.Myristica
  2. B.Kar forest
  3. C.Devarakadu
  4. D.Sholas

Correct answer

D. Sholas

Explanation

The correct answer is D, Sholas. The patches of evergreen temperate forest in the high valleys of the Nilgiri, Anaimalai and Palani hills of the Western Ghats are called sholas.

Sholas grow above about 1,500 metres, usually in sheltered folds of the hills, and are surrounded by rolling grasslands; together they form the shola-grassland ecosystem. The trees are stunted, with dense canopies covered in mosses and lichens. These forests hold rainwater like a sponge and feed many rivers of south India. Magnolia, laurel, cinchona and wattle are among the trees found here.

A is wrong because Myristica swamps are freshwater swamp forests of the Western Ghats dominated by wild nutmeg trees. B is wrong because kar forests is not the name of these hill forests. C is wrong because devarakadu are sacred groves of Karnataka, protected by local communities for religious reasons, not a forest type of these hills.

Exam tip: shola forests and grasslands are found in the Nilgiri, Anaimalai and Palani hills; sacred groves are devarakadu in Karnataka and kavu in Kerala.

Practice Questions

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Q2.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Himalayan rivers have their origin in the snow-covered areas, hence are dry in winter season. 2. Rivers of the Peninsular Plateau have reached maturity. 3. Himalayan rivers depict all the three stages of normal cycle of erosion. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3 only

Himalayan rivers are perennial, so statement 1 is wrong, while statements 2 and 3 are correct. Himalayan rivers such as the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra rise from glaciers and snowfields and also get monsoon rain, so they flow all year round, including in winter.

Q3.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following statements related to latitude are true? 1. Rainfall, temperature and vegetation vary with latitude. 2. The difference between the longest day and the shortest day increases with latitude. 3. Indira Point is located approximately at 6°45' N latitude. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1, 2 and 3

All three statements about latitude are true. Latitude decides how directly the Sun's rays strike a place, so temperature, rainfall and the type of vegetation change from the equator towards the poles, from hot, wet rainforests to cold tundra.

Q4.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKMedium

Which of the following lakes is/are situated in Ladakh? 1. Tso Kar 2. Pangong Tso 3. Tsomgo 4. Tso Moriri Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. A.1 only
  2. B.2 and 3
  3. C.1, 2 and 4
  4. D.2 and 4 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 1, 2 and 4

Tso Kar, Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri are high-altitude lakes of Ladakh, while Tsomgo lies in Sikkim. Pangong Tso, at about 4,350 metres, is a long, narrow lake that stretches from Ladakh into Tibet, and most of its length lies on the Chinese side.