Skip to content
GK24
Prime
GeographyEasyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2018, GK

Where is Hambantota Port located?

  1. A.Iran
  2. B.Sri Lanka
  3. C.Japan
  4. D.Pakistan

Correct answer

B. Sri Lanka

Explanation

The correct answer is B, Sri Lanka. Hambantota Port lies on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, close to the main shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean.

The port was built with Chinese loans and opened in 2010. When Sri Lanka struggled to repay the debt, it leased the port in 2017 to China Merchants Port Holdings for 99 years. This made Hambantota a common example in debates on China's "string of pearls" and on debt in the Belt and Road Initiative, and India watches it closely because of its position near Indian sea routes.

A is wrong: India's port project in Iran is Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman. C is wrong: Hambantota has no link with Japan. D is wrong: the Chinese-built port in Pakistan is Gwadar, in Balochistan, part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Exam tip: Hambantota = Sri Lanka (leased to China, 2017); Gwadar = Pakistan; Chabahar = Iran (India-backed); Kyaukphyu = Myanmar.

Practice Questions

View all
Q1.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.

Q2.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.

Q3.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.

Q5.GeographyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2019, GKEasy

The Andaman group of islands and the Nicobar group of islands are separated by which one of the following latitudes?

  1. A.8° N latitude
  2. B.10° N latitude
  3. C.12° N latitude
  4. D.13° N latitude
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 10° N latitude

The Ten Degree Channel, which runs along this latitude, separates the Andaman group from the Nicobar group. The Ten Degree Channel lies between Little Andaman in the north and Car Nicobar in the south, and it is about 150 km wide.