Which of the following river basins is the most populated in the world?
- A.Ganga
- B.Nile
- C.Mississippi
- D.Amazon
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, Ganga. The Ganga basin is the most populous river basin on earth, home to more than 600 million people across India, Nepal, Bangladesh and a small part of Tibet. In India alone it covers about 8.6 lakh square km, roughly a quarter of the country, across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and it supports about 40 percent of India's population. Fertile alluvial soil, plentiful groundwater and a long farming history explain the dense settlement. B is wrong because the Nile, though the longest river, flows mostly through desert and its basin holds far fewer people. C is wrong because the Mississippi basin lies in the thinly populated interior of the USA. D is wrong because the Amazon has the largest discharge and basin area but its rainforest is among the least populated regions on earth. Exam tip: Ganga is the most populated basin; Amazon is the largest by area and water; Nile is the longest river.
Practice Questions
View allWhere is Hambantota Port located?
- A.Iran
- B.Sri Lanka
- C.Japan
- D.Pakistan
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Hambantota Port lies on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, close to the main shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean.
Read the full explanation →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.
- A.2 only
- B.1 and 3 only
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
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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.
Read the full explanation →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.
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.1 and 3 only
- C.2 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
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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.
Read the full explanation →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.
- A.1 only
- B.2 and 3
- C.1, 2 and 4
- D.2 and 4 only
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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.
Read the full explanation →Damanganga Reservoir Project with about 115 km of minor canals and distributaries is located in
- A.NCT
- B.Dadra and Nagar Haveli
- C.Puducherry
- D.Goa
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The Damanganga Reservoir Project is the main irrigation scheme of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, whose canal network of about 115 km of minor canals and distributaries serves the territory.
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