Places in News in India and around World is important part of current affairs and UPSC Preparation. Previous Year Question (PYQ) papers are invaluable resources for aspirants preparing for competitive exams like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. In this article we present important PYQ on Places in News.
PYQ on Places in News
Q- Consider the following pairs: (2022)
Region often mentioned in the news: Country
- Anatolia Turkey
- Amhara Ethiopia
- Cabo Delgado Spain
- Catalonia Italy
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) Only three pairs
(d) All four pairs
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
Anatolia, also called Asia Minor – Asian portion of Turkey.
Amhara– Regional state in northern Ethiopia
Cabo Delgado- northernmost province of Mozambique
Catalonia- triangular area in the north-eastern corner of Spain
Q- Consider the following countries: (2022)
- Azerbaijan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Tajikistan
- Uzbekistan
- Turkmenistan
Which of the above have borders with Afghanistan?
(a) 1, 2 and 5 only
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
Afghanistan borders- the east and south by Pakistan to the west by Iran, and to the north by the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
Q- Siachen Glacier is situated to the (2020)
(a) East of Aksai Chin
(b) East of Leh
(c) North of Gilgit
(d) North of Nubra Valley
Answer- Option D
EXPLANATION
The Nubra Valley serves as the entry point to the strategically significant Siachen Glacier and Karakoram Pass. Situated in the northwest, the Karakoram Pass links the valley to Xinjiang, China. The Nubra River, originating from the Siachen Glacier, flows through the Nubra Valley in Ladakh, India, ultimately joining the Shyok River, which is part of the Indus River system.
The Siachen Glacier, located in the Karakoram Range, is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and the second-longest glacier in non-polar regions worldwide. Historically, this region was an integral part of the ancient Silk Route, a prominent trade path connecting China to the Middle East. Often referred to as the “Third Pole,” the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram Range in the Indian subcontinent boasts significant geographical importance.
Q-
Consider the following pairs: (2019)
| Sea | Bordering country |
| Adriatic Sea | Albania |
| Black Sea | Croatia |
| Caspian Sea | Kazakhstan |
| Mediterranean Sea | Morocco |
| Red Sea | Syria |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
Countries bordering the Adriatic Sea include those along the eastern coast of Italy, and nations of the Balkan Peninsula, spanning from Slovenia through Croatia, Montenegro, and to Albania. The southern limit of the sea is marked by the Strait of Otranto between Albania and Italy’s Salento Peninsula, where it transitions into the Ionian Sea.
The Black Sea is situated between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor and is bordered by six countries: Romania and Bulgaria to the west; Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia to the north and east; and Turkey to the south. Additionally, it is influenced by ten other nations through the major rivers that flow into it.
The Caspian Sea is shared by five countries: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran.
Countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea include Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, with Malta and Cyprus being island nations within the sea.
The Red Sea is bordered by six countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
Q- Consider the following pairs (2019)
| Famous place | River |
| Pandharpur | Chandrabhaga |
| Tiruchirappalli | Cauvery |
| Hampi | Malaprabha |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
Pandharpur is a city situated alongside the Chandrabhaga River in Maharashtra, renowned for the revered Lord Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir located within its premises.
Tiruchirappalli, located in Tamil Nadu, stands on the banks of the Cauvery River, featuring the famous Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple among its notable landmarks.
Hampi, the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagara kingdom, rests on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in Karnataka. It boasts numerous renowned temples such as the Virupaksha Temple and the Nandi Statue.
Pattadakal, also situated in Karnataka, lies along the banks of the Malaprabha River and is celebrated for its historical significance.
Q- What is common to the places known as Aliyar, Isapur and Kangsabati? (2019)
(a) Recently discovered uranium deposits
(b) Tropical rain forests
(c) Underground cave systems
(d) Water reservoirs
Answer- Option D
EXPLANATION
Aliyar, Isapur, and Kangsabati are associated with water reservoirs.
The Aliyar reservoir, situated in Aliyar village near Pollachi town in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, is nestled within the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats. Isapur Dam, located on the Penganga river in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, is an earth-fill dam.
The Kangsabati Reservoir Project, initiated in 1956 as part of India’s Second Five-year Plan, aims to provide water for irrigation in the districts of Midnapur, Bankura, and Hooghly by utilizing the waters of the Kangsabati River, along with the Shilabati and Bhoirobbanki rivers.
Q- Consider the following pairs: (2018)
| Town sometime mentioned in news | Country |
| Aleppo | Syria |
| Kirkuk | Yemen |
| Mosul | Palestine |
| Mazar-i-Sharif | Afghanistan |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 4
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 3 and 4
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
Aleppo – Syria, Damascus (capital of Syria)
Kirkuk – Iraq, Baghdad (capital of Iraq)
Mosul – Iraq Mazar-i-sharif – Afghanistan
Kabul (Capital of Afghanistan)
Q- Which of the following has/have shrunk immensely/dried up in the recent past due to human activities ? (2018)
- Aral Sea
- Black Sea
- Lake Baikal
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 2 only
(d) 1 and 3
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
The Aral Sea, once ranked as the world’s fourth-largest saltwater lake, is situated in Central Asia. Beginning in the 1960s, the Aral Sea, which served as the drainage basin for several countries including Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan, experienced a drastic reduction in size due to water diversion for agricultural purposes initiated by the Soviet Union. According to NASA reports, over the past five decades, the Aral Sea has shrunk by approximately 75% of its original dimensions primarily due to water diversion for agricultural activities in the surrounding regions. Moreover, the depth of the Aral Sea has plummeted from 68 meters in the 1960s to less than 10 meters in present times.
Q-
| Regions sometimes mentioned in news | Country |
| Catalonia | Spain |
| Crimea | Hungary |
| Mindanao | philippines |
| Oromia | Nigeria |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ? (2018)
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b)) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 4 only
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
Catalonia is situated within Spain, with France and Andorra to its north, the Mediterranean Sea to its east, Valencia to its south, and Aragon to its west.
Crimea, officially part of Ukraine, is located on a peninsula extending from southern Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separated from Russia by the narrow Kerch Strait.
Mindanao is one of the islands in the Philippines, surrounded by the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu seas. Oromia is a regional state within Ethiopia, a landlocked country in Eastern Africa.
Q- Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries? (2017)
- Jordan
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Syria
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
The Mediterranean Sea is surrounded by 21 nations, including Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey. Its connection to the Atlantic Ocean is facilitated by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar.
Q- At one of the place in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, ‘you will find that the sea water recedes from the shore line a few kilometres and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the seafloor when the water recedes. This unique phenomenon is seen at (2017)
(a) Bhavnagar
(b) Bheemunipatnam
(c) Chandipur
(d) Nagapattinam
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
At a particular location in India, observers standing on the seashore witness a distinctive occurrence where the seawater retreats from the shoreline by several kilometers and returns twice daily, allowing individuals to stroll on the seafloor during low tide. This remarkable phenomenon is observed at Chandipur Beach. Situated in Odisha, Chandipur Beach is also known as the “hide-and-seek” beach. Additionally, Chandipur is home to the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) Integrated Research Range, where ballistic missile tests are conducted. Moreover, Chandipur Beach is renowned for offering a delightful selection of fresh seafood.
Q- Consider the following pairs: (2016)
| Famous Place | Region |
| Bodhgaya | Baghelkhand |
| Khajuraho | Bundelkhand |
| Shirdi | Vidarbha |
| Nasik (Nashik) | Malwa |
| tirupati | Rayalaseema |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1, 2 and 4
(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 3, 4 and 5
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
Khajuraho is renowned for its collection of monuments, constructed between 950 and 1050 CE by the Chandela dynasty. Situated in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a historic town. Therefore, statement 2 is accurate.
However, Bodh Gaya is a Buddhist pilgrimage destination located in Bihar’s Gaya District, celebrated for its Mahabodhi Temple, rendering statement 1 incorrect.
Shirdi, located in Maharashtra’s Ahmadnagar district, is widely recognized for the spiritual figure Sai Baba, but it is distant from the Vidarbha region, rendering statement 3 inaccurate. Nashik, situated in the northwest region of Maharashtra, is famous for hosting the Kumbh Mela, contradicting statement 4.
Finally, Tirupati, located in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district within the Rayalseema region, is renowned for its Hindu Sri Venkateswara Temple, validating statement 5.
Q- Consider the following pairs: (2015)
| Place of Pilgrimage | Location |
| Srisailam | Nallamala Hills |
| Omkareshwar | Satmala Hills |
| Pushkar | Mahadeo Hills |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
Srisailam- Nallamala Hills
Omkareshwar- Mandhata Hills
Pushkar- Ajmer
Q- Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea? (2015)
(a) Syria
(b) Jordan
(c) Lebanon
(d) Israel
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
The nations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea include Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey. Jordan is not among these countries, as it is situated between Syria and Israel and does not have a coastline along the Mediterranean Sea.
Q- Turkey is located between (2014)
(a) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
(b) Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
(c) Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
(d) Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
The Turkish peninsula is encircled by four seas: the Mediterranean to its south, the Aegean to the west, the Sea of Marmara between its European and Asian territories, and the Black Sea to the north.
Turkey spans across both the Asian and European continents. The capital of Turkey is Ankara, and its currency is the Turkish lira. Recep Tayyip Erdogan serves as the President of Turkey.
Q- Consider the following pairs (2014)
| Region often in news | Country |
| 1. Chechnya | Russian Federation |
| 2. Darfur | Mali |
| 3. Swat Valley | Iraq |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
Chechnya is a republic located in the southwest of Russia, positioned on the northern side of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. It came under Russian control in 1858.
Also read about UPSC PYQ on Climatology.