Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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In July 2025, villagers of Pathorichuk in Majuli, Assam, showcased a successful eco-friendly method to stop erosion by planting Kanchan trees along the Brahmaputra River. Majuli island faces severe erosion yearly from the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, Subansiri and Kherkatia. The tree roots hold soil tightly and stop erosion naturally, proving more effective than Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structures and geo-bags. Majuli is the world’s largest river island located in Assam.

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Recently, the Preah Vihear Temple became the flashpoint in deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. The temple is called Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Phra Viharn in Thailand. It is located atop the Dangrek Mountains along the Thailand-Cambodia border. The 11th-12th century temple was built by the Khmer Empire and is sacred to both Theravada-Buddhist nations. Despite a 1962 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling giving Preah Vihear to Cambodia, Thailand disputes it. Tensions flared again in 2008 after Cambodia listed the temple as a UNESCO site, provoking Thai nationalist anger. Both nations claim ownership, fueling long-standing historical and territorial tensions.

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Recently, glaciers of Mount Cilo in southeastern Turkey have lost nearly 50% of their ice cover in 40 years due to climate change and rising heatwaves. Mount Cilo is the second-highest mountain in Turkey, reaching 4,135 meters at its summit called Reşko or Gelyaşin or Uludoruk. The mountain stretches 30 kilometers and forms the western arm of Cilo-Sat Mountains National Park, declared in 2020. The terrain features sharp ridges, limestone cliffs, gorges, and glacial valleys.

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Recently, the Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted following a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast on July 30, 2025. Klyuchevskoy is a stratovolcano located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia. It is considered the tallest active volcano in Eurasia and a key part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Kamchatka Peninsula is home to nearly 300 volcanoes, with 29 classified as active. It is one of the most seismically active volcanic zones, known as the “land of fire and ice.”

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Recently, Kerala High Court directed the State Government and State Wetland Authority Kerala (SWAK) to set up an Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit within two months of notification. The direction aims to conserve the Ashtamudi wetland, which is facing pollution and encroachment issues. Ashtamudi Lake is located in Kollam district, Kerala. It is the second largest lake in Kerala after Vembanad Lake. It was declared a Ramsar site in 2002 under the Ramsar Convention for wetland conservation.

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Krasheninnikov volcano erupted on 2 August 2025 in Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It was the first recorded eruption of the volcano in modern times. The eruption occurred three days after a nearby magnitude 8.8 earthquake. Ash emissions from the volcano reached an altitude of 20,000 feet. Krasheninnikov is an active stratovolcano located in Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. It lies within a 9 km wide caldera formed by a massive eruption 39,600 years ago. The volcano is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and has two eruptive cones.

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Russia recently signed a key nuclear agreement with Niger, strengthening its influence in the Sahel region of West Africa. The Sahel region is located in Africa, forming a 5,000-kilometre-long semi-arid belt. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the east. It lies between the Sahara Desert in the north and the humid savannas in the south. It passes through African countries like Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea.

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Recently, the Great Barrier Reef recorded its steepest decline in hard coral cover in nearly 40 years due to climate change-induced heat stress, cyclones, and coral-eating starfish outbreaks. It is located in the Coral Sea, off northeastern Australia. It is the world’s longest and largest reef complex and the largest living structure on Earth. It stretches over 2,000 km, covering around 350,000 sq. km, and forms about 10% of global coral reef ecosystems. It consists of about 2,100 individual reefs and 800 fringing reefs, with 400 coral types, 1,500 fish species, and 4,000 mollusk species.

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Turkey recently closed the Dardanelles Strait to shipping traffic due to nearby forest fires. The Dardanelles Strait is in northwestern Turkey, linking the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara. It separates Europe from the western tip of Asia Minor. It is named after the ancient city of Dardanus. It was once called the Hellespont, meaning “Helle’s sea.”

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Recently, the Colorado River faces a severe water crisis as its flow declines, causing disputes over future water rights. It is a major North American river, originating in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, United States. It flows 1,450 miles (2,330 kilometres) west and south into the Gulf of California, Mexico. The river passes through seven U.S. states and two Mexican states, serving over 40 million people. It drains vast arid and semi-arid regions and is called the “Lifeline of the Southwest.”