Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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The Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon (Gallicolumba platenae) was photographed by a camera trap in Mindoro, Philippines, in 2026 after a long gap in confirmed records. Mindoro is located south of Luzon and northeast of Palawan. The pigeon is endemic to Mindoro and is classified as Critically Endangered. Mindoro is the seventh-largest island of the Philippines and is known for rich biodiversity and high endemism.

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Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupted on September 6, 2026, sending volcanic ash across parts of western Indonesia. Anak Krakatau, meaning “Child of Krakatoa,” is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. It is a stratovolcano, formed by alternating layers of solidified lava and ash. The volcano sits at the convergent boundary between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Anak Krakatau is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone around the Pacific Ocean.

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A seminar organised by the Cochin Port Employees Organisation (CPEO) called for the comprehensive revitalisation of Willingdon Island. The objective is to unlock the full potential of Cochin Port and increase revenue and employment. Willingdon Island is a man-made/artificial island located in Kochi (Cochin), Kerala. It is situated in the Vembanad Lake–Kochi backwater system. The island was created primarily to support the development and expansion of Cochin Port. It is named after Lord Willingdon, the former Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

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China is carrying out large-scale vegetation planting around the Taklamakan Desert to control desertification, sandstorms and wind erosion. The initiative is linked mainly to China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Program, launched in 1978. The programme has increased vegetation particularly along the edges of the desert. It is located in western China. It lies mainly within the Tarim Basin, between the Kunlun Mountains to the south and the Tian Shan Mountains to the north. It is one of the largest sandy deserts in the world. It is a cold desert, with very hot summers and extremely cold winters. The desert is famous for its vast sand dunes and extremely low precipitation.

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Sohar Port has emerged as an important gateway for Indian shippers seeking access to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries amid the West Asia crisis. It is located in northern Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. The port is in discussions with Indian logistics operators and terminal operators for setting up facilities. Both captive berths and multipurpose terminals are being explored with Indian companies.

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The NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite captured detailed radar observations of the Krasheninnikov volcano. The volcano erupted in 2025 after remaining dormant for nearly 500 years, with its previous known activity dating to around 1550. 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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Two new island-like formations have appeared off Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia following a 25-hour continuous eruption that began on 4 September 2026. The formations are located on opposite sides of Anak Krakatau—about 760 m northwest and 495 m southeast of the volcano. Anak Krakatau means “Child of Krakatoa” and is an active volcano in Indonesia. It is located in the Sunda Strait, between the islands of Java and Sumatra. It developed inside the caldera left by the massive 1883 eruption of Krakatoa.

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A 17-member expedition team of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully climbed Mount Mukut on 7 October 2026, reaching a reported elevation of 7,045 metres. Mount Mukut, also known as Mukut Parbat, is located in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, near the India–Tibet border. It forms part of the Garhwal Himalayas and is associated with the Kamet mountain group in the Zanskar Range. The expedition was conducted under the technical supervision and training guidance of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), located in Darjeeling, West Bengal. The name Mukut means crown in Sanskrit and Hindi, referring to the mountain’s crown-like summit.

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India has operationalised a new resident diplomatic mission in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, to strengthen its diplomatic presence in Central America. Previously, India handled bilateral relations with Costa Rica through its mission in Panama, with an honorary consulate in San José. Costa Rica is a Central American country bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast. The country lies between the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The new Indian mission aims to promote bilateral trade, investment and strategic cooperation between India and Costa Rica.

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Researchers from Pennsylvania State University studied Masaya Volcano’s underground magma movements using Sentinel-1 satellite data collected between 2018 and 2024. Masaya Volcano is located in Nicaragua, Central America. It is an active basaltic shield volcano known for its lava lake inside the Santiago crater. Approximately two million people live within 20–21 km of the volcano.