World & Physical Geography MCQs
World Geography Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Quiz for State and UPSC Civil Services Examinations. Objective Questions on Physical Geography and World Geography for competitive examinations.
1. “Chukchi Sea” is the part of which among the following Oceans?
[A] Pacific
[B] Indian
[C] Atlantic
[D] Arctic
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Arctic]
Notes:
Chukchi Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded on the west by the Long Strait, off Wrangel Island, and in the east by Point Barrow, Alaska, beyond which lies the Beaufort Sea.
2. Which among the following is known as “Doctor Wind”?
[A] Loo
[B] Chinook
[C] Harmattan
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Harmattan]
Notes:
Harmattan wind is known as the Doctor wind. It is a dry, dusty, north-easterly or easterly wind that blows in West Africa north of the equator. The Harmattan wind blows from the Sahara Desert over West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea. It is called Doctor Wind because its dryness kills pests and germs.
The Harmattan wind brings desert-like weather conditions. It lowers the humidity, dissipates cloud cover, and prevents rainfall formation. It can also create big clouds of dust which can result in dust storms or sandstorms. The Harmattan wind can have health effects on people, including Dryness of the skin; Dried or chapped lips; Eyes; Respiratory problems.
3. Which of the following country is known as Pearl of the Caribbean Sea?
[A] Cuba
[B] Anguilla
[C] Bahamas
[D] Jamaica
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Cuba]
Notes:
Cuba is a country comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. It is located in the northern Caribbean. It is known as pearl of the Caribbean sea.
4. Despite of being located south of Tropic of Cancer, which of the following makes weather at Hawaii pleasant making it one of the most important tourist destination around the world?
[A] Gulf Stream & strong westerlies
[B] Trade winds
[C] Location of Hawaii within the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Trade winds]
Notes:
Gulf stream does not touch Hawaii. Strongest Westerlies as we know blow between 40 and 50 degrees latitude. The Trade winds make Hawaii a hot tourism destination.
5. Which of the following correctly describes the so called “harvest moon”?
[A] full moon closest to the autumnal equinox
[B] new moon closest to the vernal equinox
[C] full moon closest to vernal equinox
[D] new moon closest to autumnal equinox
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [full moon closest to the autumnal equinox]
Notes:
The “harvest moon” is a traditional term for the full moon occurring during autumn, in the northern hemisphere usually on September 22 or 23.
6. Which Asian mountain is also known as the Savage Mountain due to the extreme difficulty of ascent?
[A] Kanchenjunga
[B] Mount Everest
[C] K2
[D] Lhotse
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [K2]
Notes:
K2 also known as Mount Godwin-Austen or Chhogori at 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level. K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the extreme difficulty of ascent. It has the second-highest fatality rate.
7. Which is the only giant planet whose equator is nearly at right angles to its orbit?
[A] Jupiter
[B] Uranus
[C] Mars
[D] Earth
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Uranus]
Notes:
Uranus is the only planet whose equator is nearly at a right angle to its orbit, with a tilt of 97.77 degrees, which is possibly the result of a collision with an Earth-sized object long ago. This unique tilt causes the most extreme seasons in the solar system.
8. Why Himalayan rivers are perennial?
[A] They flow from inexhaustible springs in the Himalayas
[B] They are fed in summer by melting snow of Himalayas
[C] There is continuous rain throughout the year in the catchment areas
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [They are fed in summer by melting snow of Himalayas]
Notes:
The Himalayan Rivers are perennial rivers because they originate in snow covered Himalayan Mountains. They start from the glaciers that seem to melt all over the year. During summers, the snow melts and the rivers get continuous supply of water. On the contrary, the peninsular rivers depend mostly on rainfall for its supply of water and thus become dry during the summer season.
9. Which of the following rivers has a ‘bird’s foot’ delta?
[A] The Amazon
[B] The Brahmaputra
[C] The Mississippi
[D] The Nile
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [The Mississippi]
Notes:
Mississippi river forms a bird-foot delta as it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. As the name suggest this delta is in the shape of a bird’s foot and tend to have one or a very few major distributaries near their mouths.
10. Which of the following is the largest Archipelago of the world?
[A] Madagascar Islands
[B] Malay Archipelago
[C] Guayaneco Archipelago
[D] Hawaiian Archipelago
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Malay Archipelago]
Notes:
The Malay Archipelago is the largest archipelago by area and fourth by the number of islands in the world. It comprises over 25,000 islands .It is situated between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean and between mainland Indochina and Australia. It includes Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. This location is also termed as the Maritime Southeast Asia.
