UPSC Prelims previous year questions on Oceanography & Hydrological Features (World Geography) — real questions with answers and explanations.
2026Multi-statement (Traditional Style)Oceanography & Hydrological Features
Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct?
1. It is the largest desert lake in the world.
2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert.
3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the 'Jade Sea'.
Select the answer using the code given below:
A.1 only
B.1 and 3 only
C.2 and 3 only
D.1, 2 and 3
Explanation: * Statement 1 is correct: Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. * Statement 2 is incorrect: It lies mainly in northern Kenya, with its northern tip extending into southwestern Ethiopia. It is not located in South Sudan or the Sahara desert. * Statement 3 is correct: It is Africa's fourth-largest lake, nicknamed the "Jade Sea" due to its striking turquoise color, and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
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2025Multi-statement (How Many Style)Oceanography & Hydrological Features
Consider the following water bodies:
I. Lake Tanganyika
II. Lake Tonlé Sap
III. Patos Lagoon
Through how many of them does the equator pass?
A.Only one
B.Only two
C.All the three
D.None of the above
Explanation: * (d) None is correct: The Equator does not intersect any of the three listed water bodies. * Lake Tanganyika sits in the Western Rift Valley of East Africa, south of the equator (~3° to 8° S latitude). * Lake Tonlé Sap is a natural freshwater floodplain lake situated in central Cambodia (Northern Hemisphere). * Patos Lagoon is located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in extreme southeastern Brazil, far south of the equatorial line.
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2024Statement-I & Statement-II (Assertion-Reason Style)Oceanography & Hydrological Features
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II: Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
Explanation: * (a) is correct: The SUMED (Suez-Mediterranean) pipeline serves as a critical, strategic transport corridor to move Persian Gulf crude oil and natural gas shipments northward toward markets in Europe and North America. This validates Statement I. * The SUMED pipeline is located entirely within Egypt and physically connects the Red Sea terminal with access points along the Mediterranean Sea, boasting an operational capacity of 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. This validates Statement II. * Because its geographic connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea (Statement II) is the precise reason why it serves as the strategic transit alternative to ship Persian Gulf oil to Europe (Statement I), Statement II provides the direct causal explanation for Statement I.
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2024Multi-statement (Traditional Style)Oceanography & Hydrological Features
Consider the following statements:
1. The Red Sea receives very little precipitation in any form.
2. No water enters the Red Sea from rivers.
A.1 only
B.2 only
C.Both 1 and 2
D.Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: * Statement 1 is correct: The geographic terrain surrounding the Red Sea experiences an extremely arid climate, resulting in exceptionally low levels of localized precipitation or rainfall in any form. * Statement 2 is incorrect: While it is factually correct that no significant or major perennial river systems drain into the Red Sea, there are various small streams, wadis, and seasonal rivulets that periodically discharge fresh water into it. Thus, stating that "no water" enters from rivers is factually inaccurate.
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