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Q1Geography·World Resources and Economic GeographyPYQ 2025
Consider the following pairs:
Country — Resource-rich in
1. Botswana — Diamond
2. Chile — Lithium
3. Indonesia — Nickel
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
- AOnly one
- BOnly two
- CAll the threeCorrect
- DNone
Explanation
Correct. Botswana is one of the world's leading diamond producers, Chile holds the largest lithium reserves and is a top producer, and Indonesia is the world's largest nickel-ore producer and exporter.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
All three pairings are correct, not just one. Each country is a globally recognised leader in the mineral listed against it.
- Option B
All three pairings are correct, not just two. Botswana is a top diamond producer, Chile leads in lithium, and Indonesia is the world's largest nickel producer.
- Option D
All three pairings are factually correct. These are well-established country-mineral associations in world economic geography.
Q2Geography·World Resources and Economic GeographyPYQ 2024
Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world?
- AAlgeria and Morocco
- BBotswana and Namibia
- CCote d'Ivoire and GhanaCorrect
- DMadagascar and Mozambique
Explanation
Correct. West Africa dominates global cocoa production, with Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana consistently ranking as the two largest producers, together accounting for more than 60 per cent of world output.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Algeria and Morocco are North African countries that produce negligible cocoa. Cocoa requires a tropical humid climate.
- Option B
Botswana and Namibia are arid Southern African countries with no significant cocoa cultivation.
- Option D
Madagascar and Mozambique are East African nations that produce small quantities of cocoa but are nowhere near the top two globally.
Q3Geography·World Resources and Economic GeographyPYQ 2023
About three-fourths of the world's cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by:
- AArgentina
- BBotswana
- CThe Democratic Republic of the CongoCorrect
- DKazakhstan
Explanation
Correct. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has long accounted for the overwhelming majority of global cobalt mine production, making it central to electric-vehicle battery supply chains.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Argentina is known for lithium reserves in its Andean salt flats, not cobalt. Its cobalt production is negligible globally.
- Option B
Botswana is a leading diamond producer but has no significant cobalt mining industry.
- Option D
Kazakhstan has diversified mineral production including uranium and chromium, but it is not a major cobalt producer.
Q4Geography·World Resources and Economic GeographyPYQ 2023
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Switzerland is one of the leading exporters of gold in terms of value.
Statement-II: Switzerland has the second largest gold reserves in the world.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrectCorrect
- DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Explanation
Correct. Switzerland is a leading gold-export hub because of its large bullion refining and trading industry. However, its official gold reserves, while substantial, are not the world's second largest.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Statement-II is incorrect. Switzerland does not hold the second largest official gold reserves; that position is held by Germany. Switzerland's gold exports stem from its refining industry, not reserve holdings.
- Option B
Statement-II is factually wrong. Switzerland's official gold reserves rank well below those of the United States and Germany.
- Option D
Statement-I is correct. Switzerland hosts several of the world's largest gold refineries and consistently ranks among the top gold exporters by value.
Q5Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Consider the following statements about the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA):
1. It was established to promote free trade among ASEAN member states.
2. Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam are members of AFTA.
3. India is a full member of AFTA.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A1 and 2 onlyCorrect
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Correct. AFTA was established to eliminate tariff barriers among ASEAN nations, and Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam are all ASEAN members participating in AFTA. India is not a member of ASEAN or AFTA, though it has a separate FTA with ASEAN.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option B
Statement 3 is incorrect. India is not a member of ASEAN and therefore not part of AFTA.
- Option C
Statement 3 is wrong. India has dialogue partner status with ASEAN but is not a full member of AFTA.
- Option D
Only statements 1 and 2 are correct. India is not part of AFTA.
Q6Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Which of the following correctly describes the location of the Kimberley mining region?
- AIt is in Western Australia, known for iron ore
- BIt is in South Africa, known for diamond miningCorrect
- CIt is in Canada, known for uranium mining
- DIt is in Brazil, known for gold mining
Explanation
Correct. Kimberley in the Northern Cape province of South Africa is the site where diamonds were discovered in the 1870s. The term 'kimberlite', used for the rock that hosts diamond-bearing pipes, derives from this location.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
There is a Kimberley region in Western Australia, but the famous Kimberley mining region associated with diamond discovery is in South Africa.
- Option C
Canada's uranium mining is concentrated in Saskatchewan, not in a region called Kimberley.
- Option D
Brazil has gold mining regions such as Minas Gerais, but Kimberley is associated with South Africa.
Q7Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Which one of the following African countries is the largest producer of crude oil?
- ANigeriaCorrect
- BAlgeria
- CLibya
- DAngola
Explanation
Correct. Nigeria is Africa's largest crude oil producer, with major production coming from the Niger Delta region. It is also a member of OPEC.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option B
Algeria is a significant hydrocarbon producer but ranks behind Nigeria in crude oil output. It is better known for natural gas.
- Option C
Libya has large proven reserves but its production has been severely disrupted by political instability since 2011.
- Option D
Angola is a major producer but has generally been second to Nigeria in Africa's oil production rankings.
Q8Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Which of the following countries form the 'Lithium Triangle'?
- AChile, Brazil and Peru
- BBolivia, Chile and ArgentinaCorrect
- CAustralia, Chile and China
- DBolivia, Peru and Colombia
Explanation
Correct. The Lithium Triangle refers to the junction of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina in the Andes, which contains the world's largest known lithium reserves in salt flats such as Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Atacama and Salar del Hombre Muerto.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Brazil and Peru are not part of the Lithium Triangle. The region centres on the Andean salt flats shared by Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
- Option C
Australia and China are major lithium producers from hard-rock mining, but the 'Lithium Triangle' specifically refers to the brine-based deposits of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
- Option D
Peru and Colombia are not significant lithium resource holders and are not part of the Lithium Triangle.
Q9Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
The Mesabi Range, one of the world's most important iron ore mining regions, is located in:
- ABrazil
- BAustralia
- CUnited States of AmericaCorrect
- DSweden
Explanation
Correct. The Mesabi Range is in northeastern Minnesota, USA. It was historically one of the world's most productive iron ore mining regions and was crucial to the development of the American steel industry.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Brazil's major iron ore deposits are in Carajas and Minas Gerais, not the Mesabi Range.
- Option B
Australia's iron ore comes from the Pilbara region in Western Australia, not the Mesabi Range.
- Option D
Sweden has iron ore deposits at Kiruna and Gallivare in Lapland, but the Mesabi Range is in the United States.
Q10Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Consider the following statements:
1. The Dogger Bank is a major fishing area in the North Sea.
2. The Dogger Bank lies between the coasts of England and Denmark.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. The Dogger Bank is a large, shallow sandbank in the central North Sea, approximately equidistant between England and Denmark. Its shallow waters have historically made it one of the richest fishing grounds in the North Sea.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Statement 2 is also correct. The Dogger Bank is a large sandbank in the central North Sea, situated between England and Denmark.
- Option B
Statement 1 is also correct. The Dogger Bank has been one of Europe's most important fishing grounds for centuries.
- Option D
Both statements are factually correct.
Q11Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Which of the following is the world's largest producer of wool?
- AAustralia
- BNew Zealand
- CChinaCorrect
- DArgentina
Explanation
Correct. China is the world's largest producer of wool by total volume, although much of its production is coarser grades. Australia leads in fine wool production.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Australia is the world's largest producer of fine merino wool and a major wool exporter, but China surpasses it in total raw wool production volume.
- Option B
New Zealand is a significant wool producer, especially crossbred wool, but it ranks behind China and Australia.
- Option D
Argentina produces wool, mainly in Patagonia, but its total output is much smaller than China's or Australia's.
Q12Geography·World Resources and Economic Geography
Consider the following statements about jute production:
1. Bangladesh and India together produce more than 90 per cent of the world's jute.
2. Jute grows best in alluvial soil with high humidity and warm temperatures.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2Correct
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Explanation
Correct. Bangladesh and India, particularly the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region, together account for over 90 per cent of global jute production. The crop requires warm temperatures, high humidity and fertile alluvial soil.
Why the other options are incorrect
- Option A
Statement 2 is also correct. Jute thrives in the hot, humid deltaic conditions found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta.
- Option B
Statement 1 is also correct. India and Bangladesh together dominate global jute production.
- Option D
Both statements are factually correct.