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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.