Regional Geography: Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas & Oceania – NDA Geography PYQs

Question 1 [NDA 2007-I]
Which forests lie in the Amazon Basin?
(a) Monsoon forests
(b) Tropical rain forests
(c) Mangrove forests
(d) Temperate forests

Answer: (b) Tropical rain forests
The Amazon Basin in South America contains the world’s largest tropical rainforest — covering parts of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, and several other countries. These are the famous Selvas — dense, biodiversity-rich equatorial rainforests receiving heavy convectional rainfall almost every day.

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Question 2 [NDA 2007-I]
Which city is located on the bank of the Irrawaddy River?
(a) Bangkok
(b) Hanoi
(c) Manila
(d) Yangon

Answer: (d) Yangon
Already covered in Chapter 24 — Yangon (Myanmar’s largest city) is near the Irrawaddy River delta.

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Question 3 [NDA 2008-I]
Andes Mountains are located in which region?
(a) North America
(b) Europe
(c) Asia
(d) South America

Answer: (d) South America
The Andes are the world’s longest continental mountain range, running along the entire western coast of South America — through Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

Question 4 [NDA 2009-II]
The line passing through Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Superior represents:
(a) International boundary between Canada and Mexico
(b) Time zone boundary in North America
(c) Internal waterway route to USA
(d) Southern boundary of Canada

Answer: (c) Internal waterway route to USA
The Great Lakes connect to the St Lawrence Seaway — forming a vital internal waterway system that allows ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean deep into the interior of North America. This system is crucial for trade and transport between the USA and Canada.

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Question 5 [NDA 2010-II]
Consider the following statements about Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
I. Enjoys equatorial climate.
II. Only place in India where a volcano is located.
III. Only place in India where coral bed is found.

Which are correct?
(a) I only
(b) I and II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I, II and III

Answer: (b) I and II only
Statement I is correct — Andaman and Nicobar Islands have an equatorial climate. Statement II is correct — Barren Island in the Andamans is India’s only active volcano. Statement III is wrong — Lakshadweep Islands also have coral reefs and actually have more extensive coral formations than the Andamans.

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Question 6 [NDA 2014-I]
Tawang Pass is a mountain corridor connecting India with:
(a) Afghanistan
(b) China
(c) Pakistan
(d) Myanmar

Answer: (b) China
Tawang Pass in Arunachal Pradesh connects India to Tibet (administered by China). The Tawang district itself has been a disputed area between India and China. Tawang is also famous for the Tawang Monastery — the largest Buddhist monastery in India.

Question 7 [NDA 2016-II]
Sahel region of Sahara Desert is associated with:
(a) Northern moving edge of Sahara Desert
(b) Southern moving edge of Sahara Desert
(c) Eastern moving edge of Sahara Desert
(d) Western moving edge of Sahara Desert

Answer: (b) Southern moving edge of Sahara Desert
The Sahel is the semi-arid transitional zone south of the Sahara. Desertification is advancing southward — the Sahara is slowly expanding into the Sahel region. This is why the Sahel is described as the southern moving edge of the Sahara Desert.

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Question 8 [NDA 2017-II]
Taklamakan Desert is situated in:
(a) Africa
(b) South America
(c) Arabia
(d) Central Asia

Answer: (d) Central Asia
The Taklamakan is a large cold desert in the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, western China. It is one of the largest shifting sand deserts in the world. Despite being in China, it is classified as being in Central Asia in terms of its physical geography.

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Question 9 [NDA 2020-I]
Which mountain lies between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea?
(a) Caucasus
(b) Carpathians
(c) Apennines
(d) Elburz

Answer: (a) Caucasus
The Caucasus Mountains form the boundary between Europe and Asia between the Black Sea (west) and the Caspian Sea (east). The countries of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan lie in the Caucasus region. The Carpathians are further northwest in Eastern Europe. Apennines run through Italy. Elburz is in northern Iran.

Question 10 [NDA 2022-II]
The major portion of the Great Artesian Basin in Australia is found in:
(a) Western Australia
(b) Victoria
(c) Queensland
(d) Northern Territory

Answer: (c) Queensland
The Great Artesian Basin underlies a significant part of eastern Australia. Queensland contains the largest portion of this vast underground water reservoir — one of the largest and deepest freshwater reservoirs in the world. It has been crucial for pastoral farming in inland Australia.