Last-minute revision notes of Geography for competitive exams NTPC(RRB)- June 2025. Compiled from different Notes on open plateform.
Geography-Set 2
- The northernmost part of the Western Coastal Plain is called the Gujarat coastal plain.
- The southernmost part of the Western Coastal Plain is called the Kerala coastal plain.
- In between Gujarat and Kerala coastal plains lie Konkan Coastal Plain (in the north) and the Malabar Coastal Plain (to the South).
- India has two groups of Islands namely the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (in the Bay of Bengal) and the Lakshadweep Islands (in the Arabian Sea).
- Ten degree channel separates Andaman from Nicobar.
- Port Blair is the capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
- Kavarathi is the capital of Lakshadweep.
- Coco Islands North of Andaman belong to Myanmar.
- Barren Island became active in 1991.
- Minicoy islands is separated from Maldives by 8° channel.
- In Hindu tradition Triveni Sangam near Allahabad is the “confluence” of three rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, and the invisible or mythic Saraswati River.
- Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum are the five tributaries of Indus.
- Mount Kailash in Tibet is the source of Indus river.
- Brahmaputra is the third major antecedent river of India.
- River Cauvery is known as Dakshina Ganga.
- Some of Peninsular rivers such as Narmada and Tapti form estuaries.
- Other rivers such as Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery form deltas.
- The Thar Desert is also known as the Great Indian Desert.
- Rivers such as Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra etc., are antecedent rivers.
- Himalayan rivers are perennial and carry large amounts of water.
- Most of the rivers of the peninsular plateau are consequent streams and they are rainfed (seasonal).
- The largest fresh water lake in India is Lake Kolleru (Andhra Pradesh).
- Wular is the second largest fresh water lake in India.
- The largest saltwater lake in India is Lake Chilka (Orissa).
- The second largest salt water lake in India is Sambhar in Rajasthan.
- Dal Lake is famous for house boats.
- Bhakra Nangal Multipurpose Project is on the Sutlej.
- Uttar Pradesh occupies the First place with the total length of rivers and canals in the country.
- The nation has four seasons: winter, summer, a monsoon (rainy) season, and a post-monsoon period.
- The climatic conditions in India are affected the most by the tropical monsoon.
- India is called a tropical country due to the overwhelming influence of the tropical monsoon on Indian climate.
- The Tropic of Cancer divides India into two almost equal climatic zones.
- Thunder storms beneficial to coffee plantation in Karnataka are called ‘Cherry Blossoms’.
- Thunder storms beneficial to mango crop in South India are called as ‘Mango Showers’.
- Mawsynram in Meghalaya (1141 cm) is the rainiest place in the world.
- Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan is the driest place in India which receives the lowest rainfall.
- El-Nino is a complex weather system used in India for forecasting long range monsoon rainfall.
- Monsoons are the seasonal winds which blow during six months of summer from ocean to land and for the six months of winter from land to sea.
- India receives 90% of the total rainfall from monsoons.
- Hot, dry winds called loo are experienced in the north-western parts of the country during the hot dry season.
- The southwest monsoon is the beginning of the hot wet season.
- The period of retreating south-west monsoon in India is the cool dry season.
- Tropical semi-arid steppe climate covers the rain-shadow area of the Sahyadris and parts of Maharashtra.
- Parts of Kutch and the western parts of Rajasthan are included in the category of tropical deserts.
- A humid subtropical climate with dry winters covers most of the northern plains from Punjab to Assam along the Himalayas.
- The Himalayas and the Karakoram Range have a mountain climate.
- Alluvial soil contributing the largest share, is formed by the deposition of sediments by rivers in the interior and by sea waves in coastal areas.
- Alluvial soil is the best agricultural soil.
- Alluvial soils are rich in potash and poor in nitrogen and organic matter.
- Red soil is formed by weathering of ancient metamorphic and crystalline rocks.
- The colour of Red soil is red because of the presence of iron oxides.
- Soil erosion means removal of the top layers of the soil at a rate higher than the rate of accrual of new fertile top part.
- Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded.
- Some major types of vegetation found in India are Evergreen forests, Deciduous forests, Dry forests, Hill forests and Tidal forests.
- Nearly 19.39% of the total land area in India is under forest.
- The National Forest policy has laid down a target of raising the area under forest to nearly 33.3%.
- Tropical Evergreen forests are found in areas where rainfall ranges between 200 to 300 cm.
- Social forestry aims at not only providing fuelwood, fodder and other forest products, but also to meet the requirement of ecological balance.
- Energy plantations are plantations of softwood and grass to meet the energy needs of households.
- June 5 is World Environment Day.
- The Animal Welfare Board of India was established in 1962.
- Research programmes in wild-life are carried out by the Wild life Institute of India, Dehradun and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore.
- Project Tiger is the centrally sponsored scheme launched on April 1, 1973 to save the tigers from extinction. It has become the most successful conservation ventures in modern history.
- At present Madhya Pradesh with 912 tigers tops the state with greater number of Tigers, known as the tiger state of India.
- Project Elephant was launched to protect the wild life and elephant population.
- Most of India’s rhinos today survive in the Kaziranga National Park.
- A wild life week is observed in the first week of October every year.
- Lotus is the National Flower of India.
- Crops in India can be classified into subsistence crops, commercial crops, plantation crops and horticulture crops.
- Agriculture contributes about 17.8% to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and nearly 16% to export earnings.
- Operation flood I was launched in 1970, which aimed at capturing a commanding share of the liquid milk market.
- The Father of the White Revolution in India is Dr. Varghese Kurien. He is also known as Milkman of India.
- India is the world’s largest producer of milk, cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric and black pepper.
- India is the second largest producer of wheat, rice, sugar, groundnut and inland fish.
- Crop season in India can be classified into three such as Kharif, Rabi and Zaid.
- ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture in India.
- Wells account for about 48% of the total irrigated area in the country.
- Tanks account for about 10% of the total irrigated area in the country.
- NABARD is an apex Development Bank for facilitating credit flow for promotion and development of agriculture and rural crafts. It was established on 1982.
- India’s major mineral resources include Coal (third-largest reserves in the world), Iron ore, Manganese, Mica, Bauxite, Titanium ore, Chromite, Natural gas, Diamonds, Petroleum, Limestone and Thorium.
- Iron Ore is the backbone of modern civilisation.
- Magnetite is the best quality of iron ore and contains 72% pure iron.
- Jharkhand has the largest reserves accounting for about 25% of the total reserves of iron ore in India.
- India’s richest haematite deposits are located in Barabilkoira valley in Orissa.
- Diamonds are found at Panna mines in Madhya Pradesh.
- There are mainly three gold fields in India: Kolar gold field and Hutti gold field in Karnataka, and Ramgiri gold field in Andhra Pradesh.
- Karnataka is the largest producer of gold followed by Andhra Pradesh.
- Silver is mainly produced from Zawar mines of Udaipur district in Rajasthan.
- Orissa has the largest deposits of Nickel.
- Lignite is also known as brown coal.
- Jharia in Jharkhand has been recognised as the store house of the best metallurgical coal in the country.
- Assam is the oldest oil producing state in India.
- Digboi in Assam is the oldest oil well of India.
- Bombay High is the offshore oil field located in the coast of Maharashtra.
- Reliance Petroleum Ltd, Jamnagar and Indian Oil Corp Ltd, Koyali are Oil Refineries with the largest refining capacity.
- India has the world’s largest deposits of coal.
- Jharkhand is the leading producer of mica.
- Jharkhand is the largest producer of Kyanite in India.
- In Sillimanite production, Orissa contributes 55.87% of the total production.
- In salt production, Gujarat coast produces nearly half of our salt.
- Uranium deposits occur in Jadugoda of Singhbhum and Hazaribagh districts of Jharkhand.
- Thorium occurs in considerable quantities as ThO2, in the beach sands of Kerala coast.
- Geological Survey of India (GSI), established in 1851 is a government organization in India for conducting geological surveys and studies.
- The public sector steel plants are managed by the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), established in 1973.
- India is now the eighth largest producer of steel in the world.
- The first on-shore steel plant in India was setup at Vishakhapatnam.
- Aluminium companies with the highest sales in descending order are HINDALCO, NALCO, INDAL, MALCO.
- TELCO (Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company) is the leading producer in medium and heavy commercial vehicles.
- Maharashtra is the largest sugar producer followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
- Asia is the largest continent.
- Lake Baikal (Russia) is the deepest lake of the world and the Oldest lake.
- Pamir Plateau is known as the “Roof of the World” because it is the highest plateau in the world.
- Mt. Everest is the Highest peak of the world and belong to the Himalayas.
- K2 is the second highest peak of the world and belong to the Karakoram ranges.
- Turkey is known as The Sick man of the Europe.
- Lebanon is known as Switzerland of Middle East.
- Beirut the capital of Lebanon is known as the Paris of Lebanon.
- The Largest lake in Africa is listed as the Caspian Sea (Note: The Caspian Sea is geographically located between Europe and Asia; this information is presented as stated in the source).
- Highest Point in Africa is Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
- Lowest Point in Africa is L. Assal, Dijibouti.
- Another entry lists the Largest Lake in Africa as Victoria. (Note: The source provides conflicting information on the largest lake in Africa).
- Lake Volta (Ghana) is the largest man-made lake in the world.
- Sahara desert is the Largest single stretch of desert in Africa.
- Moscow is the largest railway junction.
- Mt. Stromboli is known as the light house of the Mediterranean.
- Strait of Gibralter is known as the Key to the Mediterranean.
- The highest mountain peak of Europe is Mt. Elbrus (Caucasus).
- Steppes are extensive grasslands in the South – East part of Europe.
- New York City is the largest port in USA and most populated city, also known as city of sky scrapers.
- Birmingham, USA is known as Pittsburgh of the South.
- Honolulu, Capital of Hawai, is known as the cross roads of Pacific.
- Itabira (Brazil) has the largest iron – ore deposits of the world.
- Australia is the smallest continent.
- Australia is also known as the Island Continent.
- Tropical grasslands of Australia are called Savannas.
- Temperate grasslands in the Murray Darling basin (Australia) are called Downs.
- Australia is the largest producer of bauxite in the world.
- The Highest point in Australia is Mt. Kosciusko.
- The Lowest point in Australia is Lake Eyre.
- Lake Eyre is the Largest Lake in Australia.
- About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice.
- Cook strait separates the Northern Island and the Southern Island of New Zealand.
- The Highest point in Antarctica is Vinson Massif.
- The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the Seven Wonders of Ancient World.
- The Great Wall of China was built by Qin, Han and Ming dynasties.
- Minazotta is the Land of ten thousand lakes.
- Finland is the Land of thousand lakes.
- Manitollin is the Largest Island Lake.
- Superior is the Largest freshwater lake.
- Caspian sea is the Largest salt water lake.
- Volta (Ghana) is the Largest artificial lake.
- Negritos are Believed to be the oldest inhabitants and are now almost extinct, found only in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Santhals are Tribals living in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa.
- Sentinelese are one of the small statured tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Shompens are another tribal group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Todas are Tribals of the Nilgiri Hills.
- Uralis are Tribals inhabiting parts of Kerala.
- Varlis are Tribals of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
- The Mariana Trench (West Pacific) is the Deepest Sea Trench with the deepest point being Challenger Deep (11,776 m).
- The Nile is the Longest river listed (6,690 km).
- The Amazon is the second longest river listed (6,296 km).
- The Mississippi-Missouri is the third longest river listed (6,240 km).
- The largest country (In Area) is Russia.
- The Smallest country (In Area) is Vatican City.
- Arabia is the Largest Peninsula listed (3,250,000 sq km).
- The highest point in Asia is Everest (8,848 metres).
- The lowest point in Asia is Dead Sea (-396.8 metres).
- The highest point in North America is Mckinley (6,194 metres).
- The lowest point in North America is Death Valley (-85.9 metres).
- The highest point in South America is Aconcagua (6,960 metres).
- The lowest point in South America is Valdes Penin (-39.9 metres).
- The lowest point in Europe is Caspian Sea (-28.0 metres).
