Good evening, everyone. We are here for a discussion of current affairs questions. Today is the third session in this series. This is for the experts who are appearing in 2023 premiums examination of UPSC this year, right? And today is the third topic, and it is based on map locations and the places in news. This entire program was initiated on 10th and today is the third lecture every Monday and Friday we are scheduling lectures on one of the other topics. Today is the section on map work. We will be discussing in total 30 questions on this particular topic, which will be focused on map work. I will be showing you map. I will be explaining you the location, the geopolitical and the US strategy, strategic importance of that particular location and whatever critical geographical features that are associated with that particular region. It is a 30 questions based session for today, starting with question number one. Now, question number one is on United Nations environment program UNEP was established as an outcome of which of the following. First of all, in this session, we are conducting this session for you experience just so that you may have an idea that how UPSC pickups the topic. What is the technique which is used? Why there can be a question on United Nations environment program because it is almost 50 years of establishment. June 1972 UNEP was established and it has asked about the protocol or the conferences in which this particular organization got formed. Why United Nations environment program is so very important? Rams are convention, wetlands, sites, convention on international trade in India, endangered species of flora and fauna, all multiple number of conventions related to climate technology related to environment has been taken up by UNEP. All these programs have been operationalized or have been initiated under the umbrella organization that is United Nations environment program.  So Stockholm conference 1972 Montreal protocol 1987 Rio de Janeiro summit 1992 and Vienna convention 1985. Now the question arises how to answer or if you are not knowing the answer then how will you derive an answer for that particular question. So all have a look at the map of this particular region that is Scandinavian Peninsula, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Norway, Sweden and Finland. These three countries are specifically called as part of Scandinavian Peninsula. In general, only Norway and Sweden can be considered as a part of Scandinavian Peninsula and sometimes Finland is not considered a part and parcel of that. Stockholm is located in Sweden. Sweden, Norway, Finland this region was at Limelight recently Finland joined NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization very recently and so this region is at Limelight. In 1972 the conference was held at Stockholm at Stockholm of Sweden that is the capital of Sweden where this particular program was formulated. Right in 2022 in the first week of June 50 years were completed and on 5th of June 2022 there was a prelims examination this year there is an expectation that a question may be asked on United Nations environment program. It may be a location based question it may be a conference based question it may be any other aspect of UNEP but UNEP becomes important centric for your preparation in 2020 for 2023 prelims examination. Now Montreal protocol 1987 it is something very common it has remained in news throughout last few decades Montreal protocol is related to conservation of ozone that to conservation of a stratospheric ozone. Ozone hole was detected over the region of Antarctica ozone dent was detected over the region of Arctic and so Montreal protocol took place it got signed by all the countries in 1989 until now even up till 2023. Montreal protocol is considered as one of the best followed treaty internationally. No other treaties had been so it is successful be it Paris protocol be it any of the climatic protocols Montreal protocol has been most successful Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. It's token convention take place in 1972 20 years later Rio de Janeiro Summit in 1992 NCRT class 10 Rio de Janeiro Summit 1992 textbook on geography it is mentioned over there it is called as the Earth Summit. Sustainable development the concept of sustainable development got evolved in this particular summit that Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. Agenda 21 that is every country will devise its own agenda 21 21 point program for climate control for resource conservation that was at Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit 20 years after Stockholm conference Vienna convention 1985 it is again a very common convention that was also for ozone layer protection that was in 1985. However, Vienna convention is known for number of treaties Vienna has been a center for discussion on various topics, but 1980 1985 convention was practically for this very purpose. However, the demand of the cushion United Nations environment program was established as an outcome of which of the following is Stockholm conference option a shall be the right answer. Looking at a map of this particular region that in Norway Sweden and Finland why is it important Russia Ukraine crisis going on Finland country over here have a look this particular country is Finland and it shares the border with Russia. This country Finland has officially joined in completeness in totality it is now a part and parcel of North Atlantic Treaty Organization North Atlantic Treaty Organization was one of the reasons as cited by Vladimir Putin for launching an attack against Ukraine and Finland Russia joins hand with NATO so this region is at the center of discussion it is in the limelight and you can expect a question from this particular region in the coming years prelims examination that is 28th of May 2023 Sweden Norway these countries basically they are all part of Nordic countries the group of countries is Stockholm over here this is the capital of Sweden Oslo is the capital of Norway here you are having Helsinki the capital of Finland this region is at the center of discussion and so you need to work on that you need to prepare on that. Next question. The next question is on Amazon forest.  Amazon forest fire was very much in news throughout the year Hindu paper section on text in context section on editorial was flooded with the news of Amazon forest where it started somewhere in 2021 and it is continuing even to this day.  In this case, which of the following country witness maximum damage. The question is pretty simple, but the objective of putting this question over here is that to bring your interest to know so that you people may know the focus area that why Amazon rainforest is very important. Now, the question arises, what is the importance of Amazon rainforest. If you look at this particular map, if you look at the physiographic divisions of South America, this particular region marked over here. This is known by a single term that is called as syllabus syllabus is called as the largest rainforest of the world. It is called a lungs of the ocean lungs of the earth. It is called as untamed Amazon because they are still untouched they are not much interfered by the human means that is the largest rainforest that is the equatorial rainforest that is present on the surface of our planet. Other important geographical important locations as far as vegetation is concerned, we are having Mato grass over here, we are having grassenial highlands over here, Sata over here, Grand Chaco over here that is equivalent to land of being gave hunting grassland one of the temperate grasslands over here, Yasuri National Park in the country equator, Venezuela is also having Lenos area that is the elephant grass area. It means this entire continent of South America and if not in totality almost 50 to 60% continent of South America is very much important centric for the sustenance of weather for the sustenance of climate of our planet. And if this forest is destroyed if this forest is vanished due to any of the reasons be that anthropogenic reason or be that a natural reason if something like that happens then it will be very helpful for the overall humanity. So rainforests are taking place in this section of syllabus and so it is very much centric it has attracted that attention of the world that is syllabus. Now if you look at the political map of this particular region, here we are having the country that is called as Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay they are in the southern part we are not concerned with that. In the northern part we are having small, small countries that is Georgetown Suriname, Perameribo, French Guenna and the largest country over here is Brazil.  So the answer to our question Amazon forests have destroyed a large section of the rainforest in 2022. In this context, each of the following country witness maximum damage. So Ecuador is two very smaller country in terms of length and breadth in terms of size as compared to Brazil. Columbia is also very small country, Venezuela is also very small country in comparison to Brazil. Brazil is the fifth largest country of the world. The largest country of the world, Russia, Canada, USA, China and the fifth is Brazil. India is the seventh largest.  There was a change of political party in Brazil, new government sown in and the new government has committed to provide a means of livelihood to the tribal people, to the local people who reside in this particular region of Amazon rainforests. So the forest fires of Amazon are also linked. It is just an assessment, there is no proof of that. It is linked to the new power regime that is enjoying the power in this particular country that is Brazil. However, preservation of this region is very much required. Again, if we look at this particular map, then on this particular map there are certain other important geographical features which are very important as I explained you that is related to vegetation. Mato Grasso over here, Cuttingia somewhere over here, Saltau somewhere over here. These are the regions that are which are known for having comparatively airy type of vegetation. It is dry scrubland type of vegetation, not as green as selvas, but yet vegetation is there. Further moving south, this is called as Grand Chaco. You all must have seen on Discovery Channel that carnivores hunt herbivores, herbivorous animals. All that land of the game hunting, all that video shooting is carried out in this particular region that is called as Grand Chaco. Further south of Grand Chaco, it is not mentioned in this particular map. It is called as Entrerios. Entrerios is equivalent to Duaab. What is Duaab? You must be knowing in India land between two rivers, one of the river, if one of the river is tributary of another river, then the land in between these two rivers is called as Duaab. Duaab stands for water. So land between two water is known as Duaab. Entrerios is basically a synonym for Duaab, which is found in this particular region. Further moving south, this is the region of Pampas Grassland, that is the temperate grassland of the world. Pampas Grassland is known for production of food grains, wheat, corn, rice. Every type of food grain is grown in this particular region. And the capitals of Argentina and Uruguay, that is Buenos Aires and Montevideo, they become the largest grain in this particular region. Further moving south, another geographical factor which is important is Patagonia. Patagonia is a cold desert that is located on the windward side of the Andes. If you look at this particular map, then this is the location of Andes mountain range. Andes are wider in the center, they taper towards the south and taper towards the north. And further they divide into three quadrillion, eastern, western and central quadrillion and then continue as Rockies in North America. On the windward side of these Andes, the presence of this desert, Patagonia is there. The land in between Patagonia and Pampas work as a lowest. You can also conclude that the southern part of the Pampas work as a lowest. Now, what do we mean by this particular term that is called as lowest calcium plus carbonate material? When the wind blow from the sand, it carries the calcium plus carbonate material. That calcium and carbonate material blows along with the sand from where, from this region of Patagonia desert. And gets deposited after covering some horizontal distance along with the wind. And this calcium and carbonate deposit results in the formation of lowest. Lowest is considered as a very fertile ground. Number of lowest are present throughout the world. The most prominent one, Manchurian lowest. Heard about paneer Manchurian, heard about chicken Manchurian. These dishes are prepared because there is a place called Manchurian in the region of China. And that region is known for growth of vegetables and from there this dish originated. And so we are having Manchurian as one of the cuisines that are available in the continental menu. Lowest is a fertile ground that is formed by calcium and carbonate deposits along with the deposition of sand. It favors all types of agriculture and primarily fruits and vegetables. So this southern part of Pampas is known as lowest. Scrolling down to the third question. Tonga underwater volcanic eruption of 2022 was so massive that it caused tsunami waves in many regions. What is the location of Tonga Island? Now Tonga volcanic eruption, a massive volcanic eruption that took place in the first half of, rather in the start of 2022 that last year, that took place. The question is asking about the location of Tonga volcanic eruption. You need to understand why a volcanic eruption is so very centric, why the disasters are so very centric. If we talk about this particular year 2023 only or starting from last year up till this year, Turkey earthquake, Turkey's area earthquake, lands of citizens in Jyushima, number of volcanic eruptions. One of them was Tonga volcanic eruption resulting in the creation of tsunami. All these events are taking place. Landslides, avalanche are taking place on almost daily basis in one or the other parts of the world. So the frequency, the quantity, the number of natural disasters or the critical geographical features are slowly increasing with the passage of time with year after year, why it is attributed or related to the change in climate. However, Tonga underwater volcanic eruption of 2022 was such a massive volcanic eruption that it took place in some part of Southern Pacific. Some part of Southern Pacific, we had this volcanic eruption and this eruption was so very massive, so very large, so very huge that it transferred the shock waves, not only in the surrounding region, but as far as the coastal area of North America. The coastal area of South America and Australia were no doubt impacted by this Tonga volcanic eruption. But something happening in South Pacific and tremors travelling even to North America, it is something very big. That was Tonga volcanic eruption. The question is asking about what is the location of Tonga Island. Tonga is an island that is located and the options are South Eastern Pacific, South Western Pacific, North Eastern Pacific and North Western Pacific. Have a look at the map of this particular region that is called as Tonga Island. This is the location of Tonga Island. Here you are having this country that is Australia. This is the region of South America. This is the region of North America. Here you are having the region of Asia Pacific and this is Tonga. So if you look at the Pacific, generally when we look at the map, then the right hand side of the map is called as Eastern side. The left hand side is called as if you are looking from the front, then the left hand side is called as Eastern side. But when we look at the Pacific, it occupies almost one by third of the globe. And so when you look at the Pacific on a globe, then you are not able to witness the land either on the American side or on the Asian side or the Oceana side. And so entire Pacific is having its own Eastern ways. So the area of the Pacific along the coastal area of North America and South America is called as Eastern Pacific and along Asia Pacific it is called as Western Pacific. This is the location of Tonga and so this area falls in the region of South, Western Pacific. Coming back to our question. Tonga under water volcanic eruption of 2022 was so massive that it caused tsunami waves in many regions. What is the location of Tonga Island? Answer shall be South Pacific and in South Eastern part of Western part. We just now saw that it is South Western Pacific Ocean. Now comes the importance of this particular region. As this map is depicting this red or the orange color line which you might must be noticing on your screens. This line is representing which is called as Ring of Fire. The Pacific Ring of Fire is present over here. Why Pacific Ring of Fire is present over here? Because excessive massive convergence is taking place. Convergence between the oceanic plates, converging between the oceanic continental plates. On the side of Eastern Pacific, on the side of North America and South America, Pacific plate is subducting below the North American plate and here also the subduction is taking place. Here the Kokos plate and the Nazca plate which are in itself a part of Pacific plate. They are the minor plates. Pacific plate is a major plate. Kokos plate and the Nazca plate are getting subducted under South American plate. And so continental, continental convergence is taking place. Whenever continental, continental convergence takes place. Oceanic continental convergence is taking place. Whenever oceanic continental convergence takes place, then the oceanic plate is heavier as compared to continental plate due to its higher density. Oceanic plate, subducts below the continental plate, mills down, breaks down and mills down, molten material gets formed. That molten material tries to move upward and it finds an opening on the recently formed four mountains on the continental plate and we get a chain of volcanic mountains over here. So Mount Akankagu over here, Ujoos Dal Salado over here, Koto Paxi Chimberazo, they are all examples of the same. This entire range right from Rockies up to Andes is the result of oceanic continental convergence. Oceanic plate is Pacific plate. Here the oceanic plate, the Kokos plate and the Nazca plate which are subducting below the American plates. So subduction is taking place. When we look at the site of Asia Pacific, then again the subduction is taking place between the Eurasian plate and the Pacific plate. Again, the Pacific plate is getting consumed, is getting subducted below this continental plate. The oceanic part of this Eurasian plate, the oceanic part of this Eurasian plate is getting subducted. Sorry, is witnessing the subduction of the Pacific plate and so the Pacific plate is getting subducted. But here it is oceanic-oceanic convergence. When oceanic-oceanic convergence takes place, we get the formation of island arcs. We get the formation of trenches. We get the formation of undersea volcanoes or exposed volcanoes. And so number of island entrances are present over here, starting from the north. Kuril Island Entrance, Japan Island Entrance, Philippines Island Entrance, Mariana Island Entrance, Pollution Island Entrance, all these island entrances get formed in this particular region as a result of oceanic-oceanic convergence. And this entire region, which witnesses the convergence, is almost in the form of a semi-circular ring and slightly more than semi-circular ring. And so it is called as Pacific ring of fire. The importance of Tonga volcanic eruption is that it lies on Pacific ring of fire. However, such a massive volcanic eruption cannot take place very oftenly. It cannot take place every now and then for that huge amount of magma, huge amount of heat energy, huge amount of stress needs to be accumulated, which cannot accumulate within a time period of six months or one year. It is just an assumption that normally takes a larger period of time. And so we cannot say that we will witness another such massive volcanic eruption in the same region in the coming years. However, in the probability or it cannot be ignored completely. This is this particular region that is Pacific ring of fire. Moving on to the next question. Question number four, recently Turkey and Syria witnessed a very severe earthquake claiming heavy loss to life and property. Which of the following water bodies separates Turkey from Europe? I told you this last one and a half year has been the year of disasters. The disasters with the plate tectonics be disasters related to mass wasting, be it any type of disasters. This region last one year has been the year of disasters. Turkey and Syria witnessed a massive earthquake in this particular time period and heavy loss to life and property took place. One of the technology that is find the technology was applied by NASA and NASA sent that technology to Turkey to find the breathers or alive people who are buried in the debris. How to search them? How to search them? How to locate them? This particular finder's technology work on the principle of detection of heartbeat and the detection of breathing. It detects carbon dioxide. So if any breathing activity is going on below the debris, if any heartbeat is active below the debris, up till the depth of 30 feet. If the debris is more than 30 feet, then even the technology fails up, but up till the depth of 30 feet, this technology helps to sight the people if they are alive and they are buried. So rescue operation excavation work can be carried out. However, Turkey and Syria, Turkey is itself having a plate that is called as Anatolia plate. On the south of Turkey plate, it is African plate. On the eastern side of the Turkey plate, there is Arabian plate. On the northern side of Turkey is Eurasian plate. So it is a junction of four plate boundaries, Turkey plate, that is Anatolian plate, African plate, Arabian plate and Eurasian plate. Generally, the plate boundaries are more susceptible. They are more prone to earthquakes or tectonic events and so it happened in this particular region that is Turkey. The magnitude, Richter scale recorded the reading as more than six, more than seven on the Richter scale. Number of tremors one after another were already affected this particular region. Heavy loss of life and property, which of the following water bodies separates Turkey from Europe? Now, what UPSC will do? Turkey is in the limelight. Syria is in the limelight. Israel, West Asia remains in the limelight. So UPSC may or may not directly frame a question on this particular topic of earthquake. There is a probability, there is a chance that you will get a question directly or indirectly on earthquake. But apart from that, this particular region of Turkey and Syria is at the center of discussion. And so a location based question is having probability for being asked in coming examination. Which of the water bodies separates Turkey from Europe? Gushan is asking, Turkey is separated from Europe. Turkey is not connected as a continuous land mass into Europe. Rather, water is present in between them. So which of the water bodies? State of Curge, State of Bonifacio, State of Dardanelles and Rome Sea. So which of these water bodies connect Turkey to Europe or separate Turkey from Europe? State of Curge. State of Curge has also been in limelight. State of Curge is located in Black Sea. It connects Sea of Azov with Black Sea. It goes to Crimea Peninsula. The section of Crimea Peninsula is providing a landlocked type of feature for Sea of Azov. But the narrow opening is connecting Sea of Azov to Black Sea and that is State of Curge. Second is State of Bonifacio. State of Bonifacio is present on the southern side of Italy, southern side of France. There are two island groups over there. One is Sardinia, one is Porcica, one belongs to Italy, other belongs to France. In between them, there is a water body that is State of Bonifacio. So State of Bonifacio is a water body that separates France from Italy. Not the mainland of France from Italy, because mainland of France and Italy both are on a continuous land mass of Europe. However, there are two islands. One belongs to France, other belongs to Italy and they are separated by State of Bonifacio. State of Dardanelles is the water body that separates this particular region, Turkey, from Europe. How? Black Sea is connected via State of Bosporus, Marmara Sea. Marmara Sea is connected to Mediterranean by this particular water body, State of Dardanelles. And the last is Rooms Sea. Rooms Sea is located on the southern side of Turkey. On the southern side of Turkey, there is a small island that is called Cyprus. In between Cyprus and Turkey, the water body which is specifically a part of Mediterranean Sea, but yet that specific region is known as Rooms Sea. Have a look at the map over here. This is the map of Black Sea, right? So Black Sea present over here. This is the State of Currant. Have a look. This is Sea of Azub. This is our country, Ukraine, not our country. Zelensky country, Ukraine over here. This is Sea of Azub present over here. This is the water body that is Black Sea. Black Sea is connected to Sea of Azub by this narrow stretch of water. Whenever a stretch of water is very narrow, it may be called as a state or channel or passage. Here we are having a state that is State of Currant, State of Currant over here. Another option, the answer to this particular question was State of Dardanalis. So what is the location of State of Dardanalis in this particular region? Here you are having the city of Istanbul. Istanbul is separated from the mainland of Turkey by another water body that is State of Bosporus. This water body in center part here, this is called as Sea of Marmara. This is Sea of Marmara. Black Sea is connected to Sea of Marmara via State of Bosporus. On State of Bosporus, on the side of Europe, but a part of Turkey, it is Istanbul. Between Turkey and its own country, Turkey only, that is a part of Europe, here the water body is State of Dardanalis. State of Dardanalis, Mediterranean, State of Dardanalis, Sea of Marmara, State of Bosporus, Black Sea, followed by State of Curge and Sea of Azub. Getting my point clear, so these are the water bodies which are present in this particular location. Why this region is so very important as far as UPSC exam is concerned this year? Ukraine-Russia conflict going on. Russia occupied maximum parts of Ukraine. Donates over here, Kharkiv over here, Mariupol, Zaporizhia. You all must have been reading these points, Kherson over here, city of Odessa over here. Crimea was already annexed by Russia way back in 2013 and 2014. So this entire area of Ukraine from eastern side and maximum part of southern side was occupied by Russia during this crisis. Ukraine is one of the major regions for production of wheat, for production of edible oils and a huge population of the world, many countries of the world were dependent on the imports from Ukraine. When this conflict started last year, 2022 in February, then after that when the season of wheat export started three or four months later, then the supplies were disrupted. People were not able to fetch the food grains which are required in order to save the humanity, in order to save the livelihood of, in order to save the dietary needs of a huge chunk of population, various section of the world. Finally, the secretary general of UNO, Antonio Gutierrez, intervened, he went to Ukraine and talked to Russia, mediated that few countries were having the observable status in that and the pathway was open. Which pathway was open? Export of wheat via sea route. So sea of Azov was chosen for that. Close to Odessa, here there is a small island called as Snake Island that was also chosen for that, state of Curge, Black Sea, where how will the ship move via state of Bosporus, sea of Murmura, state of Dardanelles to African countries, to Asian countries. So this was the only sea route that was available. So it was at the center, it was at the limelight and so this question becomes important. This region is very, very important for your UPSC examination, be it prelims, be it means or your personality test or your interview, you will get one or the other question in any of the three modules come with me. Without crisscrossing this region, you won't be able to qualify, you won't be able to become an IS officer, that's a challenge. Now, what do we mean or what is the relevance of earthquake because earthquake, if you look at North India, the region of NCR, Himalayan Bay, Nepal, parts of Uttarakhand, they are prone to earthquake after 2015 onwards when the first prominent tremor was experienced in Northern and the Gangetic Plains of North India, since then, now earthquake is becoming more common, more frequent. So, and even in this year in 2023 also, in 2022 also, tremors were experienced in various parts of North India, even the Northern Plains of India. So earthquake is very important. When we talk about earthquake, there are a few specific terms that must be clear in your brain, what is the focus and the hypocenter. Focus and hypocenter is a point in lithosphere from where the earthquake initiates. So at the focus or hypocenter center, the earthquake initiates, the focus or hypocenter is always below the surface of Earth. So if this round figure is representing the surface of Earth, then focus will always be below the surface, so somewhere over here, below the surface, somewhere over here. This particular region represents the focus. Focus is also known as hypocenter. From focus, the earthquake waves initiate and they radiate, they move out in all direction, they move towards the surface in all the direction. The point which is vertically above the focus is the first point to receive the earthquake wave and that particular point is called as epicenter. So the point which is vertically above the hypocenter, above focus on the surface of Earth or the point which is closest to the focus or hypocenter and is on the surface of Earth, that point for the first time or firstly receives the earthquake wave and that point is called as epicenter. From epicenter, the waves move out in all directions and so the damage is recorded maximum on this epicenter and as you move away from epicenter, be it on any side, the intensity of the earthquake reduces. The amount of energy released by the earthquake is called as magnitude of the Earth. The amount of energy released is called as magnitude. The amount of damage caused by the earthquake is called as intensity of the earthquake. That is called as intensity of the earthquake. Magnitude is measured by the Richter scale. Richter scale is having a scale 0 to 10 but it is an open-ended scale. Intensity is measured by modified Merkle scale having scale 0 to 12 but it is a closed-ended scale. So Richter scale is open-ended, modified Merkle scale is closed-ended having value 1 to 12, having value 0 to 10. See, scale having the value 0 to 10 and the Turkey-Syria earthquake was somewhere between 7 and 8. One value was 7.8 on the Richter, other value was 7.4 on the Richter. Such a high-magnitude earthquake was seen, was witnessed by this particular region that is Turkey and Syria. However, in this manner, the earthquake waves move away from the epicenter but there is a difference in the type of earthquake waves. The earthquake waves which are generated from the focus of the hypo-hypo-center, they are called as P-waves or S-waves. P-waves are primary waves, S-waves are secondary waves. The propagation of the P-wave is longitudinal. The propagation of the S-wave is transverse. What happens exactly? When the P-wave is propagating, it will move in this manner. Suppose this is the center of the earth and the wave is moving towards the surface. The particle movement will be in this manner. So when it hits the surface, it will cause the surface to move up and down. There will be no, practically, there will be no damage by this wave that is called as P-wave or the primary wave. The second set of wave is called as secondary wave or a transverse wave. When the S-wave is moving in this direction, the particle movement will be like this, like sound wave. It will be moving in this manner. So when it will hit the surface, it will move in this manner as a result. It will result in a shaking impact. A shaking impact will take place but still damage will not be there. The after effect of primary wave and secondary wave is generation of R-wave in the lower crust. R-wave is generated in lower crust and L-wave that is generated in upper crust. R-wave stands for relay wave. L-wave stands for long wave or it stands for love wave as well. So upper crust is having long wave, lower crust is having relay wave. These R-wave and L-wave are dangerous. How they are dangerous? Suppose this is the surface of Earth. If it is impacted by R-wave and L-wave, then the wave pattern develops on the surface. Christian troughs get formed over here. So any structure that could have been present over here will now reach here and so it will build up. So these waves results in destruction. These waves are R-wave and L-wave and the main waves which are generated from the focus of the hypocenter, they are primary wave and secondary wave. Primary wave and secondary wave move in the body of the Earth and so they are called as body waves. R and L-wave are found on the surface of the Earth that is in the crust of the Earth. So these two set of waves are called as surface waves. So the surface waves and the body waves they are having different impact, they are having different, they are studied on different parameters. Again looking back at this particular figure, see here the waves are moving in different direction. Here if you can demarcate the difference in the color, I don't know whether you are able to demarcate or not, but still I will try to increase the size so that you are able to see that. There are two colors of the waves which are used over here. One is somewhat magenta or purple color and the other is dark green or the bottle green color. So look at these two colors. If you will look at these two colors you will find that the purple or the magenta color is depicting the P-wave that is the primary wave and the green color is depicting the S-wave. So green color depicting the S-wave, how do you know that? Because S-wave cannot travel in liquid medium. As soon as S-wave enters the liquid medium it disappears and the outer core see it is written over here, liquid outer core. Outer core is in liquid form. All the green arrows which are reaching the outer core over here, they are not moving forward. These green arrows are taking a halt over here. They cannot cross the liquid material. But the section of the S-wave which is moving in this manner, the green arrow that is going over here, the green arrow that is going over here which I am making red. These green lines are representing S-waves which are not encountering any liquid medium and so they are able to reach the surface in different mechanism. So a particular region over here from here to here, you will not be having a single arrow showing S-wave. And so this region right from this place to this place which is marked by 105 degree to 105 degree. NCRT book says 104 to 104. Some of the book by physical geography by Samandas Singh will say 103 to 103. That will not make any difference. The point that you need to understand is that right from this area to this area you get the shadow zone of S-wave. So no wave is detected, no secondary wave is detected in this particular region and this is called as shadow zone of S-wave. In the same manner, look at the pink arrows. The pink arrows are depicting P-wave or the primary wave. They can travel in solid, liquid and gas. However, when they change the type of material, the density changes. And so the concept of bending towards the normal moving away from the normal, the concept of refraction which you all must have studied in your low classes applies over there. And so we get multiple bending reflections and reflections of primary wave. As a result, a particular area is seen for a particular position of focus where P-wave cannot be detected. So in this particular region, P-wave is not there. In this particular region, P-wave is not there. Here it is there. It is present in all the locations. It is present here also. This area marks the shadow zone of P-wave and this area marks the shadow zone of P-wave. So shadow zone of P-wave is comparatively smaller as compared to the shadow zone of S-wave. These are the important points about the exact mechanism, the exact genesis of earthquake. In the same manner, cushion may come up in your prelims examination about a fault. Currently earthquakes are most frequent. They are mostly present in a region that is called as a fault. Now, what is the definition of fault? What is the definition of fault? When any of the tectonic activity takes place, plates are moving against each other, plates are moving towards each other. They are moving away from each other by any of the mechanism. If a crack develops on the plate, suppose this is a plate and a crack develops. As soon as the crack develops, it is called as a crack. But when the displacement along the crack takes place, that is called as a fault. A crack is a simple thing. If the displacement takes place, it is called as a fault. Once the fault gets formed along fault, movement of one of the other block is more frequent as compared to any other region. Generally, the regions of fault are more prone to earthquakes. Between Greater Himalaya and Middle Himalaya, there is a fault called as the Central Trust. Between Middle Himalaya and Shivalik, there is the Main Boundary Trust. Between Shivalik and the Western section of Northern Plains, it is Himalayan Frontal Fault. Between Shivalik and the Eastern section of Northern Plains, there is Boundary Fault. Between Aravalis and Northern Plains, it is Great Boundary Fault. So this entire region is having number of fault lines. So if fault lines are there, then occurrence of earthquake will be frequent. Same is true for the Western coast of North America. All along the region of California, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, that entire region experiences frequent earthquake. Then again, in that last map which we were watching for, Pacific Ring of Fire, the Japan region, the islands of the Pacific, they are prone to earthquake. The frequency of earthquake is more than 1 or 2 earthquake per day. That is the frequency of earthquake. They are prone to earthquake. Why? Because they are at tectonic plate boundaries. So any region that is at the plate boundary is more prone to earthquake. Have a look at this particular map. This is a global seismographic map for the boundary of tectonic plates. Here you are having a plate that is called a North American plate. Here you are having Nazca plate and a Cocos plate. Here a small plate, Caribbean plate, South American plate, African plate, then Eurasian plate, Indo-Australian plate, here a Philippines plate. Then this part of the world continues. And here the most important part that you need to notice in this particular map is the presence of this plate. This is called as Great African Grift Well. Here, tectonic activity is taking place. Nile valley, a Nile river is flowing through that rift valley and it is known as Great African rift valley. If whatever that we know up till now, if the same rate continues, then the eastern part of the Africa will get separated from the remaining part of Africa continent. That is Great African rift valley. So tectonic plates will become very much important for your entire preparation for UPSC this year. Moving to question number five. Recently, Joshimand witnessed a drastic land subsidence resulting in cracks on the urban infrastructure. Joshimand is located on which among the following. Joshimand's subsidence very much in limelight. It had been in news for the last so many months. Joshimand witnessed a land subsidence event. Land went down. It subsided down. It subsided down. What happened? The roads, the buildings, the houses, the settlement that was present on the Joshimand that started witnessing cracks.  And Joshimand is located at a center point from where we get the road connectivity to many important places. First, Badrinath, a Hindu pilgrimage site, Hemkonsai Saheb, the pilgrimage site for the six valley of flowers. One of the very prominent national parks that is present over in that particular location. And then Joshimand is the connecting link for the ollie. That is one of the prominent skiing grounds known for snow exports in the entire Asia continent. So it is known for Hindu tourism. It is known for Sikh tourism. It is known for adventure tourism. It is known for lesser tourism. That is Joshimand. And that particular region has witnessed this. So Joshimand is located on which among the following, Middle Himalayas and Kumau, Greater Himalayas and Kumau, Middle Himalaya and Gadwal, Greater Himalaya and Gadwal. So the option says that it is either on Middle Himalaya and Gadwal and has to be combined with Kumau or Gadwal. So whether it is a part of Middle Himalaya or Greater Himalaya and whether it is a part of Kumau or Gadwal. Uttarakhand is divided into two sections. The eastern section is called as Kumau. Almoda, Rani Khed, Nainital, Haldwani, Khadghudam, they are part of Kumau Himalayas. When we talk about Gadwal, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Zangotri, Yamunotri, Deradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Srinagar of Uttarakhand, not Srinagar of Kashmir, Srinagar of Uttarakhand. They are part of Gadwal. Joshimath is very close to Badrinath. It is a part of Gadwal. So the first option A and B can be eliminated very easily. Next is C and D, whether it is a part of Middle Himalaya or Greater Himalaya. So undoubtedly it is a part of Greater Himalaya. Look at this particular region of Joshimath. This is the location. This is a detailed map of Joshimath. Here you are having this particular river that is called as Alaknanda. Mark this river over here, Alaknanda River. Alaknanda River originates from ahead of Badrinath and it flows down up till Devpriyaag having Panchpriyaag. Vishnupriyaag, present over here. At Vishnupriyaag river, Dhali Ganga joins Alaknanda. Then at Nanda Priyaag, Nandakini joins. Then at Karnapriyaag river, Pindari joins. Then at Rudrapriyaag river, Mandakini joins. And finally at Devpriyaag, Bhagirathi, the river that originates from Gangotri, Gaumukh. That joins Alaknanda at Devpriyaag from where geographically we get the name of river Ganga. As per Hindu mythology, Ganga originates from Gangotri, Gaumukh. As per geography, as per NCRT books, Ganga is the name that is given to the combined flow of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda. Devpriyaag onwards or Devpriyaag downwards in Ganga Valley region. So this Alaknanda, Joshimath is located on the banks of river Alaknanda. There were multiple reasons given for the subsidence of Joshimath. One of the reasons was excessive withdrawal of water from underground aquifers. There was a tunnel pouring machine that was working over there in 2009 that punctured an underground aquifer which was not known to the people who were engaged in the construction of the tunnel and water started moving out. And since then, up till now, water is continuously moving out. However, the rate of extraction rate of water, rate at which the water is coming out has slowed down but still water is coming out. That is considered as one of the reasons. The second reason, it is again located at the tectonic plate margin. I told you about the fault lines in my lecture. So it is located on the tectonically active region and so it is impacted by land subsidence. Other reason is given that overpopulation, presence of population, presence of crowd beyond the carrying capacity of that particular region around the ecological capacity of that particular region has resulted in detrimental impact on this particular area that is Joshimath. Alley, important place over here. Gunk, Laga Selang, again important place over here. The road goes to Badrinath Temple and from between Joshimath and Badrinath, there is a place from where the tracking route starts for Hemkun Sahib and Veliya Flower. So a very important reason that we discussed over here. Look at this particular map. If you will look at this particular map, I have given this map, added this map in my discussion just to tell you the location of Joshimath. Somewhere over here. At the northernmost stages of Uttarakhand, we are having the location of Joshimath that is present here. Moving on to next question, question number six. Recently an avalanche hit a natural region killing many tourists and burying the vehicles under snow. Which regions are connected by Nautila? The question is very simple. Again, the purpose of the question is to bring your, to show you the importance of any particular event that took place in recent days. This news is not even, I think it is the news of within a week or at the most within 10 days. Nautila region, few cars were moving and they were moving to a specific spot to visit Nautila and avalanches started avalanches. The river of snow that starts moving out all of a sudden that is a part of mass wasting only moves under the impact of gravitational force, moves under gravity and it buried all the way. Many people were killed in that, vehicles were buried over there and this event took place. Number of avalanches have taken place in this particular winter season only. This was the latest one. So I took the example. Now the question is asking about Nautila. Now what is the relevance of Nautila becomes your subject matter? What is the importance of Nautila becomes your subject matter? Why Nautila is important? Nautila is very close to Doklam. Doklam is close to the Chumbi Valley region. There was a standoff between India and China a few years back in the last decade. That was Doklam crisis. Nautila is close to that particular region. Recently Bhutan and India are negotiating about the boundary regions. The king of Bhutan visited our country. He said that he is about to negotiate a border region with China which is a cause of concern for our country India. Now Bhutan has been an ally of our country India. All the routes of Bhutan are made by BRO border road organization. Delhi University is having a campus at Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. All the degrees which are higher degrees which are available to the residents of Bhutan are from Delhi University. They are having this written as University of Delhi. So that is the importance of that particular region. Very close to that region we are having the state of Sikkim. In the state of Sikkim there is a location of Nautila. So Nautila is present over there. Another mountain pass is Celepla. Nautila was a mountain pass that is being used for the private tours towards Kailash Mansur over Pilgrimage. So Nautila is having its own importance. The answer is very much clear. It is Sikkim and Tibet. Arunachal in Tibet it is having Bambla. It is having Anjopas. It is having Kibithu Pass. It is having Deepu Pass at Arunachal, Myanmar and China tri-junction. The number of mountain passes in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Tibet, the number of mountain passes are there. Sheptila there. Jhozila. Khadumla. Baralachala. Umlungla. Langlangla. Langlachala. All these passes in Ladakh region. Himachal Pradesh is having a specific pass that is Sheptila from where it was a clutch enters India. So the answer to this particular question is Sikkim and Tibet. Have a look at the map of this particular region. Dokala. This is the region that I was discussing that is Dokala. And very close to this Dokala. Here this particular region. It is a Dokala plateau and it is the region of Chumbivali and see the location of Nathula. See the geostrategic importance of this particular region, Nathula. And here we are having this Sinigudi Corridor that is called as the chicken snake.  Why this region is again important. Just within fortnight there was an issue between India and China. China has given renamed almost 11 to 6 of Arunachal claiming the entire Arunachal as its own. Recently the visit by our home minister to a border area of Arunachal was also criticized by the Chinese Foreign Ministry to which India has objected. Arunachal Pradesh is a part and parcel of the country of India, union of India and that cannot be segregated or demarcated as against or considered as a disputed land. So this region is important. In very close to this region you have Nathula, Zilepla, mountain passes over here. Here the second highest mountain peak of India, Kanchenjunga is located over here. Kanchenjunga is the second highest peak of India. Kanchenjunga is the highest peak of Himalayas in India. Kanchenjunga is the third highest peak of the world. Kanchenjunga is the second highest peak of Himalayas in the world. All these statements you need to monitor them. All these statements are absolutely correct. So this particular region. Moving on to next question, question number seven. British Era Suspension Bridge at Moorby in Gujarat collapse last year killing hundreds of people. This bridge was built across which river? Again, how to take out the current affairs from newspaper? What should be the methodology? What should be the technique which we must adopt in order to materialize in order to crystallize the paper of UPSC? Something happens. It may or may not be a subject matter for your UPSC. A simple event that took place and due to that event, it will become a part and parcel of UPSC. But UPSC will not ask about a tragedy. UPSC will not ask about a mis-happening. It may at the most mention that particular region. I mentioned that particular statement so as to make the question absolutely clear. Now Moorby incident was something very big incident. Number of people were present on that particular bridge and the bridge collapsed killing hundreds of people over there. Now the question is being asked on which particular river it was this bridge present or it was present across. It was built across which river? It was a British Era Suspension Bridge. Badra River, Matsu River, Hitrunji River and Mesu River. All the four rivers are minor rivers, very small rivers of this particular region. That is Gujarat. Now the question asked is asked on which particular river this Moorby incident took place? And the answer is Matsu River. Option B, B4 Boy. Matsu River is the right answer to this particular question. Have a look at this particular region of Gujarat. If you look at this particular region of Gujarat, you will find that Gujarat is having a very long coastline. This is Gulf of Kutch. This is Gulf of Khambat. Right. A very long coastline. Almost 44 domestic ports are present on the coastal area of Gujarat. No other state is having such a long coastline. Why? Because of this Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambat. There are three prominent coastal names for the Gujarat coastline. This is called as the Kutch Coast. This is called as Katiawad Coast. And this section of Gujarat is called as the Farosha Coast. So this particular region of Gujarat very close to this Kutch region. This is the location of this particular area that is called as Moorby, where this incident took place. This importance of this river Matsu is for this run of Kutch region. It moved towards the run of Kutch region. This entire region is having scarcity of water. Excessive rainfall cannot take place. Even sufficient rainfall cannot take place by the Matsu. Only in case of critical geographical feature like a cyclone may hit this particular region. And that too, when it is moving under the influence of the low pressure created over the region of Kharidhar to the Kutch region. Only then it can happen. So this region is having its own relevance. Getting my point clear. Question number eight. Inland waterways are a panacea for the growth and development. Following that connotation was longest river cruise was inaugurated by a PM from which place and on which river. Don't go by the complexity of the question. Question is very simple. But the method or the point that is important over here. MV Ganga Vilas was the name of the cruise that is started from Varanasi. On this particular river Ganga. Ganga originates. Is having its name Ganga from the prayer. By the confluence of alakna and Bhagirathi which I told you. It moves down up till the town of Farakka from Farakka it bifurcates into two branches. The main branch enters Bangladesh and a sudden tributary moves along Kolkata and the main branch of Ganga joins Brahmaputra. And then they forms a common delta along with Hoogli that is known as Sundaband delta marking the largest delta of the world. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister. It is started from Varanasi and it is from Varanasi to Dibrughode Nasa. From Varanasi to Dibrughode Nasa it will become the longest river cruise in the world. And it is not only the longest for India. It is also an international river cruise. It is not only it is not only Chris crossing the region of India. Have a look at a map of this particular cruise starting from Varanasi. From Varanasi very close to the region where River Gomti joins River Ganga. It will move along with the Ganga along with Hoogli reach Kolkata enter Bangladesh. From Bangladesh it will move northward against the headwaters of Brahmaputra enter through Brahmaputra and reach the region of Dibrughode. This is the longest cruise that has been initiated. It has already been initiated by a Prime Minister in this particular region. Now the cushion may be asked this is the longest cruise route. This is the longest river cruise that is available in the entire world. Later on any other country launches it will be something different. But right now all the tributaries of Ganga that are joining after Varanasi. I repeat all the tributaries of Ganga which are joining after Varanasi. So Gomti, Ghagra, Gandak, Kosi. If I want to draw that Gomti very close to Varanasi Ghagra, Gandak, Kosi. Gomti, Ghagra, Gandak, Kosi these will be left-band tributaries of Ganga. Then the right-band tributaries the major tributaries will be river Sone. Sone will be having a tributary that is called as Rihang. So what are the tributaries of Ganga after Varanasi will become important. Here the Ganga distributes in this manner a main branch of the Ganga goes into Bangladesh. Hoogli moved towards Kolkata in Hoogli. Again we are having two rivers, major rivers Ajay and River Damodar which joins river Hoogli. So all these will become important as far as your UPSC probation is concerned. The headquarters of Ganga, the entire river Map of Ganga will be important. Equally the river Brahmaputra will become very important. It is the only river of the world Brahmaputra to cross three countries with seven different names. Sangpo, Rihang, Sihang, Brahmaputra, Jomna, Padma, Meghna. All these are the names of the single river that is Brahmaputra. In India it is known as Brahmaputra. The maximum stage of India from Sadiya to Dhubri that is known as Brahmaputra. That is known as national waterways number two. Another question that will become a part and parcel of UPSC. That how many national waterways are included in the longest river cruise. So Alapad to Haldia will include Varanasi to Kolkata. So national waterway number one, national waterway number two. And if any other minor waterway is there will become a part and parcel of this particular question. What as far as your means is concerned, what is the negative impact of river cruise?   There is a dolphin that is found in Ganga river system that is called as Susu Dolphin. This Susu Dolphin is already reducing in number. It is drastically reducing in number with the movement of this river cruise. More pollution will take place, oil pollution will take place. When the humans will interfere the natural ecosystem, some disturbance is bound to take place. And it will further deteriorate or depreciate the quantity and the number of this particular variety of dolphins. So it becomes important. Question number nine, the border road organization under its project Hemang has constructed a world's highest motorable pass in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir at the height of over 19,300 feet. It is named as now the highest motorable road has been made by BRO border road organization against something of recent origin. Fortula located in Ladakh, Khadung La located in Ladakh, Changlang La located in Ladakh and Umling La also located in Ladakh. All these four La or the mountain passes which are given over here all are located in Ladakh. However, the answer to this particular question is your fourth option that is Umling La. Before the inauguration of this road, Khadung La was known for having highest motorable road. But now Umling La at this particular height is known to have highest motorable road in the world. Not only in India, it is the world's highest motorable pass up till now. In the time to come, a new road may be constructed, a new pass may be inaugurated then it will be something different. But now Umling La is known for having highest this trait of having highest motorable road. See the location of Umling La and see the geopolitical importance of this particular location Umling La. This is the location of Umling La. This particular area is Umling La. And here we are having the border of India with China. Very close to the India-China border, very close to Sino-India border, Umling La. And that particular region is now having the highest motorable road. So the movement of military vehicles, movement of army vehicles, movement of army personnel, movement of any type of cargo, anything can be carried out easily. That is the important that is the relevance of this particular road that is Umling La. Le located over here, Manali located over here. The entire border area of India with China that is LSE line of extra control is very, very important, very, very relevant for your UPSC exam. This region has again been in the center of David in last two to three years, right from pandemic up till now. This region has seen some other disturbance, be it Galwan Valley disturbance, be it Petrol Point 14, be it Pangong, Sholik, be it any particular region. So this region will be very, very important. That is Umling La. The world's highest motorable road. Question number 10, are in the following geostatic locations of Ladakh region along the line of extra control from north to south. So few places are given. They are again having the importance every place you must have heard in the newspaper if you are following the newspaper. There are some people in this world who follow newspaper very seriously and some don't but if you have been following the newspaper then Pangong, Sholik, Petrol Point 14, Debsangla, Galwan Valley, they all have been printed in the Hindu newspaper, Indian Express, not once or twice, but you cannot count how many times these names have come up in newspaper in last one and a one and a half year, even before that. So you need to arrange these locations from north to south. Pangong, Sholik, Petrol Point 14, Debsangla, Galwan Valley. The northernmost among this is Debsangla, followed by Petrol Point 14, followed by Pangong, Sholik, no, followed by Galwan Valley and the last will be Pangong, Sholik. So Debsang plain, Petrol Point 14, Galwan Valley and Pangong, Sholik. How to remember that? Any north to south, east to west, west to east, south to north can only be remembered by looking at the map. If you are not looking at the map, you cannot remember that. Come what may. So focus on this particular map. This is a map along the LHC. This is Debsangla. The Debsangla is written over here. May I increase the size of them? This location is Debsangla, Debsang plain. Petrol Point 14 marked with the yellow dot over here. It is followed by Galwan Valley, which is further followed by Pangong, Sholik, which is further followed by Sholik. So north to south, Debsangla, Petrol Point 14, Galwan Valley, Pangong, Sholik. Debsangla, Petrol Point 14, Galwan, Pangong, Sholik. Karakoram Pass over here. Another important point. Rachilla, present over here. Another important plain. Ramchok, present over here. Another important point. All these locations need to be remembered. This particular region, see over here. The location of Siach in Glacier. Saxagam Valley. Saxagam Valley was that region that was seated by Pakistan to China as a part of built and road initiative. Right? That was that particular region. This is Gilgit region. Pakistan occupied Kashmir region. Right? The region of Jammu and Kashmir. See the location of Jhozil over here. See the location of Kargil over here. See the location of Leh over here. Which river is flowing through Leh? Which river is flowing through Kargil? That all becomes important for this particular region. Right? Have a look at this particular site. That was line of actual control along Ladakh region. Here also we are having India-China border. That is Sino-India border along this area. That is Arunachapuradesh. I told you Arunachapuradesh came to Limelight just now when China renamed 11 districts of Arunachal using different names. And so it is important. Here Kibethu is there. Here Difu Pass is there. DI, PHU. Difu Pass is a tri-junction. This is Myanmar. This is China. This is Arunachal, India. That is present over here. Tawang sector is present over here. So all these regions are again at Limelight. They keep on popping up in newspaper. So you need to follow this particular region sincerely. Next question. Question number 11. Rs 72,000 crore mega project for the holistic development of the Great Niko Bar has four components. An international transshipment port, Greenfield International Airport, a Bawa plant and a new township that could constitute a special economic zone. This is it. What is the plant location of the transshipment port discussed above? Now it has been in news multiple number of times that the government of India is planning to develop this or planning to carry out this new development at this particular location that is Great Niko Bar. So for this 136 square kilometer, not one or two, 136 square kilometer of rainforest will be cleared from this particular region that is Great Niko Bar. And the transplantation will be carried out in a neighborhood of NCR that is in Haryana. So a rainforest will be slashed out from Great Niko Bar and that will be planted out in Haryana, which is close to NCR region in the northern plains of India. However, for this planning, for the development of this port, a particular location has been selected and options are Galatiyapay, Duncan Passage, Maya Channel, St. George's Town. Now if you are having a clear-cut understanding about the map of Noman and Niko Bar, it is a very simple question because elimination of other three options is quite very easy. You may not be knowing that where this transshipment port will be. What is meant by transshipment port? Transshipment port basically is a port where unloading and loading of cargo will take place. It shall work as a trading port. So material or goods from one particular country will arrive over here. They will be unloaded and then they will be forwarded to some other country. That is a transshipment port. So shipment will be transferred. Duncan Passage located between South Noman and Little Noman. Maya Channel, it is at Maya Bandha between North Noman and Middle Noman. St. George's Channel, it is between Kachal Island and Niko Bar. So Maya Channel, Duncan Passage and George's Channel are having a specific location where this transshipment port is not to be constructed. It is at Galatiyapay. On this region of Niko Bar, there is a river that is called as Galatiyapay River. Where this river drains into the Indian Ocean, there the bay is called as Galatiyapay. On this Galatiyapay, this transshipment port is going to come up. And it was in news because here there are a variety of turtles with the known as leatherback turtles. Leatherback turtles will be impacted. In fact, the entire marine biodiversity will be impacted. But the leatherback turtles are yarn turtles. They will be impacted by this particular project that is Galatiyapay. Have a look at this particular map of Great Niko Bar. This is the map of Great Niko Bar.  This is the location where Galatiyapay exists and the river Galatiyapay drains in this manner. It is very close to Sumatra. It is separated from Sumatra that is a part of Indian Asia by a water body which is called as 6 degree channel. It is also known as Great Channel. So it is separated from Sumatra by 6 degree channel of Great Channel that is present over here. This particular place it is very close to Indra Point. This point is called as Indra Point over here. Indra Point is the southernmost tip of India. In the tsunami of 2004, it was completely washed away. It has been created, it has been formed, it has been constructed by anthropogenic efforts, by manual efforts. And that very close to Indra Point. We are having Galatiyapay where the transshipment port is going to come up. That is the importance of this particular region. That is Great Niko Bar. If you look at this particular map, Pijain Island, Donginalla, Campbell Bay, Dillionalla, Vijayanagar, Laxminagar, Shastrinagar, Galatiyapay, Galatiyasthuri, Indra Point, Inhingal. All these are important. You need to work on each and every topic. But it is beyond the capacity of this three-hour lecture for me to take each and every topic in detail. So do work on that. Have a look at this particular map of Annaman and Niko Bar. It is again having its own importance relevance. Annaman and Niko Bar is in the form of a chain of islands. They are in Archipelago. Annaman is separated on the north from Myanmar by a water body that is called as Coco Channel. North Annaman, Middle Annaman, South Annaman. The three important North Annaman, Middle Annaman and South Annaman. Middle Annaman is the largest island of India. East of Middle Annaman, we are having the Barren Island. That is the only active volcano of India. The capital of Annaman and Niko Bar is located on South Annaman. That is Port Blair. Duncan Passage separates Little Annaman from South Annaman. Maya Channel separates North Annaman from Middle Annaman. So all these are important points. Mount Narcundam, Mount Barret, Barret, Mount Harir, Mount Sadel. These are all important peaks of this Annaman group of islands. Then if you look at this particular water body, 10 degree channel. 10 degree channel is the separating link between Annaman and Niko Bar. As far as latitudinal degrees are concerned, we are having few latitudinal variations like 6 degree channel or the Great Channel between Great Niko Bar and Sumatra, that is India and Indonesia. 10 degree channel between Annaman and Niko Bar. 9 degree channel between entire Lakshadeep from the remaining part of Lakshadeep, that is Minikwai. So between Lakshadeep and Minikwai, 9 degree channel. 8 degree channel between Minikwai and Maldives. These are important. In the same manner, if you look at this particular region of Niko Bar, here you are having the water body as St. George's Channel, Sombrero Channel and finally in the last you are having Galithia Bay. Annaman and Niko Bar are known to have first tri-services command. Today we are talking about CDS. Today we are having the CDS, that is Chief of Defence staff, in which we are trying to amalgamate all the three services and have a unity of command. In the decade of 1980s, three decades back, in the decade of 1980s, the first tri-service command of India was made at Annaman and Niko Bar. That is the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of this particular region, Annaman and Niko Bar, bringing India very close to Southeast Asia, very close to Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia because of the presence of Annaman and Niko Bar Island. These are the volcanic chain of islands formed by oceanic convergence, taking place between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate and that is the relevance of this particular region. If you look at this particular detail map, you will again get a number of water bodies, which I have already discussed, 10 degree channel over here, Niko Bar islands, Duncan Passage, Little Annaman, 10 degree channel, here you are having the Niko Bar group. So that can be covered up. Preparing a map can only be carried out when you are going through the map. Without going through the map, you cannot learn the map. That day will never come in your life when you will say that you are prepared with the map of your own state or your country and you have to go through the world map. Ladakh is now home to India's first dark sky reserve, Henley Tire Dark Sky Reserve, that is the Indian Institute of Astrophysics facility called Indian Astronomical Observatory, IEO, which wildlife sanctuary surrounds this observatory. I'm sure all those who are watching this video or those who will watch, they must have been aware or they must be knowing about Henley Tire Dark Sky Reserve. They're not a single serious aspirant of UPSC and if he is not aware, then he or she is not serious, I'm sorry to say that. But there is not even a single serious aspirant of UPSC in this month of April 2023, who is planning to appear on 28th of May 2023, who has not heard the name of Henley Dark Sky Reserve or who is unaware of the concept. So everyone knows that. UPSC will not ask whether it is present in Kashmir or Ladakh or Achalo Kerala. UPSC will flip the question. It will play with the question. So this particular observatory was there. Everyone has studied everything about dark sky reserve, what is dark sky reserve? What is it used? What is light pollution? Why this particular area has been chosen? How can it be connected? What is the road and the railway, each and everything? Then wildlife century, national parks, vegetation also becomes a part and parcel of that only. So it is surrounded by which of the wildlife century or the national park? Hemis, Chantang, Nobara, Shiv, all are present in the Ladakh region. Now also that this particular region is surrounded by a national park, by a wildlife century. That is Chantang. So option B, B for boys, shall be the right answer to this particular question. Have a look at the location of Henley. This is Indian astronomical observatory that is Henley. This particular area has been chosen. If you specific look at the location of Henley and if you can mark that, the strategic importance of this particular region. See here we are having this line if it is visible to you. This line is the, this is the border between India and this is the border between India and China. And here we are having the location of Henley. So border of India and China and the location of Henley. See the nearness, right? When the same type of infrastructure project is carried out by China, our papers get flooded. That China is doing this, this and this and that and even Argentina is doing that only. However, this is the location where, which provide this particular region again the importance very close to Sino-India border. See the location of Manali. Now UPSC may ask a question. Which observatory will you reach if you cross Manali and move towards the region of India-China border? The another important illustration over here is Mandi. Una over here, right? So all these are important regions as far as this entire section of Ladakh is concerned. Question number 13, Taiwan. Officially, the Republic of China ROC is separated from Pupils Republic of China PRC. By a maritime boundary line commonly known as the median line in Taiwan state. It is alternatively known as, there is a median line. Again in newspaper, Taiwan-China problem going on. Recently just few days back, China was conducting many exercises. When US housekeeper Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, after that problem escalated, problem started. We often hear in news, read in newspaper or here on the news channel that the planes of China cross the median line. So what is this median line? The Taiwan state between India, between, this is the island of Taiwan, this is the country, China. Between Taiwan and China, the water body is called as Taiwan state or it is alternatively called as Parmusa state. Parmusa is the whole name of Taiwan. So Taiwan, China in between that it is Taiwan state. In between this region, in between this region, a line was made over here which was called as median line. Why it is called as median line? It is equidistant from the region of Taiwan and China. Who made it? There was a Air Chief Marshal of US Air Force. His name was Benjamin O. Davis. Benjamin O. Davis was his name and he demarcated this line. And USA made it a compulsion for China and the Republic of China that is Taiwan. To mandatory, mandatorily take this particular line as a line of separation of Taiwan state between the country Taiwan and China. This is called as median line. So this median line was made by Benjamin O. Davis of USA and hence it is called as Davis line. Blue line has nothing to do with that region. Hindenburg line has nothing to do with that region. Green line has nothing to do with that particular region. This median line is the line that separates Taiwan from China. People's Republic of China from Republic of China. Some important lines that we hear in newspaper that is the Davis line. Davis line as we have just seen it is between China and Taiwan. Blue line as it was there in the option. It is between Israel and Lebanon. Again a very important region. Israel and Lebanon. Always fighting. Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, something or the other keeps on happening around Israel. So Israel and Lebanon are separated by blue line. Hindenburg line that is between Poland and Germany. Poland and Germany are having this line of separation. Hindenburg line. Turkey and Cyprus. This is the important Turkey has witnessed and are quick. Again UPSC can flip the cushion in this manner and a cushion may be asked between Turkey and Cyprus. They are not having very good relations, right? So between Turkey and Cyprus there is a line that is called as green line. Minerheim line is between Russia and Finland. Very important. Russia fighting Ukraine because Ukraine was getting close to NATO. Finland joined NATO another neighbor of Russia. And Russia and Finland they are separated by Minerheim line. So you can get a question on this particular line. 38 degree parallel. Again very important line between South Korea our friend and Kim Jong-un. So between Kim Jong-un and South Korea you are having this line that is called as 38 degree parallel. Next. So the answer to this particular question was Davis line that is option. Question number 14. Recently the foreign minister of Ukraine visited India. Very recently the lady foreign minister of Ukraine visited our country India and met her counterparts. Discussing Russia-Ukraine crisis which has now surpassed more than a year. The capital of Ukraine that is key will look at it on which way. Now Ukraine is at the center stage of global discussion. No matter you take any of the topics world over you will find one or the other location having a discussion on this particular region that is Ukraine classic. No international forum. No international meeting. Whether it is hosted or headed by a friend of Russia or by an enemy of Russia who are at opposite ends. Every meeting every forum is having a discussion on Russia-Ukraine crisis somewhere criticizing Russia somewhere on a passive note somewhere on a positive note but discussion is taking place. Now the capital of Ukraine key. Every one of us has been hearing a news since last February 2022. It will get it on which of the rivers. Neeper, Nistar, Don, Danube. Neeper is present in Ukraine. Nistar is present in Ukraine. Even Don is present in Ukraine. The tributaries of Don Danube. Major tributaries of Danube are present in Ukraine. So all four rivers either directly or indirectly they are present in Ukraine. The answer question is key if the capital is located on which of the rivers. So it is located on a particular river that is Neeper. Option A have a look on the map of Ukraine. A careful study of the map of Ukraine because the topic is in limelight. UPSC may not ask a question on this particular topic in your prelims or in the main examination but again a flip question will be there and in personality test you cannot skip this region now. Ukraine. The largest this blue color central line which is moving in this manner that is called as that is the river Neeper.  So key is present over here on this river Neeper. Apart from that various places that you have been hearing in news like Luhansk present over here. Donates present over here. Jaipur is here. One of the nuclear power plants present over here. Jaipur is here present over here. Mario pole present over here. Harrison present over here. Then Odisha present over here. You need to see the location of this place. This is Crimea Peninsula present over here. Key I already discussed as in this particular location in this manner. Number of places Chernobyl the famous nuclear plant over here Chernobyl. That was also taken up over by Russia that is present over there. So all these places will become important. You may get a question to arrange these places from east to west, from west to east, north to south river may be asked or any other important phenomenon or feature related to this particular region may be asked by you and by UPS be prepared for that. What are the countries bordering bordering Ukraine. What are the oceanic water bodies bordering Ukraine. They all will become a part and parcel of your UPSC preparation have a look at this particular map. The western sector eastern, central, southern, southern, southern that has been captured by Russia. This is an old map that situation is continuously changing day after day week after week. So this is the section of Ukraine that was primarily focused by Russia. It continued attack even from the northern side, even from the southern side. So it happened all in this manner. Next question, question number 15. Rapidly melting Antarctic ice is causing a drastic, sorry a dramatic slowdown in deep ocean currents and could have a disastrous effect on the client. A new report wants that in the light of this statement, which of the following current shall be affected most. Now question is giving you a situation. A situation that is actually taking place. Heavy melting of Antarctic ice is taking place. So when melting of ice will take place at Antarctica, where will the water go? Water will enter the oceanic area around Antarctica. So which of these currents will be impacted the most? Oya Shio current, Kennery current, Gulf Stream, Kuro Shio current. Now, just to tell you and make you one thing clear, that if the Antarctic ice will melt, there is not even a single place with single current which will not be impacted by that, but it will directly impact. That is Atlantic meridional over turning circulation. Atlantic meridional over turning circulation. You can consider it as a feeder for the entire oceanic movement and it takes place in the entire Atlantic Ocean, both on the surface and at a base and it will get disturbed. When it will be disturbed, Oya Shio is present in North Pacific Ocean. Kennery current is in North Atlantic, but it is the cold current returning from the polar area. Kuro Shio current is again present in Pacific Ocean. Gulf Stream is the current that is moving northward in North Atlantic Ocean along the Gulf of Mexico, passing through Florida State, washing the eastern coastal area of North America, taking the part of North, becoming part of North Atlantic Drift. In fact, it is responsible for the formation of North Atlantic Drift, which later on moves forward and divides into multiple branches. One goes towards Greenland called as Irminger current, other current goes towards Northern and Norwegian warm current and the current enters the North Sea that is called as Renil current and a part turns out that is called as Kennery's current. So Gulf Stream will be most impacted by this particular phenomenon that is AMOC. By melting of this Antarctic ice, this will be disturbed and so it will happen. So rapidly melting Antarctic ice is causing a dramatic slowdown in the deep ocean currents and could have a disastrous effect on the climate. A new report wants that in the light of this statement, which of the following current shall be affected most? Answer shall be Gulf Stream. Have a look at the map of ocean currents. If you look at this particular map of ocean currents, then there are certain currents which are shown with the red color arrow and there are certain currents which are shown with the blue color arrow. Now which of the currents are considered as blue as cold and which of the currents are considered as warm that you need to understand. Now suppose this is the location of equator. Any current which is moving away from equator will be marked with a red color that is a warm current and any current that is moving towards the equator is a cold current. So any current moving towards equator will be a cold current, any current moving towards equator will be a cold current and any current moving away from equator will be a warm current moving away from equator will be a warm current. why this current is called as a warm current because the current which moves away from equator carries the hot water from equator towards higher latitudes. I repeat the current takes the hot water from equatorial area towards higher latitudes. So suppose it reaches the some part over here in the northern hemisphere, it will have a warming impact. It changes the impact on that particular region. The hot water will create a warming impact. So the impact of the water on the destination will be warm and so it is called as a warm current. Here the current is bringing the cold polar water towards lower latitudes towards equatorial area. So it is carrying cold water. So when it will reach the region of Africa, it will be having a cooling impact. So the impact on the destination will be cold and so the current is called as cold current. So any current that moves away from the equator is generally called as a warm current and any current that is moving towards equator is generally called as a cold current. So we get different colors to mark any particular ocean current, a red color water moving away warm current and cold current. As far as ocean currents are concerned, it is very important confluence of warm and cold current result in the formation of fishing bank. It becomes very important. We are having four fishing banks, great fishing bank along Newfoundland by Gulf Stream and Labrador Current, Grand Fishing Bank in the region of Norway by Norwegian Warm Current and the Cold Polar Water of Norway, Dogger Fishing Bank in the region of North Sea by Renil Current and the Cold Polar Waters of North Sea and the Nippon Fishing Bank or the Japan Fishing Bank along the eastern coast of Japan by the Warm Kuro Shio Current and the Cold Oya Shio Current. Apart from that, these ocean currents modify the climatic and the weather patterns along the region. So which is moved, for example, Gulf Stream washes the eastern coastal area of USA. As a result, the eastern coastal area of USA is primarily known for cultivation. Like the region of Miami Peninsula is known for production of sugarcane, slightly north for production of tobacco, for production of rice. Further north, it is known for production of corns that is a hawk's land. So when the current moves from one particular region, it modifies the climatic conditions. A cold current always results in the formation of desert. Why? Because it reduces the amount of precipitation. When the amount of precipitation reduces, so the Benguela cold current gets the formation of Namib Desert. You cannot say that the entire Sahara Desert is formed by Henry's Current, but Henry's Current do contribute or assist in the formation of desert on the northwestern side of Africa continent. Peru Current results in the formation of Atacama Desert, having Arika City, the driest city of the world. Henry's Current over here. Here you are having California Current. California cold current results in the formation of Mojave Desert, the California region. So all cold currents are associated with desert type of climatic conditions. Warm current, Gulf Stream, good precipitation, warm current, Agulhas Current, good precipitation along the eastern coastal area of Africa. Brazil Current, warm current, good precipitation along the eastern coastal area of Brazil. Here you are having Falkland Current. That is a Falkland cold current. Here it is Patagonia Desert. So Falkland cold current, desert area over here. Here Agulhas Current, good precipitation, no desert formation, at least on the eastern side of Africa continent. If you look at Australia, the western side of Australia is washed by West Australian cold current. So all deserts are concentrated on the western side. Eastern side is having warm current. So agriculture, mountain and greenery is present on the eastern side of Australia. That is the impact of ocean currents. Apart from that, ocean current sets the water in motion. It creates, it results in the phenomena of gyration. So gyration takes place, North Atlantic Gaia, South Atlantic Gaia, Indian Ocean Gaia and so on. It helps in redistribution of heat from equator towards the pole and redistribution of low temperature from poles towards the equatorial area and so it modifies the climatic and the weather conditions and so it makes, helps in keeping the earth a blue and a habitable planet. Question number 16. Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area. The world's largest tropical lake and the world's second largest freshwater lake by surface area of Lake Superior of North America. Lake Superior of North America. Five finger lakes. Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario. Five lakes out of which four lakes, lakes are makes the border of USA and Canada. Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario are having some part in Canada and some part in USA. Michigan is the only lake of the five finger lakes which is entirely in USA. Lake Superior is considered as the largest source of freshwater after that the second largest source in the world is considered a lake, Victoria. It is the largest lake by area in Africa and it is the world's largest tropical lake. In tropical area this is the largest lake. Why Victoria Lake is important? A few months back a plane took off from Dara Salam of Tanzania that is known for production of cloves and it crash landed in this particular lake that is Lake Victoria. Further Lake Victoria is at a border of few countries and so it makes a disputed maritime boundary, right? So it remains in line. So there is a question on Lake Victoria which country share the border with Lake Victoria? The options are Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania. Again if you have been through been going you are in the habit of going through the map you will be able to answer that question otherwise you won't be able to answer that question. Have a look at the map of Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is present over here, right? On one side we are having the country that is called as the country is Kenya. Here the country is Tanzania and here the country is Uganda. So between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda this lake is having its existence but in the same manner like river is having a river basin a lake is also having a lake basin. So these countries Rwanda and Burundi they are not having borders with Lake Victoria but these two countries are also considering the basin of Lake Victoria. So they remain attentive while answering UPSC people whether the question is asking about the lake basin or the exact border. Here the question is on exact border. So Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania shall be the right answer but if the same question will be modified in terms of basin then Rwanda and Burundi will also become a part and parcel of Lake Victoria basin. From close to Lake Victoria we get the origin of river White Nile. River White Nile moves northward it joins river Blue Nile from Lake Tana which later on joins river Atabara from Atabara which further moves north in the form of River Nile that is the longest river of the world and so Lake Victoria is also important in terms of river Nile. So to answer this particular question Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake which countries share the border with Lake Victoria. We have just seen it's Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda so option C, C4CAT shall be the right answer. Question number 17 China is continuously expanding its defense establishments in Indian Ocean in connection to that matches the following places with their respective countries. Now China is having built and road initiative. China is pursuing a string of pulse trying to encircle India from all sides right. Out of that number of international treaties, agreements related to ports related to some infrastructure development related to some defense cooperation in name of one or the other thing China has made number of international treaties around India. And the question is testing your knowledge on again an Atlas map based question that where are these places located which country is having significance for that particular region. Cocoa Island, Hamantota, Guadalaport, Marao Island. So Cocoa Island where it is there just now while going through the map of Andaman and Nicobar I told you that India is separated from Myanmar via water body that is called as Cocoa Channel between Andaman and Myanmar. So Cocoa Island belongs to Myanmar. Hamantota that you all must be knowing. Hamantota has been a very important and very renowned region which has been developed as a port by China. So Hamantota belongs to Sri Lanka that is in close to southern border of India. Guadalaport a famous port that is located in the country of Pakistan and Marao Island that is located in the last option that is Maldives. Marao is basically an atoll. Atoll is what? A coral island. When corals surround the island completely such a region is called as an atoll. So Marao is the atoll. So Cocoa Island shall go with Myanmar, Hamantota with Sri Lanka, Guadalaport with Pakistan and Marao Island with Maldives. So option shall be D A B C D A B C search in the option D A B C option B before boy shall be the right answer to this particular question. Have a look at this particular region. Where do we have all these locations? Kindly try to locate them on the map. This is the location of Cocoa Island. In Pakistan this is the location of Guadalaport that is in Pakistan. Hamantota that is present over here in Sri Lanka. And the other thing was Marao atoll that is in Maldives that is located over here in the southern part. All around India whatever bases of China which are being developed either in the oceanic region or close to the land region they are a part of a string of pulse. Do remember that. Virginia Port. Again a port that has remained in limelight for last six to seven months. It is again a transshipment port, multi-purpose port. And after the Hindenburg report when the entire empire of Sri Gautama Dhani came to limelight then this port also was there at marking the headlines and the front page and the important pages of the newspaper. A question on that. Virginia Port and under construction Deep Porter International Transshipment Port is located in Kerala. The statement of the question is saying that this particular port is located in Kerala. Everyone knows that it has remained in limelight. It is located in Kerala in the Tiruvannam district of Kerala. The question is what is its primary importance? What is the primary importance of Virginia Port to our country India? That has been asked in the question and the options are nearness to East West Navigation Route, nearness to NSR Navigation Route, presence of a natural harbor located on a creek. Nearness to East West Navigation Route, nearness to NSR Navigation Route, presence of natural harbor located on a creek. Option B, B for Bohai. NSR Navigation Route has nothing to do with this particular region that is present in Arctic Creek. So option B can be eliminated. Presence of natural harbor located on a creek. They may or may not be important for a port because they can be even created artificially. But the most important point about the location of Virginia Port is its nearness to the East West Navigation Route. East West Navigation Route is that route which connects the southern section of Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Arabian Peninsula region, South Asia, Oceania, Asia Pacific, and even some sections of North America. Have a look at this particular line. Gulf of Suez, Suez Canal, Red Sea, state of Babelmandap, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, moving through the state of Malacca, South China Sea, and reaching the region of Hong Kong. This is called as East West Navigation Route. So this particular line is called as East West Navigation Route. It is a very important and prominent route that witnesses huge movement of ships and vessels across throughout the year. It is the busiest route because any trade of Europe with Asia Pacific, any trade of Europe with Oceania, any trade of North American country, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, along with Gulf countries, along with West Bank countries, Turkey, Arabian Peninsula countries will take place through Oceania to Oceania or Southeast Asia or Asia Pacific or some parts of Pacific through this route. This is the only route. And Virginia Port, see it is marked over here, it is located in this particular location. This star is marking the location of Virginia Port and see its nearness to East West Navigation Route. It is so very near to East West Navigation Route that it can be used as a port of call. Port of call means during time of emergency, this particular port may be called for help in terms of fuel, in terms of water, in terms of porting, in terms of any type of need that the navigating vessel may or may not require, that is, port of call. It may work as an entry port. Entry port means it may work as a port where loading and unloading of cargo will take place or redistribution of goods will take place to different parts of the world. Right? After this particular region and on the western side it is somewhat located at the center of East West Navigation Route, not exactly, but somewhat. So it may work as an entry port. It is having strategic importance because it is close to luxury. So it is also important as far as movement of material from the mainland to the various scattered islands of luxury is concerned. It is having this type of importance. So if we go by the language of the question, then the most critical importance of this particular Virginia Port is nearness to East West Navigation Route that provides a specific importance, specific guarantee to this particular region that is Virginia Port. So the answer is option A, nearness to East West Navigation Route. Question number 19. South parts also known as North Dome fields are known for natural gas. It is shared by which of the following countries? South parts also known as North Dome. If you have heard about that, South parts and North Dome fields are known for natural gas. This is a specific region that is present in Gulf of Persia. It is having two names, South parts and North Dome because it belongs to two different countries. One country calls its own part as South parts and calls it as North Dome. It is shared by which of the following countries and options are Iraq and Kuwait, Iraq and Iran, Iran and Qatar and Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Iraq and Kuwait, Iraq and Iran, Iran and Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Iraq and Kuwait, they are having a continuous boundary. Iraq and Iran are also having continuous boundary. This natural gas field is present in Oshinik region and it is present between Iran and Qatar. Option C that is Iran and Qatar. It is one of the largest fields of natural gas in the world. The South part is the part that belongs to Iran and the North Dome is the part that belongs to Qatar. If we divide this oil field into three parts, then almost two-third part is under the control of Qatar and one-third is under the control of Iran. So Iran having South parts occupies only one-third of the field and almost two-third is occupied by Qatar. They are having their respective ownership of this particular region that is Iran and Qatar. Again, the cushion was put over here to bring your focus to this particular region that is Gulf of Persia. Many students get remain confused because newspaper keeps on talking anything which it feels like that which countries are called as Gulf countries. So all those countries which share their coastline with Gulf of Persia. This region is Gulf of Persia. This water body is Gulf of Persia. All those countries that are having their coastline on Gulf of Persia are called as Gulf countries. So Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, United Arab Emirates, a part of Oman is here. So Oman, Bahrain and Qatar, eight countries. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Oman. These eight countries share the border with Gulf of Persia and so they are called as Gulf countries. It remains very important. Why very important? Recently what happened? This area is called as, this entire area is called as Middle East. Middle East is divided into sections. Gulf countries which I told you just now. Then Arabian countries which are present on Arabian Peninsula. Then West Bank countries which are having their coastline or they are having some nearest to Mediterranean Sea. So Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Cyprus. These five countries are called as West Bank countries. Eight countries are Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, UAE and Qatar. They are called as Arabian countries. Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Cyprus are called as West Bank countries and in the north Turkey is there that is called as Asia Minor that is Anatolia. Notice entire region remains very important. Why very important? This area was having the dominance of US influence. US was interfering in each and every policy strategy policy of this particular region. Iraq was by Security Council. USA taking the lead role in that. Sanctions over Iran. Friendly relations with Saudi Arabia. Problems with other regions except Israel that remains at the center of the way. After the discovery of shell gas in USA and when the dependence of USA over this particular region for its fuel needs declined, then USA decreased its role in this particular region. And with a decreased role of USA, the role of other power started increasing this particular region and which was very much justified by the interference of China very recently when China has mediated a deal between two rivals that is Saudi Arabia and Iran. So Saudi Arabia and Iran mediated a deal in Beijing again establishing diplomatic and friendly relationship with each other. Saudi Arabia is also counterbalancing or reducing the escalation of tension with Yemen, with Oman and with all the countries in the nearby region. This is the change in the geopolitics of this particular region. So it has remained at the center of IR, the international relations. So a question, a location based question may come up in your examination like Iraq. Many years, UPSC has been asking giving four countries as an option, which of the country is not having its coastline on Mediterranean and the option may be Jordan, it may be Iraq, Syria is having coastline, Lebanon is having, Israel is having its coastline, but Iraq is not having the coastline. Iran is having coastline on Kashmir Sea and Persian Gulf. So a question may be asked, which country of Middle East is having its coastline, both on Qaspian Sea and Gulf of Persia? The answer shall be Iran. So that type of question, the largest saline desert of the world, it located in Saudi Arabia, that is Dashti Kavir. Sorry, that is in Iran, Dashti Kavir. The largest desert in a single country is present in Saudi Arabia, that is Rawal Khali. Iran, the capital of Iran that is located on mountains over there, right? Then what is the importance of Oman, Yemen, this entire region remains at debate. Israel, Israel is having a place that is called as Jerusalem. It is the origin of three religions, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. So remains at the center of debate in Israel. There is a place that is called as Gaza. It is called as Gaza Strip again remains at the center of dispute between Israel and Palestine in the north, Lebanon, the sub-area, Syria and Iraq, the major regions of ISIS, Turkey, Syria are disturbed by earthquake. So this area is witnessing so much in last one to two years that you cannot skip this region as far as map is concerned. The important places of Israel, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sada, Beirut, Gaza, everything north to south, you should remember that. Then here you are having Red Sea dividing into two branches, Gulf of Oqaba, Gulf of Soez. Gulf of Soez is connected via Soez Canal to Port Said and hence to Mediterranean. Gulf of Oqaba is having very small, small coastlines of two countries that is Jordan and Israel. So Israel and Jordan are also having their coastline on Gulf of Oqaba, which is a part of Red Sea. So this region becomes important. So the answer was Iran and Qatar. Question number 24, from Oqaza Desert, paleontologists have unearthed the skull of an ancient ancestor of modern-day Wales, which once lived in a prehistoric ocean that covered part of a country which is now known as USA, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.  So USA can be ruled out, but other three countries are a part of South America, that is Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. If you look at the map for this particular region, Oqaza Desert is present in this particular region and it is located in this country that is called as Peru. It was there in limelight because just somewhere in last year in the start, this particular event happened. An ancient ancestor of modern-day Wales was found over there. It was anticipated that the size of this whale would have been equivalent to a four-storied building, almost 12 meters. That would have been the size of the building. That massive skull was discovered from this location and that is located in Peru. Peru remains at a center of discussion due to Alina La Nina, when the warm water washes the coastal area of Peru that is called as Alino, when cold water or excessive cold water is present along the coasts of Peru that is called as La Nina. From last three years, we are having continuous La Nina which is impacting Indian monsoon, which last year at the end of monsoon was named as Triple Dip La Nina. So in 2020, 2021 and 2022 for three continuous years La Nina was there and that was present along the coastal area of Peru. The Peru cold current, if you can recall the map, that is the Peru current, a reversal of Peru current after striking the North equatorial current, some more water flows of washing the coast of Peru that is Alino, warm current. It reverses the pressure and temperature conditions along western Pacific and eastern Pacific and thereby completely reverses the circulation of the worker cell which further weakens the high pressure or the sub-tropical high pressure belt of southern hemisphere that is close to Maskereen, close to Madagascar and thereby the monsoon winds which are moving towards India become comparatively weak and so it negatively impacts the Indian monsoon. That is the relevance of Peru. Peru itself remains under anti-secondary conditions for most part of the year as it is washed by cold waters. So due to anti-secondary conditions, it experiences drought like climate, water is scarce over there, rainfall is less over there and water from the lower layer of ocean moves up that is termed as upper welling. Upper welling of water takes place which brings nutrition along with that and so the fishing industry is well developed in this particular region of Peru. This Peru region is also having nearness to Brazil. It is having nearness to this particular region of Selva that the rain for this which we were talking about in some of the question. So the region remains important. In last six months civil disputes, many types of local bonds, hartals were carried out in this particular region Peru and the government over there remain disturbed. That was there in limelight so a question can be asked on this particular region. Next question, the Spratly islands is often seen in news is disputed between number of countries. Where is it located? Now Spratly islands, Paracel islands, Scarborough islands, all these islands which are present in some of the other parts of the Pacific, all the remains are dispute. In 99% of the cases, if not 99, at least 90% of the cases if there is a dispute in the world, then one of the part is China, other part can be any other country. So it is disputed between number of countries, here the country number of countries are many. The question is asking about the location of Spratly island, South China Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan. If you look at the map of this particular region, then see here, this is the location of Spratly island, have a look. These are Spratly islands. So many small, small, small, small, small, small, dotted, dotted, dotted, dotted on the map. Number of islands are there in this group that is Spratly island. Now have a look. So many islands are there. Here we are having a country that is Philippines, having Luzon as one of the island, Mindanao, right? Here we are having Vietnam, here we are having Higaman of the region, China, here we are having Indonesia, here we are having Malaysia. So there are so many islands, island close to Indonesia, claimed by Indonesia, island close to Malaysia, claimed by Malaysia, island close to Vietnam, claimed by Vietnam, so for China, so for Philippines. So all these countries which are present in the surrounding region are claiming one, two or a group of this particular island that is Spratly. In the same way here we are having Paracels Island, here we are having Scarborough shore. They are disputed between one time disputed China and Philippines, China and Vietnam. So this region that is Spratly island. However, the question was asking about South China Sea. So this particular region, South China Sea also remains at the center of discussion. It is very important. The rivers raining in South China Sea, River Mekong, River Hong, Mekong making Delta at Ho Chi, Min City in Vietnam, River Hong making Delta at Hanoi. Then other rivers of this particular region will be important. The location of Taiwan, Taiwan is separated from Philippines by Luzon State. Here Taiwan State that we have already discussed in one of the questions, right? So this entire region will be important. East China Sea is located on the northern side. Yellow China Sea is further northern side. Sea of Japan is between Japan and the mainland of Eurasia. So the answer to this particular question that Spratly Island is often seen in news. It disputed between number of countries. Where is it located? South China Sea, East China Sea, Yellow Sea or the Sea of Japan? The clear answer to this particular question shall be option A that is South China Sea. Question number 22, Gulf of Guinea Coastal region remains in limelight due to some of the other type of disease outbreaks, match the following countries with respective name of the force. A very important question. It may be asked by UPSC or on the same concept in any of the given years. Nigeria, Ghana, Kote de Ivory, Liberia. It is an atlas-based question. Nigeria, Ghana, Kote de Ivory, Liberia, Liberia. The countries on the western side of Africa. There was a disease outbreak very recently that was in Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea that was there in Niswapur within a month only. In the month of March only. There was an outbreak of a disease and due to which number of people were dying the fertility rate, those who hospitalized was all more than 90%. That was happening in this particular region. Why? Because this particular region is marked by very heavy humidity. So vector-bound diseases, zoonotic diseases, viral diseases, they are having an outbreak. The question is asking you to match the coastline, the political name of the countries and the name of the coast accordingly. Nigeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Togo, specifically Nigeria, Benin, Togo. They are commonly known as slave coast. Why? Because there was a time. This is Nigeria, Benin and Togo, three countries are different. These three countries, Nigeria, Benin and Togo. Europeans used to take people from here as slaves, used to keep them as bonded labels. That was a practice over there. And so this region came to be recognized as slave coast, right? Ghana. The gold is found in the soil of Ghana and so it is called as Gold Coast. Port de Ivory. This particular country is having the coastal area that is called as Ivory Coast. And Liberia and Sierra Leone, it's Sierra Leone. These two countries are together known as grain coast because they are known for production of food grains. Liberia, Sierra Leone. Here you are having a geographical feature that is Loma Mountains. This entire region is known for production of food grains. So Nigeria will go with slave coast, Ghana with Gold Coast, Port de Ivory with Ivory Coast and Liberia and Sierra Leone with grain coast. So Nigeria, as I told you, it will go with slave coast, Ghana with Gold Coast, Port de Ivory with Ivory Coast and Liberia with grain coast. It simply means that all the four options are correctly matched. One will go with A, two with B, three with C and four with D. So A, B, C, D option A, A for Apple shall be the right answer to this particular question. If you look at this entire map of Africa continent, then the political map of Africa is very important. It is having maximum number of countries. It is having 55 countries in totality, 33 coastal countries, 16 landlocked countries and six island countries. Very important region and this area, most of these countries in this area are underdeveloped or in the stage which can be categorized as developing countries. So the region is comparatively important. Question number 23, North Sea, known for Brent crude oil and fishing activity. It is said that the presence of warm water by North Atlantic drift serves the purpose. This water enters North Sea via. North Sea is known for Brent crude. North Sea is known for Brent crude. Brent crude means Brent is basically a crude oil that is taken out from this particular region of North Sea. Brent crude is considered as a benchmark for international pricing of crude oil. OPEC considers Brent crude oil as a benchmark. It is also called as London crude. But this crude oil is having more content of sulphur, almost 0.37% of sulphur. And so, another crude oil that is Texas crude oil that is commonly known as WTI, West Texas Intermediate, West Texas Intermediate is having 0.24% of sulphur and that is a light crude oil. It is heavy crude oil. It is sharp, that is light and sweet. Sweet crude oil, light crude oil is considered better as compared to SAR and heavy crude oil. But this is considered as an international benchmark for pricing by OPEC and so it remains, it is having its own relative importance. That is Brent crude oil. It is from Brent oil field that is present in North Sea. Entire North Sea is very shallow, less in depth. So, the entire North Sea is known for continental shelf.  So, continental shelf of North Sea is considered as beneficial. It is also known for fishing activity. In one of the questions I explained to you, that the renal current which enters North Sea, which is a part of North Atlantic drift, it is a warm water. And North Sea itself is close to North Pole. It is having cold water. So, the cold waters of North Sea and warm water by renal current and the continental shelf of North Sea, all three in unison together results in the formation of a fishing bank that is called as Dogger fishing man, DO, DOG, DOG, DOG, DOG fishing man. This water enters into North Sea via, the question is asking what is the region, what is the location, what is the route, what is the water body through which this warm water enters the region of North Sea. So, it is asking about Davis state, Dover state, Narese state, state of Gibraltar. Have a look at the map. This is the map of North Sea. In this map of North Sea, if you say that a water from Atlantic Ocean or not Atlantic drift has to enter, then Atlantic is somewhere on this side. This must be clear to everyone. I think so. So, water is coming from that side. If water is coming from that side, it will enter North Sea either from here or from here. But if the water is entering from that side, then the water instead of entering North Sea will reach somewhere over here. So, water from this particular region enters North Sea, which is called as Reynolds current. This current which moves forward reaches the Norwegian sea, it is called a Norwegian warm current that has nothing to do with North Sea. This Reynolds current which enters via English Channel and state of Dover, that is a Dover state which connects English Channel to North Sea. This current is responsible for this warm water. So, having a look at the question, Davis state is present where Davis state is a state that connects Atlantic Ocean with Labrador. From Davis state, Labrador cold current moves south with joints, Gulf Stream along Newfoundland to form the fishing bank over there. So, Davis state is present over there. That is on the south-western side of Greenland, north-eastern side of North America in between Greenland and Canada from where Labrador current moves southward and it connects Atlantic Ocean with Labrador Sea. Dover state we have already seen it connects English Channel to North Sea, Narese state. Narese state connects upper Labrador Sea with Arctic Ocean. It is present on the western side of Greenland. If you will look on your in your atlases, it is mentioned over there, but it is not shown as a wide water body, a small line may be drawn which is written as Narese state. Narese state, I repeat connects Labrador Sea to Atlantic Ocean on the western side of Greenland. State of Gibraltar, a very prominent, renowned, important water body that connects Atlantic Ocean to a Mediterranean. It is located between two countries on the northern side of Gibraltar. There is a country that is called as UK. On the southern side of Gibraltar, the country is called as Spain, not the entire territory of UK. The part of the continental landmass that is located on the northern side of Gibraltar, it technically belongs to Spain, but it is currently occupied by UK in the same manner. The southern part of the state of Gibraltar should belong to a country, Morocco, but that part has been occupied by Spain. So it is located between UK in the north and Spain in the south. If you will go to a detailed map of Europe or Africa, you will be able to notice that. So the answer for this particular question was option B, B for Boyd, that is Dover State. Other water bodies over here will become important, Kiel Canal. Kiel is a city in the country Germany. Here we are having the peninsula, which is having the country Denmark. This is called a Jutland Peninsula. So if a ship has to move from North Sea to Baltic Sea, it has to take this road, state, category and then it will reach Baltic Sea. So a canal has been built over here that is called as Kiel Canal, written over here as Kiel Canal for navigation. Number of ports are present over here, Bonn, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bonn. These are the important places in Germany, all known for iron and steel industry. In the same manner in Netherlands, Belgium and France, important places are there, important peninsulas are there. This region is also very important. Getting my point here. India holds, question number 24. India holds the chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SEO for 2023. SEO of 2022 took place at Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Consider the following statements on Uzbekistan. SEO summit took place in the later half or later second half. It took place in the later second half that was at Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 2022. Consider the following statements on Uzbekistan. After that, India got the chairmanship of SEO and this year SEO summit is scheduled to be held in India. But you are supposed to consider the questions on Uzbekistan. That is just a situation and a question on Uzbekistan. It shares the border with Afghanistan. It is a land of country. Now, again, a map-based question, SEO summit took place in Uzbekistan. From there, India got the chair. Another important thing about this particular summit was that for Shanghai for SEO, Varanasi was declared as the tourism and the cultural capital for the next year. At Samarkand Uzbekistan, this declaration was made in which Varanasi was declared as a tourism and the cultural capital of SEO for the coming year and so the tourism meeting will be held at Varanasi only. Now Uzbekistan is in limelight. So, so cushion can come on Uzbekistan. So a location-based question, map-based question to which we have to restrict our today's lecture. It shares the border with Afghanistan, yes or no? It is a land of country, yes or no? For that, again, you have only one option to look at the map. If you are looking at the map, see here, see here, this is Uzbekistan. This pink color area over here that is called as Uzbekistan. Is it having border with Afghanistan? Here, we are having the country of Afghanistan. Uzbekistan is having a clear cut border with Afghanistan over here. Let me see. Is Uzbekistan a landlocked country? Yes or no? So here, we are having RLC. Here, we are having Caspian Sea but these both water bodies are itself landlocked. Caspian Sea is not having any outlet to any of the oceans. Caspian Sea is big in size, number of rivers are draining, rural river, Volga are draining in Caspian Sea, but RLC only two rivers are draining Sridharia and Amudharia and they are also at a verge of extinction. In fact, RLC is about to get dry. So Uzbekistan cannot be called as a country having coastline. So Uzbekistan is a landlocked country, absolutely correct. And Uzbekistan is having borders with Afghanistan. If you look at this particular map, countries of Central America, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, always fighting among each other. Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, these three countries, here we are having Black Sea. Have a look. Black Sea, Ukraine over here, Black Sea over here, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan over here. Look, Black Sea, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Caspian Sea. Here we are having a mountain that is called as Caucasus. On Caucasus mountain, these countries are located on the southern slope of Caucasus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are located. And so these countries, these three, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan are called as Caucasus countries. Caucasus Mountains is having the Mount Elbrus that is the highest peak of Europe as well, but that is part of Europe. Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, between Caspian Sea and Black Sea. Then Caspian Sea is here. Then other countries of Central Asia have a look. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tezakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tezakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tezakistan. Tezakistan is the largest country of Central Asia. All these countries are also equally important. As important, we are having Middle East, Arabian Peninsula. So Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tezakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tezakistan. All these countries should be there in your mind. This is Uzbekistan. In Uzbekistan, this place is Mark des Samarkand, where we had issues somewhere. So coming back to our question, it shares the land border with Afghanistan. Yes or no? Yes, it shares the land border with Afghanistan. It is absolutely correct. It is a landlocked country. 110% it is a landlocked country, which we have seen just now on the map. So select the correct alternative. One only, two only, both one and two, neither one nor two. The answer shall be option C, C4, Cat, both one and two. Question number 25. This is the river border dispute between India and Bangladesh has always remained contentious in bilateral relations, which states are crisscrossed by River Tastista in our country, India. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited our country, India, last year only, second half of last year. Kushiara river water agreement was signed between India and Bangladesh, but Tastista river water agreement could not be signed due to a number of domestic issues on the side of our country, India, regional politics. Right? Question is asking about the flow of river Tastista that through which states it is flowing, but Tastista always remains at the center of discussion. Why? It is having its origin, some part originates also from Kanchinjunga region, from close to Seymuglesian, that is in Sikkim region. It flows close to Nathula, Zalipla, if not directly Tastista, the tributaries of Tastista, and it enters Bangladesh. So it is a river that enters Bangladesh in the capacity of Tastista only, and joins Brahmaputra over here. Tastista river water dispute between India and Bangladesh has already been contentious, which states are crisscrossed by river Tastista, of options are Sikkim and West Bengal, Sikkim, West Bengal and Assam, Sikkim, West Bengal and Bengali, none of the alternatives are correct. In India, it flows through only two states, and these states are Sikkim and West Bengal, and then it enters Bangladesh. Have a look at the map. Here we are having, this is the territory of Sikkim, it is followed by the territory of West Bengal, this is the territory of West Bengal. Assam has nothing to do with that, it will restrict here only. So Tastista river is not entering Assam, it will cross Sikkim, enter West Bengal and from West Bengal it will enter Bangladesh. It is not entering any other state, and so the answer to this particular question shall be option A, that is Sikkim and West Bengal. So in Sikkim and West Bengal, this river flows. So option A is the correct question number 26. Red sea is one of the important navigation route connected to Gulf of Eden by state of Babalmandam. Just now we were having discussing a question on Virginia port. We saw that east-west navigation route is there, which enters Red Sea through Soeskanal, enters Mediterranean and henceforth move forward. Red sea is one of the important navigation routes, yes correct, connected to Gulf of Eden by state of Babalmandam that we also will look at it. Which of the following countries have their coastlines on Red Sea? Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Zibouti. We have already gone through that particular map, but have a look again. Which of the countries are having their coastline on Red Sea? Israel and Jordan. Both are having very small coastline on Red Sea. If you see over here, very small coastline of Jordan and very small coastline of Israel that is present on this particular region that is Red Sea. In the same manner, if you look, I have already shown you that map, if you will look at the map of this particular Red Sea, you will find that Saudi Arabia and Zibouti are also present over there. Israel in Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan in Gulf of Aqaba, Saudi Arabia is having very long coastline on the northern side of Red Sea and Zibouti north and north-eastern side of Red Sea. Zibouti is a country that is having its entire coastline in Red Sea only that is present very close to state of Babalmandam. So all the four countries are having their coastline on Red Sea. So select the correct alternative one and two, no three and four, no two, three, four, no one, two, three, four, option D, D4 dog shall be the right answer. Question number 27. G20 summit of 2022 was held at Bali, Indonesia. Yes, G20 summit 20 summit last year, November 2022 it was held at Bali in Indonesia. Borneo island is located north of Bali, having Indonesia as one of the three occupant countries. North of Borneo, sorry north of this island Bali, there is a big island that is called as Borneo and a statement is saying it has Indonesia as one of the three occupant countries. Borneo island is having three countries, one is Indonesia, which are the two countries are on Borneo. So Malaysia and Brunei, Malaysia and Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei, Vietnam and Philippines. Again, if you are having a clear understanding about the map, you will be able to answer this question, otherwise you won't be able to answer this question. This island is called as Borneo island. So the Borneo island is present this island. This island is Borneo island. One of the country present is Indonesia, one of the country present is Malaysia and which the third country which is not being shown, which has not been shown in this map is the country that is called as Brunei. So a very small country, Brunei, but excessively rich because it is having oil, fuel. These three countries are present on this particular island that is Borneo. What is the relevance of presence of these islands and these countries on this particular island? This is the largest island of this particular region. Here we are having South China Sea, always something or there are a few things happening over here. Here we are having Java Sea. Here this is Jakarta region that is the capital of Indonesia on the island, Java. Here it is Sumatra, Sumatra Java. Here it is very close to Semeru, volcano that erupted last year. That is also a prominent region of this, which brings this particular region at the center of discussion. Every time we get a lino effect, then the air descends over the region of Western Pacific and this area of Indonesia also comes under the impact of that anti-sacronic conditions and start receiving drought-like conditions, start experiencing drought-like conditions. So it results in the problem of forest fires. Forest fires, why? Because if drought is there, then leaves that will fail down will decompose. If they will decompose, methane will be formed, methane is highly inflammable and so the incidents of forest fires do occur. That is also an impact of a lino over this particular region. Four new island is present over here. It is a large island. It is having three countries. So the answer to the question over here will be one Indonesia is given in the question and what are the two countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, that is option A for Apple, shall be the right answer. Question number 28. Recently, Pacific island nation of Vanuatu won a vote at the United Nations also on the international court of justice to establish for the first time the obligations for the countries have to address the climate crisis and consequences if they don't. Where is this highlight? Climate change is taking place. By climate change, what is happening to the global warming, huge amount of solid form of ice is melting down and taking time becoming a