Question 1:

Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.

(i) The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through

(a) Rajasthan	(c) Chhattisgarh
(b) Orissa	(d) Tripura

(ii) The easternmost longitude of India is

(a) 97° 25′ E	(c) 77° 6′ E
(b) 68° 7′ E	(d) 82° 32′ E

(iii) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim have common frontiers with

(a) China	(c) Nepal
(b) Bhutan	(d) Myanmar

(iv) If you intend to visit Kavaratti during your summer vacations, which one of the following Union Territories of India you will be going to?

(a) Puducherry	(c) Andaman and Nicobar
(b) Lakshadweep	(d) Diu and Daman

(v) My friend hails from a country which does not share land boundary with India. Identify the country.

(a) Bhutan	(c) Bangladesh
(b) Tajikistan	(d) Nepal

Answer:

(i) The Tropic of Cancer does not pass through

(a) Rajasthan	(c) Chhattisgarh
(b) Orissa	(d) Tripura

(ii) The easternmost longitude of India is

(a) 97° 25′ E	(c) 77° 6′ E
(b) 68° 7′ E	(d) 82° 32′ E

(iii) Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim have common frontiers with

(a) China	(c) Nepal
(b) Bhutan	(d) Myanmar

(iv) If you intend to visit Kavaratti during your summer vacations, which one of the following Union Territories of India you will be going to?

(a) Puducherry	(c) Andaman and Nicobar
(b) Lakshadweep	(d) Diu and Daman

(v) My friend hails from a country which does not share land boundary with India. Identify the country.

(a) Bhutan	(c) Bangladesh
(b) Tajikistan	(d) Nepal

Question 2:

Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) Name the group of islands lying in the Arabian Sea.

(ii) Name the countries which are larger than India.

(iii) Which island group of India lies to its south-east?

(iv) Which island countries are our southern neighbours?

Answer:

(i) Lakshadweep Islands lie in the Arabian Sea.

(ii) Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil and Australia are the countries that are larger than India.

(iii) Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie to the south-east of India.

(iv) Sri Lanka and Maldives are the two island countries that are the southern neighbours of India.

Question 3:

The sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west but the watches show the same time. How does this happen?

Answer:

The local times of places which lie on different meridians are bound to differ. The sun rises two hours earlier in Arunachal Pradesh as compared to Gujarat in the west. This causes a time lag of two hours from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh. To avoid confusion due to time differences and to have a standard time for reference, the time along the meridian (82° 30′ E) passing through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh) has been taken as the standard time for the entire country. This is why the watches show the same time.

Question 4:

The central location of India at the head of the Indian Ocean is considered of great significance. Why?

Answer:

The Indian landmass is centrally located between east and west Asia. The part that is attached to the Asian continent connects India (through land routes and mountain passes) to the various countries lying to its north, west and east. The part that protrudes into the Indian Ocean connects India (through the trans Indian Ocean routes) to Europe, west Asia and Africa in the west and the countries of east Asia. The strategic location of India has contributed to the exchange of ideas and commodities, through land and sea, since ancient times. This is the reason why its location at the head of the Indian Ocean is significant.