UPSC Physical Geography – Chapter 15: World Climatic Regions (21 MCQs)

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UPSC Physical Geography – Chapter 15: World Climatic Regions (21 MCQs) – 21 questions, subject: Geography. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

Köppen's classification of climates is mainly:

Correct Answer: A [empirical, based on temperature and precipitation related to vegetation]

Explanation:

Köppen chose threshold values of temperature and precipitation from observed data and related them to the distribution of vegetation.

2.  

In Köppen's scheme, group "B" stands for:

Correct Answer: C [dry climates]

Explanation:

In Köppen's scheme B marks dry climates, where potential evaporation exceeds precipitation.

3.  

The small letter "s" in Köppen's scheme indicates:

Correct Answer: B [a dry season in summer]

Explanation:

The small letter s denotes a dry season in summer, as in the Mediterranean Cs and the Coromandel As climates.

4.  

In which climate is the daily range of temperature greater than the annual range?

Correct Answer: D [Equatorial]

Explanation:

Equatorial places are hot every month, so the annual range is negligible while day–night differences are larger.

5.  

The savanna (Aw) climate is best known from:

Correct Answer: B [the Sudan region of Africa]

Explanation:

The tropical wet-and-dry (Aw) climate is widespread in the Sudan belt of Africa, north and south of the Af regions.

6.  

Mediterranean climate regions receive most of their rain in:

Correct Answer: B [winter]

Explanation:

In winter the westerlies and their depressions shift towards the equator and bring rain to Mediterranean lands.

7.  

Which of the following lies in the Mediterranean climatic region?

Correct Answer: C [Central Chile]

Explanation:

Central Chile lies on a western margin at about 30°–40°S, one of the five Mediterranean-climate regions of the world.

8.  

The great hot deserts lie mostly on the:

Correct Answer: B [western margins of continents in the trade-wind belt]

Explanation:

Subsiding air of the subtropical highs, offshore trade winds and cold currents keep western margins at 15°–30° dry.

9.  

The Dw climate, with dry winters, occurs mainly in:

Correct Answer: D [north-eastern Asia]

Explanation:

Siberia.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. Cold snow-forest (D) climates occur only in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. Ice-cap (EF) climate occurs over interior Greenland and Antarctica.
3. In Köppen's scheme, E climates have all months above 10 °C.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

D climates need large land masses at 40°–70°, found only in the north, and EF covers interior Greenland and Antarctica.

11.  

Assertion (A): The west coast of Europe has mild winters for its latitude.

Reason (R): Westerlies blowing from the ocean and the warm North Atlantic Drift moderate its temperature.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Onshore westerlies carry the warmth of the North Atlantic Drift inland, so western Europe stays mild in winter.

12.  

The China type (humid subtropical, Cfa) climate is found on the:

Correct Answer: C [eastern margins of continents in the subtropics]

Explanation:

Onshore summer winds bring rain to the subtropical eastern margins such as south-eastern USA and central and southern China.

13.  

According to NCERT, the Cwa climate occurs mainly in:

Correct Answer: A [the north Indian plains and the interior plains of south China]

Explanation:

NCERT places the humid subtropical climate with dry winter mainly in the north Indian plains and the interior plains of south China.

14.  

Patagonia and the Gobi are examples of:

Correct Answer: C [mid-latitude dry climates]

Explanation:

The Gobi lies deep in the interior of Asia and Patagonia in the Andean rain shadow; both are mid-latitude deserts and steppes.

15.  

In Köppen's scheme, the coldest month of a tropical (A) climate has an average temperature of:

Correct Answer: A [18 °C or higher]

Explanation:

Köppen's tropical group A requires an average temperature of 18 °C or higher in the coldest month.

16.  

Permafrost, mosses and lichens are typical of the:

Correct Answer: C [tundra]

Explanation:

The tundra (ET) has permanently frozen subsoil and a very short growing season supporting only mosses, lichens and flowering plants.

17.  

Arrange the following in chronological order:

1. Köppen's final revised version
2. Köppen's first scheme
3. High-resolution Köppen–Geiger maps
4. Thornthwaite's first classification

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-4-1-3]

Explanation:

1900, 1931, 1936, 2018.

18.  

A low annual and daily range of temperature with rain throughout the year at about 50°N on a western coast indicates:

Correct Answer: D [marine west coast climate]

Explanation:

Onshore westerlies on a west coast near 50°N give rain in all seasons and a small temperature range – the British (Cfb) type.

19.  

The Atacama and Namib deserts are very dry mainly because of:

Correct Answer: B [cold ocean currents and offshore winds along their coasts]

Explanation:

The cold Humboldt and Benguela currents chill the air above them, and offshore winds bring no moisture, so fog forms but no rain.

20.  

The Coromandel coast is shown in Köppen's scheme as "As" because:

Correct Answer: D [its dry season falls in summer and it gets most rain in October–December]

Explanation:

The Coromandel coast is dry in summer and gets most rain from the north-east monsoon and cyclones in October–December, hence As.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2024

Consider the following description:

1. Annual and daily range of temperatures is low
2. Precipitation occurs throughout the year.
3. Precipitation varies between 50 cm-250 cm.

What is this type of climate?

Correct Answer: D [Marine West coast climate]

Explanation:

mild, wet all year with a low range of temperature.

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