Geography

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.

Geography — Key Facts for CUET (Indian and World Geography) India’s location: 8°4’N to 37°6’N latitude, 68°7’E to 97°25’E longitude; Tropic of Cancer (23°30’N) divides India into two halves Himalayas: Three ranges — Himadri (Greater), Himachal (Lesser), Shivaliks (Outer); major peaks: K2 (8611m, Pakistan-administered), Kangchenjunga (8586m, India-Nepal border), Nanda Devi (7816m) Peninsular rivers: Narmada, Tapti, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri — all flow east/west due to eastward slope of peninsular plateau Monsoon: South-West monsoon (June-September); North-East monsoon (October-December for Tamil Nadu) Climate types: Tropical monsoon (most of India), Desert (Rajasthan), Alpine (Himalayas), Subtropical (Northern plains) ⚡ Exam tip: Most Indian geography questions ask about rivers, mountains, states, and climate — focus on these three areas

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Standard content for students with a few days to months.

Geography — CUET General Test Study Guide

Geography in CUET tests your knowledge of physical geography, Indian geography, and important geographical facts about the world. The questions are factual and require memorisation with understanding.

India — Physical Geography:

Himalayas:

• Formation: Collision of Indian Plate with Eurasian Plate (50 million years ago; ongoing — Nepal earthquake 2015)
• Three ranges: Himadri (Greater Himalayas — average elevation 6000m, contains peaks, alpine zone), Himachal (Lesser Himalayas — 3000-4000m, popular hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital), Shivaliks (Outer Himalayas — 1000-1500m, gravel and boulder deposits)
• Passes: Rohtang La (Manali-Leh), Nathu La (Sikkim-China border), Khardung La (Leh-Siachen glacier), Zoji La (Kashmir), Banihal (Jammu-Srinagar)
• glaciers: Siachen (largest), Gangotri, Yamunotri, Satopanth, Baghirathi

Northern Plains:

• Formed by alluvial deposits of Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers
• Width: 240-320 km; Length: 3200 km (from Assam to Punjab)
• Divisions: Bhabar (porous, north, near Himalayas), Tarai (marshy, south of Bhabar, re-emerging rivers), Alluvial plains (Khadar — new, south; Bhangar — old, north)

Peninsular Plateau:

• Old landmass (Gondwanaland); divided into:
  • Central Highlands: Malwa plateau (MP), Bundelkhand, Chota Nagpur Plateau (rich minerals — mica, coal, iron ore in Jharkhand), Satpura range
  • Deccan Plateau: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh; basaltic rocks (black soil); gradient: west (Ghats, 1000m) to east (200-300m)
• Western Ghats: Continuous range along western edge; known as Sahyadris; one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots
• Eastern Ghats: Discontinuous; broken by rivers; lower elevation

Deserts:

• Thar Desert: Rajasthan; sandy; extreme temperature (50°C summer, 0°C winter); cold desert in Ladakh (Kargil, Leh)
• Spiti Valley (Himachal Pradesh): Cold desert between Himalayas and Trans-Himalayas

Coasts and Islands:

• Arabian Sea coast (West): Gujarat (Kathiawar peninsula), Maharashtra (Konkan), Goa, Karnataka, Kerala (Malabar coast); major ports: Mumbai, Mormugao (Goa), New Mangalore
• Bay of Bengal coast (East): Odisha (Coromandel coast), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (Malabar coast in old naming); major ports: Paradeep, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Ennore
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Bay of Bengal; Port Blair (capital); Indira Point (southernmost point, 6°N); Barren Island (active volcano)
• Lakshadweep: Arabian Sea; Minicoy, Amindivi, Laccadive islands; Kavaratti (capital); coral atolls

Major Rivers of India:

Himalayan Rivers (Perennial — snow-fed):

• Indus: Originated in Tibet (Singee Khabag), enters India in Ladakh; tributaries: Sutlej (Satluj), Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum; flows through Pakistan; ends in Arabian Sea
• Ganga (Ganges): Source: Gangotri glacier (Uttarakhand); main tributaries: Yamuna (confluence at Prayagraj), Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi; holy cities: Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad; enters Bangladesh as Padma
• Brahmaputra: Originated in Tibet (Tsangpo); enters India as Dihang in Arunachal Pradesh; major tributaries: Dibang, Lohit; known as Jamuna in Bangladesh; joins Ganga as Meghna → forms world’s largest delta (Sunderbans)

Peninsular Rivers (Seasonal — rain-fed):

• Mahanadi: Odisha; Hirakud Dam; flows into Bay of Bengal
• Godavari: Second longest (1465 km); Maharashtra to Andhra Pradesh; called “Dakshina Ganga”; tributaries: Purna, Pranhita, Indravati; Polavaram Dam (under construction)
• Krishna: Maharashtra-Karnataka-Telangana-Andhra Pradesh; KRS dam (Mysore); Tungabhadra tributary
• Kaveri (Cauvery): Karnataka-Tamil Nadu; Shivanasamudra Falls; KRS dam; causes water disputes between states
• Narmada: Central India; Amarkantak (MP); Sardar Sarovar Dam; ends in Gulf of Khambhat (Arabian Sea); canyon valley — Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat
• Tapti: Surat (Gujarat) into Arabian Sea; three tributaries: Purna, Betul, Panzara

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🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Comprehensive coverage for students on a longer study timeline.

Geography — Comprehensive CUET General Test Notes

World Geography — Key Facts:

Continents and Oceans:

• Continents: Asia (largest, 44.58 million km²), Africa (30.37 million km²), North America (24.71 million km²), South America (17.84 million km²), Antarctica (14.2 million km²), Europe (10.18 million km²), Australia (8.53 million km²)
• Oceans: Pacific (largest, 165.25 million km²), Atlantic (second, 85.13 million km²), Indian (third, 70.56 million km²), Southern (Antarctic, 20.33 million km²), Arctic (smallest, 14.06 million km²)

Major Mountain Ranges:

• Himalayas (India-Nepal-Bhutan-China): K2 (8611m, Pakistan/China), Kangchenjunga (8586m, India-Nepal), Makalu (8485m, Nepal/China)
• Andes (South America): Aconcagua (6962m, Argentina) — longest mountain range (7000 km)
• Alps (Europe): Mont Blanc (4808m, France-Italy)
• Rockies (North America): Elbert (4401m, Colorado)
• Ural (Europe-Asia border): Narodnaya (1895m)

Major Deserts:

• Sahara (Africa): Largest hot desert (9.2 million km²); countries: Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, etc.
• Arabian (Middle East): Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia); largest sand desert
• Gobi (Central Asia): Mongolia-China; cold desert
• Thar (India-Pakistan): Rajasthan
• Atacama (South America): Chile-Peru; driest place on Earth
• Kalahari (Southern Africa): Botswana-Namibia-South Africa

Major Rivers of the World:

• Nile (Africa): 6650 km; longest river; flows north; White Nile (Lake Victoria) + Blue Nile (Ethiopia); ends in Mediterranean Sea (Nile Delta); Egypt’s lifeline
• Amazon (South America): 6400 km; largest discharge (200,000 m³/s); flows from Andes to Atlantic through Peru, Colombia, Brazil
• Yangtze (China): 6300 km; longest in Asia; Three Gorges Dam (largest hydro project)
• Mississippi-Missouri (USA): 6270 km; flows to Gulf of Mexico
• Yenisei (Russia): 5539 km; flows to Arctic Ocean

Important Latitude Lines:

• Equator (0°): Passes through Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome, Gabon, Congo, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia, Kiribati
• Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N): Passes through Mexico, Bahamas (exclave), Western Sahara, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkis, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram), Bangladesh, China, Taiwan, Mexico
• Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S): Passes through Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Australia
• Arctic Circle (66.5°N): Passes through Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, USA (Alaska), Canada, Greenland, Iceland
• Antarctic Circle (66.5°S): Antarctica’s northern boundary

Climate Classification (Köppen):

• A: Tropical (hot, humid year-round) — Equatorial rainforest (Af), Monsoon (Am), Savanna (Aw)
• B: Dry (evaporation > precipitation) — Desert (BWh, BWk), Semi-arid (BSh, BSk)
• C: Temperate (mild winters) — Mediterranean (Cs), Humid subtropical (Cfa, Cfb)
• D: Continental (severe winters) — Humid continental (Dfa, Dfb), Subarctic (Dfc, Dfd)
• E: Polar (year-round cold) — Tundra (ET), Ice cap (EF)

Biosphere Reserves in India (18 total, 3 are in UNESCO World Network):

• Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka): 2000 — UNESCO; threatened species: lion-tailed macaque
• Sundarbans (West Bengal): 1989 — UNESCO; mangrove forest; Bengal tiger
• Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand): 1988 — UNESCO; Himalayan ecosystem

National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries:

• Jim Corbett (Uttarakhand): First national park (1936); Bengal tiger, elephant
• Kaziranga (Assam): One-horned rhinoceros; World Heritage Site
• Periyar (Kerala): Elephant, tiger
• Ranthambore (Rajasthan): Tiger, leopard
• Gir (Gujarat): Asiatic lion (last refuge)
• Silent Valley (Kerala): Rare species; in Western Ghats

CUET Exam Patterns (2022–2024):

• Indian rivers (which state/region they flow through) are most frequently tested
• Himalayan ranges, passes, and peaks appear every year
• Climate zones and monsoon patterns are commonly tested
• States and their geographical features (rivers, mountains, forests) are frequent
• Biosphere reserves and wildlife sanctuaries occasionally appear
• Common mistakes: confusing which river belongs to which state; misidentifying mountain ranges; not knowing the direction of river flow in peninsular India

⚡ Key insight: In Indian geography, the most tested topics are: rivers (their tributaries, states they flow through, origin), mountains (ranges, peaks, passes), and climate (monsoon types, monsoon distribution). Draw a mental map of India and trace rivers from source to mouth. The Western Ghats are the Western Boundary, Eastern Ghats are broken in the east. Remember: most peninsular rivers flow east (Bay of Bengal) except Narmada and Tapti which flow west (Arabian Sea).

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