UPSC Map Questions - Important Map-Based Questions Asked in UPSC!

UPSC Map Questions are questions that are asked every year in UPSC prelims, mains, and in geography optional subjects. A significant portion of geography questions for the UPSC is map-based because UPSC map questions are covered in both the Mains UPSC General Studies Paper 1 Syllabus and the UPSC Prelims Syllabus. Additionally, Geography is one of the optional subjects in the UPSC mains exam from which map-based questions are asked. Every year 3-4 UPSC map questions carrying 6-8 marks are asked in UPSC prelims and 2-3 questions carrying 30-40 marks are asked in UPSC mains. Therefore, it is important to study the map-based questions for UPSC in order to score well in UPSC prelims and main examinations.

In this article, we shall study the previous year’s map questions UPSC for years 2022 and 2021 and the importance of map questions UPSC.

The UPSC aspirants can also take the help of Testbook’s Geography Optional Coaching to boost their UPSC Exam preparation! You can also study other major topics related to UPSC IAS Exams with Testbook!

Top 25 UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims Official PYQs with in-depth Solutions

UPSC Map Questions

UPSC Map Questions asked in the exam are based on certain themes such as origin, tributaries and sources of rivers, location of Indian states and their neighbouring countries, the extent of longitude and latitude, and important national and international places in the news. From previous years’ map questions UPSC, it is observed that the maximum number of map-based were questions asked in recent years, that is 2021 and 2022. Therefore it is important to analyze previous years’ question papers in order to score well in the UPSC exam

UPSC Map Based Questions – Year-wise

The map-based question for UPSC prelims from years 2022 to 2013 are given below.

UPSC Map Questions 2022

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2022 are listed below.

1. Consider the following pairs:

Region often mentioned in the news: Country

Anatolia Turkey

Amhara Ethiopia

Cabo Delgado Spain

Catalonia Italy

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Q 2 Consider the following pairs:

Reservoirs: States

Ghataprabha: Telangana

Gandhi Sagar: Madhya Pradesh

Indira Sagar: Andhra Pradesh

Maithon: Chhattisgarh

How many pairs given above are not correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

UPSC Map Questions 2021

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2022 are listed below.

Q 1 With reference to the Indus River system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is a such river that joins the Indus direct?

1. Chenab
2. Jhelum
3. Ravi
4. Sutlej

Q 2 Consider the following Rivers:

1. Brahmani
2. Nagavali
3. Subarnarekha
4. Vamsadhara

Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 4
3. 3 and 4
4. 1 and 3

UPSC Map Questions 2020

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2020 are listed below.

Q 1 Consider the following pairs:

Rivers Flows into

1. Mekong Andaman Sea
2. Thames Irish Sea
3. Volga Caspian Sea
4. Zambezi Indian Ocean

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q 2 Siachen Glacier is situated to the

1. East of Aksai Chin
2. East of Leh
3. North of Gilgit
4. North of Nubra Valley

UPSC Map Questions 2019

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2019 are listed below.

Q 1 Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. 1, 2 and 4 only
2. 1, 3 and 4 only
3. 2 and 5 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

UPSC Map Questions 2018

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2018 are listed below.

Q 1 Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?

1. Bengaluru
2. Hyderabad
3. Nagpur
4. Pune

UPSC Map Questions 2017

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2017 are listed below.

Q 1 Mediterranean Sea is a border of which of the following countries?

1. Jordan
2. Iraq
3. Lebanon
4. Syria

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q 2 Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar?

1. Sumatra
2. Borneo
3. Java
4. Sri Lanka

Q 3 If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination?

1. 6
2. 7
3. 8
4. 9

UPSC Map Questions 2016

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2016 are listed below.

Q . Consider the following pairs:

Community sometimes in the affairs mentioned in the news

1. Kurd: Bangladesh
2. Madhesi: Nepal
3. Rohingya: Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3
4. 3 only

UPSC Map Questions 2015

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2015 are listed below.

Q 1 Which one of the following pairs of States of India indicates the easternmost and westernmost State?

1.  Assam and Rajasthan
2. Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan
3. Assam and Gujarat
4. Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat

Q 2 Consider the following pairs:

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

UPSC Map Questions 2014

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2014 are listed below.

Q 1 Turkey is located between

1. Black Sea and Caspian Sea
2. Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
3. Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
4. Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea

Q 2 What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north?

1. Bangkok
2. Hanoi
3. Jakarta
4. Singapore

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 4-2-1-3
2. 3-2-4-1
3. 3-4-1-2
4. 4-3-2-1

UPSC Map Questions 2013

UPSC Prelims Map-based Questions for the year 2013 are listed below.

Q . Consider the following pairs-

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 3
4. None

How to Prepare Map-Based Questions for UPSC?

UPSC map questions are a crucial component of the UPSC preparation journey. They have importance in prelims and mains examinations. Every year 3-4 UPSC prelims map-based questions are asked in the examination carrying 6-10 marks. Therefore, it is important to prepare map-based questions for UPSC. Aspirants are often confused about How To Study Maps for UPSC? Study the linked article in order to get a detailed explanation.

Importance of Previous Year UPSC Map Questions

Check out the importance of the previous year’s UPSC map-based questions for prelims, mains, and in geography optional subjects.

Importance of UPSC Prelims Map based Questions 

Every year 3-4 map-based questions in UPSC prelims on thematic maps, current places in news, latitudinal and longitudinal extent, questions, India map-based questions UPSC, and questions on world map locations and neighboring countries are asked in the UPSC exam.

Importance of UPSC Map Questions for Mains

UPSC Map Questions is asked in General Studies Paper-1 of the Mains exam. The questions are based on the location and extent of India and adjacent countries. Every year 3-4 questions carrying 6-8 marks are asked in the exam.

Importance of UPSC Map Questions for Geography Optional

Mapping is an important part of Geography optional in the UPSC mains exam. The questions are based on rivers, locations, mountain peaks, mineral sites, lakes, and important places in the news. The questions are asked every year and carry a significant weightage of 30-40 marks.

Learn Geography Mapping For UPSC At Testbook

Testbook provides the best online UPSC coaching for Geography Mapping Courses. The course covers the entire UPSC syllabus. The content of the geography mapping course by Testbook is designed by UPSC experts and mentors as per UPSC standards. The UPSC Map Questions are covered in great detail in our course. It contains some of the important map based questions asked in UPSC prelims such as mapping of India, mapping of continents, and prominent places in the news.

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