Himalayan Geography MCQs
Himalayan Geography — MCQs
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The Indian landmass was originally part of which ancient supercontinent?
A Gondwanaland
B Laurasia
C Angaraland
D Eurasia Minor
India was part of the southern supercontinent Gondwanaland, along with Africa, Australia, South America, Antarctica, and Madagascar.
Gondwanaland and Angaraland (Eurasian Plate) were separated in ancient times by which water body?
A Mediterranean Sea
B Tethys Sea
C Red Sea
D Atlantic Ocean
The Tethys Sea lay between Gondwanaland in the south and Angaraland (Eurasian Plate) in the north.
The breakup of Gondwanaland and the beginning of the Indian Plate’s northward drift started around
A 20 million years ago
B 250 million years ago
C 180 million years ago
D 5 million years ago
Around 180 million years ago, Gondwanaland began to split and the Indian Plate started drifting northwards.
During its drift towards the north, the Indian Plate moved across which region?
A Caribbean Sea
B Arctic Ocean
C Southern Pacific
D Tethys Sea
The Indian Plate travelled northward across the Tethys Sea before colliding with the Eurasian Plate.
The fast movement of the Indian Plate is considered unusual because it drifted at about
A 1–2 cm per year
B 5–7 cm per year
C 15–20 cm per year
D 50–60 cm per year
Geologists estimate that the Indian Plate once moved at nearly 15–20 cm per year, which is very fast in geological terms.
The sediments on the floor of the Tethys Sea, deposited by rivers from both landmasses, later
A Sank deep into the mantle permanently
B Formed thick layers that were folded to create the Himalayas
C Turned directly into volcanic rocks
D Formed only coral reefs
These sediments were compressed and folded during plate collision and uplifted to form the Himalayan ranges.
The collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate began roughly
A 5–10 million years ago
B 50–60 million years ago
C 500–600 million years ago
D 2–3 billion years ago
Geological evidence suggests that the main collision phase began about 50–60 million years ago.
The Himalayas are called “Young Fold Mountains” because
A They are made only of volcanic rocks
B They are the oldest mountains in the world
C They formed due to folding of relatively recent sediments and are still rising
D They were formed by river erosion alone
The Himalayas were formed by intense folding of Tethys sediments and continue to rise due to ongoing plate movements.
Which of the following gives direct evidence that parts of the Himalayas were once under the sea?
A Presence of deep coal seams
B Marine fossils and shells found in Himalayan rocks
C Presence of sand dunes on slopes
D Existence of coral reefs in plains
Fossils of marine organisms indicate that these rocks were once part of the Tethys Sea bed.
Frequent earthquakes in the Himalayan region mainly prove that
A The Himalayas are completely stable
B No tectonic plate movement is occurring
C Only volcanic activity is present
D The region is still tectonically active and plates are still pushing
Regular earthquakes show that the Indian and Eurasian Plates are still converging, keeping the Himalayas geologically active.
From north to south, the three main parallel Himalayan ranges are
A Shivalik, Himadri, Himachal
B Himachal, Shivalik, Himadri
C Himadri, Himachal, Shivalik
D Aravalli, Vindhya, Satpura
The northernmost is Himadri (Greater Himalayas), then Himachal (Lesser Himalayas), and then Shivalik (Outer Himalayas).
The Himadri or Greater Himalayas are mainly characterised by
A Low rounded hills and scrub
B High peaks above 6000 m and permanent snow
C Extensive sand dunes
D Coastal plains and beaches
Himadri has the world’s highest peaks and remains snow-covered throughout the year.
The Himachal or Lesser Himalayas are especially known for
A Flat alluvial plains with dense cities
B High plateaus with desert vegetation
C Fertile and scenic valleys like Kashmir, Kullu, and Kangra
D Coral islands and lagoons
These valleys lie in the Lesser Himalayas and are famous for hill stations, orchards, and terraced farming.
The Shivalik range is geologically distinct because it is
A Made of very old hard crystalline rocks
B Composed of loose, unconsolidated sediments like gravel and sand
C Entirely formed of coral and limestone
D A chain of volcanic cones
The Shivaliks were built from river-borne sediments deposited at the foothills, making them young and unstable.
Wide longitudinal valleys located between the Shivalik and Lesser Himalayas are called
A Bhangar
B Khadar
C Duns
D Plateaus
Duns such as Dehradun are flat-floored valleys formed by river deposits between Shivalik and Himachal ranges.
The Himadri range primarily consists of which types of rocks?
A Pure coral and shell limestone
B Unsorted glacial till only
C Crystalline, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks
D Only volcanic basalt
The Greater Himalayas are made up of complex, highly compressed crystalline and metamorphic rocks along with older sedimentary layers.
The hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, and Nainital are mostly located in
A Himadri Range
B Shivalik Range
C Himachal (Lesser Himalayas)
D Trans-Himalayas
The moderate height and pleasant climate of the Lesser Himalayas make them ideal locations for hill stations.
The Shivaliks are more prone to landslides and erosion because
A They lie near the equator
B They are older and very hard
C They are built of loose sediments and experience heavy rainfall
D They are covered with glaciers
The unconsolidated nature of the Shivalik rocks combined with rainfall causes frequent erosion and landslides.
The Punjab Himalayas lie mainly between which two rivers?
A Ganga and Yamuna
B Satluj and Kali
C Indus and Satluj
D Tista and Brahmaputra
The section of the Himalayas between the Indus and Satluj rivers is termed the Punjab Himalayas.
The Kumaon Himalayas are located predominantly in which Indian state?
A Himachal Pradesh
B Uttarakhand
C Sikkim
D Arunachal Pradesh
The Satluj–Kali (Sharda) river section forms the Kumaon Himalayas, mostly in Uttarakhand.
The Nepal Himalayas lie mainly between which river boundaries?
A Indus and Satluj
B Satluj and Kali
C Kali and Tista
D Tista and Dihang
The region between the Kali and Tista rivers is known as the Nepal Himalayas.
The Assam/Eastern Himalayas are especially known for
A High cold desert plateaus with almost no vegetation
B Dry grasslands and sand dunes
C Dense forests, heavy rainfall and rich tribal culture
D Continuous snowfields with no human settlement
The Eastern Himalayas receive very high rainfall, support evergreen and bamboo forests, and are home to many tribal communities.
Which is the highest peak located within Indian territory?
A Nanda Devi
B Saltoro Kangri
C Kanchenjunga
D Kamet
Kanchenjunga (8586 m) on the India–Nepal border is the highest peak of India, though Everest is the highest of the Himalayas overall.
Nanda Devi, the second-highest peak in India, is located in which state?
A Sikkim
B Himachal Pradesh
C Uttarakhand
D Jammu & Kashmir (UT)
Nanda Devi (7816 m) lies in Uttarakhand and is part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
Saltoro Kangri, which lies near the Siachen Glacier, belongs to which mountain range?
A Himachal Range
B Zanskar Range
C Karakoram Range
D Shivalik Range
Saltoro Kangri is a major peak of the Karakoram and is close to the Siachen Glacier.
Nun and Kun, the twin peaks popular among mountaineers, are located in
A Sikkim Himalayas
B Zanskar Range in Ladakh
C Kumaon Himalayas
D Kerala Ghats
Nun (7135 m) and Kun (7087 m) are prominent peaks of the Zanskar Range in the UT of Ladakh.
Khardung La pass is especially known for being
A The pass where the Ganga originates
B One of the world’s highest motorable passes near Leh
C The lowest pass of the Shivaliks
D A pass connecting India and Myanmar
Khardung La in Ladakh is a very high motorable pass that serves as a gateway to the Siachen region.
Which pass connects Srinagar with Leh and is vital for supply to Ladakh?
A Mana Pass
B Nathu La
C Shipki La
D Zoji La
Zoji La is an important pass on the Srinagar–Leh route and remains snowbound for several months.
Nathu La, an important pass used for trade and military movement, is located in
A Himachal Pradesh
B Uttarakhand
C Sikkim
D Arunachal Pradesh
Nathu La lies on the India–Tibet border in Sikkim and was part of the old Silk Route.
Shipki La pass is important because
A It connects India with Myanmar
B It connects Himachal Pradesh with Tibet and allows the Satluj to enter India
C It connects Jammu to the Kashmir Valley
D It connects Sikkim to Bhutan
Shipki La is a trade route and also the point where the Satluj River crosses into India.
Siachen Glacier is located in which region?
A Uttarakhand Himalayas
B Himachal Himalayas
C Eastern Himalayas
D Karakoram region of Ladakh
Siachen lies in the eastern Karakoram in Ladakh and is one of the longest non-polar glaciers.
Which glacier is the source of the Bhagirathi, a headstream of the Ganga?
A Zemu Glacier
B Pindari Glacier
C Gangotri Glacier
D Milam Glacier
The Bhagirathi, an important headstream of the Ganga, originates from the Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand.
Himalayan rivers are called perennial because
A They flow only in the rainy season
B They dry up in summer
C They are fed by both glaciers and rainfall throughout the year
D They flow only underground
Glacial melt and monsoon rainfall keep Himalayan rivers flowing all year round.
The Indus River originates near
A Gangotri Glacier
B Lake Manasarovar region in Tibet
C Chemayungdung Glacier
D Yamunotri Glacier
The Indus rises near Lake Manasarovar and then flows through Ladakh, Pakistan, and into the Arabian Sea.
Which of the following rivers is NOT a major tributary of the Indus within India?
A Beas
B Jhelum
C Kosi
D Chenab
Kosi is a tributary of the Ganga, not the Indus. Beas, Jhelum, and Chenab are part of the Indus system.
The Ganga formally takes its name at Devprayag after the confluence of
A Alaknanda and Mandakini
B Bhagirathi and Alaknanda
C Yamuna and Bhagirathi
D Ramganga and Alaknanda
At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda, and from this point the river is called the Ganga.
The Brahmaputra River is known as the Tsangpo in
A India
B Nepal
C Bhutan
D Tibet
In Tibet, the river is called Tsangpo; it becomes the Brahmaputra after entering Arunachal Pradesh.
The Sundarbans Delta is formed mainly by the combined waters of
A Ganga and Indus
B Ganga and Brahmaputra
C Yamuna and Satluj
D Narmada and Tapi
The Ganga (as Padma) and the Brahmaputra join in Bangladesh to form the world’s largest delta, the Sundarbans.
U-shaped valleys in the Himalayas are mainly the result of
A Wind erosion
B River erosion
C Glacial erosion
D Volcanic eruptions
Glaciers carve broad, flat-bottomed U-shaped valleys by scraping and widening existing river valleys.
V-shaped valleys are typically associated with
A Slow-moving ice sheets
B Wave action along coasts
C Young, fast-flowing rivers cutting into the landscape
D Underground karst processes
In upper mountain courses, rapidly flowing rivers create narrow, V-shaped valleys with steep sides.
Which valley lies between the Pir Panjal and Great Himalayas and is famous for its scenic beauty?
A Kangra Valley
B Kullu Valley
C Kashmir Valley
D Zanskar Valley
The Kashmir Valley is an oval-shaped valley between the Pir Panjal in the south and the Greater Himalayas in the north.
Doon valleys like Dehradun are located between
A Himadri and Trans-Himalayas
B Lesser Himalayas and Greater Himalayas
C Shivalik and Lesser Himalayas
D Shivalik and Indo-Gangetic Plains
Duns are longitudinal valleys situated between the Shivalik in the south and the Himachal (Lesser Himalayas) in the north.
The Himalayas help India’s climate mainly by
A Allowing cold winds from Central Asia to freely enter India
B Blocking the monsoon winds from entering India
C Acting as a barrier to cold Central Asian winds and helping retain monsoon rains over India
D Increasing temperatures in Central Asia
They prevent icy winds from the north and force monsoon winds to shed moisture over the subcontinent.
The Himalayas are often called the “Water Towers of Asia” because they
A Contain the world’s deepest oceans
B Are made only of ice
C Store and release water through glaciers and snowfields feeding major rivers
D Have no role in river formation
Himalayan glaciers and snowfields are vital sources of perennial rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra.
The Northern Plains owe their fertile alluvial soils mainly to
A Winds from the Arabian Sea
B Weathering of deserts
C Sediments carried and deposited by Himalayan rivers
D Volcanic lava flows from the Deccan
Himalayan rivers erode mountains, carry silt, and deposit it to create deep, fertile alluvial soils.
The Himalayan region is an important horticulture hub because it
A Has only tropical climate throughout
B Provides cool climate suitable for apples, peaches, plums and other temperate fruits
C Has permanent glaciers with no soil formation
D Has only sandy soils
The moderate to cool climate in many Himalayan valleys favours temperate fruit cultivation.
The Himalayas have great cultural and religious significance because
A They have no human settlements
B They are completely cut off from the rest of India
C Many important pilgrimage centres and sacred rivers originate here
D They contain only military bases
Shrines like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Amarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and many monasteries lie in the Himalayan belt.
Strategically, the Himalayas are important for India because they
A Are easy routes for invasions
B Provide a strong natural barrier and contain key passes for defence
C Have no influence on borders
D Are located entirely outside India
Their rugged terrain and high passes like Nathu La, Zoji La, Khardung La play a vital role in national security.
The tourism potential of the Himalayas is mainly due to
A Lack of natural beauty
B Extreme deserts only
C Scenic landscapes, adventure sports, wildlife and religious sites
D Absence of roads and towns
Hill stations, trekking routes, rafting rivers, ski slopes, national parks and temples attract millions of tourists.
Environmentally, the Himalayan forests are crucial because they
A Increase soil erosion and landslides
B Have no role in water conservation
C Destroy biodiversity in the region
D Help conserve soil, regulate water flow and support rich biodiversity
Forests reduce erosion, stabilise slopes, store water, and provide habitat to numerous plant and animal species.