UPSC Prelims 2020 Q68: Geography – World Physical Geography
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 3 only
- (c) 3 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 4 only
Answer: (c) 3 and 4 only
Explanation
Rivers: Destination Matching
| River | Flows Into | Correct? |
|---|---|---|
| Mekong | Andaman Sea | NO - flows into South China Sea |
| Thames | Irish Sea | NO - flows into North Sea |
| Volga | Caspian Sea | YES |
| Zambezi | Indian Ocean | YES |
Mekong: SE Asia, flows south -> South China Sea (Vietnam delta)
Thames: England, flows east -> North Sea (not Irish)
Volga: Russia's longest, flows south -> Caspian Sea (landlocked body)
Zambezi: Southern Africa, flows east -> Indian Ocean (Mozambique)
Answer: (c) 3 and 4 only - Volga & Zambezi correctly matched.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Mekong flows to South China Sea, not Andaman.
- (b) Incorrect. Thames flows to North Sea, not Irish Sea.
- (c) CORRECT. Volga -> Caspian Sea (3) and Zambezi -> Indian Ocean (4) are correct. Mekong and Thames are wrong.
- (d) Incorrect. Contains wrong pairs.
Key point
Major river destinations: Mekong = South China Sea. Thames = North Sea. Volga = Caspian (landlocked). Zambezi = Indian Ocean. Geography test on global river systems.
Remember
Of the river-destination pairs, correctly matched are: (3) Volga - Caspian Sea, and (4) Zambezi - Indian Ocean. Incorrectly matched are: Mekong flows to South China Sea (not Andaman), and Thames flows to North Sea (not Irish Sea).
Common mistakes
- Confusing Andaman Sea (east of India) with South China Sea (SE Asia). Mekong flows to latter.
- Confusing Irish Sea (between Ireland-UK) with North Sea (east of UK). Thames flows to North Sea.
- Missing geographical context - Volga is unique (ends in landlocked sea, not ocean).
Exam tip
World geography: Mekong (SE Asia, longest), Thames (5th longest in Europe), Volga (Europe's longest, 3,700km), Zambezi (southern Africa, 2,600km). Test combines multiple continents.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Mekong River
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Volga River