2005 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2005 · General Studies

Question 5: Geography

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.Total land area of Earth is approximately 1475 lakh square kilometers
  2. 2.Ratio of land area to water area on Earth is approximately 1 : 4
  3. 3.Maximum percentage of Earth's water is in the Pacific Ocean.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 and 3
b2 and 3
c1 only
d3 only

AnswerThe answer is (a).

Land covers about 29% of Earth's surface, roughly 1475 lakh sq km, so statement 1 is right. Water covers about 71%, which makes the land to water ratio about 1 : 2.4, not 1 : 4, so statement 2 is wrong. The Pacific is the largest ocean and holds the biggest share of Earth's water, so statement 3 is right. Remember: 29% land, 71% water.

  • 1. About 29% of Earth's 5,100 lakh sq km surface is land, close to 1475 lakh sq km.
  • 2. Land to water is about 29 : 71, roughly 1 : 2.4.
  • 3. The Pacific is the largest ocean and holds the largest share of Earth's water.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: About 29% of Earth's 5,100 lakh sq km surface is land, close to 1475 lakh sq km.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (c) goes: it leaves 3 out.

    What you needed to know: The Pacific is the largest ocean and holds the largest share of Earth's water.

Only (a) is left. You didn’t need statement 2.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Correct: statements 1 and 3 hold, statement 2 does not.
  • (b) Includes statement 2, whose 1 : 4 ratio is wrong (about 1 : 2.4).
  • (c) Misses statement 3, which is right.
  • (d) Misses statement 1, which is right.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2005, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.