UPSC Prelims 2022 · GS Paper I
Question 27: Geography
Consider the following countries :
- 1.Azerbaijan
- 2.Kyrgyzstan
- 3.Tajikistan
- 4.Turkmenistan
- 5.Uzbekistan
Which of the above have borders with Afghanistan ?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).
Afghanistan is landlocked and borders six countries: Pakistan, Iran, China, and the three Central Asian states Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Kyrgyzstan lies beyond Tajikistan and does not touch Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan is in the Caucasus, far to the west across Iran. So the answer is 3, 4 and 5 only.
- 1. Azerbaijan is in the Caucasus, with Iran between it and Afghanistan.
- 2. Kyrgyzstan is separated from Afghanistan by Tajikistan.
- 3. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan in the north-east.
- 4. Turkmenistan borders Afghanistan in the north-west.
- 5. Uzbekistan borders Afghanistan in the north.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a), (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: Azerbaijan is in the Caucasus, with Iran between it and Afghanistan.
Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statements 2, 3, 4 or 5.
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) Wrong. Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan do not border Afghanistan.
- (b) Wrong. Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan are not neighbours, and Uzbekistan is left out.
- (c) Correct. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan border Afghanistan.
- (d) Wrong. It wrongly includes Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2022, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.