2025 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2025 · GS Paper I

Question 23: Geography

Consider the following water bodies :

  1. ILake Tanganyika
  2. IILake Tonlé Sap
  3. IIIPatos Lagoon

Through how many of them does the equator pass?

aOnly one
bOnly two
cAll the three
dNone

AnswerThe answer is (d).

The equator (0 degrees) crosses Africa, including Lake Victoria, but none of the three water bodies listed. Lake Tanganyika lies in the south of the equator, roughly between 3 and 9 degrees south. Tonle Sap in Cambodia is well north, at about 12 to 13 degrees north. Patos Lagoon in southern Brazil is far south, near 31 degrees south. So the equator passes through none of them. Remember: the equator crosses Lake Victoria and the Amazon mouth, not these.

  • I. Lake Tanganyika lies south of the equator.
  • II. Tonle Sap lies in Cambodia, about 13 degrees north.
  • III. Patos Lagoon lies in far southern Brazil.

How you could have got this

No shortcut here: in a “how many” question, ruling out options doesn’t help. Every statement has to be judged.

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) Wrong: none of the three is crossed by the equator.
  • (b) Wrong: none of the three is crossed by the equator.
  • (c) Wrong: Tanganyika is south, Tonle Sap is north and Patos is far south of the equator.
  • (d) Right: all three lie clear of the equator.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2025, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.