Geography of India: Physical, Social and Economic · UPPCS (Uttar Pradesh)

What the official syllabus says

UPPCS Preliminary Examination, Paper I: General Studies-I:

India and World geography: Physical, Social, Economic geography of India and the World.
India and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic geography of India and the World: In World Geography only general understanding of the subject will be expected. Questions on the Geography of India will relate to Physical, Social & Economic Geography of India.
Note: Candidates are expected to have general awareness about the above subjects with special reference to Uttar Pradesh.

Topics in detail

The official note says questions on India will relate to its physical, social and economic geography. Study with an atlas: most questions join a fact to a place on the map.

Location and physical features

Location, extent, area and boundaries; the Tropic of Cancer and the states it passes through; the Indian Standard Meridian (82°30′ E, passing near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh); neighbouring countries
Geological history: Peninsular block, Himalaya, Indo-Gangetic plain
Physiographic divisions: the Himalaya (ranges, passes, regional divisions), Northern Plains (Bhabar, Terai, Bhangar, Khadar), Peninsular Plateau (Aravallis, Vindhyas, Satpuras, Western and Eastern Ghats, Deccan, Bundelkhand upland), Indian Desert, coastal plains, islands

Drainage

Himalayan and peninsular rivers compared
The Ganga system: Ganga and its tributaries (Yamuna, Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Son) and the Yamuna's tributaries (Chambal, Sindh, Betwa, Ken); Indus and Brahmaputra systems
Peninsular rivers: Narmada, Tapi, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri; east and west flowing rivers
Lakes, river-linking projects, inter-state water disputes in outline

Climate

Factors affecting India's climate; the monsoon mechanism (jet streams, El Nino, Indian Ocean Dipole)
Seasons; distribution of rainfall and temperature; western disturbances, loo, cyclones
Climatic regions; droughts and floods

Soils, vegetation and wildlife

Soil types (alluvial, black, red and yellow, laterite, arid, saline, forest, peaty); soil erosion and conservation
Natural vegetation types; forest cover; social forestry
Wildlife; national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and biosphere reserves

Economic geography

Agriculture: cropping seasons (kharif, rabi, zaid), major crops and their leading areas, cropping patterns, Green Revolution, irrigation (canals, wells, tanks) and multipurpose projects
Animal husbandry, dairying (Operation Flood), fisheries
Mineral resources: iron ore, coal, petroleum, natural gas, bauxite, manganese, mica, limestone; mineral belts
Energy: thermal, hydro, nuclear and renewable power; major power plants
Industries and their location: iron and steel, cotton textiles, sugar, cement, fertilisers, IT; industrial regions and corridors
Transport: railways, roads (Golden Quadrilateral, expressways), waterways (National Waterway 1 on the Ganga from Prayagraj to Haldia), airports, ports; dedicated freight corridors

Social geography

Population: size, distribution, density, growth, sex ratio, literacy (Census 2011)
Migration: types, causes and consequences
Settlements: rural and urban; urbanisation, million-plus cities, smart cities
Tribes and their areas; languages and religions in outline

Overlaps

The geography of the state is on Uttar Pradesh: Geography and Environment. In the Main Examination, natural resources, physical geography and settlements are in General Studies I, and the geography of Uttar Pradesh in General Studies VI.