🔆 Uzbekistan
📍 Why in News?
✅ India and Uzbekistan aim to more than double bilateral trade over the next three years.
📍 Location
✅ A Central Asian country.
✅ Capital: Tashkent.
✅ One of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world.
📍 Political Features
✅ Borders: Kazakhstan (North), Kyrgyzstan (North-East), Tajikistan (South-East), Afghanistan (South), Turkmenistan (South-West).
✅ The Aral Sea lies between southern Kazakhstan and northern Uzbekistan.
📍 Geographical Features
✅ Major Rivers: Amu Darya and Syr Darya.
✅ Major Lakes: Lake Aydarkul and Lake Sarykamish.
✅ Major Desert: Kyzylkum Desert.
✅ Highest Peak: Hazrat Sultan.
📍 Natural Resources
✅ Rich reserves of gold, zinc, lead, copper, uranium, and tungsten.
✅ Major oil and gas fields are located in the Tadzhik-Fergana Basin and Amu Darya Basin.
📍 Prelims Pointer
✅ Capital: Tashkent
✅ Region: Central Asia
✅ Doubly Landlocked Country
✅ Major Rivers: Amu Darya, Syr Darya
✅ Desert: Kyzylkum
✅ Highest Peak: Hazrat Sultan
✅ Important Water Body: Aral Sea
#places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ India and Uzbekistan aim to more than double bilateral trade over the next three years.
📍 Location
✅ A Central Asian country.
✅ Capital: Tashkent.
✅ One of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world.
📍 Political Features
✅ Borders: Kazakhstan (North), Kyrgyzstan (North-East), Tajikistan (South-East), Afghanistan (South), Turkmenistan (South-West).
✅ The Aral Sea lies between southern Kazakhstan and northern Uzbekistan.
📍 Geographical Features
✅ Major Rivers: Amu Darya and Syr Darya.
✅ Major Lakes: Lake Aydarkul and Lake Sarykamish.
✅ Major Desert: Kyzylkum Desert.
✅ Highest Peak: Hazrat Sultan.
📍 Natural Resources
✅ Rich reserves of gold, zinc, lead, copper, uranium, and tungsten.
✅ Major oil and gas fields are located in the Tadzhik-Fergana Basin and Amu Darya Basin.
📍 Prelims Pointer
✅ Capital: Tashkent
✅ Region: Central Asia
✅ Doubly Landlocked Country
✅ Major Rivers: Amu Darya, Syr Darya
✅ Desert: Kyzylkum
✅ Highest Peak: Hazrat Sultan
✅ Important Water Body: Aral Sea
#places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
🔆 Japan
📍 Why in News?
✅ A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the north coast of Japan.
✅ Japan frequently experiences earthquakes because it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
📍 Political Features
▪️ Japan is an island nation in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
▪️ Capital: Tokyo
▪️ It has no land borders.
▪️ Japan is an archipelago of more than 14,000 islands.
✅ Four major islands (North to South):
▪️ Hokkaido
▪️ Honshu
▪️ Shikoku
▪️ Kyushu
📍 Maritime Boundaries
▪️ East – Pacific Ocean
▪️ North – Sea of Okhotsk
▪️ West – Sea of Japan (also called East Sea)
▪️ Southwest – East China Sea
📍 Why is Japan Prone to Earthquakes?
✅ Japan lies at the junction of several tectonic plates:
▪️ Pacific Plate
▪️ Philippine Sea Plate
▪️ Eurasian Plate
▪️ North American Plate
✅ Their interaction makes Japan one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Climate ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
✅ Highest Peak:
▪️ Mount Fuji
✅ Major Rivers:
▪️ Shinano River
▪️ Tone River
▪️ Kiso River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the north coast of Japan.
✅ Japan frequently experiences earthquakes because it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
📍 Political Features
▪️ Japan is an island nation in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean.
▪️ Capital: Tokyo
▪️ It has no land borders.
▪️ Japan is an archipelago of more than 14,000 islands.
✅ Four major islands (North to South):
▪️ Hokkaido
▪️ Honshu
▪️ Shikoku
▪️ Kyushu
📍 Maritime Boundaries
▪️ East – Pacific Ocean
▪️ North – Sea of Okhotsk
▪️ West – Sea of Japan (also called East Sea)
▪️ Southwest – East China Sea
📍 Why is Japan Prone to Earthquakes?
✅ Japan lies at the junction of several tectonic plates:
▪️ Pacific Plate
▪️ Philippine Sea Plate
▪️ Eurasian Plate
▪️ North American Plate
✅ Their interaction makes Japan one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
📍 Geographical Features
▪️ Climate ranges from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
✅ Highest Peak:
▪️ Mount Fuji
✅ Major Rivers:
▪️ Shinano River
▪️ Tone River
▪️ Kiso River
#GS1 #Geography #places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
Mauritius:
✅Location: It is an island country located off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
✅It is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
✅Both the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Commission have their headquarters in Mauritius.
✅It is part of the Mascarene islands, a group of islands created by volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean.
✅Terrain: It is made up of the main island of Mauritius and several outlying islands, like Ambre Island, Est Island, Cerfs Island, Benitiers Island, etc.
It is a volcanic island.
✅Climate: The climate is maritime subtropical, with fairly uniform temperatures throughout the year.
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
✅Location: It is an island country located off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.
✅It is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
✅Both the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Commission have their headquarters in Mauritius.
✅It is part of the Mascarene islands, a group of islands created by volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean.
✅Terrain: It is made up of the main island of Mauritius and several outlying islands, like Ambre Island, Est Island, Cerfs Island, Benitiers Island, etc.
It is a volcanic island.
✅Climate: The climate is maritime subtropical, with fairly uniform temperatures throughout the year.
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
🔆 A Himalayan Tragedy: The Bhotekoshi Flood
📍 What Happened?
🟢 A devastating flood struck Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River on Thursday, devastating the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts.
🟢 The river originated in China and is a tributary of the Trishuli River system.
🟢 Scientists are investigating whether a high-altitude rock-and-ice avalanche triggered the disaster.
📍 Possible Trigger: A Cascading Hazard
🟢 A massive rock-and-ice avalanche may have descended from the Nepal–China border region into the river.
🟢 The debris may have temporarily blocked the river, creating a natural barrier.
🟢 Its subsequent collapse could have released an enormous volume of water, mud, ice and rock debris downstream.
🟢 A magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the region is also being investigated as a possible factor in destabilising the slope.
📍 Why Was the Flood So Destructive?
🟢 The flood crossed the Nepal–China border and rapidly travelled downstream.
🟢 Scientists estimate that water levels rose by around 9 metres in about 30 minutes at Galchhi in Dhading.
🟢 The disaster damaged homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
🟢 The sudden nature of the flood gave affected communities very little time to escape.
📍 Not a Conventional GLOF
🟢 Scientists initially considered a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) as a possible cause.
🟢 However, no known glacial lake was found in the immediate area.
🟢 Experts now suspect an ice-and-rock avalanche-triggered flood, demonstrating the complex nature of Himalayan hazards.
📍 Climate Change Connection
🟢 Scientists have not directly attributed this specific flood to climate change.
🟢 However, rising temperatures are warming the Himalayas and accelerating glacier melt.
🟢 Climate change can destabilise ice, rock and mountain slopes, increasing the risk of cascading disasters.
🟢 Warming can trigger a chain reaction: avalanche → temporary blockage → sudden breach → destructive flood.
📍 Significance for India
🟢 The Himalayas are a shared and interconnected ecosystem, making transboundary disaster risks a major concern.
🟢 Similar cascading hazards threaten Indian Himalayan states, particularly Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
🟢 India needs greater transboundary data-sharing and cooperation on river flows, glaciers and mountain hazards.
🟢 Satellite monitoring, real-time sensors and multi-hazard early-warning systems should be strengthened.
📍 Key Takeaway
🟢 The Bhotekoshi tragedy highlights that Himalayan disasters are increasingly complex and cascading, rather than isolated events.
🟢 Disaster management must move beyond a single-hazard approach and focus on the entire chain of interconnected risks.
🔹 UPSC Mains Question:
“The increasing occurrence of cascading hazards in the Himalayas exposes the limitations of a single-hazard approach to disaster management.” Discuss. Suggest measures to strengthen multi-hazard risk assessment and early-warning systems in the Indian Himalayan Region.
#DisasterManagement #Geography
📍 What Happened?
🟢 A devastating flood struck Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River on Thursday, devastating the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts.
🟢 The river originated in China and is a tributary of the Trishuli River system.
🟢 Scientists are investigating whether a high-altitude rock-and-ice avalanche triggered the disaster.
📍 Possible Trigger: A Cascading Hazard
🟢 A massive rock-and-ice avalanche may have descended from the Nepal–China border region into the river.
🟢 The debris may have temporarily blocked the river, creating a natural barrier.
🟢 Its subsequent collapse could have released an enormous volume of water, mud, ice and rock debris downstream.
🟢 A magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the region is also being investigated as a possible factor in destabilising the slope.
📍 Why Was the Flood So Destructive?
🟢 The flood crossed the Nepal–China border and rapidly travelled downstream.
🟢 Scientists estimate that water levels rose by around 9 metres in about 30 minutes at Galchhi in Dhading.
🟢 The disaster damaged homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
🟢 The sudden nature of the flood gave affected communities very little time to escape.
📍 Not a Conventional GLOF
🟢 Scientists initially considered a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) as a possible cause.
🟢 However, no known glacial lake was found in the immediate area.
🟢 Experts now suspect an ice-and-rock avalanche-triggered flood, demonstrating the complex nature of Himalayan hazards.
📍 Climate Change Connection
🟢 Scientists have not directly attributed this specific flood to climate change.
🟢 However, rising temperatures are warming the Himalayas and accelerating glacier melt.
🟢 Climate change can destabilise ice, rock and mountain slopes, increasing the risk of cascading disasters.
🟢 Warming can trigger a chain reaction: avalanche → temporary blockage → sudden breach → destructive flood.
📍 Significance for India
🟢 The Himalayas are a shared and interconnected ecosystem, making transboundary disaster risks a major concern.
🟢 Similar cascading hazards threaten Indian Himalayan states, particularly Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
🟢 India needs greater transboundary data-sharing and cooperation on river flows, glaciers and mountain hazards.
🟢 Satellite monitoring, real-time sensors and multi-hazard early-warning systems should be strengthened.
📍 Key Takeaway
🟢 The Bhotekoshi tragedy highlights that Himalayan disasters are increasingly complex and cascading, rather than isolated events.
🟢 Disaster management must move beyond a single-hazard approach and focus on the entire chain of interconnected risks.
🔹 UPSC Mains Question:
“The increasing occurrence of cascading hazards in the Himalayas exposes the limitations of a single-hazard approach to disaster management.” Discuss. Suggest measures to strengthen multi-hazard risk assessment and early-warning systems in the Indian Himalayan Region.
#DisasterManagement #Geography
🔆 Indravati River
📍 Why in News?
✅ Anti-Naxal operation conducted along the Indravati river belt in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.
📍 Origin & Course
✅ Originates in Kalahandi district, Odisha on the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats.
✅ Flows westward into Chhattisgarh.
✅ Forms boundary between Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh at several stretches.
📍 River Profile
✅ One of the most important rivers of Chhattisgarh.
✅ Known as the “Lifeline of Bastar” (ecologically rich region).
✅ Tributary of the Godavari River (left-bank tributary).
✅ Length: ~530 km.
✅ Catchment area: ~41,700 sq km.
📍 Major Tributaries
• Bhaskel
• Narangi
• Nimbra
• Kotri
• Bandia
• Nandiraj
📍 Important Features Along the River
✅ Chitrakoot Falls – Called the “Niagara of Chhattisgarh”.
✅ Indravati National Park – Located along its banks (tiger reserve area).
✅ Indravati Dam & Bodhghat Hydel Project – Major hydropower/irrigation projects.
📝 UPSC Prelims Focus
• Origin – Eastern Ghats (Odisha)
• Tributary of – Godavari
• Forms boundary – Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh
• Waterfall – Chitrakoot Falls
📝 UPSC Mains Angle (GS1 – Geography / GS3 – Internal Security)
“Explain the geographical significance of the Indravati River basin and its relevance in addressing left-wing extremism in central India.”
#GS1 #GS3 #IndianGeography #places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Why in News?
✅ Anti-Naxal operation conducted along the Indravati river belt in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.
📍 Origin & Course
✅ Originates in Kalahandi district, Odisha on the western slopes of the Eastern Ghats.
✅ Flows westward into Chhattisgarh.
✅ Forms boundary between Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh at several stretches.
📍 River Profile
✅ One of the most important rivers of Chhattisgarh.
✅ Known as the “Lifeline of Bastar” (ecologically rich region).
✅ Tributary of the Godavari River (left-bank tributary).
✅ Length: ~530 km.
✅ Catchment area: ~41,700 sq km.
📍 Major Tributaries
• Bhaskel
• Narangi
• Nimbra
• Kotri
• Bandia
• Nandiraj
📍 Important Features Along the River
✅ Chitrakoot Falls – Called the “Niagara of Chhattisgarh”.
✅ Indravati National Park – Located along its banks (tiger reserve area).
✅ Indravati Dam & Bodhghat Hydel Project – Major hydropower/irrigation projects.
📝 UPSC Prelims Focus
• Origin – Eastern Ghats (Odisha)
• Tributary of – Godavari
• Forms boundary – Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh
• Waterfall – Chitrakoot Falls
📝 UPSC Mains Angle (GS1 – Geography / GS3 – Internal Security)
“Explain the geographical significance of the Indravati River basin and its relevance in addressing left-wing extremism in central India.”
#GS1 #GS3 #IndianGeography #places_in_news
Join https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
Forwarded from UPSC EPFO APFC Test MCQ Anmol Vachan
EPFO accelerator program ( 14 September start )
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✅Daily 10 PM Bot Quiz: Practice 30 targeted MCQs every day (Sunday OFF).
✅30 MCQ with details explanation ( maths reasoning 15 MCQ without explanation)
✅ subject cover - English, Current Affairs, Maths, Reasoning, Science
Computer, Labour Law, Industrial Relations, Social Security, Accounting, Auditing, Insurance, History & Culture, Polity, Economy
✅Structured Preparation: Full syllabus schedule included to keep you on track.
✅24/7 Revision: Missed the quiz? MCQs are available anytime for seamless revision.
✅Massive Question Bank: Gain access to a total of 3000+ MCQs.
✅Pre-Enrollment Fee: ₹499 (Active Now)
Enroll - @EPFO_admin_bot
🔆 Places in News: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
📍 Why in News
✅ United Arab Emirates accused Iran of a drone strike at Fujairah oil facility
✅ Incident highlights West Asia tensions & energy security risks
📍 Political Features
✅ Capital: Abu Dhabi
✅ Federal Structure: 7 emirates → Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah
📍 Borders & Location
✅ Neighbouring Countries:
• Saudi Arabia (West & South)
• Oman (Southeast)
✅ Water Bodies:
• Gulf of Oman (East)
• Persian Gulf (North & Northwest)
📍 Strategic Importance
✅ Close to Strait of Hormuz
➡️ Major global oil transit route
📍 Geographical Features
✅ Located in Eastern Arabian Peninsula
✅ Climate:
• Hot desert climate (extreme summers, mild winters)
• Cooler eastern mountains
✅ Water Availability:
❗ No perennial rivers or surface water bodies
✅ Important Latitude:
✅ Tropic of Cancer passes through Abu Dhabi
📍 Exam Relevance
✅ Prelims: Map location, Strait of Hormuz, neighbours
✅ Mains (GS1/GS2): West Asia geopolitics, energy security
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
📍 Why in News
✅ United Arab Emirates accused Iran of a drone strike at Fujairah oil facility
✅ Incident highlights West Asia tensions & energy security risks
📍 Political Features
✅ Capital: Abu Dhabi
✅ Federal Structure: 7 emirates → Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah
📍 Borders & Location
✅ Neighbouring Countries:
• Saudi Arabia (West & South)
• Oman (Southeast)
✅ Water Bodies:
• Gulf of Oman (East)
• Persian Gulf (North & Northwest)
📍 Strategic Importance
✅ Close to Strait of Hormuz
➡️ Major global oil transit route
📍 Geographical Features
✅ Located in Eastern Arabian Peninsula
✅ Climate:
• Hot desert climate (extreme summers, mild winters)
• Cooler eastern mountains
✅ Water Availability:
❗ No perennial rivers or surface water bodies
✅ Important Latitude:
✅ Tropic of Cancer passes through Abu Dhabi
📍 Exam Relevance
✅ Prelims: Map location, Strait of Hormuz, neighbours
✅ Mains (GS1/GS2): West Asia geopolitics, energy security
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
🔆 Strait of Malacca
📍 Why in News?
✅ The ongoing Hormuz crisis has highlighted the importance of the Strait of Malacca as another critical global chokepoint.
📍 Location & Geography
▪️ Connects:
✅ Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean)
➡️ South China Sea
▪️ Bounded by:
▪️ Indonesia
▪️ Malaysia
▪️ Thailand
▪️ Singapore
📍 Strategic Significance
▪️ Global Trade Artery
✅ Carries ~22% of global maritime trade
▪️ Energy Lifeline
✅ One of the world’s largest oil transit chokepoints
▪️ Shortest Route
✅ Connects East Asia with the Middle East and Europe
📍 Concerns & Vulnerabilities
▪️ Narrow Bottleneck
✅ Phillips Channel creates congestion risks
▪️ Shallow Waters
❌ Limits passage of very large vessels
▪️ Security Threats
❌ Piracy and attacks on merchant ships
▪️ Environmental Risks
❌ High risk of collisions and oil spills due to heavy traffic
📍 Significance for India
✅ Critical for India’s trade and energy imports
✅ Key to Indo-Pacific strategy and maritime security
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
📍 Why in News?
✅ The ongoing Hormuz crisis has highlighted the importance of the Strait of Malacca as another critical global chokepoint.
📍 Location & Geography
▪️ Connects:
✅ Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean)
➡️ South China Sea
▪️ Bounded by:
▪️ Indonesia
▪️ Malaysia
▪️ Thailand
▪️ Singapore
📍 Strategic Significance
▪️ Global Trade Artery
✅ Carries ~22% of global maritime trade
▪️ Energy Lifeline
✅ One of the world’s largest oil transit chokepoints
▪️ Shortest Route
✅ Connects East Asia with the Middle East and Europe
📍 Concerns & Vulnerabilities
▪️ Narrow Bottleneck
✅ Phillips Channel creates congestion risks
▪️ Shallow Waters
❌ Limits passage of very large vessels
▪️ Security Threats
❌ Piracy and attacks on merchant ships
▪️ Environmental Risks
❌ High risk of collisions and oil spills due to heavy traffic
📍 Significance for India
✅ Critical for India’s trade and energy imports
✅ Key to Indo-Pacific strategy and maritime security
#GS1 #Geography #PlacesInNews
Anmol vachan Short Notes THAT SAVE YOUR TIME!
UPSC Mains shorts notes
✅ Modern history - 99(199) 46 pages CLICK HERE
✅Ethics - 99rs199 -41 pages CLICK HERE
✅Society 99rs199 - 40 pages CLICK HERE
Society hindi medium CLICK HERE
✅World history -99rs199- 29 pagesCLICK HERE
All 4 in just 350rs
3 - 270rs
2 - 190rs
Contact @Mains_Short_notes_bot
UPSC prelims
✅ Ancient history - 31 pages 79rs (150rs)
CLICK HERE
✅ Medieval history 24 pages 79 (150rs)
CLICK HERE
Contact -https://t.me/Prelims_Notes_bot
EPFO shorts Notes
✅ English grammar 50 pages 99rs (199rs)
CLICK HERE
✅ Labour code notes 30 pages 99 (199rs)
Click here
Contact - @EPFO_Notes_bot
✅ BPSC prelims accelerator click here
✅ EPFO accelerator click here
✅ UPPSC & UPSC prelims accelerator click here
UPSC Mains shorts notes
✅ Modern history - 99
✅Ethics - 99rs
✅Society 99rs
Society hindi medium CLICK HERE
✅World history -99rs
All 4 in just 350rs
3 - 270rs
2 - 190rs
Contact @Mains_Short_notes_bot
UPSC prelims
✅ Ancient history - 31 pages 79rs (
CLICK HERE
✅ Medieval history 24 pages 79 (
CLICK HERE
Contact -https://t.me/Prelims_Notes_bot
EPFO shorts Notes
✅ English grammar 50 pages 99rs (
CLICK HERE
✅ Labour code notes 30 pages 99 (
Click here
Contact - @EPFO_Notes_bot
✅ BPSC prelims accelerator click here
✅ EPFO accelerator click here
✅ UPPSC & UPSC prelims accelerator click here
Luxembourg:
✅Location: It is a small landlocked western European Nation.
✅Bordering Country: It is bordered by 3 Nations: Germany, France and Belgium
✅It is a founding member of the European Union and NATO.
✅Capital City: Luxembourg
Geographical Features of Luxembourg:
✅Climate: It has a continental climate with cold winters and relatively mild-warm summers.
✅Highest Point: Burgplatz
✅Rivers: Major rivers are Alzette, Eisch, Moselle, Our and Sure.
✅Lake: The largest lake of Luxembourg is Lake Sure.
✅Natural resources: Its natural resources include oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, and the forest.
✅Location: It is a small landlocked western European Nation.
✅Bordering Country: It is bordered by 3 Nations: Germany, France and Belgium
✅It is a founding member of the European Union and NATO.
✅Capital City: Luxembourg
Geographical Features of Luxembourg:
✅Climate: It has a continental climate with cold winters and relatively mild-warm summers.
✅Highest Point: Burgplatz
✅Rivers: Major rivers are Alzette, Eisch, Moselle, Our and Sure.
✅Lake: The largest lake of Luxembourg is Lake Sure.
✅Natural resources: Its natural resources include oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, and the forest.
🔆 Madagascar
📍 Basic Info
✅ Capital: Antananarivo
✅ Gen Z–led anti-government protests have caused the government to fall.
📍 Political Features
✅ Located in the Indian Ocean, off SE Africa
✅ Maritime neighbours: Comoros, France (Mayotte & Réunion), Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles
📍 Geographical Features
✅ 4th-largest island globally
• Top 3: Greenland, New Guinea, Borneo
✅ ~90% endemic species — unique flora & fauna
• Due to long isolation from mainland Africa
✅ Role in Indian Monsoon:
• Mascarene High near Madagascar triggers SW Monsoon cycle
• Winds cross equator → deflect → become moisture-laden south-westerlies toward India
#places_in_news
https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
📍 Basic Info
✅ Capital: Antananarivo
✅ Gen Z–led anti-government protests have caused the government to fall.
📍 Political Features
✅ Located in the Indian Ocean, off SE Africa
✅ Maritime neighbours: Comoros, France (Mayotte & Réunion), Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles
📍 Geographical Features
✅ 4th-largest island globally
• Top 3: Greenland, New Guinea, Borneo
✅ ~90% endemic species — unique flora & fauna
• Due to long isolation from mainland Africa
✅ Role in Indian Monsoon:
• Mascarene High near Madagascar triggers SW Monsoon cycle
• Winds cross equator → deflect → become moisture-laden south-westerlies toward India
#places_in_news
https://t.me/Mapping_prelims_mains
🔆 Mercator Map vs Equal Earth Projection
📍 Why in News?
🟢 The United Nations General Assembly voted to phase out the traditional Mercator map in favour of the Equal Earth projection to provide a more accurate representation of global landmass proportions.
📍 About Mercator Map
🟢 A cylindrical map projection, mathematically derived.
🟢 Longitudes and latitudes intersect at 90° angles.
🟢 Longitudes are evenly spaced, while latitudes become increasingly farther apart away from the Equator.
🟢 The Equator lies at the centre of the map.
🟢 Designed in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, primarily to aid navigation.
📍 Major Limitation
🟢 Mercator projection distorts area, especially towards the poles.
🟢 Regions near the Equator appear relatively smaller, while high-latitude regions appear disproportionately larger.
🟢 Example: Greenland can appear comparable in size to Africa, although Africa is about 14 times larger.
📍 Equal Earth Projection
🟢 An equal-area pseudocylindrical projection designed for world maps.
🟢 Developed in 2018 by an international team of cartographers.
🟢 Its meridians are equally spaced and do not curve excessively outward.
🟢 Uses loosely approximate elliptical arcs, giving it an appearance closer to a globe.
🟢 Promoted by Togo’s #CorrectTheMap campaign.
📍 Advantage of Equal Earth
🟢 Preserves the relative areas of continents and countries more accurately.
🟢 Provides a better visual understanding of the true proportions of global landmasses.
📍 Important Caveat
🟢 The UN resolution is not legally binding.
🟢 It does not compel countries to stop using the Mercator projection.
🟢 However, it could influence school textbooks, digital technologies and mapping systems.
📍 Prelims Quick Recall
Mercator → 1569 → Gerardus Mercator → Cylindrical → Navigation → Area distortion
Equal Earth → 2018 → Equal-area pseudocylindrical → Accurate land-area representation → #CorrectTheMap
#places_in_news
📍 Why in News?
🟢 The United Nations General Assembly voted to phase out the traditional Mercator map in favour of the Equal Earth projection to provide a more accurate representation of global landmass proportions.
📍 About Mercator Map
🟢 A cylindrical map projection, mathematically derived.
🟢 Longitudes and latitudes intersect at 90° angles.
🟢 Longitudes are evenly spaced, while latitudes become increasingly farther apart away from the Equator.
🟢 The Equator lies at the centre of the map.
🟢 Designed in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, primarily to aid navigation.
📍 Major Limitation
🟢 Mercator projection distorts area, especially towards the poles.
🟢 Regions near the Equator appear relatively smaller, while high-latitude regions appear disproportionately larger.
🟢 Example: Greenland can appear comparable in size to Africa, although Africa is about 14 times larger.
📍 Equal Earth Projection
🟢 An equal-area pseudocylindrical projection designed for world maps.
🟢 Developed in 2018 by an international team of cartographers.
🟢 Its meridians are equally spaced and do not curve excessively outward.
🟢 Uses loosely approximate elliptical arcs, giving it an appearance closer to a globe.
🟢 Promoted by Togo’s #CorrectTheMap campaign.
📍 Advantage of Equal Earth
🟢 Preserves the relative areas of continents and countries more accurately.
🟢 Provides a better visual understanding of the true proportions of global landmasses.
📍 Important Caveat
🟢 The UN resolution is not legally binding.
🟢 It does not compel countries to stop using the Mercator projection.
🟢 However, it could influence school textbooks, digital technologies and mapping systems.
📍 Prelims Quick Recall
Mercator → 1569 → Gerardus Mercator → Cylindrical → Navigation → Area distortion
Equal Earth → 2018 → Equal-area pseudocylindrical → Accurate land-area representation → #CorrectTheMap
#places_in_news