Geography

Historical Context The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, was a monumental event that symbolized the end of the Cold War and the path to German reunification. Origin and Purpose of the Berlin Wall Construction and Purpose: Erected in 1961, the Berlin Wall served as both a …

Context: India’s elderly population (those aged 60 and above) is expanding rapidly. In 2023, there are 149 million elderly individuals, making up 10.5% of the total population. By 2050, this figure is projected to reach 347 million, or 20.8% of the population. Challenges of an Ageing Population Increasing Dependency Ratio: …

Context: Recent Findings: A study has revealed promising potential for shale gas generation in the South Karanpura coalfield in Ramgarh district, Jharkhand. The assessment was carried out using Rock-Eval pyrolysis, a technique that evaluates the hydrocarbon content and thermal maturity of sedimentary rocks, primarily for petroleum and shale gas exploration. …

Context: India’s Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment in M.K. Ranjitsinh and Ors. Vs. Union of India & Ors., has introduced a significant new dimension to the country’s climate change jurisprudence. SC Verdict The Supreme Court recognized the right to “be free from the adverse effects of climate change” as …

The ongoing severe heatwave across the country has reignited discussions about officially recognizing heatwaves as disasters under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. How India Manages Disasters Constitutional Context There is no mention of disasters in the Constitution of India. Legislative Framework Disaster Management Act (DMA) 2005: Enacted following the 1999 …

Australian researchers have uncovered the origin of pink garnet sand found on South Australian beaches, tracing it back to ancient mountains in Antarctica. Their findings have shed light on the timing of the Australian tectonic plate’s subduction beneath the Pacific plate and unveiled previously unknown ancient mountains in Antarctica. Pink …

Introduction The Mediterranean Sea, known for its idyllic weather and rich history, can also unleash powerful storms. Medicanes, a portmanteau of “Mediterranean” and “hurricane,” are tropical-like cyclones that occasionally form over this basin. While less frequent and intense than their tropical counterparts, medicanes pose a significant threat to coastal communities …

Concept Heatwaves, periods of abnormally high temperatures exceeding seasonal norms, are a growing concern in India. These scorching events pose a significant threat to public health, agriculture, and overall economic well-being. The Scorching Reality: Frequency and Intensity on the Rise India experiences heatwaves primarily between March and June, with the …

A landslide, also known as a landslip, is a rapid downward movement of a mass of rock, earth, or debris on a slope. It’s a type of mass wasting, which refers to any downslope movement of soil and rock under the influence of gravity. Why in NEWS: An IIT-Delhi team …

Dam means any artificial barrier and its appurtenant structure constructed across rivers or tributaries thereof with a view to impound or divert water which also include barrage, weir and similar water impounding structures. Central Water Commission (CWC) compiles and maintains the nationwide register of Large Dams i.e., the National Register …

Why in news: Punjab has been reeling under floods for well over a month now and the proposed solution to this is zoning of flood plains. Significance of flood plains: A river expands and contracts naturally over seasons and in different years. A flood plain is an area adjacent to the river which normally gets flooded when the …

Salient features of world’s physical geography. Extreme heat has plagued the Mediterranean for weeks. What are marine heat waves? A marine heat wave (MHW) is an extreme weather event. It occurs when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea rises to 3 or 4 degree Celsius above the average temperature for at least five …

Syllabus: World Geography Context Dipping water levels About the Lake In the Andes on the border between Bolivia and Peru. Highest of the world’s large lakes, world’s highest navigable sea and largest in South America after Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo Issues Within 25 cm of their all-time low record in 1996 …

reasing the impact of weather events Syllabus: World geography Western disturbance Are tropical storms that originate in the Mediterranean region and normally bring winter rainfall to north India. However, right from the beginning of this year, the WD have been erratic – too few of them in December and January …

Amidst Rising Global Temperatures, thawing permafrost is likely to destabilize thousands of industrial sites and linked contaminated areas in the Arctic. The arctic is dotted with industrial facilities such as oilfields and pipelines, mines and military bases. The consequences of global warming and thawing permafrost were not taken into account for long and permafrost was considered as a …

The global warming trends over the Indian region are very different. An assessment of climate change over the Indian subcontinent, published by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2020, said annual mean temperatures had risen by 0.7 degree Celsius from 1900. This is significantly lower than the 1.59 degree Celsius rise for land temperatures across the world. Why is warming over India lower? The increase in …

Odisha is preparing for the first cyclone of 2023, Cyclone Mocha. It is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal. Odisha is particularly vulnerable to cyclones. The 1999 super cyclone that hit Odisha was one of the deadliest natural disasters in Indian history. The cyclone made landfall with wind speeds of up to 260 kmph, causing massive destruction and claiming …

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Key details: The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Arabian Gulf to the open ocean. It is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points. …

Northwest India has seen multiple spells of rainfall due to western disturbances. Out of the 10 States and Union Territories of northwest India, six have recorded a large excess in rainfall so far this month, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chandigarh. A western disturbance is an extratropical cyclone that originates in the Mediterranean region and provides heavy winter rain to the Indian subcontinent’s northern regions. A Western Disturbance is defined …

Lebanon was thrown into mass confusion after its government at the last minute delayed the start of daylight saving time by a month. Meanwhile, Greenland has chosen to stay with daylight saving time forever. What is daylight saving time? Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of setting the clocks forward …