India: Location, Extent, Borders and Standard Time

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.The Standard Meridian of India, used for Indian Standard Time, is:

   • A.68°7' E
   • B.82°30' E✓ Correct Answer
   • C.90° E
   • D.97°25' E

   Explanation: The 82°30' E meridian passes near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, and IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT.

2. Q2.In terms of area, India ranks which in the world?

   • A.Seventh✓ Correct Answer
   • B.Third
   • C.Fifth
   • D.Tenth

   Explanation: India's area of about 32.87 lakh sq km makes it the seventh largest country.

3. Q3.The southernmost point of Indian territory, Indira Point, is located on:

   • A.Kanyakumari
   • B.Rameswaram
   • C.Minicoy Island
   • D.Great Nicobar Island✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Indira Point lies at the southern tip of Great Nicobar, while Kanyakumari is the southern tip of the mainland.

4. Q4.Which is the largest State of India by area?

   • A.Madhya Pradesh
   • B.Rajasthan✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Maharashtra
   • D.Uttar Pradesh

   Explanation: Rajasthan covers about 3.42 lakh sq km, followed by Madhya Pradesh.

5. Q5.Which State has the longest coastline in India?

   • A.Andhra Pradesh
   • B.Gujarat✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Tamil Nadu
   • D.Maharashtra

   Explanation: Gujarat has the longest coastline among the States.

6. Q6.How many countries share a land border with India?

   • A.Seven✓ Correct Answer
   • B.Five
   • C.Six
   • D.Nine

   Explanation: India shares land borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

7. Q7.Which of the following States is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer?

   • A.Mizoram✓ Correct Answer
   • B.Assam
   • C.Odisha
   • D.Kerala

   Explanation: The Tropic of Cancer crosses Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram.

8. Q8.Indian Standard Time is ahead of Greenwich Mean Time by:

   • A.4 hours 30 minutes
   • B.5 hours
   • C.6 hours
   • D.5 hours 30 minutes✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: Every 15° of longitude equals 1 hour, so 82.5° gives 5.5 hours.

9. Q9.The Palk Strait separates India from:

   • A.Maldives
   • B.Myanmar
   • C.Sri Lanka✓ Correct Answer
   • D.Indonesia

   Explanation: The Palk Strait lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

10. Q10.The Ten Degree Channel separates:

    • A.Lakshadweep from the Maldives
    • B.India from Sri Lanka
    • C.the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Minicoy from the mainland

    Explanation: The channel lies along the 10°N latitude in the Bay of Bengal.

11. Q11.The Eight Degree Channel separates:

    • A.the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands
    • B.India from Sri Lanka
    • C.Minicoy (Lakshadweep) from the Maldives✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Lakshadweep from Kerala

    Explanation: The Eight Degree Channel lies in the Arabian Sea along 8°N.

12. Q12.Which country has the longest land border with India?

    • A.China
    • B.Pakistan
    • C.Nepal
    • D.Bangladesh✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: The India-Bangladesh border is about 4,096 km long.

13. Q13.The McMahon Line is the boundary between India and:

    • A.Pakistan
    • B.China✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Nepal
    • D.Myanmar

    Explanation: It was drawn in 1914 and runs along the eastern Himalaya.

14. Q14.The Radcliffe Line is the boundary between India and:

    • A.China and Nepal
    • B.Bhutan and Myanmar
    • C.Pakistan and Bangladesh✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Sri Lanka and the Maldives

    Explanation: Sir Cyril Radcliffe demarcated the boundary at Partition in 1947.

15. Q15.The total area of India is about:

    • A.28.6 lakh sq km
    • B.32.87 lakh sq km✓ Correct Answer
    • C.36.4 lakh sq km
    • D.40.2 lakh sq km

    Explanation: India's area is 3,287,263 sq km, about 2.4 per cent of the world's land area.

16. Q16.The length of India's coastline, including the island territories, is about:

    • A.3,200 km
    • B.5,100 km
    • C.9,800 km
    • D.7,516 km✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: The mainland coast is about 6,100 km; with the islands the total is about 7,516 km.

17. Q17.The latitudinal extent of mainland India is:

    • A.8°4' N to 37°6' N✓ Correct Answer
    • B.0° to 23°30' N
    • C.6°45' N to 35° N
    • D.10° N to 40° N

    Explanation: The mainland extends from Kanyakumari (8°4' N) to Kashmir (37°6' N).

18. Q18.Which country has the shortest land border with India?

    • A.Bhutan
    • B.Myanmar
    • C.Afghanistan✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Nepal

    Explanation: The border with Afghanistan, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, is only about 106 km.

19. Q19.The east-west extent of India (about 30° of longitude) causes a time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh of about:

    • A.thirty minutes
    • B.one hour
    • C.four hours
    • D.two hours✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: Roughly 30° of longitude corresponds to a two-hour difference in local time.

20. Q20.The latitude of Indira Point, the southernmost point of India, is about:

    • A.6°45' N✓ Correct Answer
    • B.8°4' N
    • C.10°30' N
    • D.0°

    Explanation: Indira Point is at about 6°45' N, well south of Kanyakumari at 8°4' N.