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Kuril Island

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Kuril Island

Consider the following statements with reference to the Kuril Island:

It is a volcanic archipelago which separates the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean. It forms part of the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Islands are currently under Russian administration. However, they are also claimed by China.

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	Only 1

	B	Only 2

	C	Both 1 and 2

	D	Neither 1 nor 2

Your Ans is

Right ans is A

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

The Kuril Islands is a volcanic archipelago in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast that stretches approximately 1,300 km northeast from Hokkaido, Japan to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean.
These form part of the ring of tectonic instability encircling the Pacific Ocean referred to as the Ring of Fire.
The Islands are currently under Russian administration. However, they are also claimed by Japan.
Four islands - which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories - are the subject of a 60-year-old dispute between the two nations.
These four islands - Kunashir (known in Japanese as Kunashiri), Iturup (Etorofu), Shikotan and the rocky Habomai islets.

Related Question

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Cycle

Consider the following statements:

El Nino and La Nina are opposite phases of what is known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.
La Nina is sometimes referred to as the warm phase of ENSO and El Nino as the cold phase of ENSO.
Typically, El Nino occurs more frequently than La Nina.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	1 and 2

	B	2 and 3

	C	1 and 3

	D	1, 2 and 3

Your Ans is

Right ans is C

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Context: The La Nina weather phenomenon is back in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean after nearly a decade’s absence, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its latest Global Seasonal update released on October 29, 2020.

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

El Nino and La Nina are opposite phases of what is known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.
The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date Line and 120 degrees West).
La Nina is sometimes referred to as the cold phase of ENSO and El Nino as the warm phase of ENSO.
These deviations from normal surface temperatures can have large-scale impacts not only on ocean processes, but also on global weather and climate.
El Nino and La Nina episodes typically last nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events may last for years.
While their frequency can be quite irregular, El Nino and La Nina events occur on average every two to seven years.
Typically, El Nino occurs more frequently than La Nina.

El Nino

El Nino means ‘The Little Boy’, or ‘Christ Child’ in Spanish. El Nino was originally recognized by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
The name was chosen based on the time of year (around December) during which these warm waters events tended to occur.
It refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific.
Typical El Nino effects are likely to develop over North America during the upcoming winter season.
Those include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada, and over the western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the Ohio Valley and the Pacific Northwest.
The presence of El Nino can significantly influence weather patterns, ocean conditions, and marine fisheries across large portions of the globe for an extended period of time.

La Nina

La Nina means ‘The Little Girl’ in Spanish. La Nina is also sometimes called ‘El Viejo’, ‘anti-El Nino’, or simply ‘a cold event’.
La Nina episodes represent periods of below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific.
The effect of La Nina impacts on global climate tend to be opposite those of El Nino.
In the Tropics, ocean temperature variations in La Nina also tend to be opposite to those of El Nino.
During a La Nina year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than normal in the Northwest.

Baltic Nations

Baltic Nations is a geopolitical term, typically used to group of three sovereign states in Northern Europe on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Choose the group of three nations from the codes given below:

	A	Estonia, Latvia, and Finland

	B	Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania

	C	Estonia, Latvia, and Sweden

	D	Estonia, Latvia, and Denmark

Your Ans is

Right ans is B

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

The Baltic Nations, also known as the Baltic countries, Baltic republics, Baltic kingdom, or simply the Baltics, is a geopolitical term, typically used to group the three sovereign states in Northern Europe on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The term is not used in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or language, because while the majority of people in Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic people, the majority in Estonia are Finnic.
The three countries do not form an official union, but engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation.
The most important areas of cooperation between the three countries are foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation.
All three countries are members of NATO, the Eurozone, the OECD, and the European Union.
All three are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain a very high Human Development Index.
For 2020-21, Estonia has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Mediterranean Sea

Consider the following statements with reference to the Mediterranean Sea:

Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar in the west.
It is connected to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, in the east.

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	Only 1

	B	Both 1 and 2

	C	Only 2

	D	Neither 1nor 2

Your Ans is

Right ans is B

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Mediterranean Sea, an intercontinental sea that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the west to Asia on the east and separates Europe from Africa.
It has often been called the incubator of Western civilization.
It connects to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar (known in Homer’s writings as the “Pillars of Hercules“) in the west.
It connects to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, in the east.
The 163 km (101 mi) long artificial Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

Mt. Sinabung

In which of the following country, active volcano Mt. Sinabung, is located?

	A	Indonesia

	B	Japan

	C	Hawaii

	D	Italy

Your Ans is

Right ans is A

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Mount Sinabungis a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano of andesite and dacite in the Karo plateau of Karo Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
It is among more than 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific’s Ring of Fire.

Exclusive Economic Zone

Consider the following statements with reference to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ):

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as generally extending 200 nautical miles from shore, within which the coastal state has the right to explore and exploit, and the responsibility to conserve and manage, both living and non-living resources.
The EEZ includes the territorial sea but does not include the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.
The EEZ does not include the contiguous zone.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	Only 1

	B	1 and 2

	C	2 and 3

	D	1, 2 and 3

Your Ans is

Right ans is A

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defined the EEZ as a zone in the sea over which a sovereign nation has certain special rights with respect to the exploration and usage of marine resources, which includes the generation of energy from wind and water, and also oil and natural gas extraction.
The EEZ is an area that is adjacent to and beyond the territorial sea.It can extend to a maximum of 200 nautical miles from the baseline. The baseline is normally measured as the low-water line along the coast as indicated on large-scale charts officially approved by the coastal state.
The EEZ does not include the territorial sea and the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.
The EEZ includes the contiguous zone.

Rights of a country in the EEZ

Explore and exploit, conserve and manage the natural resources (living or non-living).
Produce energy from wind, currents and water.
Establish and use artificial islands, structures and installations.
Conduct marine scientific research.
Protect and preserve the marine environment.

Seabed 2030 Project

Consider the following statements with reference to the Seabed 2030 Project:

Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between the Nippon Foundation of Japan and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
The project was launched at the United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in June 2017 and is aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal-14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	Only 1

	B	Both 1 and 2

	C	Only 2

	D	Neither 1 nor 2

Your Ans is

Right ans is B

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between the Nippon Foundation of Japan and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
It aims to bring together all available bathymetric data to produce the definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030 and make it available to all.
The project was launched at the United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in June 2017 and is aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal-14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Need

Despite many years of effort, less than 20 percent of the world ocean’s seafloor has been mapped.
A co-ordinated international effort is needed to bring together all existing data sets and to identify areas for future surveys - to help us 'map the gaps'.
Further, knowing the depth and shape of the seafloor (bathymetry) is fundamental for understanding ocean circulation, tides, tsunami forecasting, fishing resources, sediment transport, environmental change, underwater geo-hazards, cable and pipeline routing, mineral extraction, oil and gas exploration and development, infrastructure construction and maintenance and much more.

General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)

GEBCO is an international group of mapping experts developing a range of bathymetric data sets and data products.
It operates under the joint auspices of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

Golden Triangle And Golden Crescent

Consider the following statements:

Golden Triangle is represented by the region coinciding with the rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
Golden Crescent region comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and China, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.

Choose the correct answer from the codes given below:

	A	Only 1

	B	Both 1 and 2

	C	Only 2

	D	Neither 1 nor 2

Your Ans is

Right ans is D

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Golden Triangle

It is represented by the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers.
It is Southeast Asia’s main opium-producing region and one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.

Golden Crescent

This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent.
It is a principal global site for opium production and distribution in South Asia.

Mount Merapi

In which of the following country active volcano Mount Merapi is being located?

	A	Indonesia

	B	Philippines

	C	Italy

	D	Greece

Your Ans is

Right ans is A

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Mount Merapi, Gunung Merapi (literally Fire Mountain in Indonesian and Javanese), is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and Special Region of Yogyakarta provinces, Indonesia.
It is the most active volcano in Indonesia.
It is situated at a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian Plate is subducting under the Sunda Plate.
It has been designated as one of the Decade Volcanoes.

Decade Volcanoes

These are 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas.
They are named Decade Volcanoes because the project was initiated in the 1990s as part of the United Nations–sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

Matterhorn Mountain

Recently, Indian Tricolour of more than 1,000 meters in size was projected on Matterhorn Mountain in to express solidarity to all Indians in the fight against COVID-19.Where is the Matterhorn Mountain located? Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

	A	Switzerland and Italy

	B	Italy and France

	C	Switzerland and France

	D	France and Germany

Your Ans is

Right ans is A

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy.
It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, whose summit is 4,478 metres (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe.
The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points and are split by the Hörnli, Furggen, Leone/Lion, and Zmutt ridges.
Just east of the Matterhorn is Theodul Pass, the main passage between the two valleys on its north and south sides, and a trade route since the Roman Era.
The Matterhorn is mainly composed of gneisses (originally fragments of the African Plate before the Alpine orogeny) from the Dent Blanche nappe, lying over ophiolites and sedimentary rocks of the Penninic nappes.
The mountain's current shape is the result of cirque erosion due to multiple glaciers diverging from the peak, such as the Matterhorn Glacier at the base of the north face.

Reunion Island

Recently, India and France have conducted joint patrols from the Reunion Island for the first time. Where is the Reunion Island situated?

	A	Pacific Ocean

	B	Atlantic Ocean

	C	Indian Ocean

	D	None of the above

Your Ans is

Right ans is C

Your Answer Is Correct

Your Answer Is Wrong

Explanation :

Reunion is an overseas department and region of the French Republic and an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and 175 km southwest of Mauritius.
Administratively, it is one of the overseas departments of France.
Like the other four overseas departments, it is also one of the 18 regions of France, with the modified status of overseas region, and an integral part of the republic with the same status as Metropolitan France.
The official language is French. In addition, the majority of the region's population speaks Reunion Creole.
The Island is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, the Piton de la Fournaise, which is also a World Heritage site.

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