Study Smart IAS PCS

Telegram Youtube

Easy to LEARN
Prelims
Short notes
Key Insights and Analysis

Prepared by
Study Smart IAS PCS

Jan 2024
 1. Severely impacted by sun';s seasonal
influence - ice melts and freezes Facts
2. Turbulent and dangerous waters

Sandwich trench Deepest point

1. Weddell Sea
2. Ross Sea (below 60 degree S)
Southern Ocean/
3. Drake passage - world's dangerous Divisions
waterways (b.w SA's Cape Horn - Chile and Austral ocean
Antarctica)

1. Depletion max during spring (September)

2. Ozone Hole healing - Montreal protocol
Ozone Hole/ Antarctic Hole
banned CFCs
Pacific joins Atlantic through Drake
Passage + Strait of Magellan
1. Emperor penguins
Fauna
2. Adelile Penguins Pacific Straits Pacific joins Arctic through Being Strait

Pacific joins Indian - Indonesian Seaway (

Malacca Strait and Torres Strait)

New guinea largest island (2nd largest island

Islands
in water after Greenland)

1. active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes

here (caused by movement of tectonic
Facts plates)
1. Smallest and shallowest
Ring of Fire/ Circum-Pacific Belt 2. Mount Ruapehu (NZ), Mount Fuji (japan)
2. Lies entirely within Arctic circle
3. Most volcanoes underwater
3. Sea ice throughout the year and fully
4. Deepest volcano - West Mata (SW of
covered during winter - studied by US NSIDC
Pacific Ocean Solomon Islands)
4. Salinity lowest (most fresh)
5. Deep basins (but not deepest b/c of shelf
seas), slowest spreading ridges, shelf seas World's largest coral reef system + can be
Great Barrier Reef
over continental shelf seen from outer space + marine park

Molloy Deep (Fram Strait, Greenland Sea) Deepest point 1. microplastics

Great Pacific Garbage Patch 2. Japan and California - as used more by
ships
1. joins Pacific - Bering Sea
2. joins Atlantic - Labrador Sea, Greenland Straits
Sea, Norwegian Sea 1. Orca/Killer Whale
Important fauna 2. Home to 2nd largest invertebrates - Giant
Squid
1. Canadian (Beaufort sea in W + Greenland,
Baffin Bay and Davis Strait in E + Hudson Bay
and Canadian mainland towards S) Deepest trench of the World - Mariana
2. Russian (bigger in size) - Barents - Arctic Trench (Challenger Deep)
warming hotspot, Siberian - largest shelf in
Arctic Shelves Arctic Ocean
world -> large oil and gas reserves and
Chukchi - maritime border b/w Russia and
US Deepest Trench - Puerto Rico Trench (
Oceans Milawukee Deep)

Northern Sea Route - N coast of Eurasian

continent (now opening up) 1. Youngest ocean on earth
Navigation 2. Saltiest ocean (33-37 ppm) as subtropical
(connecting Atlantic and Pacific) so more rainfall
North West Passage- through N coast of NA 3. Highest tides in world
Facts 4. Titanic sank here
1. Forms, grows and melts in ocean 5. World's richest fishing water
2. Max in April and min in Sept Sea Ice 6. Continental rise good as max water bodies
3. Keeps polar region cool deposit sediments on coast - petroleum and
oil products although difficult to handle
sunken nuclear reactors and submarines and
buried toxic waste during cold wars - kara Radioactive Contamination Greenland (independent but under Denmark
Islands
Sea, Greenland and Novaya Zemlya Kingdom - Europe)

1st seen in 2020 - biggest hole first time seen 1. Only sea with no physical boundary
but closed by itself -> PSCs less b/c temp Ozone Hole Sargasso Sea 2. Brown Sargassum sea weed makes a
high layer + water current relation

1. indented coastline
Atlantic Ocean ( S shaped) Busiest ocean
2. b/w 2 very developed continents
1. warmest ocean in the world
2. Closed Ocean (as covered in NH)
3. Ocean/w maximum negative water 1. 2nd largest reef in world
Cancun Reef
balance (more evaporation and less influx by 2. Mexico - Cancun Reef
Facts
rivers) and lowest O2 content
4. Madagascar Island - BD rich - Giant 1. Miami (Florida), Bermuda and San Juan (
Tortoise found Bermuda Triangle/ Devil's Triangle/ Hurricane Puerto Rico)
5. 40% offshore oil production of worls Alley 2. mysterious shipwrecks, diappearances and
air crashes
Sunda Trench Deepest Trench
Atlantic Ocean expanding while pacific
MOR (divergent plate boundary)
Many trade routes Marginal Seas shrinking

Shape of sediments after water fall from Atlantic joins Arctic - Denmark Strait,
mountains (Bengal Fan - Wharton basin is Submarine Fans Greenland Sea, Norwegian sea, Barents Sea
oldest + Indus fan)
Straits joins Indian - 20 degree E meridian
Mid Indian ocean ridge (Africa and Indo
Australian Plate diffrentiated) 1. joins Pacific - Drake passage (Cape Horn)
Ridges 2. Artificial - panama Canal - narrowest
Ninety East Ridge - Earthquake free ridge ( landmass b/w 2 oceans (b/w N and S
asesimic) - Rodrigeus triple Junction America)

80% oil trade of world Indian Ocean

40% of which through Strait of Hormuz (

Middle east)
Straits
Strait of Malacca (Malaysia and Singapore) -
35% trade

Bab-el-Mandeb - near Red Sea

Indian ocean garbage patch - Australia,

Africa, Mozambique Channel and to Australia
again

1. 50% world's mangroves

2. Less BD as warm ocean so less Flora and fauna
phytoplanktons so less fishes

1. 2004 tsunami (Sumatra, Indonesia =

epicentre) Natural Disasters
2. Cyclone Nargis (Myanmar in 2008)
 Austria
Amazon rivers do Not flow through ? Countries? Which countries DO NOT have Amazon Forest? Paraguay, Chile and Argentina

Afghanistan CUTI PTI Turkey - NO Moldova

Yes Is it landlock ? Ethiopia Which country? Tigray region Iran PATI AAT Tajikistan - NO Kosovo
Zambia
Kenya Lamu Port Urmia lake which country? Iran Switzerland
Ethiopia
Democratic Republic of Congo is NOT
Syria Idlib Caspian sea countries KRATI Tajikistan - NO Tajikistan is landlocked some more popular landlocked countries are- Serbia in Europe Africa
landlocked
Mali
Black sea Snake Island Palestine Includes ? Macedonia
Botswana
Georgia and Turkey Which countries? Aegean Sea Pak tika province Which country? Pakistan? NO, Afghanistan Hungary
Azerbaijan
Turkey Lake Van and Tuz Baltic Sea countries RuDe Germany SELL Poland & Findand Luxembourg
Iran
Bulgaria
L Turkana Kaliningrad Which country? Russia
Armenia Red sea countries YES DES Czech Republic
Greece AI BAG IS GEORgeous Bordering countries Turkey
L Albert Does Thailand shares Border with China?
Iraq
Syria Korea Strait is between Japan and South Korea
Laos landlocked? Yes
Georgia L Victoria North to South African great lakes World 2
Sea of Japan, Korea strait & Yellow sea Difference in location? Sea of Japan is between North Korea and Japan
L Tanganyika
Ream Naval Base which country? Cambodia Yellow sea is between South Korea and China
L Nyasa
Mariana Trench Pacific Ocean NOT Indian Ocean
source of Darwin's theory of evolution Charles Darwin visited in 1835 Ecuador Galapagos islands?
Uzbekistan borders only central Asian
No, USA and Mexico China? Chihuahuan desert World 1 Yes
countries?

Sonoran desert Which desert is near Gulf of California? Straight of malacca is between ? Malaysia and Indonesia

Great Sandy
Map 1 The International North South transport corridor
yes Does it pass through China? no
INS TC pass through Azerbaijan?
Great Victoria West to East Australian deserts
Black sea countries BRo UR Tu Good Good- Is Georgia
Simpson
Estonia
Baltic Republic countries Lithuania
Latvia
Odisha, Andhra Which states ? Kottia group of villages

Is 3200 km 30deg. approx North South Brandt Line- Demarcated global North and global South In incomes of development and income
geographical extent INDIA
Is 2900 km 30deg. approx. East West Alboran Sea? Strait of Gibraltar

Andaman and Little Andaman Duncan passage Horn of Africa SEED

Vistula Pripyat Dnieper WEST to EAST flow

North of Andaman Cocos channel Islands No, Pripyat river

Mnemonic Chernobyl Dnieper river?
any other prominent river that originates from
Dnieper river originates from? Valdai hills, Russia Yes, Volga
here?
Palk St.
Palk bay Pamban Island (India) & Mannar Island (Sri
①
North-South Straight Bae Adam is a Man Adam's bridge which country? Sudan
Adam's Bridge Lanka)
②
Gulf of Mannar Khartoum
③
imp ? Meeting point for Blue and White Nile
④
 L Superior Austria
Amazon rivers do Not flow through ? Countries? Which countries DO NOT have Amazon Forest? Paraguay, Chile and Argentina

L Huron Afghanistan CUTI PTI Turkey - NO Moldova

Entirely within United States L Michigan East direction

West toYes Great
Is it landlock ? Lakes of North America
Ethiopia Which country? Tigray region Iran PATI AAT Tajikistan - NO Kosovo
Zambia
L Erie Kenya Lamu Port Urmia lake which country? Iran Switzerland
Ethiopia
Democratic Republic of Congo is NOT
L Ontario Syria Idlib Caspian sea countries KRATI Tajikistan - NO Tajikistan is landlocked some more popular landlocked countries are- Serbia in Europe Africa
landlocked
Mali
Parcel island Black sea Snake Island Palestine Includes ? Macedonia
Botswana
Scarborough shoal Georgia and Turkey Which countries? Aegean Sea Pak tika province Which country? Pakistan? NO, Afghanistan Hungary
Azerbaijan North to South South China sea
Spartly islands Turkey Lake Van and Tuz Baltic Sea countries RuDe Germany SELL Poland & Findand Luxembourg
Iran
Bulgaria
Natuna islands L Turkana Kaliningrad Which country? Russia
Armenia Associated with which river? Mekong Red sea countries YES DES Czech Republic
Greece AI BAG IS GEORgeous Bordering countries Turkey Lasagongma spring
Hawaii, USA Which country? L Albert
Mauna loa volcano Does Thailand shares Border with China?
Iraq Country? China
Syria Korea Strait is between Japan and South Korea
Italy L Garda? Laos landlocked? Yes
Georgia L Victoria North to South African great lakes World 2 Lake Itasca Which river? Mississippi Country? USA

Azerbaijan and Armenia Dispute between? Sea of Japan, Korea strait & Yellow sea Difference in location? Sea of Japan is between North Korea and Japan
L Tanganyika Brazil
Nagorno Karabakh World 2 countries?
WhichReam Naval Base Bolivia which country? Cambodia Yellow sea is between South Korea and China
L Nyasa Paraguay
Pantanal wetland Austria
Bhaijan STEPped on a NAG (snake) Mnemonic to remember Stepanakert Capital? Amazon rivers do Not flow through ? Countries? Which countries DO NOT have Amazon Forest? Paraguay, Chile and Argentina
Mariana Trench Pacific Ocean NOT Indian Ocean
source of Darwin's theory of evolution Charles Darwin visited in 1835 Ecuador Galapagos islands? World's largest? Yes
Afghanistan CUTI PTI Turkey - NO Moldova
Uzbekistan borders only central Asian
No No,
Landlocked?
USA and MexicoSlovenia
China? Chihuahuan desert Gaziantep World 1
Which country? Turkey NOT EGYPT Yes
countries?
Iran PATI AAT Tajikistan - NO Kosovo
Yes Is it landlock ? Ethiopia Which country? Tigray region
Zambia
Irish sea
Sonoran desert Which desert is near Gulf of California? Lake Assad Syria Straight is between ? Malaysia
Kenya Lamu Port Urmia lake
of malaccawhich country? Iran and Indonesia Switzerland
Is between Ireland and UK
Map 1 Ethiopia
St. Geoge's channel Great Sandy Lake Kyoga in Uganda?
CompletelyThe International North
Yes South transport corridor Democratic Republic of Congo is NOT
Syria Idlib Caspian sea countries KRATI Tajikistan
yes - NO DoesTajikistan is landlocked
it pass through China? some
no more popular landlocked countries are- Serbia in Europe Africa
INS TC pass through Azerbaijan? landlocked
Great Victoria West to East Australian deserts Mali
That's in Bering sea, Alaska What about Bristol Bay? Bristol channel Ethiopia
Snake Island Palestine Includes ? Macedonia
North to South UK Black sea Afar triangle Eritrea
Countries?Black sea countries BRo UR Tu Good Good- Is Georgia
North sea and English channel Strait of Dover Simpson Djibouti Botswana
Georgia and Turkey Which countries? Aegean Sea Pak tika province Which country? Pakistan? NO, Afghanistan Hungary
Estonia re
Azerbaijan English channel telescope
Turkey Lake Van and Tuz
What is it? BalticNeutrino
Republic
Sea countries (underwater)
countries Lithuania
RuDe Germany SELL Poland & Findand ca
Iran Baikal GVD Luxembourg
Latvia ll
Bulgaria Odisha, Andhra Which states ? Kottia group of villages L Baikal, Russia
France Bay of Biscay L Turkana Kaliningrad Which country? Russia
Armenia sea countries YES Czech Republic
Is 3200 km 30deg. approx North South Brandt Line- Demarcated global North and global South InRed
incomes of development andDES
Which Southincome
American countries are not
Greece AI BAG IS GEORgeous Bordering countries Turkey Great dividing range East or West of Australia? East
Qatar & Saudi Arab
L Albert Salwa canal? geographical extent Does Thailand shares Border with China? under Amazon Basin?
Iraq INDIA
Syria Is 2900 km 30deg. approx. East West Alboran Sea? Strait of Gibraltar
Bosphorus & Dardanelles Which straits? World 1 Caucasus mts Between Laos
which 2 seas?landlocked? Caspian sea
Black sea & Yes Korea Strait is between Japan and South Korea
Georgia L Victoria North to South African great lakes World 2
Andaman and Little Andaman Duncan passage Horn of Africa SEED
Montreux CONVENTION which country? South Africa Vistula Pripyat Dnieper WEST to EAST flow
Sea of Japan, Korea strait & Yellow sea Difference in location? Sea of Japan is between North Korea and Japan
L Tanganyika Drakesnberg
Wait, wasn't this something related to North of Andaman Cocos channel Islands Map 2 No, Pripyat river
that's Montreux RECORD Turkey Country? which oceanReamcurrent
Naval flows
Basefrom here? Agulhas
which country? warm or cold?
Cambodia warm
Mnemonic wetlands and Ramsar? Chernobyl Dnieper river? Yellow sea is between South Korea and China
L Nyasa
any other prominent river that originates from
Which range?
Mariana Trench AtacamaPacific OceanDnieper riverNOT originates from?
Indian Ocean Valdai hills, Russia Yes, Volga
here?
Palk St. source of Darwin's theory of evolution Charles Darwin visited in 1835 Ecuador Galapagos islands? Ojos del salado
Palk bay Pamban Island (India) & Mannar Island (Sri
①
North-South Straight Bae Adam is a Man Adam's bridge country? Argentina
Uzbekistan borders
whichonly central Asian
country?
Adam's Bridge Lanka) and Mexico China? Chihuahuan desert World 1 Sudan Yes Horn of Africa Mnemonic? SEED
②
DodabettaNo, USANilgiri countries?
Khartoum
Gulf of Mannar
③
Atlantic forest Countries? Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay
desert Which desert is near Gulf of California? imp ? Meeting point for Blue and White Nile
④
Anaimudi Sonoran
Annamalai Straight of malacca is between ? Malaysia and Indonesia
Highest peaks Map 1 South Sudan? No Sudan Yes
Great Sandy The International North South transport corridor
Guru Shikhar Aravalli recall
yes Does it pass through China? no
Africa's great green wall INS TC pass through
Libya? No Azerbaijan?
Great Victoria West to East Australian deserts
Mullayanagiri Baba budan hills Canary
Black sea countries
Djouboti? Yes BRo UR Tu Good Good- Is Georgia
Simpson
Biosphere reserve Panchmari Which hill station? "Queen of Satpuras" Kuroshio
Gulf of Bothnia Between? Sweden and Finland Estonia Region?
Gujarat Haryana Rajasthan Baltic Republic countries Lithuania Ocean currents Oyashio
Which States?
Odisha, Andhra green wall
Which of India
states ? Kottia group of villages Pearl of the South Which lake is referred? SawaLatvia
Lake @Iraq Is completely dried up warm or cold?
yes Delhi? Benguela
Is 3200 km 30deg. approx North South WhichBrandt Line-
country? Demarcated global North and global South
Botswana In incomes of development and income
Chotanagpur plateau geographical extent INDIA Okavango Delta Falkland
Is 2900 km 30deg. approx.Parasnath
EastHill
West WhichAlboran
desert isSea? Strait
located in its South?
of Gibraltar Kalahari desert
23rd Tirthankara Lord Parshvanath Important?
Andaman and Little Andaman Duncan passage Drake passage? Antarctica of Africa
Hornand South AmericaSEED Only active Volcano in Antarctica? Mt. Erebus
Vistula Pripyat Dnieper WEST to EAST flow
Karnataka state? India
No, Pripyat river
North of Andaman Cocos channel Islands Coral triangle Is Australia a part? No
Mnemonic
Baba Budan hills, it was first cultivated in 1670 Birth place of coffee in India importance? Chernobyl Dnieper river?
any other prominent river that originates from
Chikmagalur Dnieper river originates from? Valdai hills, Russia Yes, Volga
here?
Palk St. Yes, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary any wildlife sanctuary nearby?
Palk bay Pamban Island (India) & Mannar Island (Sri
①
North-South Straight Bae Adam is a Man Adam's bridge which country? Sudan
Adam's Bridge Lanka)
②
Hebbe falls @ Kemmangundi waterfall? Khartoum
Gulf of Mannar
③
imp ? Meeting point for Blue and White Nile
④
Dawki river also called?
Umngot river
Meghalaya Where in India? India & Bangladesh Countries?

Kerala Athirapilly falls

Limestone cave Andhra Pradesh Belam caves