Aspirant Forum presents the World Geography (GS-1) for the UPSC examinations. World Geography are a part of the General Studies Paper 1 (GS-1) of the IAS Mains Examination. If covered properly, this section can be a well scoring part of the paper.
This section will provide you various topics and articles on different subjects, that are important from the examination point of view. While we try to put online every article possible, as soon as we can, it would be a pleasure to conduct a healthy discussion on the forum about the topics.
Members can put in their views and perspectives on the issues and thus contribute to a healthy scholarly debate. We welcome the participation from anyone and everyone.
Keep following the blog for more updates and information.
| General Geography |
| 1. Universe |
- Theories of development of Universe
- Galaxy
- Star formation
- Planet formation
- Solar system
- Moon
- Asteroid
- Meteor
- Kupier belt
- Comets
- Dwarf planets
|
| 2. Earth Evolution |
- Geological History of Earth
- Evolution of the Earth Layered Structure
- Latitude and Longitude including important Parallels and Meridians
- Motions of the Earth – Rotation,
- Revolution and their effects
- Inclination of the Earth’s Axis and its effects
- Time Zones, Local and Standard
- Time and the International Date Line,
- Calendar
- Eclipses – Solar, Lunar
- Earth’s magnetic field
- Earth’s Geological time scale
- ORIGIN of LIFE
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| Geomorphology |
| 1. Earth’s Interior |
- Interior of the Earth
- Sources of Information
- Theories – Suess Theory
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| 2. Geology and Rock system |
- Minerals
- Major Elements of the Earth’s Crust
- Rocks (Aggregate of Minerals)
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| 3. Geomorphic Processes |
- Earth’s Surface
- Endogenic Forces
- Exogenic Forces
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| 4. Earthquakes and Volcanism |
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| 5. Distribution of Continents & Oceans |
- Theories
- Isostacy
- Sea Floor Spreading
- Forces of Drifting
- Post Drift Studies
- Plate Tectonics
- Plate Boundaries – Divergent – Convergent – Transform
- Rates of Plate Movements
- Force of plate movement
- Indian Plate
|
| 6. Landforms and their evolution |
- Causes: Geomorphic Processes
- Geomorphic Agent
- Agents and their Impacts – Wind, Running Water, Ground Water, Glaciers, Waves & Currents
- Winds
- Running Water
- Ground Water (Karst Topography)
- Glaciers
- Waves and Currents
|
| 7. Weathering |
- Factors
- Major Processes
- Chemical – Forces Chemical Action
- Physical Forces Gravitational, Expansion, Water Pressure
- Biological Weathering
- Effects of Weathering
- Significance of Weathering
- Mass Movements
|
| 8. Landforms across the world |
- Rivers and lakes (Factual)
- Mountain and Peaks (Factual)
- Plateaus (Factual)
|
| Oceanography |
| 1. Hydrosphere |
- Water on the Surface of the Earth
- Hydrological Cycle
|
| 2. Submarine Relief Features |
- Oceans
- Relief of the Ocean floor
- Divisions of the ocean floor
- Minor relief features
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| 3. Temperature and Salinity |
- Temperature of the Ocean Water
- Salinity of the Ocean Water
- Density of Ocean Waters
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| 4. Waves, Ocean Currents, Tides |
- Movements of ocean Water
- Factors influencing Movement
- Motion – Horizontal and Vertical Currents
- Waves
- Tides
- Ocean Currents
|
| 5. Marine Resources |
- Underground water resource
- Surface water resources
- Inland water resources: Utilization of inland water resources
- Oceanic Water Resources (Marine Resource)
- Utilization of oceans by man
- Water consumption patterns
- Conservation of Water Resources
- Techniques of Water Conservation
|
| 6. Ocean Deposits and Corals |
- Terrigenous Deposits
- Volcanic Deposits
- Biotic deposits
- Abiotic Deposits
- Coral Reefs
- Great Barrier Reef
|
| Climatology |
| 1. Atmosphere |
- Composition
- Gases
- Water Vapour
- Dust Particles
- Structure
- Exosphere
- Thermosphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere
- Troposphere
- Altitude vs. Temperature
|
| 2. Inversion of Temperature |
- Temperature
- Factors controlling Temp distribution
- Distribution of Temp Month of January-July
- Range of Temp Month of January-July
- Inversion of Temperature
|
| 3. Insolation and Heat Budget |
- Solar Radiation Heat Balance
- Insolation
- Aphelion and Perihelion
- Variability of Insolation at the surface of the Earth
- Heat Balance
- Heating and cooling of atmosphere
- Terrestrial Radiation
- Heat Budget of the Planet Earth
- Macro Budget
- Variation in the net Heat Budget at the Earth’s Surface
|
| 4. Winds and Pressure belts |
- Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems
- Atmospheric Pressure
- Vertical variation of pressure
- Horizontal distribution of pressure
- World Distribution of Sea Level Pressure
- Factors affecting the velocity and direction of the Wind
- Pressure Gradient Force
- Frictional Force
- Coriolis Force
- Pressure and Wind (Cyclonic & Anticyclone Circulation)
- General Circulation of the Atmosphere – Pattern of Planetary Winds
- Latitudinal Variation of Atmospheric Heating
- Emergence of Pressure Belts
- Migration of Belts Following apparent Path of Sun
- Distribution of continents & Oceans
- Rotation of the Earth
- Circulation
- Simplified Global Circulation – Hadley Cell, Ferrell Cell
- Seasonal Wind
- Local Wind
- Land and Sea Breezes
- Mountain and Valley Winds
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| 5. Air Mass, Fronts, Cyclones and Jet Stream |
- Air mass & fronts
- Cyclones
- Thunderstorms
- Tornadoes
- Monsoons
- Fronts
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| 6.Precipitation |
- Water in the Atmosphere
- Water Vapour
- Precipitation
- Humidity – Absolute and Relative
- Saturation – Dew Point
- Evaporation and Condensation
- Dew
- Frost
- Fog & Mist
- Clouds
- Vertical Development – Cumulus and Cumulonimbus
- Precipitation
- Rainfall, Snowfall, Sleet Hail, Hailstones
- Types of Rainfall
- Conventional
- Orographic Cyclonic
- World Distribution of Rainfall
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| 7. Climatic Zones of the World |
- Koppene’s Classification Climatic Zones
- World Climate
- The Hot, Wet Equatorial Climate
- The Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Marine Climates
- The Savanna or Sudan Climate
- The Hot Desert and Mid-Latitude Desert Climates
- The Warm Temperate Western Margin (Mediterranean) Climate
- The Temperate Continental (Steppe Climate)
- The Warm Temperate Eastern Margin (China Type Climate)
- The Cool Temperate Western Margin (British Type Climate)
- The Cool Temperate Continental (Siberian) Climate
- The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin (Lauren-tian) Climate
- The Arctic or Polar Climate
|
| Bio-Geography |
| 1. Soil Characteristics |
- Soil Characteristics
- Factors Responsible for Soil Formation
- Stages of Soil Formation
- Soil Forming Processes
- Soil Profiles and Horizons
- Soil Classification
- Soil Erosion and Conservation
|
| 2. Vegetation resources |
- Types of natural vegetation
- Forests
- Significance of forests
- Economic significance, Ecological significance
- Cultural significance
- Factors of forest development
- Extent of forest cover
- Classification of forests
- Grasslands
- Desert vegetation
- Tundra Vegetation
- Economic utilization of forests
- Deforestation
- Deforestation in tropical forests
- Deforestation in temperate forests
- Rate and extent of deforestation
- Causes and factors of deforestation: Immediate causes of deforestation
- Indirect deforestation
- Underlying causes of deforestation
- Conservation of forests
- Forest conservation strategies
- Reforestation
- Monoculture plantation
- Afforestation
- Types of forestry
- Social forestry
- Agro-forestry
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| Human and Economic Geography of the World |
| 1. Demography and Census |
- Concept of human resources
- Factors affecting the distribution of Population
- Population Growth
- Components of Population change
- Trends in Population Growth
- Doubling time of world population
- Spatial pattern of Population change
- Impact of Population Change
- Demographic Transition
- Theories of population growth
- Population Control Measures
- World population distribution, Density and Growth
- Population Composition
- Population problems
- Census 2011
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| 2. Human Development |
- Growth vs Development
- The four pillars of Development
- Approaches to Human Development
- Measuring Human Development
- International Comparisons of Human Development
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| 3. Economic activities |
- Primary Activities
- Secondary Activities
- Tertiary, Quaternary and Quinary Activities
- Concept of Digital Divide
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| 4. Transport and Communication |
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| 5. International Trade |
- History of international Trade
- Basis of International Trade
- Important aspects of International Trade
- Types of International Trade
- Case of Free Trade
- WTO – World Trade Organisation and Regional Trade Blocs
- Gateways of International Trade
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| 6. Settlement |
- Types and Patterns of settlements
- Rural Settlements
- Urban Settlements
- sues of Urbanization in India
- Rural Urban Migration
- Emergence of Slums
- Inclusive Cities/Smart cities
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Cheers people!!
Team Aspirant Forum
