UPSC Prelims Geography Syllabus (Important Topics & Sub-Topics) Indian Geography | 1. Natural Vegetation & Wildlife- Characteristics, importance, comparison & Significance © Classification of natural vegetation in India Mangroves vegetation in India Distribution of Forest Area Factors of forest development Extent of forest cover Classification of forests in India Forest Problems in India Rainfall distribution Biosphere reserves, national parks, etc. o Red-listed species 2. Mineral & Industries © Mineral distribution, Industrial policies, mining regions and Location © Mineral Resource © Types of minerals: Metallic minerals & Non-metallic mineral © Distribution, production and international trade of Metallic minerals: Ferrous metals: Iron © ° Non-metallic Minerals - Sulphur, Phosphates, Cement 00000000Phosphates, Cement 3. Drainage systems (Indian Rivers) — Characteristics, comparison & Significance ° ° ° 000000 ©0000 ° River basins Regional development and planning Hydropower projects and major dams Interlinking of rivers Classification of Drainage Himalayan Drainage Indus river system Indus drainage system Ganga River System Brahmaputra river system Peninsular River System East flowing Rivers West flowing Rivers Mains Rivers and their tributaries Famous cities and river banks 4. The basic idea about India ° 0000 Location, Latitude, Longitude, Time zone, Local and Standard Time and the International Date Line, Calendar etc. Neighbours of India Important straits in India Indian States and their position States of India with their international boundaries 5. Physical features of India5. Physical features of India ° ° ° ° ° Physiographic Sub-Units — Himalayans, Classification of The Himalayan System, Regional Division of the Himalayas. Great Plains of India And Their Physiographic Division - Geological formation, physiographic divisions, climate, vegetation, soil, biodiversity, significance Peninsular Plateau — Geological formation, Central Highlands, Deccan Plateau, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats Thar Desert - Indian Desert Coastal Plain The Islands Mountain System 6. Climate in India ° ° ° © 00000 Factors influencing the climate of India Monsoon Mechanism of the Monsoon Classical Theory Jet stream theory Modern theory Air mass theory Seasonal rhythm Koppen’'s Climatic classificatio, EL Nino and La Nina Indian Droughts° Ee ee ee Floods and their distribution in India 7. Agriculture & Allied-characteristics & Problems ° ° © 000000 ©0000 ©0000 ° Land utilisation Agricultural Revolution in India Subsistence Agriculture Primitive Subsistence Agriculture Intensive Subsistence Agriculture Planation Agriculture Mediterranean Agriculture Viticulture in India Market Gardening and Horticulture — Truck Farming Cooperative Farming Collective Farming Green revolution Classification of Soil in India Irrigation Land reforms Animal husbandry Major Crops in India Government schemes 8. Economic infrastructure ° ° Power and energy sector Distribution of potential hydro- power Hydro-electric power generation in India Conventional and non-conven{) sources of energy Eneray conservationiciaiaiecaa © Conventional and non-conventional sources of energy © Energy conservation © Natural Energy Resources General trends of energy production and consumption Reserves and sources of energy Classification of energy Production of conventional energy Transportation — Relative importance of means of transport: Railways, Roads, Pipeline, Oceans, Air transport ° 0000 World Geography 1. Regional Grouping of Countries of the World © Continents Countries and Cities ° Continents and Important Cities of the World © Important Cities Situated on the Banks of Rivers © Economic Classification of Countries of the World . Regional geography of developed countries © Population problems of developed countries. . Regional geography of devetoni(®) countries © Pooulation nrahlame nf davalanina9. REYQIVMal Yeuygiavily Vi ucvemMprniy countries © Population problems of developing countries 4. Regional geography of South Asia 5. Events related to current affairs o Places on News Human Geography 1. Demographics © Concept of human resources Landforms Climate Soils Economic Factors Minerals Urbanisation Factors affecting the distribution of Population Geographical Factors Availability of water Industrialisation Socio-cultural factors 2. Census- 2011 of India © Highest & Lowest population ° Literacy ° sex-ratio 3. Human Development © Growth vs Development © © 000000 © 000 o Tertiary eR AN eeakirsrenetowel4. Economic Acti' ° ° ° ities Tertiary Quaternary Quinary 5. Settlements ° ° ° Urban Settlements Rural Settlements Issues of Urbanization in India 6. Current Events Physical Geography 1. Climatic Zones of the World ° Koppen’s Classification Climatic Zones © 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 Climate © The Temperate Continental © The Warm Temperate Eastern Margin The Cool Temperate Western Margin The Cool Temperate Continental Climate © The Cool Temperate Eastern Margin Climate© The Arctic or Polar Climate 2. Interior Structure of the Earth ° Crust o Mantle © Core ° Sources of Information — Direct and Indirect o Earth Quake Waves © Volcanoes © Theories —- Suess Theory 3. The basic idea about Earth © Universe — Theories of development of Universe ° ° Solar system Moon Asteroid Meteor Kupier belt Comets Dwarf planets Earth Evolution Geological History of Earth Evolution of the Earth Layered Structure — Lithosphere, Atmosphere and Hydrosphere 4. Geomorphology ° Geology and Rock system © Major Elements of the Earth's o Earth's Surface — Exogenic Fo! and Endogenic Forces © 00000000 Galaxy —- Star and planet formation ©o Earth's Surface — Exogenic Forces and Endogenic Forces 5. Mass Movements of landforms, erosion & deposits © Erosional landforms — Pediments, Pediplains, Playas, Deflation Hollows and Caves © Depositional Landforms — Barchans, Seif, Parabolic, Transverse o Ground Water (Karst Topography) o Permeable Rocks © Percolation © Bedding Plains 6. Climatology o Atmosphere ° Inversion of Temperature © Winds and Pressure belts o Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems Insolation o Heat Budget of the Earth ° Heat Balance © Heating and cooling of atmosphere - Conduction, Convection and Advection o Air Mass, Fronts, Cyclones and Jet Stream © Thunderstorms © 7. Oceanography o Hydrosphere °o Winds and Pressure belts o Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems Insolation Heat Budget of the Earth Heat Balance Heating and cooling of atmosphere — Conduction, Convection and Advection © Air Mass, Fronts, Cyclones and Jet Stream © Thunderstorms ° ° o 0° 7. Oceanography o Hydrosphere Water on the Surface of the Earth Hydrological Cycle Component Processes Ocean Currents Ocean Waves Types of Ocean Currents of the world — Warm and cold currents 000000 ° 8. Mapping © Important places in news, biosphere reserves, climatic z soils, grasslands etc.