Geography of Rajasthan and India
This domain covers Rajasthan's physical divisions, drainage, climate, soils and minerals, plus basic Indian geography. Expect map-based reasoning phrased as "which river" or "which district is the mineral found in".
Physical divisions
- Four broad divisions: the western sandy desert (Marusthali), the Aravalli hill system, the eastern plains, and the Hadoti (south-eastern) plateau.
- The Aravalli is one of the world's oldest fold mountain systems, running roughly from Palanpur in Gujarat towards Delhi. Its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) on Mount Abu, Sirohi district.
Drainage
- Chambal: the only perennial river of the state; rises in the Janapav hills (Vindhya range, Madhya Pradesh) and forms the boundary with MP.
- Banas: rises in the Khamnor hills, Rajsamand, flows entirely within Rajasthan and joins the Chambal; tributaries include Berach, Kothari and Khari.
- Luni: the river of the Thar, rising near the Naga hills of Ajmer; inland drainage, becoming saline below Balotra and ending in the Rann of Kutch.
- Ghaggar: seasonal, disappears into the desert in Hanumangarh.
Climate, soil, minerals
- Arid west and semi-arid east; rainfall decreases westwards, and the Aravalli acts as a partial barrier.
- Sandy soil in the west, alluvial in the east, black soil in the Hadoti belt.
- Zinc-lead at Zawar (Udaipur) and Rampura Agucha (Bhilwara); copper at Khetri (Jhunjhunu); Makrana marble (Nagaur); lignite at Palana (Bikaner); petroleum at Mangala (Barmer); gypsum in Nagaur and Jaisalmer.
Worked example
Question: which river is called the river of the Thar and never reaches the sea? Reasoning: inland drainage plus salinity in its lower course points to the Luni, which dissipates towards the Rann of Kutch.
Traps
- Chambal, not Banas, is the perennial river; Banas is a tributary of the Chambal.
- Guru Shikhar lies in Sirohi district, not Udaipur.
- Luni is not a tributary of the Chambal.