MCQs on Himalayas, mountains and Passes for UPSC and State PSC exams

Formed 50-30 million years ago by collision of Indian and Eurasian plates, still rising, characterized by folding and thrust faulting.

Arc from Indus gorge in west to Brahmaputra gorge in east, covering five countries, with width 150-400 km.

Continental-continental collision closed Tethys Sea, uplifting sediments into fold mountains during Tertiary period.

Trans-Himalayas lie north of Indus-Tsangpo suture; then Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik moving southward.

Highest continuous range with average 6,000 m, core of crystalline rocks, source of major glaciers.

Contains peaks above 8,000 m, perennial snow, forms water tower of Asia.

3,700-4,500 m high, composed of highly compressed rocks, location of hill stations.

Youngest range, 10-50 km wide, 900-1,100 m high, made of unconsolidated sediments, prone to erosion.

Lie north of Great Himalayas in rain shadow, arid, contain K2 and Siachen glacier.

Extends from Pamir to Ladakh, contains highest concentration of glaciers outside poles.

Second highest in world, located in PoK, part of Karakoram, difficult to climb.

Forms backbone of Ladakh plateau, average 6,000 m.

Separates Kashmir Valley from Ladakh, contains deep gorges.

Longest range of Lesser Himalayas, extends from Jhelum to Beas, contains Banihal Pass.

Forms spectacular backdrop to Kangra Valley, snow-capped.

Also called Lesser Himalayas in Nepal, south of Himadri.

Comprise Patkai Bum, Naga Hills, Manipur Hills, Mizo Hills, formed by same orogeny but lower elevation.

Covers Kashmir and Himachal, 560 km long.

In Uttarakhand, 320 km, contains Nanda Devi, Gangotri.

800 km, contains Everest, Annapurna, highest peaks.

720 km covering Sikkim, Bhutan, Arunachal, lower elevation, heavy rainfall.

On Sikkim-Nepal border, third highest in world, sacred to locals.

Second highest in India, 7,816 m, center of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.

7,756 m, second highest in Garhwal, near Tibet border.

8,126 m, western anchor of Himalayas, called Killer Mountain.

7,782 m, where Brahmaputra takes U-turn, forms deepest gorge.

8,848.86 m, highest in world, part of Nepal Himalayas, not in India.

10th highest, 8,091 m, in Nepal Himalayas.

Eastern Nepal-Sikkim border, five treasures of snow.

7th highest, 8,167 m, west of Annapurna.

5th highest, 8,485 m, near Everest.

At 3,528 m in Great Himalayas, on NH1, closes in winter, strategic.

At 2,832 m, now bypassed by Jawahar Tunnel and Banihal-Qazigund tunnel.

Historic Mughal Road, 3,490 m.

3,978 m in Himachal, now bypassed by Atal Tunnel.

4,890 m, tri-junction of Pir Panjal, Great Himalayas, Zaskar.

5,328 m, second highest motorable pass on highway.

North of Leh in Ladakh Range, strategic to Siachen.

5,360 m, third highest motorable, in Ladakh.

3,930 m on Sutlej, historic trade route.

5,099 m, trijunction India-Nepal-China, pilgrimage route.

5,632 m, highest motorable pass in Uttarakhand, on ancient trade route.

5,070 m, connects Chamoli to Tibet.

4,270 m, historic Silk Route, near Nathu La.

4,310 m, reopened 2006 for trade, part of Old Silk Route.

2,217 m, strategic in Kameng region.

4,587 m, easternmost pass.

3,727 m, WWII Ledo Road, connects Arunachal to Myanmar.

5,000 m, historic Silk Route, now closed.

5,540 m, highest pass on ancient caravan route.

Historic routes to Central Asia.

Strategic in Depsang Plains.

World’s highest battlefield, 76 km long, feeds Nubra River.

Feeds to K2 base camp, 63 km.

30 km long in Uttarakhand Greater Himalayas.

In Bandarpoonch peak Uttarakhand.

Feed Alaknanda tributaries.

26 km, eastern Himalayas.

Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra cut through rising Himalayas maintaining course.

Enters India at Demchok, flows through Ladakh and PoK.

Antecedent river, forms deep gorge.

Creates Yarlung Tsangpo gorge, deepest in world.

Where Himalayas bend sharply southward.

Convergence of Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Hindukush.

Protects Indo-Gangetic plains from severe cold, causes heavy rainfall.

Due to ongoing Indian plate movement northward.

Major fault line.

Tectonic boundary.

Rich endemic flora fauna due to altitudinal zonation.

UNESCO site, in Nanda Devi Biosphere.

UNESCO World Heritage, in Kullu region.

Snow leopard habitat, in Trans-Himalayas.

UNESCO mixed heritage site.

Located 1,500-2,300 m, colonial era resorts.

Filled with Karewa deposits.

Lacustrine deposits, well-drained.

Longitudinal valleys in Shiwalik zone.

e.g., Bedni Bugyal, used for grazing.

‘Marg’ means meadow in Kashmiri.

Youthful stage of river development.

One of deepest.

Forms deep valley.

Connected India to Central Asia, Tibet.

Atal Tunnel under Rohtang, Zoji La tunnel, Sela tunnel improve all-weather access.

9.02 km, connects Manali to Lahaul, reduces distance.

14.15 km, under construction, strategic.

Ensures all-weather connectivity to China border.

Traded wool, silk, spices.

Now closed due to border disputes.

Resulted in successive uplift of Greater, Lesser, Shiwalik.

Indicate past forests and fauna.

e.g., Manikaran, Vashisht in Himachal.

Zone V seismic risk.

All above 6,500 m in Greater Himalayas.

In Kinnaur, near Tibet border.

Altitudinal zonation due to temperature decrease.

Above which trees cannot grow, only shrubs and meadows.

Eastern Himalayas receive more monsoon, snowline ~4,400 m vs 5,000 m west.

Known as Valley of Gods, formed by Beas River, important for horticulture.

Formed by lacustrine deposits, famous for saffron and apples.